Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a light golden brown with a few darker spots mixed in which is more prevalent towards the head. There are some veins visible, along with the seams due to the variation in the wrapper color. The head is finished off with a very well applied triple cap. The band is a similar design to their most recent offerings and is in a color combination of red white and gold with the brand name parallel to the cigar and the line name perpendicular in the white lower section. The aroma from the wrapper is that of damp hay while the foot gives more damp hay, some graham cracker along with a bit of white pepper. The pre-light draw brings a slightly spicy hay note with a decent amount of spicy tingle on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Crux Epicure Robusto doesn’t have the best looking wrapper as it has a light brown wrapper with various streaks of darker brown marks. The great thing about it is the wrapper is lively with great oil content leaving quite a bit of oil traces on the finger tips. Veins are well pressed, seams tight and a well applied triple cap. Nosing the wrapper gives barnyard and cedar. Nosing the foot tells naturally sweetened and creamed dry nuts, white pepper and cedar. Cold draw tells creamy bread, white pepper on the tip of the tongue and hay.

First Third

The cigar begins with some toasted wood and hay notes along with a tame black pepper in the background. At a quarter inch in, the flavors are mixing well. The retrohale is a vibrant wood note with a slight bit of toast to it. At a half inch in a slight creaminess joins the mix of toasted wood and mild black pepper as the hay note has faded away. At an inch and a quarter, I begin getting some vegetal undertones. As the third comes to a close, the toasted wood, mild pepper and vegetal notes continue on in a good mixture. The strength in this third was slightly below medium.

First Third

The first third exhibits bolder and distinct notes of semi-sweet creamed nuts and black pepper. The black pepper spice is unique in the sense that it does a good job of coating your entire palate without making it dry. Through retrohaling, the sweet creamed nuts is more prevalent as well as the black pepper spice. The finish lingers long with a mixture of cedar and black pepper. Strength and body is medium.

Second Third

As the third begins, the toasted wood, slight cream, pepper and vegetal notes continue on, but the profile is becoming a bit dry. At a quarter inch in, the cream and pepper have left and the toasted wood, now more defined as oak and slight vegetal notes are what remain. The retrohale carries a musty oak note. At an inch and a quarter, some cream starts to pop in from time to time. As the third comes to a close, the toasted oak and slight vegetal note continue as the profile increases a bit in dryness. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Second Third

The second third’s tasting notes holds true to the first third’s. Still a profile centered around semi-sweet creamed nuts and mouth watering black pepper spice. Retrohaling further accentuates the black pepper and creamed nuttiness. Strength and body remains medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, some nuttiness joins the toasted wood and light vegetal note. A little further in, some cream returns to diminish most of the profiles dryness. At a half inch in, some mustiness joins the toasted oak, cream and vegetal note. At an inch in, the oak loses the toasty note and gains some char. The retrohale has a very unique combination of a vegetal note and a young, green oak which I kind of like. As the cigar wraps up, the oak has lost the char and continues with some cream, mustiness and the vegetal note. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Final Third

The last third is just like the first two thirds until right around the mid point. At that point, youth of the cigar comes through as there is a hint of metallic note. It’s not so much that the other notes are overshadowed. Retrohaling is by far my favorite part as no metallic notes are tasted and continuation of pepper spice and creamed nuttiness is full and distinct. Strength is moving towards medium-full and body stays medium.

Burn

The burn was perfect on this cigar. Razor sharp the entire way and the ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Burn

Burn was perfect. No re-lights or touch ups, razor sharp burn line, sturdy ashes leading to 1.5 inch ash marks.

Draw

The draw was perfect with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The Crux Epicure Robusto is a pretty good example of a well done traditional Connecticut shade cigar. It produced lots of flavors around wood, creaminess and vegetal notes. The strength was right around medium, so maybe a little stronger than the mild Connecticuts, but nothing too extreme. The middle third was a bit too dry for my liking, but I was happy to see the final third come back around. Construction was absolute perfection which allowed me to focus on nothing but the flavors it was presenting. This is another nice addition to the Crux portfolio and one I’m interested to revisit in some other vitolas. I think this would do well in the morning with some coffee and I’ll definitely find out what that experience is like. If you’re a fan of Connecticut shade cigars, you would do well in picking some of these up.

Draw

Perfect draw giving great resistance and air flow.

Overall

One thing is for sure for new releases within the last two years or so. Connecticut shade cigars all perform fairly well and you can’t really go wrong with any of them. In the case of the Crux Epicure Robusto, it is just that. A bolder, straight forward and tasty flavor profile that can be enjoyed any time of the day. Have no hesitation in buying these.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$1.47

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.17

Cost/Point

$1.40

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Crux Epicure Robusto