Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is medium brown with a couple of medium sized veins present. The seams are smooth and barely visible while the head is finished off with what appears to be a double cap. There is also a bit of a square press to the cigar. There are two bands, the primary being the standard Crux Limitada band and the second denoting PB5. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of barnyard and stone fruit sweetness while the foot gives a mix of stone fruit sweetness and hay. The pre-light draws brings a mix of faint stone fruit sweetness and leather.

Pre-light Experience

The Crux Limitada PB5 has a medium light brown Colorado Claro wrapper shade. The wrapper exhibits a slick oiliness on the fingertips and is quite smooth. Veins are well pressed and seams tight and nearly invisible. The cigar feels well bunched and rolled as there are no soft or hard spots felt. The head is finished off with a thick double cap. Nosing the wrapper tells cedar, spiced herbs and dry barnyard. Nosing the foot gives spicy cedar, white pepper and rich roasted nuttiness. Cold draw reveals white pepper, sharp cedar and mixed nuts.

First Third

Initial draws bring an aged cedar. At a quarter inch in, a creamy pepper comes into the background. The retrohale is a slightly peppery cedar. At an inch in, the profile becomes fuller with the cedar, cream and pepper which creates a very flavorful mixture. At an inch and a half, some coffee joins into the mix. As the third comes to a close, the pepper dials back some while the creamy cedar is up front. The strength in this third is slightly above medium.

First Third

First third starts off right out of the gate with a thick and weighty medium-full bodied smoking experience. The top tier of flavors (ie most dominant and noticeable) consists of very sweet creamy milk chocolate, gritty dirt and minerality. The second tier of flavors (ie less noticeable) has light oak and ripe stone fruit. I don’t get much (or any) spice aside from the retrohale. When retrohaling, black pepper spice is realized as well as an amplified ripe stone fruit. About an inch and a half in, more black pepper spice and oak is realized, giving the cigar profile a greater reach of depth. Also within this point, the body increases to full, as the smoke, in a way, is a lot like drinking heavy whole milk. The strength is at a solid medium throughout the entire first third.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the cream backs off and some char comes to join the peppery cedar. At a half inch in, some bitterness joins in with the charred cedar while the cream and pepper have completely left the profile. At an inch in, the cedar transitions to oak but still carries the char and slight bitterness. The retrohale is a warm oak with slight bitterness. This is how the third finished. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Second Third

Second third still holds the same great structure and complexities. The profile picks up some minerality in addition to the pre-existing rich roasted sweetened cream nuttiness, bread, cedar, hay and well balanced pepper spice. Retrohaling is still full of spicy cedar and rich dried nuts. The finish picks up black pepper with the same bread and dry wood notes. Strength and body continues to be medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the bitterness ramps up and moves the oak to the background. I performed a purge which definitely knocked down a lot of the bitterness. At a half inch in, the oak is up front with some bitterness in the background. At an inch in, the oak gains a toasty note while the bitterness increases some. At an inch and a quarter, the bitterness takes over the profile again and pushes the oak to the background. This is how the cigar finishes. The strength in this third was medium-full.

Final Third

The only change within the last third is an increase in pepper spice. Though never over-powering, it is a nice building spice. Aside from that, the mouth draws are still full of roasted nuttiness, sweetened cream, minerals, bread, hay and cedar. The retrohale still shows deeper notes of spicy cedar and rich dried nuts. The finish also picks up the elevated spice as well as the same bread and dry wood. Strength and body finishes for the most part medium.

Burn

The burn line was just slightly wavy and never needed any attention. The ash held on in two inch increments.

Burn

Great burning cigar. The only negative was a slight flowering of the ash within the first and last third. Aside from that, the burn line was sharp, 1.5 inch solid ash marks, and most importantly, there was never a need to use my lighter after the initial light.

Draw

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

Overall

The first third started slow but really got going towards the middle. Once reaching the second third, some bitterness joined in and I could never shake it which was disappointing as it dominated the profile at times. I had high hopes for this cigar as the 2016 Show Edition Limitada is based off of this blend and was my number one cigar of 2016, but unfortunately the cigar didn’t end well. I hope this is a one off and not indicative of the line, so I’m hoping Jiunn can report a better experience. I definitely want to smoke another to see if the cigar can build off of what the first third was creating.

Draw

Within the two samples smoked, one was a bit loose and another was perfect. Conservatively averaging both, the draw was simply great.

Overall

Within the sea of powerhouse cigars out there (namely within the U.S. market), it is always a treat to smoke a cigar focused on flavor. The PB5 showed tremendous depth in building flavors and complexities. There is something truly special about the Engañoso wrapper. Knowing it’s limited availability, don’t snooze on these as when they are gone, you’ll be SOL and will be crying in the corner. Simply delicious.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.87

Cost/Point

$2.04

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

8.33

Cost/Point

$1.44

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Crux Limitada PB5