Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is medium brown and has a slight turtle effect as the network of slightly raised veins carry a lighter color surrounding them. The seams are smooth and very well hidden while the head is finished off with a very well applied triple cap. The band is aqua, white and purple with gold borders and accents. The image is of a family member with the name that represents the line if I remember correctly. The aroma from the wrapper is a light barnyard while the foot brings wood and some stone fruit sweetness. The pre-light draw brings a light cedar along with a mild spiciness on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Diamond Crown Julius Caeser Robusto in many ways is average in terms of appearance and has a nice dark natural wrapper. It is smooth in texture and has few veins present. The cigar is firm and it has an aroma of cedar, hay and raisins on the foot. The wrapper is delivering qualities of hay, tobacco and raisins with some classic wood notes.

Pre-light Experience

The Diamond Crown Julius Caeser is always a standout for me with its band design. It has a picture of Julius Caeser (not Caesar) in Roman dress, with colors of metallic gold, baby blue, white and a rich purple. The cigar wrapper is a dark brown, very smooth, with firmly pressed veins. As I smelled the cigar, I was able to detect aromas of complex wood, and some tobacco sweetness underneath. There is a sweet raisin tobacco aroma coming from the foot.

Pre-light Experience

The Diamond Crown Julius Caeser Robusto has a Colorado Maduro wrapper shade with some traces of oil. Construction is great as the cigar has an even roll with no soft spots, well pressed veins, tight seams and a well applied triple cap. Aromas from the wrapper give barnyard, cedar and hay. Aromas from the foot give a nostril awakening black pepper and cedar. Cold draw tells cedar, nuts and hay.

First Third

The cigar begins with wood, a chalkiness and some mild black pepper. At a quarter inch in, the chalkiness has transitioned to a mustiness. At three quarters of an inch in, the wood is more identifiable as soft cedar. The retrohale has a zingy black pepper up front with the cedar and mustiness in the background. As the third comes to a close, the profile is soft cedar and musty black pepper. The strength in this third was slightly below medium.

First Third

The first third opens up with some soft spice notes that are accompanied by some fruity qualities. There is a tobacco profile with that and the finish is of musty wood. The strength and body are at a solid medium level and it is a balanced and enjoyable beginning.

First Third

Flavors of aged wood, finishing with faint black pepper as the Julius Caeser opens. The retrohale is a near carbon copy of the flavors and intensity. Earthy sweetness distinguishes the retrohale as the first third progresses. Minutes later some barbeque appears as the cigar settles in. The faint black pepper begins to climb in strength, moving up to light plus, bringing with it some stewed raisin. The retrohale picks up some mild leather, a contrast to the mild cocoa that is beginning to finish each draw. The retrohale continues to evolve with light baking spices as the retrohale harmonizes.

First Third

The first third creates a profile that is full of milk chocolate and vegetal notes. Milk chocolate, packaged brownie bits, dehydrated vegetables and a light generic dry wood. Retrohaling brings an introduction of red pepper spice and highlights more of the milk chocolate note. The finish is a lingering dry wood and hay. Strength and body is medium.

Second Third

The second third continues on with the soft cedar and musty black pepper combination. At a half inch in, the cedar becomes a bit fuller as the mustiness is right behind it and the black pepper has lost a little bit of steam. The retrohale has the cedar and black pepper even and the mustiness behind them. As the third comes to a close, the cedar gains a toasted note as the mustiness is right behind and pepper is faint in the background. The strength in this third bumped up to medium.

Second Third

I am in the second third of the cigar and finding the spice notes to be a little bit stronger than before. I am getting some wood and leather qualities, and there are some earthy and fruity notes on the finish. The strength and body are remaining at a medium level and like before, a solid third of the cigar.

Second Third

During the transition to the second third, cedar moves to the front of the palate. That raisin sweetness takes up the middle of the palate, and vegetal notes join into the post draw. As the cigar progresses I’m picking up some astringent cedar on the post draw, with light plus baking spices defining the retrohale. The light cocoa at the end of the draw becomes a more prominent light plus chocolate in the middle of the retrohale.

Second Third

The second third still has the milk chocolate and packaged brownie bits in spades. The profile through the mouth draws picks up a subtle red pepper spice. The finish is still a lingering dry wood and hay. Strength and body is unchanged at medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, a bit of char joins the cedar and a light vegetal note becomes present. At a half inch in, the profile gains a meatiness to go with the charred cedar, mustiness and light vegetal note. The black pepper is very faint in the background. The retrohale is now just a musty cedar. As the cigar comes to a close, the char drops out. The strength in this third remained at medium.

Final Third

When I get into the final third of the cigar, I find a change in the profile and it is showing a nice meaty and cedar profile overall. There are some earthy qualities with that and the finish is smoky and fruity. The strength and body remain at a medium level, and it was a balanced cigar from start to finish.

Final Third

More significant evolution as the profile takes on a sweet citrus during the transition to the final third. The post draw becomes characterized by cedar.

Final Third

The last third has the milk chocolate and brownie bits muddled into more of a generic creamed candy sweetness. The cedar and red pepper spice however are still easily identifiable. Strength is moving towards that medium-full mark but never quite reaches it while body is still medium.

Burn

The burn was slightly wavy but never needed any attention. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Burn

From start to finish the cigar delivered a solid burn line that produced a firm ash on the end. There were a couple times where the burn line was a little off, but never presenting a problem by any means.

Burn

My notes are very short here, as the Julius Caeser performs brilliantly. Very straight burn, achieving up to 3 inches throughout the smoking experience.

Burn

The burn was flawless. Rock solid ashes, 1.5 inch ash retention, cool and even burn.

Draw

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

Overall

The cigar began with soft cedar, chalkiness that soon became mustiness and black pepper. As the cigar progressed, the cedar gained some toastiness which quickly turned into char. Construction was great and strength was right around medium the whole way. This is a long standing, well received blend and it has continued on this way. The price point is a bit high for the vitola, but for something so consistent, I think it warrants it. This is a cigar I’d gladly come back to and would have no problem recommending it to others.

Draw

The draw was somewhat loose to my liking on the cigar, but I think for many they would find it perfect and not a problem by any means.

Overall

Overall, the Diamond Crown Julius Caeser Robusto was an enjoyable cigar that produced a solid flavor profile from start to finish. It has a nice complexity and in the final third there is a nice bit of transitioning. It was not over the top in terms of depth, but a solid cigar nonetheless. Take into account that this cigar has been on the market for nine years, the blend is still doing very well. I can think of a lot of lines and brands that would have died out after this long. It is a cigar that is approachable by many, if not all smokers on the market.

Draw

The draw is 1-1/2 notches into the resistant spectrum, but I still would classify it as very good.

Overall

I’ve smoked a fair number of Julius Caeser by Diamond Crown, and it always satisfies. The cigar carries a bit of a premium price point, but delivers flawless construction. Flavors of black pepper, wood, barbeque, leather, raisin, cocoa, vegetal and citrus all combine for a complex smoking experience. The overall strength is consistently under medium, and doesn’t overwhelm the palate. I wouldn’t hesitate to light up another Julius Caeser as I know I’m going to get a reliably good cigar.

Draw

The draw was prefect.

Overall

Ever since the beginning of my cigar smoking days about 10 years ago, for some reasons not exactly identified (the name, band, wrapper color?), I’ve always had a high respect for the Diamond Crown Julius Caeser. I thought it should be at a high level. It’s been a while since I’ve previously smoked this cigar (most likely 5+ years ago) but smoking it for review confirms my thoughts of it being a revered cigar. The flavor profile was dessert-like with some nice accented spice and wood (milk chocolate, packaged brownie bits, dehydrated vegetables, cedar, red pepper spice). I look forward to smoking the next one way sooner than 5 years down the road.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.72

Cost/Point

$1.75

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.52

Cost/Point

$1.80

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

7.02

Cost/Point

$1.67

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.17

Cost/Point

$1.64

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Diamond Crown Julius Caeser Robusto