Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The J.C. Newman The American President comes in a glass tube with a plastic stopper. On the tube are two bands. The primary is the traditional band for the line while the foot band carries the same design and denotes the line and company name. After removing the cigar from the tube, you can see that it has no bands. The wrapper is a marbled medium brown and has a few decently raised veins that carry a darker color to them. The seams are smooth and the caps are very well applied. The aroma from the wrapper is fairly light and just brings musty wood. The foot brings musty and slightly dank cedar. The pre-light draw brings musty cedar and tobacco sweetness along with a mild spiciness on my lips.
Seth: The J.C. Newman The American President has a beautiful wrapper that is light Colorado in coloring. It has this faded chocolate brown coloring. Silky in texture with medium sized veins present throughout. Firm to touch throughout with a nicely applied cap. The aroma on the foot and wrapper is that of wood, earth, fallen leaves and the smell of a fire pit the following morning. Has this fall like quality.
John: The J.C. Newman The American President comes packed in a tubo with foam pieces to protect the cap and foot. Despite that, there was some minor foot damage upon closer examination. The cigar has no bands on it, as they are all attached to the tubo. Nosing the wrapper, I could smell bread, mild baking spices and mild citrus. There was orange citrus and bread from the foot.
Jiunn: The J.C. Newman The American President is a site to behold. Nothing to do with the actual cigar, but everything to do with the baller glass tube. L-u-x-u-r-y. In terms of the actual cigar, the wrapper is Colorado with a looser roll, well pressed veins, tight seams and well wrapped head. Aromas from the wrapper tell stinky feet and soil. Aromas from the foot tell a mixture of white pepper and sweet, nutty roasted nuts. Cold draw reveals the same as the foot aromas but with less pepper.

Team Cigar Review: J.C. Newman The American President

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with musty and slightly dank cedar along with some lightly damp earth. At a half inch in, a very mild baking spice becomes present as the dankness of the cedar goes away. The retrohale is pretty identical to what I get from the mouth draws. At an inch and a half, the flavor profile becomes a bit fuller. At two inches in, the mustiness increases a bit and the earth loses the dampness. The strength in this third was slightly below medium.
Seth: The first third opens with dry earth, soft spice, herbal and floral qualities. There is a metallic quality present as well, and the finish is of cream and nuts. I would classify the cigar as medium in strength and body. Interesting first third.
John: Creamy citrus starts the first third, with mild wood to finish. Some mild baking spices come through after a few puffs. Vegetal notes and sweetness are present at the end of the draw not long after. Around roughly the 30 minute mark, some chocolate adds complexity to the profile.
Jiunn: The first third exhibits a medium plus body and medium strength profile. Flavors consist of no doubt plenty of earthiness in the way of rich soil. There’s also maple syrup sweetness, roasted nuts and layered white pepper spice. Retrohaling gives greater depth of the white pepper spice and roasted nuts alike. The finish is surprisingly clean for broadleaf, with roasted nuts and a soft layer of soil.

Team Cigar Review: J.C. Newman The American President

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the cedar has taken on a slightly young, green note to it. At a half inch in, the dry earth takes a slight lead over the young, musty cedar, which has also gained back some dankness, while a mild baking spice remains in the background. The retrohale is an even mix of musty, young cedar and dry earth. As the third comes to a close, a vegetal note joins the profile and brings a light bitterness with it. The strength in this third bumped up to medium.
Seth: The second third delivers a flavor profile of dry earth, herbal spices and mineral qualities. There are some cream and wood notes present as well, and it remains a solid medium body cigar. Not overly complex.
John: Creamy wood and baking spices to finish, define the start of the second third. Citrus comes through at the end of the draw as it progresses. Not long after, mustiness builds in the middle of the profile. By the halfway point, some dryness comes through in the middle of the palate.
Jiunn: The second third shows more earthiness in minerals and rich soil. But that isn’t to say the softer flavors of maple syrup sweetness and roasted nuts are gone. It is very much a well melded profile. Strength and body remains medium and medium plus, respectively.

Team Cigar Review: J.C. Newman The American President

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the vegetal note now has the lead in the profile and the bitterness has increased a bit while the baking spice has left the profile. At a half inch in, the vegetal and bitter notes settle down as the musty cedar, dry earth and vegetal notes are all even and the bitterness is light in the background. The retrohale is now musty cedar and dry earth. At an inch and a half in, the cedar gains a toasted note. The cigar wraps up with an even mix of musty, toasted cedar, dry earth and vegetal note with light bitterness. The strength in this third remained at medium.
Seth: The final third was really a continuation of the second third in all areas.
John: The last third gets things started with musty wood and trailing creaminess into the post draw. Some dry cedar lingers on the post draw as well. There is no other evolution through the final third.
Jiunn: The final third’s flavor profile shows it deteriorating. There’s far more earthiness in soil and minerals such that it takes away from the softer notes of maple syrup sweetness and roasted nuts. This earthiness especially carries through on the finish, layering my tongue. Strength and body is still unchanged at medium and medium plus.

Team Cigar Review: J.C. Newman The American President

Burn

Aaron: The burn was perfect throughout and the ash held on in near inch and a half increments.
Seth: Good burn line throughout for the most part. Occasional re-lighting.
John: The burn was consistently straight and had an ash that held on in 1-1/2″ increments.
Jiunn: Picture perfect burn. Even burn, solid ashes, ample smoke production and cool burning temperature.

Team Cigar Review: J.C. Newman The American President

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: Draw seemed somewhat loose in my opinion.
John: The draw had a small amount of resistance to it, roughly 1-1/2 to 2 notches.
Jiunn: The draw was also great, giving the ideal air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar had a profile focused around musty cedar, earth and mild baking spice. The second third showed a bit of youngness to the cedar and the final third saw the addition of a vegetal note and some bitterness. Overall, the profile for the J.C. Newman The American President was fairly average as the profile came across as the tobacco being a bit young. In having reviewed the No. 2 vitola, I enjoyed that one a bit more and am not sure of this vitola just needs a bit more time to get rid of the green aspects of it. Maybe I’ll revisit this down the road to see if it can come of age, but for now, I’d recommend some of the other vitolas.
Seth: This was not what I was looking for when I lit up a cigar called The American President. Of course, maybe this is the perfect name for this cigar. It is an average cigar from beginning to end. Quite moderate. I was expecting some more strength, spices and mineral qualities, but I ended up with this agricultural and farm like experience from beginning to end. Touches of cream are what brought some life to the cigar, but in the end, it was not enough. Decent construction, but not great. I can’t say I would go back to the J.C. Newman The American President.
John: The J.C. Newman The American President was overall an average flavor experience with very good to excellent construction. For whatever reason, this vitola didn’t deliver some of the great flavors I found in the Churchill size. I was happy to have the opportunity to review this Factory Exclusive, and hope to visit the J.C. Newman factory at some point in the near future. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 9 minutes.
Jiunn: A baller look and an overall tasty profile. I’m typically not all that excited for such a long smoking experience, as it tends to be monotonous. But, the J.C. Newman The American President showed composure throughout the vast majority of the smoking experience. Bold statement, but I think this may be worth the $20.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.40

Cost/Point

$3.70

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

5.10

Cost/Point

$3.92

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.95

Cost/Point

$3.36

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$2.93

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: J.C. Newman The American President