Four Kicks – Crowned Heads CigarsFour Kicks
Size: Corona Gorda 5 5/8 x 46
Wrapper: Habano Ecuador
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium-Full
Accompanying Beverage: Water

Four Kicks is the first release from Crowned Heads Cigars. Jon Huber and Mike Conder have managed to make quite a name for themselves over the past year.  Four Kicks has made it onto several Top 10 of 2011 lists and been met with rave reviews from folks like me.  The cigar itself can be tough to find, but I managed to get my hands on a few of the Corona Gordas.  I was even lucky enough to win a Four Kicks hat and some stickers on Twitter!  With that being said, I managed to maintain my integrity and did not let my winnings influence my review.  That would just be bad business and that’s just not how I roll.

Prelight:  This is a simple looking cigar and I love simple.  The Habano wrapper is clean with no blemishes or veins.  The red and gold band features a crown and white text.  Very simple, very bold and very effective.  The wrapper and foot gave off a sweet, earthy,  almost sour scent.  I used my trusty Xikar V-Cutter and found a great draw.

Beginning:  After toasting the foot, I got this stick going with a soft flame.  The first puff offered a sweet nutty flavor with a very subtle pecan note.  There was a slight orange blossom note in there as well with a subtle peppery note through the nose.  This really is a unique smoke so far.Four Kicks

Middle: The body picked up after the first few inches.  The pepper kicked it up a notch, which was a welcomed change of pace.  I didn’t realize how much I wanted a little more pepper until I got it.  That really rounded things out.  I settled into these flavors for awhile.  The aftertaste was pleasant as well.  Some of the flavors really seemed to evolve after exhale, which was interesting to me.

End:  I’m happy to say the flavors didn’t change much after the first 2 inches or so.  They settled in and got comfortable.  The next thing I knew, the cigar was done.  That’s the only thing I didn’t like about this smoke – it didn’t last for 2 hours!

Construction:  Consistent.  Great burn, perfect draw, clean wrapper, solid feel.  I really liked the way this stick felt in my hand.  I dig a 46 ring gauge and this one was solid.

Final Thoughts:  This unassuming cigar is a winner!  I would have liked it to have a little more of a kick, but it’s probably better without.  It’s a great smoke that you can enjoy any time of the day.  It is kind enough to have in the late morning, but it has enough character to hold up after a big dinner.  I paired this with water (as I usually do for reviews) but it would have played well with a nice bourbon or even a cream soda. I am VERY excited to see what comes next from the boys at Crowned Heads.  They crushed this one and their future is bright!

Smoke Time: 55 minutes

Overall:

9 - This cigar fills a void in my humidor. It’s one of the few smokes that can go with almost any occasion. Dare I say it’s dynamic?
  • Flavor :
    9 - A unique combination of flavors. I love the build this one has. It starts out good and becomes great!
  • Draw :
    10 - Perfect. It produced a lot of thick smoke. That is a big plus for me.
  • Construction :
    9 - The “feel” of this cigar is great. Love the 46 ring gauge. The draw, burn and smoke production were great.
  • Appearance :
    9.5 - I’m a sucker for simple, bold looks and this one has it. The band feels Cuban to me and I like that. And as a lifelong 49ers fan, red and gold is close to my heart.
  • Price Point :
    8 - They retail for about $7.50, which is just about right. It might be a little pricey for an everyday smoke, but at this price I can keep some on hand.