As we approach this years IPCPR in Las Vegas, Crux Cigars is stepping up their game with a couple of anticipated new blends. You may have read our review of the Crux Guild but today we review the new PB5 Limitada. This completes the line up for Crux, unless they have something yet to be announced.
I invited my Stogie Press associate Alton over to the lounge tonight for a little herf and sampling of the PB5. The TV is tuned into baseball tonight – Sox and A’s – of course I am looking for a sweep just I am hoping the PB5 does for Crux.
According to the Crux Cigar Company:
The Crux Limitada PB5 is the inaugural release in a new series that is based the company’s love of exceptional tobacco, each with a different blend composed of tobacco that we could only find and purchase in limited quantities.
The Crux Limitada PB5 features a Engañoso wrapper from Esteli, Nicaragua that was secured over three years ago. Internally, the filler is made up of a combination of five different filler tobaccos while the binder is Connecticut Broadleaf.
The Crux Limitada PB5 is available in only one vitola, a 5.75 x 54 Cuban box-pressed Toro Extra with an MSRP of $11.99. There will only be 5,000 total cigars produced. The Crux Limitada PB5 is rolled at Plasencia Cigars S.A. in Esteli, Nicaragua.
First up to the plate for the Crux Limitada PB5 is the examination – the wrapper is medium brown, gritty to the touch and the foot just oozes a nut aroma, in fact Alton and I both agreed it was peanut to be exact with some chocolate note thrown in. I am thinking a Reese’s peanut butter cup.
We also picked up little floral along the barrel itself.
The cigar construction is flawless with tight seams and solidly packed throughout. The Cigar is adorned with two bands. The primary is black with the Crux Logo centered in the middle and a silver band on the bottom describing it as the Limitada. The Secondary band is just below the primary and is simply black with the PB5 in white.
After slicing the cap, the cold draw was simply delicious with notes of that peanut butter and some sweet hay. This is certainly shaping up to be a good start. Just as the Red Sox jump to an early lead on the A’s, the PB5 Limitada seems like a hit right from the start.
As we fired the PB5 up I was expecting some nut and chocolate but instead was smacked with an early black pepper burst. Ok, I didn’t see that coming just as I did not expect the Red Sox to score 27 runs in two games against the A’s. The initial pepper note faded back after about a 1/4 inch of burn and gave way to a creamy nut and fruity plum flavor with a short clean finish. White pepper was present on the back of the throat.
The burn is perfect with a thin char line and a medium gray ash. The fruit is enhanced with a sprinkle of sweetness that entered after an inch of the burn while the faded pepper keeps moving in and out just to keep the palate on guard. The ash held on for about an inch and half before falling, presenting a perfect burn cone. The aroma is an inviting spicy, sweet, floral scent. I won’t go as far as to say it is like incense, but it certainly is making the lounge smell good.
Alton notes that the smoke is coating the palate well, as a cedar note enters in the middle of the second third and the white pepper comes back in on the retrohale.
As the PB5 Limitada slides into the final third, I pick up a leather note. I have to say this is a note that Alton did not get but I explained that your palate may not know this taste. I told him, believe it or not, I actually licked one of my leather belts one day just to know that taste. It seemed to work as now I can pick it up.
Alton noted citrus coming in, and after a bit of discussion, we agreed it was a citrus lime flavor. We also noted a much longer finish in the final stages with a rich creamy smoke.
Overall the Crux PB5 Limtada was welcome addition to the Crux portfolio of cigars. Though not overly complex in flavor it did offer delicious flavor transitions and had excellent burn quality. This is a solid medium body smoke that would be enjoyed by any cigar smoker new or experienced. I would like to thank the Crux Cigar team for the samples.
Crux PB5 Limitada
On a side note: My Red Sox went on to slaughter the A’s and complete the sweep, scoring another 13 runs for a total of 40 runs in 3 games! It is going to be a fun season of baseball in the Stogie Press lounge this summer as we smoke cigars and enjoy the season.
Excellent cigar and fine addition to the Crux lineup