Diamond Crown Maximus Cigar Review

Introduced in 2003, the Diamond Crown Maximus is described as a super premium cigar brand handmade by Tabacalera A. Fuente in the Dominican Republic for the J.C. Newman Cigar Company. The cigar is the bolder, more full-bodied cousin to the original Diamond Crown cigar. In making this cigar, the company uses wrapper leaves from Oliva Tobacco’s El Bajo farm that are selected from the upper corona portion of the plant, which adds to the strength of its taste.

J.C. Newman describes the Diamond Crown Maximus blend as:

• Wrapper – El Bajo Ecudarian Ligero Oscuro Sun Grown
• Binder – Dominican
• Filler – Dominican

The Diamond Crown Maximus is available in 6 vitolas and packaged in 20-count boxes:

• Maximus #1 (Double Corona) 8 x 50 – MSRP $19.20
• Maximus #2 (Churchill) 7 x 50 – MSRP $16.60
• Maximus #3 (Pyramid) 6.625 x 50 – MSRP $18.20
• Maximus #4 (Toro) 6 x 50 – MSRP $14.00
• Maximus #5 (Robusto) 5 x 50 – MSRP $11.50
• Maximus #6 (Double Robusto) 5 x 56 – MSRP $12.45

You can find these at about a 10% discount on the most popular online cigar sites.

As part of the package at this years Smoke Inn Great Smoke 2018, I received the Diamond Crown Maximus #4 Toro which is the subject of todays review.

---

Pre-Light Examination

The Diamond Crown Maximus has a dark brown, medium grit, wrapper with a few noticeable veins and an occasional bump here and there, along the barrel. The wrapper has a fine marbling to it. The cigar is packed tight and solid in the hand. A simple cap finishes the construction.

The band on the Diamond Crown Maximus is certainly one of the most colorful adornments on a cigar. The word “MAXIMUS” is printed in gold on a rich blue background in the center of the band. In its own special way, it reminds me a bit of an Opus X band, which makes sense, since Tabacalera A. Fuente produces these for J,C. Newman.

As I  ran the Maximus across the nose, I picked up a sweet tobacco aroma along the barrel and notes of fruit, hay, and light pepper off the foot.  This is certainly a cigar that is ready for smoking, with excellent signs of being well aged. 

I sliced the cap and proceeded to give it some cold draw puffs. I noticed the cigar had a tight draw while delivering a musty earth flavor. It was time to light it up and experience a Maximus journey.

---

Cigar Review Notes

• Upon first light the smoke draw was actually fine compared to the cold draw
• There was a delicious, opening volley, of smoke that had hints of sweetness, citrus, and earth
• The retro-hale had a soft peppery burn on the nose
• Ash is solid white and sits atop a medium and crisp char line 
• The wrapper already shows rich oiling as it warms up near the foot
• The sweetness morphs into more of a dry fruit and caramel note
• The foot is wafting a sweet floral aroma 
• Coffee notes enter
• This is a very fragrant cigar with a clean finish on the palate
• Touch of cocoa rounds out the profile
• Beautiful long ash that eventually falls after 2 plus inches 
• Ideal burn cone – perfect in form and centered
• Woody notes enter midway 
• Very smooth smoke with limited spice 
• A natural tobacco sweetness is picked up off the head causing me to lick my lips from the flavor
• Earth and dry cocoa enter deep into the second third 
• Black pepper spice starts to be revealed in the final third as the strength has increased close to near full
• Total Smoking time was a pleasurable 1 hour and 30 minutes, down to the nub

Overall, the Diamond Crown Maximus is, as J.C. Newman describes it, a super premium cigar. The flavor transitions were well-balanced and the burn was just excellent with a pleasant room filling aroma. This is a cigar that a true aficionado would savor, but any cigar enthusiast would enjoy it for sure. I would pair this with a fine Islay single malt scotch to compliment the complexity in flavor.  It is not overly powerful until the final third, so it could be a perfect late afternoon or evening cigar. At the price point, the Maximus may not be your everyday cigar but it is worth picking up a few to have in your humidor to celebrate a special moment.