Originally introduced in 2012 as an amped up rendition of the coveted Crowned Heads Four Kicks brand, it was reintroduced in 2017. The 2020 version is the 5th installment of the Mule Kick.
Since 2017, the company has chosen to use different wrappers and this year it features a Nicaraguan Jalapa wrapper, which is what was used on the Crowned Heads’ Paniolo Especiale 2017. The Crowned Heads Four Kicks Mule Kick LE 2020 was blended by Ernesto Perez Carrillo and Crowned Heads Co-Founder, Jon Huber.
In the press release about the Four Kicks Mule Kick LE 2020, Jon Huber, Crowned Heads co-founder noted:
“The wrapper we’ve selected to use on the Mule Kick 2020 is very special. I first experienced this leaf on a cigar in 2016 that Ernesto (Perez-Carrillo) gave me to try at that year’s IPCPR trade show and I was immediately impressed; that cigar would eventually be released later as the EPC Encore line. We went on to use this wrapper on a 2017 limited edition and I’m very excited to once again feature it on this year’s Mule Kick LE.“
The blend is described as:
- Wrapper – Nicaraguan Jalapa
- Binder – Nicaraguan
- Filler – Nicaraguan
This limited edition cigar is expressed in a single (5 7/8 x 52) toro vitola and comes packaged in beautiful teal and gold 10-count boxes with an MSRP of $11.25/cigar. Only 2,500 boxes have been produced.
I must say, I was impressed with the packaging on this. The box is a slide top, which when opened, reveals a paper covered array of cigars. The added black ribbon in the center made for an easy removal of the cigar. When I am done, this is a box that will be added to the Stogie Press lounge wall.
For this review, I purchased a box of these cigars and sampled three for this review.
Pre-Light Examination
The Crowned Heads Four Kicks Mule Kick LE 2020 is a dark tan cigar that is slightly veiny and smooth to the touch. The packing is solid and it is finished with a well applied triple cap.
Three bands adorn the cigar. The primary band uses the standard red and gold “Four Kicks” branding. The is a secondary, black and gold band, just below the primary, that declares this as the “Limited Edition 2020”. Finally a gold and black footer bands declares this as Crowned Heads product.
Running the Four Kicks Mule Kick LE 2020 across the nose I detected a delicate spice note along the barrel while the foot exuded natural tobacco sweetness and baking spice notes.
Once I sliced the cap, straight across the shoulder, I proceeded to give it some cold draw puffs that were nicely restricted and offered notes of peppery spice and a hint of earth.
I used my dual flame torch lighter to warm the foot to an even orange glow and drew in the first puffs of leather and spice notes to start the journey. Follow along as I burn the Four Kicks Mule Kick LE 2020 to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Initial light offered notes of leather and spice
- Mild floral aroma wafts off the foot
- Solid light grey ash forms on top of a very decent medium burn line
- Full volume of thick creamy smoke filled the palate
- Papery notes enter
- Coffee notes evolve along with a caramel sweetness
- Mild wave in the burn deep in second third
- Ash is holding tight and when it fell it revealed a slightly off centered cone
- Spice notes increase with a coffee cream finish, moving through the second third
- Cedar notes enter in the final third down to the nub!
- Medium to full in Strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 40 minutes to the nub
Overall, the Crowned Heads Four Kicks Mule Kick LE 2020 was a very decent cigar that delivered on flavor, aroma, and burn. The cigar carried a solid ash for close to half the burn. A slight papery note did enter early in the journey but it was quickly overtaken by pleasurable coffee and caramel notes. There was a slight wave in the burn deep in the second third but it corrected itself without a touch-up. This is one I suggest grabbing a box of, which is what I did, and then let some age. I rate this a 94.
Point Deductions: (-1) Slight Papery note early; (-1) Mild Wave in Burn; (-1) Slight off centered burn cone
Bonus Points: (+1) Buy a Box; (+1) Long Solid Ash; (+1) Consistent Across Multiple Samples
