This is the third in a series of 5 reviews of the Kings Cigars blends. Today we will discuss the Conde, an absolutely delightful smoke. The Conde is the newest blend from Kings Cigars released in 2015. The Conde is a true Prince to the overall Kings Cigars line, bold and new in flavors. It represents the Kings Cigars first use of Mexican San Andres leaf on their cigars. The wrapper is a dark chocolate-brown with that light sandpaper grit to it. The San Andres Wrapper cloaks a magnificent blend of Nicaraguan binder and Proprietary blended filler.
Kings Cigars offers the Conde in 5 vitolas each in boxes of 20:
- ROBUSTO: 5 X 52
- TORO: 6 X 50
- CHURCHILL: 7 X 52
- TORPEDO: 6.5 X 54
- DOUBLE CORONA: 7.5 X 50
The band, which follows along with the Kings Cigars theme of a coat of arms, is much simpler than other bands in the Kings lineup. The coat of arms is a simple gold shield with a heraldic black eagle emblazoned on it. I like that Kings Cigars chose the Heraldic eagle as the symbol of the Conde and that the head of the eagle points in the Dexter (right of the bearer) direction, thus indicating the Conde is not just another cigar, but rather one of great honor to the company. The shield itself is adorned with a royal crown and there are royal lions on left and right of the shield. The word Conde is written in gold on a green ribbon under the shield and the shield itself is adorned with a royal crown.
Kings Cigars Conde
For this review I sampled both the Torpedo and Toro vitolas.
Picking up the Conde and rolling it between my fingers, the cigar has a decent weight to it – a well packed stick. I run it past my nose and pick up a chocolate scent with a drop or two of pepper. After clipping the cap, and giving it a decent dry draw, I notice a spicy dry cocoa flavor along with a nicely open draw.
The Kings Cigars website describes the Conde as:
A unique medium to full body cigar. Grown using only Nicaragua’s finest tobacco with a San Andre’s wrapper. This wonderful combination is noted for its smooth and toasty qualities with accompanying sweetness – this wrapper pairs well with our filler making it a prime choice.
As I fire up the sweet prince there is a tingle of pepper on the tongue with a gentle burn on the back of the throat and a tingle through the nasal. A delicious caramel flavor develops early in the burn along with a touch of cherry like fruit. The burnt leaf, now just a tight grey ash at the end of the cigar, hangs on tight adding to the flavor, till it falls to the tray. As I lay back on the couch enjoying the warm Florida day, all I can think of is how good it is to be king of my world.
It is Saturday and we have no travel or business this weekend, it just relaxation, cigars, and baseball.
A nice baking spice and nut flavor enters into the mix as the Conde enters the 2nd third, adding to the already present caramel and fruit. The fruit has become more of a citrus note at this point. The wrapper has a decent sheen to it as the warmth of the heated tobacco under it brings the flavorful oils to the top of the leaf. Moving through the second third, the Conde develops a sweetness to it, as all the flavors are blending magnificently into a very enjoyable smoking experience, like when the ingredients of a delicious pastry come together to make a delectable morsel. To add to the flavor sensation, there is a spicy cinnamon and nut aroma filling the air like the aroma of a morning bakery.
I cued up some Led Zeppelin “In Through The Out Door” to finish the Conde. I always liked this album with its soft melodies marking a distinctive break from previous harder Zeppelin albums. Sadly it was the last album as John Bonham passed away. I always liked the album art too, depicting a man deep in his solitude.
I am happy in my solitude today, as the Conde has settled into an extremely well-balanced cigar with the flavor profile remaining consistently delicious throughout the remainder of the cigar.
Overall the Conde is a well constructed, medium strength, and flavorful cigar. It can and should be enjoyed by both experienced and new smokers alike. Taste the Royalty and be a king of your world too.
Kings Cigars – Conde
-Boston Jimmie