Le Careme

Le Carême is a cigar designed from the get-go to be a delectable confection to thrill the palate. Now, we're not saying this is a sweetened or infused smoke because the folks at Crowned Heads are far to wise for that sort of gimmick. Instead, this premium cigar is named after the French chef responsible for popularizing the soufflé, so you can expect a complex concoction full of robust flavor. Rolled at E.P. Carrillo's Tabacalera La Alianza factory, each bold stick is coated with a toothy Connecticut Broadleaf to warmly embrace the Nicaraguan longleaf filler and Ecuadorian Sumatra binder expertly layered within. As a general rule, Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers are rugged in appearance and the one worn by each Le Carême vitola is certainly no exception, although the gold crowns embellishing the elegant blue and white band do put some additional shine to the already oily barrel. From the chocolatey taste to the nutty, earthy aroma, the well-fermented outer tobacco is a perfect vessel to deliver the black walnut, mocha, and stone fruit that infuse the thick smoke soon after lighting. Some pepper and espresso weave in and out during the second third, but it's the ending full of cream, nutmeg, sea salt, and cocoa that's the part worth waiting for. Medium in strength and body while containing the kinds of tastes your palate has been craving, the 92-rated Crowned Heads Le Carême is wonderful with a morning coffee yet can rise to the occasion after a big dinner when paired with an old school cognac or brandy. Make sure to carve out some time to spend with friends and a few of these smokes. It's important.