Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we look at the Crux Guild in the Corona size. This is a cigar we previously assessed in the Toro Extra Marblehead BP size back in June 2016.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Plasencia SA
Corona: 5 1/2 x 42

In 2015, Crux Cigar Company launched the Crux Guild. A year earlier, Crux Cigars had launched with six distinct blends and in 2015 the company started a process of rounding out its portfolio. Conceptually, the Crux Guild is a cigar designed to pay homage to the “craftsmanship and history of cigars as a handmade product which allows each person who enjoys them to be ‘United by the Leaf’.” Concurrently, it is also designed to be one of the bolder offerings in the Crux portfolio. Today, we take a closer look at the Crux Guild Corona offering. The cigars used for this assessment have been aging in the Cigar Coop humidor for nearly 11 months.

As for the blend, it consists of an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and fillers. As with all Crux products, the company works with the Plasencia SA facility in Estelí, Nicaragua to handle production. The Corona is a 5 1/2 x 42 regular production offering. Crux Guild incorporates some of the unique packaging that Crux has introduced over several of its lines. While the Guild comes packaged in 20-count boxes, those 20-count boxes consist of four five-packs. This gives retailers the option to sell by the box, by five packs, or individually.

Crux Guild box with five packs and single cigars; Photo Credit: Crux Cigar Company

The Crux Guild Corona started with a mix of chocolate, cedar, earth, and white pepper notes. This was joined by a raisin-like sweetness. Meanwhile, the retro-hale produced a classic black pepper varietal. During the majority of the first third, there was no dominant note. During the second third, the earth notes took over as the primary note. This was followed by increases in the raisin, chocolate, and pepper notes. By the last third, the pepper notes maintained an edge on the other secondary notes, but didn’t overtake the entire flavor profile.

The Crux Guild Corona did seem a little more dialed back than my experience with the Toro Extra Marblehead BP. I’ll infer some of the additional aging on the Corona factored into tha.. Strength-wise, the Crux Guild Corona maintained a medium level. As for the flavors, they started out medium-bodied, and progressed to medium to full by the second half.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

The Crux Guild Corona is a very nice offering in the Crux portfolio. It delivers a very flavorful smoke in a connoisseur size. I didn’t find the Corona size offered the complexity I had gotten with the Toro Extra Marblehead BP, but at the same time, the Corona kept true to the core flavors I had come to enjoy on the Marblehead BP. The nice thing is the five pack format makes it easy to travel with these cigars. This is a cigar I would recommend to an experienced cigar enthusiast, but it’s certainly one a novice could enjoy – especially if one is looking for a medium/medium plus cigar. As for myself, it’s a cigar I’d smoke again – and one worthy having multiples in my humidor.

Summary

Key Flavors: Chocolate, Cedar, Earth, Pepper, Raisin
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium
Body: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (2nd Half)
Finish: Very Good