2018 Cigar of the Year Countdown: #18: Crowned Heads Le Carême Belicosos Finos LE 2018

“The Le Carême line is an excellent offering by Crowned Heads. And the rounded format and tapering of the Le Carême Belicosos Finos provide the perfect touches to take this blend up to the next level.”

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: Tabacalera La Alianza SA
Belicosos Finos: 5 1/2 x 52
Price: $9.60
Review: Crowned Heads Le Carême Belicosos Finos LE 2018 (11/20/18)
Appearances on Countdown (By Year/Company):1 (2018)

Coming in at #18 is the Crowned Heads Le Carême Belicosos Finos LE 2018. This is a limited edition line extension to Crowned Heads’s Le Carême line released in 2018.

The Le Carême Belicosos Finos LE 2018 gives Crowned Heads a third cigar on the 2018 Countdown – becoming the first company to achieve that distinction this year. As with the other two cigars (Montecristo Ciudad de Musica and Four Kicks Maduro Robusto Extra Robusto), the Le Carême Belicosos Finos is produced at Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr.’s Tabacalera La Alianza factory in the Dominican Republic.

Back in 2016, Crowned Heads released its first regular production Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper offering, the Le Carême. While the company had dabbled with Connecticut Broadleaf before, this was the first regular, widespread release. At the time of the release, there were four regular production offerings under the Le Carême line. A year later Crowned Heads National Sales Manager Miguel Schoedel presented an idea to bring the iconic Cuban Vitola, a rounded 5 1/2 x 52 Belicosos Finos, into the line. The company soon went to work with Perez-Carrillo Jr to make the idea into reality and thus the Le Carême Belicosos Finos LE 2018 was born.

Le Carême pays homage to French Cuisine and gets its name from the 19th-century French Chef, Marie-Antoine Carême. The inspiration to go in that direction occurred when Perez-Carrillo Jr. remarked that the blend reminded him of a chocolate soufflé.

In addition to the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Le Carême consists of an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper and all Nicaraguan fillers. Both Connecticut Broadleaf and Ecuadorian Sumatra are tobaccos Perez-Carrillo has become known for using.

Chocolate is a key flavor delivered by Le Carême. There are also notes of coffee, and these notes join together to create a mocha-fusion. There are also notes of classic wood, black pepper, and cedar. These flavors are medium-bodied – countered by medium strength.

Le Carême is an excellent line, but the Belicoso Finos shape takes the blend to a whole new level. It’s an enjoyable cigar any time of the day – and earns its place among the best of the best in 2018.