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 Epicure Maduro Corona Gorda. This is a cigar we previously assessed in the Gordo size back in September 2020.

Wrapper: San Andres Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Tabacalera AJ Fernandez
Corona Gorda: 5 3/8 x 46

Since its launch in 2014, many fans of Crux Cigars were waiting for the company to produce its first regular production maduro cigar in a traditional format. Finally early in 2019, Crux Cigars would launch the Crux Epicure Maduro into the market. While a traditional maduro was something different in the Crux portfolio, there would be one other change. For many years Crux partnered with the Plasencia factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. That partnership continues today, but for the Epicure Maduro, the company turned to Tabacalera AJ Fernandez to produce this cigar. In 2020, a couple of line extensions were produced – a Gordo and a Corona Gorda. Today we dive deeper and look at the Corona Gorda.

Shortly after rolling out the Crux Epicure Maduro, the Crux portfolio underwent a major branding overhaul. This included a new logo, new box designs, and new bands.

The blend for the Crux Epicure Maduro consists of a San Andreas Mexican Maduro wrapper over all Nicaraguan tobaccos. The Corona Gorda is a classic 5 3/4 x 46 size. The cigars are packaged in 20-count boxes. Ten of the cigars are packaged as singles, the remaining ten cigars are in two five-count soft-pack boxes packaged inside the 20-count box.

The Crux Epicure Maduro Corona Gorda kicks off with notes of mocha (a fusion of coffee and chocolate), bing cherry, chili pepper, and cedar. The mocha and bing cherry sweetness dominates early on. On the retro-hale was an additional layer of red pepper. During the second third, the chili pepper spices increased on the tongue. By the midway point the mocha note transitioned into separate coffee and chocolate notes. The coffee remained in the forefront with the bing cherry and the chocolate joined the chili pepper and cedar in the background. The coffee and bing cherry remained grounded in the forefront during the last third, but by this point the chili pepper was a close secondary note.

The flavors of the Crux Epicure Maduro Corona Gorda delivered were medium strength and medium-bodied from start to finish. The cigar had an excellent burn and draw.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

Back when I smoked the Gordo size, I was convinced the Crux Epicure Maduro smoked better in a larger ring gauge. Once I smoked the smaller 46 ring gauge the Corona Gorda offered I was proved wrong. I found the Corona Gorda delivered more in the way of complexity and some of the pungency I had with the 60 ring gauge was mitigated. Crux has produced some very high scores over the yeas on Cigar Coop, and Crux has proven they can deliver an excellent maduro. This is a cigar I would recommend to a novice or experienced cigar enthusiast. At 92 points, this cigar exceeds our standard of excellence. It’s one that I would purchase again – and it garners box-worthy consideration.

Summary

Key Flavors: Mocha, Chocolate, Coffee, Bing Cherry, Chili Pepper, Cedar
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium
Body: Medium
Finish: Excellent