Crowned Heads Mil Dias Double Robusto (6 3/8 x 50)

W: Ecuadorian Habano

B: Nicaragua

F: Nicaragua, Peru, Costa Rica

Origin – Tabacalera Pichardo, Esteli, Nicaragua

The result of a collaboration between Crowned Heads’ co-founder Jon Huber and ACE Prime Cigars co-founders Eradio Pichardo and Luciano Meirelles, Mil Dias is rolled using an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over carefully-chosen tobaccos from Nicaragua, Peru, and Costa Rica. The name “Mil Dias” translates from Spanish to  “1,000 Days”, which is a reference to the nearly 3 years of intense blend testing it took to perfect this cigar’s tobacco blend. Our friends at Crowned Heads were kind enough to send along some samples for review just ahead of the cigar’s official release.

In what was definitely one of the more interesting pre-light experiences I’ve had lately, cold draws of the Mil Dias gave off a taste of cedar along with what I’d describe as “cereal milk” – a sweet and slightly fruity milkiness that reminded me of the milk left over after a bowl of Froot Loops. This was a first for me.

After the torch, the cigar lit up to a full and robust cedar taste with a lingering spicy finish. The smoke was strikingly rich and well-rounded, with each puff filling my senses right to the brim. Within just a couple of puffs I knew I was into something good. In a momentary lapse of professionalism, I let an audible exclamation of “damn!” escape my lips.

Around the 2” mark a new creaminess emerged that would gradually overpower the spice in this middle portion of the cigar. Big, smooth cedar notes continued, and hints of brown sugar and molasses surfaced here and there. Eventually, the profile deepened just a bit to reveal a subtle peatiness lurking. Pepper was present as a background note, and was alive and kicking on the retro-hale.

In the MD’s warm and creamy final third, notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, and toasty sourdough began to peek through the wall of creamy cedar the smoke had built up over the course of its slow burn – a particularly inviting parting gesture.

Folks, if you’re getting a little bored of your current cigar selection and are ready to smoke something truly special, I advise you to look into the Mil Dias ASAP. This cigar just screamed “boutique quality” in every puff – a feat that many brands aspire to and few accomplish. It’s almost like you can actually taste the “1000 days” of work that went into it. Sticks like this are what keep me expanding my horizons and trying new blends – every now and then you hit a true jackpot. The Mil Dias is the real deal, friends, and it’s in stock now right here.