When I think of Tampa cigar culture, I think of J.C. Newman. So it’s only fitting that the company has crafted a new brand extension to celebrate the city they’ve called home since 1895. The cigar is made at Tabacalera Arturo Fuente in the Dominican Republic and will only be available at select Tampa cigar shops.
“Tampa was built by the cigar industry and Diamond Crown Tampa pays tribute to Tampa’s legacy as Cigar City. Diamond Crown Tampa’s packaging features many of Tampa’s famous landmarks, including the Tampa Theatre, Plant Hall, Bayshore Boulevard, the Jose Gasparilla pirate ship, and J.C. Newman’s iconic El Reloj cigar factory.”
THE CIGAR – DIAMOND CROWN TAMPA by J.C. NEWMAN CIGAR COMPANY
Size: 6 x 52 (toro)
Wrapper: Connecticut shade-grown
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Florida Sun Grown & Undisclosed
Price: $30.00 (while this cigar was submitted for review, you can head over to Famous Smoke Shop right now and get $20 off your order of Diamond Crown or other premium cigars using promo code TNCC20)
After sliding off the impressive, highly decorative band that covers the entire bottom half of the cigar, the Diamond Crown Tampa reveals aromas of light hay and Cheerios. Faint mint and a subtle sweetness are detected when sniffing the foot of the dense cigar directly. The toro feels heavy in my hand and there are no soft spots detected along the body.
After punching the cap, I’m greeted to a sweet cold draw that also features some green tea and a floral sensation. Upon torching the foot of the Diamond Crown Tampa, a gentle white pepper arises via the retrohale followed immediately by a light coffee flavor backed by dry walnuts on the draw. Mild strength and mild body so far, this cigar is making me want to jump on a plane to Tampa and settle in with a cappuccino on a sidewalk patio. At least that’s how I imagine all people smoke their cigars in Tampa…
Construction so far has been great, a smooth draw and straight burn line are delivering an ideal smoking experience. A touch of mineral begins to develop underneath the retro’s white pepper. The draw’s walnut note has begun to fade away and is gradually replaced with a cedar note that pairs nicely with the existing coffee flavor. I’m reviewing the Diamond Crown Tampa first thing in the morning and I can’t help but think that it’s the ideal time to light this heavy yet mild stick up. Saddle this cigar with your favorite coffee or even a few breakfast mimosas and thank me later.
The draw’s cedar influence has continued to gain steam and it’s now standing toe-to-toe with the coffee note. On the flip side of the coin, the white pepper has drastically receded as we approach the fifty yard line. I’m tempted to proactively thump off the impressive grey ash but I decide to live dangerously for a bit longer.
On second thought… I chicken out and dump the ash right before the burn line reaches the Diamond Crown Tampa’s secondary band. I’m crazy but not that crazy. While the mineral and a barely discernible orange zest note are doing their best to make things interesting through the nose, I miss the white pepper as it provided a subtle but nice contrast to the draw’s highly consistent but highly mild flavor profile. A mustiness shows up alongside the mineral and citrus zest as the burn reaches the primary band.
Construction continues to impress, there have been no issues whatsoever. In a surprising twist, the white pepper has peaked its head back in to the room only it’s showing up through the draw this time around. I tend to retrohale frequently when smoking but I make a conscious effort to focus only on what’s happening downstairs with the Diamond Crown Tampa for a while. The addition of the pepper note now joining the preexisting coffee and cedar flavors has improved the body of the cigar considerably, shifting it closer to mild/medium territory. That pepper, in any capacity, is crucial in this case to keeping things interesting.
The combination of must and mineral upstairs is working nicely now with the cedar/light coffee/white pepper profile downstairs. At this point, I’m thinking this cigar could also work at lunchtime with a pint or three of a crisp hefeweizen (for example, the Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier would work very well). The first and final third of the Diamond Crown Tampa are the windows where the cigar’s truest potential is allowed to fully shine through.
THE NUB
TNCC FINAL SCORE = 91
I believe the Diamond Crown Tampa achieves its goal of serving as a tribute to Cigar City, USA. But if you can’t manage to travel down to Central Florida and test my theory, try closing your eyes and envisioning yourself sitting out on a sunny downtown patio with a delicious cappuccino in one hand and a cigar in the other. Feel the breeze. I know that Florida sun is hot and you might be compelled to slide your pants off, relax, and sip your cappuccino in your boxer shorts or, God forbid, even less – do NOT do that. I can’t stress that enough. You will be arrested. I may or may not speak from experience here… Anyhoo, the Diamond Crown Tampa is meant for this exact environment and I don’t think it will disappoint those smokers looking for a smooth, relaxing, effortless experience for 90 minutes. Just keep your pants on.
