Review:
Crémo “Excelsior” Robusto
by: Mark "Rocco" Picirilli and Chris “The V” Vuotto
It’s a beautiful Saturday
afternoon here outside of Philly. Sunny, 70 degrees, blue
skies, and zero humidity. So how to we choose to enjoy it?
Well by sitting inside our local cigar lounge smoking cigars
of course. However, today we have a good reason for doing so
for a couple reasons. One, we’re doing our FIRST combined
review and second because we’re reviewing a brand new cigar,
the Crémo “Excelsior”.

This stick is a robusto (5x50) size with a Habano wrapper,
Nicaraguan binder, and Dominican/Nicaraguan filler. We’re
told it’s a full bodied cigar by the maker, so let’s see if
it lives up to that statement. We have also been told to be
honest and direct with the maker and since we know no other
way to be, that’s what they’ll get. Now, our sticks are cut,
lit, and ready to be reviewed. Two distinct differences
between us. One, I punch my cigars, Rocco cuts his. The
other is Rocco is enjoying a cold Yuengling lager with his
smoke where I have nothing but some water. Not sure if they
will make a difference, but I at least wanted to make a note
of them.

First Impressions
Rocco:
Cut and toasted. At first draw, it was clean with good white
smoke. After a few minutes in it was smooth and earthy. I
would call it medium body at the start. Slight ting of
pepper on my tongue after a few minutes and so far off to a
good start.
The V:
The first thing I noticed is there isn’t really a smell to
this stick. The wrap is on the lighter side, moderately
veiny, with a triple cap. The band is is a simple band,
ivory background with the Crémo in a deviating brown and
silver surround. Simple, and effective. I took a dry draw of
the cigar and noticed something sweet in the background, but
have no idea what it is. The taste is “familiar” but I can’t
for the life of me pin point it. After I lit it, however,
that sweetness is nowhere to be found. The flavor become
much, much stronger. For me, it seems like this is going to
be a much more full bodied cigar and I’m only about four
puffs in. The draw is easy and it’s producing nice white
puffs of smoke. So far, so good.


Early On
Rocco:
About 15 mins in. Razor sharp burn and tight ash. Perfect
draw and it's starting to get more full bodied which I
enjoy.
The V:
At this point, early on, the sweetness has returned.
It has mellowed out considerably from the initial light. The
burn is completely even as it should be this early in. It
does seem to be burning pretty quick as well.


Half Way Home
Rocco:
About half way in the burn is consistent and the draw has
been good. Starting to get some sweet notes and some very
unique flavors. It’s hard to pinpoint what they are, but
its a good taste. So far I am thoroughly enjoying it. At
the 3/4 way point the burn and flavors have been consistent.
Draw is still perfect and the flavors are still complex.
Earthy and creamy. I'm also getting a slight taste of pepper
on the tip of my tongue again.
The V:
The burn? Still sharp. Flavor? Still mild to medium
bodied to me. Very smooth and rich. Not to sound cliche, but
it really does have a lot of creamy notes to it. I am
enjoying this cigar a lot to be honest. Not really much else
to say at this point since the profile hasn’t changed at all
since early on.


Home Stretch
Rocco:
Removed the band at the one hour mark and its been smooth as
silk. For my palate, I would say it’s more of a medium
bodied as opposed to full. This robusto took about 70
minutes to smoke which is a perfect timeframe for this size.
Overall it was a very enjoyable and very good stick. No burn
issues. Consistent smoke and draw the entire time. Lots of
flavors and honestly, just a good all around smoke. I look
forward trying out more of the line and if you have a chance
to grab one of these, definitely give them a shot. You won't
be disappointed.
The V:
The cigar has gotten a little stronger and the flavor much
more concentrated. Still, more of a medium bodied cigar vs.
the full body I was expecting when I first lit it. My only
issue, and this may be simply because I punched it instead
of cutting it, is there is a bit of tar built up where the
punch was made. Now, it’s not getting all over everything,
and it’s only a small bit, but still it’s an issue and in
the context of full disclosure I wanted to mention it.
Rocco did not have this
problem so I’m going to assume due to using a punch vs. a
cut. Other than that, the construction and quality of this
cigar was apparent throughout the entire session. For me, I
would definitely add this to the regular rotation once they
are released. I would say this cigar would be enjoyed by
everyone from a cigar newbie to a seasoned cigar enthusiast.
When you see them in your local shop, be sure to give them
a try!


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