HBTC Review: Stolen Throne Crook of the Crown Robusto

A new cigar company based in Virginia made their debut in the last couple of years. Stolen Throne cigars first hit the market with a cigar called Crook of the Crown, and we started hearing about it from friends. We invited Lee Marsh to come on HBTC Live to hear the story of Stolen Throne and the blends in their portfolio. Here is Matt’s review of the Crook of the Crown Robusto.

In addition to the Robusto size reviewed here, this cigar is currently also available in a 6 x 52 Toro.

Stolen Throne Crook of the Crown Robusto
MSRP: $10.50
Size: 5 x 50
Origin: Tabacalera Aromas de Jalapa (Esteli, Nicaragua)
Wrapper: San Andres Maduro
Binder: Indonesia
Filler: Nicaragua, Indonesia

Prologue
Although there is a slight variation in color in a full box of these cigars, for the most part the wrapper is an almost black coloration. There is a little oil sheen on the surface and an aggressive toothy appearance. I also see a slight crystalline shimmer on the wrapper, which could be a sign of a highly aged wrapper. There is a peppery and leathery aroma from the outside of the cigar, while the foot has more of that pepper aroma mixed with some musty barnyard and sweetness. The cold draw is sweet and spicy with some mustiness and cocoa.

Act I
This blasts out of the gate with spicy notes and soon mellows into sweetness and richness. The smoke has an extremely thick texture, mostly filled with flavors and aromas that remind me of dark cocoa, espresso, earth, and some more of that musty quality. The retrohale is no joke, with a ton of spice that really wakes up the nostrils.

Act II
Some really interesting notes join the party in the middle section of the cigar. Some brighter hints that remind me of orange peel and charred oak are a nice compliment to the sweetness. That sweetness is almost reminiscent of molasses at this point. Along with that, there is still a spice in the background. The retrohale is still extremely peppery, but also has a little hint of that orange peel and cocoa.

Act III
As the cigar closes out, the earthy/musty aromas come into the foreground. There are still hints of the other notes like sweetness, espresso, and citrus peel, but the earthiness is the primary player in the end. Full spice and full body still characterize the retrohale, mixed with the occasional hint of that orange peel and espresso.

Epilogue
I am no stranger to cigars of this category. The bold blends with San Andres wrappers are plentiful in the marketplace today, but not many of them are as good as the Crook of the Crown. This cigar does not reinvent the category, but what it does is pull all of the notes I typically get from this type of blend into a cohesive and enjoyable experience. The cigars I smoked for the review were consistent and performed well. There were also occasional notes that kept it interesting and added to the overall smoking enjoyment.

Stolen Throne Crook of the Crown Robusto – How Bout That Cigar?
Rating: How Bout A Box?
Overall Score: 94
PAD: +1.5 (What is PAD?)
Flavor Summary: Richness, Spice, Sweetness, Earthiness, Espresso
Strength Assessment: Medium-Plus
Source: Cigars for this review were purchased by HBT Media LLC