Eastern Standard – We Have a Crush on Cream Crush.

I have a new crush. 

I smoked the Caldwell Eastern Standard Cream Crush, the 7 x 48 size in the line. This one fits my taste almost perfectly. I usually lean toward the milder, creamier Caldwell blends. So, I expected to like it. Which, I really did, and I am excited about trying more of this line. Stay tuned.

What surprised me was how much character it still had. It was smooth, but not simple. The longer format also gave the cigar plenty of time to develop.

Creamy, But Not Boring

The name Cream Crush makes sense. Cream and a soft, buttery texture were there from the start. I also picked up cedar, toasted nuts, earth, light pepper, leather, citrus, and some natural sweetness.

The flavors were well balanced. Nothing took over. Instead, each note seemed to come and go as the cigar moved along.

I also think the 48 ring gauge helps the blend. More of the wrapper seems to come through. As a result, the cigar feels refined while still having enough depth to hold my attention.

An Easy Cigar to Reach For

This is the type of cigar I could smoke at almost any time. It would work well with coffee in the morning. It would also be just as easy to enjoy later in the day.

Most importantly, it never tasted like a generic mild cigar. There was enough spice and richness to keep things interesting. At the same time, the strength stayed right where I wanted it.

Next Up: The Manzanita

I do have a habit of finding one size I like and sticking with it. The Cream Crush could easily become that cigar for me.

However, I want to explore more of the Eastern Standard line. Next, I’m going to smoke the Manzanita 4 x 42. It is a much shorter and slimmer cigar, so I’m interested to see how the blend changes.

I expect the flavors to be more concentrated. There may also be a little more spice. I’ll be reviewing the Manzanita soon, and I’m curious to see if it can pull me away from the Cream Crush.