In 2014, Crux Cigars entered the market with a bang releasing six different blends. The following year at the 2015 IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans, three new lines were added to their already extensive portfolio for such a young company. Alongside the Crux du Connoisseur and Crux Limitada PB5, the Crux Guild was showcased with an expected release date of October. But it wouldn’t be until May of 2016 that the cigars would finally begin shipping.

Manufactured in Esteli, Nicaragua at the Plasencia Cigars S.A. factory, the Crux Guild features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The cigars come packaged in 20-count boxes and run between $6.99 and $10.99. Available vitolas include Corona (5 1/2 by 42), Robusto (5 by 50), Robusto Extra (5 1/4 by 54), Toro (6 by 50), Toro Extra BP Marblehead (6 1//2 by 52), and Gordo BP Marblehead (6 by 60).

You can purchase Crux Cigars from our good friends over at Famous Smoke Shop.

THE FACTS

Price: $7.99
Vitola: Robusto
Size: 5 by 50
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 20 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Crux Guild wears a wrapper that has an initial milk chocolate appearance, but, as I move into the sunlight, I am able to see a deep red hue to the cigar with darker markings. There are a few scattered bumps, no tooth, and only small veins. The cigar is rolled evenly and firmly with no soft spots to be found.

The wrapper has a pungent vinegar aroma and some earth. The foot of the cigar is much more pleasant with chocolate, cedar, and pepper. The double cap cuts clean opening up a draw with just a hair more resistance than preferred. Cold draw flavors include dough, chocolate, cedar. And light spice is felt on the lips.

FIRST THIRD

The Guild by Crux Cigars opens with dark, rich flavors that are on verge of full with a hefty amount of spice accompanying them. The flavors include earth (more dirt-like), coffee, dark fruit, pencil shavings, and black pepper. There is both a sour edge and a sweetness that seems to be tied to the fruit flavor. The burn is even and the nice looking ash is holding well.

MIDDLE THIRD

The darker flavor of earth and coffee intensify as the cigar progresses into the second third. A cocoa has joined the profile and the richness continues to build. The cocoa sits on the finish of the smoke that is somewhat drying on the palate. At the middle of the cigar, the flavors soften, allowing a warm cedar flavor to pull through along with that earlier sour quality.

FINAL THIRD

Moving into the final third, the flavors that softened in the second third take a quick turn and are back to their earlier richness. The coffee and earth are back in play and the pepper spice is sharp on the retrohale. The cigar continues to perform well as I near the end of the Crux Guild.

WRAP-UP

The Crux Guild is another solid smoke from the guys over at Crux Cigars. A building richness, a flavor profile that shows a lot of depth to it, and nearly perfect construction, I just don’t know what to complain about. And then you have a price of $7.99 and it makes the deal that much sweeter. I am still waiting for the day to smoke a bad cigar from Crux. This is a cigar that could easily fit into the weekly rotation and one that I highly recommend.