Quick Smoke: Crowned Heads J.D. Howard Reserve HR52

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Six months ago I bought a five-pack of J.D. Howard Reserve HR52s (6 x 52), finding them, at the time, to be neither enamoring nor enchanting. Half a year may not be ample time to change a cigar, but I nonetheless decided to fire up the last stick from the pack to see how it had developed. This time around, the Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper, Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and Nicaraguan filler combined to yield a profile that’s slightly more subdued. The creamy nutiness is more apparent, and the sour, meaty notes are a little less pronounced. The J.D. Howard Reserve HR52 is definitely better with some modest age, but I still think the $10 price tag is high for what this toro brings to the table.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys