I remember when I first saw Cavalier on the shelf two people were in a debate whether or not you can smoke the 24k gold diamond on the cigar that that become there trademark. For some people it is a selling point, for me I avoid the brand like the plague because of how gimmicky the cigar was. Eventually I would cave when the local rep would give me one to smoke and for some odd reason I don’t see any footprint of the company here in New Hampshire.
In 2024 Cavalier would release a new size called the Tempura to their BII Viso Jalapa, Black II and White Series brands. The cigar which measures 4 x 60 draws comparison to the Flying Pig from Drew Estate. It’s a size we normally don’t like but we were gifted some by our friends at Small Batch Cigar.
Cigar Review: Cavalier Black Series II
Size: 4 x 60 (Perfecto)
Wrapper: Mexico San Andres
Binder: Nicaragua Habano
Fillers: Nicaragua
Factory: Fábrica Centroamericana de Tabaco S.A.
Release Date: July 2024
Box Count: 15
The Cigar: It’s hard not to refer to this brand and cigar as the gold diamond cigar as it is front and center where the band would be. Beneath it is a small band that has a man and his horse with the words Cavalier Geneve on one side and Black II on the other side of the logo. The short fat perfecto is similar to the iconic Flying Pig from Drew Estate. There are a nice amount of oils on the cigar and pig tail cap.
The Taste: The cold draw is loaded with cedar shavings as the flavor profile with a subtle leather like aroma that rises up from the wrapper. In addition to the cedar there is a hint of sugar cookies present on the cold profile. The foot of the cigar mimics the cold draw with a touch of leather. Once the cigar is toasted and lit there is a subtle cookie dough to start.
Moving into the first half of the cigar the cookie component begins to pull back as notes of oats, cinnamon and a long woodsy finish. As we approach the halfway point the cigar takes up a subtle floral and cilantro component. The retrohale offers up a well defined nougat that as it fades adds leather to the finish of the cigar.
The second half of the cigar sees notes of cilantro become the focal point for a few puffs before giving way to notes of toasted white bread, pecans and a growing amount of pepper as we approach the 24k gold leaf diamond. Just before we touch the diamond the cigar develops an earthy component and the aroma on the cigar changes slightly as the diamond begins to burn with it becoming slight acidic. The flavor remains earthy with a slighty sour retrohale.
Conclusion: While not my favorite shape the cigar did enough to capture my attention. It offered a nice amount of flavor with a nice amount of complexity. I probably would have smoked the cigar a bit longer then I did but the gold diamond has the cigar take a downward trend for me. I have a hard time taking the company seriously because of the gimmick that is front and center on their cigars.
Score: 88
Price: $13.00
You can find these at site sponsor Small Batch Cigar. Use the coupon code BARRELBURNER to save 10%.
