Review: Café Crème Arôme

Blonde in color, these cigarillos appear to be made of homogenized wrapper leaf due to their seamless look. While I have a knee-jerk aversion to the mass-produced feeling which such a construction instills in a cigarillo, the truth is that these cigars are no more commercial than their rougher-looking natural-wrapper counterparts. And as it turns out, whatever the manufacturing process for the Café Crème Arômes, it seems to be working pretty well. These are a pretty darn good smoke and are among the most consistent small cigars I know.

Upon opening the tin (I got a 5-pack for about $3.50), I was met with a strong scent of aromatic tobacco, not unlike a sweet pipe blend. Upon lighting and taking the first draw, the cigar tastes quite sweet, with caramelized sugars and a buttery texture overpowering any nuance. However, after the first couple of puffs, the flavor mellows out to a smooth combination of sugar and some floral notes with whisps of earthy tobacco underneath. As the 15-minute smoke wraps up, the flavor shifts away from sugars and into the realm of toasted tobacco.

In all, I was very pleasantly surprised by the assertive yet attractive flavor of these cigars. The Arômes pair well with coffee because they provide a sweet counterpoint to the drink’s darker flavors. If you’re looking for an interesting sweet smoke, you should definitely think about picking up a pack of these treats from Café Crème. 4 / 5.

~ by Ben Brown on July 3, 2008.