Another beautiful fall day here in the Music City meant another opportunity to sit out on the front porch and enjoy another Camacho cigar. This time I smoked the Camacho Diploma Quinto Corte 11/18. This cigar is an offshoot of the Camacho Corojo line and the term "Quinto Corte" means "Fifth Priming" which is a reference to the uppermost leaves on the Corojo plant. Since these leaves remain on the plant the longest, they receive the most exposure to the sun and other elements. This gives the leaves a richer, more full-flavored taste than leaves that are picked earlier in the growing process.
The Diploma boasts another ornate Camacho band along with a smaller band at the foot and, as previously happened with the Triple Maduro that I reviewed, removing this small band resulted in a tear in the wrapper leaf. While these bands may prevent the foot of the cigar from becoming damaged until it reaches the consumer, if too much glue is used, the band actually produces more damage than it prevents. They look great in the box, but I don’t buy cigars to look at them. Unless manufacturers can find a more consistent way of double-banding these cigars, I’d prefer that they do away with the trend.As you can see, this is a beautiful cigar. The example I had was wrapped in a slightly toothy, dull brown wrapper leaf that gave off the aroma of rich "baseball glove" leather. (Yep, exactly like when you were a kid and got a brand new mitt. Remember sticking your face in the glove an inhaling deeply? This cigar gives exactly that same feeling.) Scent at the now-tattered foot was earthy and reminiscent of chestnuts. A couple of gentle squeezes along the cigar revealed a slight sponginess at the bulge in the middle of the cigar, but otherwise this cigar is firm and tightly packed.
I deftly wielded my trusty Palio, clipped the head of the Diploma, and took a pre-light draw. I was rewarded with what I would call a "perfect" draw (with just the slightest resistance) and an earthy, somewhat nutty taste that left a spicy tingle on the roof of my mouth. I also noticed some hints of cocoa powder on the wrapper. Anxiously I torched the cigar and kicked back to enjoy this smoke.
My initial impression of the Diploma was a spicy, slightly bitter flavor along with the above-mentioned chocolate flavors from the wrapper. A few puffs in I retrohaled and was able to pick up on a very distinct nuttiness - once my nasal passages quit burning. Camacho’s Corojo line is well known as a strong cigar and as you can imagine, the "quinto corte" kicks the Diploma a notch higher. My beverage this afternoon was a cup of coffee (boosted with a shot of espresso) from Billy Goat Coffee Café just up the road from the house. My thoughts were that this cigar would go well with a bold coffee, but in hindsight that may have been a mistake. The rich, slightly acidic coffee enhanced the initial bitterness of the cigar by an exponential amount. Also, the coffee accentuated the dry finish that I associate with Corojo cigars. Luckily the cigar’s flavor began to mellow somewhat after the first ¾ of an inch or so and began to play better with the coffee.
The Diploma 11/18 produced tons of smoke on the draw and the "room aroma" was a rich tobacco aroma that mirrored the rich, somewhat dark tobacco flavor that made itself known around the halfway mark. I also noticed some hints of espresso (accented by the coffee, I’m sure) and a more rounded flavor than early on in the smoke. This was helped out by the fact that I slowed down my smoking, taking more time between puffs. Smoking any cigar too fast can result in a harsh bitterness and, in my experience; Corojo cigars are particularly susceptible to this. Remember to take the time and enjoy a cigar. Don’t rush through it or you won’t get the full effect of a blend.As I continue, I am once again met with an excessively glued band and, once again, there is no way to remove it without tearing the wrapper. Sometimes when you reach the band on a cigar, it’s time to set it down as it has started to get bitter and band removal isn’t even an issue. With large bands such as this one however, there is still quite a bit of quality smoke time left and it is extremely annoying to have to stop what you are doing and perform surgery because someone got happy with the glue brush. On a lower-end cigar, I would consider this a mere annoyance. On a premium cigar, it is uncalled for. I’m not just picking on Camacho here. Many of the higher-end brands (Fuente being one that immediately comes to mind) suffer this same problem. Note to cigar manufacturers: I’ll take a simple, uninteresting band that I can easily remove over an intricate work of art that peels off half the wrapper every time. The look may initially sell the cigar, but the quality and flavor are what brings people back.
Down off the soapbox...As I smoke the final third of the Diploma I begin to notice a slight nicotine buzz starting to kick in. That, along with the caffeine from the coffee is making me feel warm and invigorated - even despite the chilly breeze that has popped up. I smoke the cigar down until I’m starting to feel some serious heat on my fingers and then I sit it down.
The Diploma is an excellent addition to Camacho’s Corojo line of cigars. It is a full-bodied, flavorful smoke that lovers of bold cigars will enjoy. If your taste lean more toward the mild side, you may want to avoid the Diploma unless you’ve already had a cigar or two and are interested in dabbling in something a bit stronger. Even then, I wouldn’t advise trying one on an empty stomach. No sense in tempting fate.
My final thoughts: this is another great cigar from Camacho, but this band issue is beginning to become a distraction to me. Once they get that problem solved, I’d rank this cigar as an easy 8.5-9 on a 10 scale.
I clipped the head of the cigar with my trusty Palio and took a deep pre-light draw. I picked up musty flavor that reminded me of rich soil with hints of spice and leather. I also noticed a peppery tingle on the edges of my tongue. The draw was deliberate but not difficult with just a bit of resistance.
The Camacho Triple Maduro is a great cigar that every Maduro lover should try at least once. I was a little skeptical about the all-Maduro "gimmick" but Camacho has put out a really good product. My only complaint (and for me, it's a big one) is the cost. The Triple Maduro runs about double what other Camachos run and while it is a fine cigar, I don't think its twice as good as the Coyolar or Corojo lines. As such, I personally view the Camacho Triple Maduro as an occasional or perhaps "special" cigar.
