Over the past few months, we have put together a comprehensive set of cigar buying guides for major manufacturers. The cigar industry is growing every day, and for a beginner, it can be difficult to navigate.  That’s why we felt it was important to help guide our customers through the plethora of amazing offerings.  This way you are able to get an idea of what your palate preference is and which cigars we believe are going to offer you the best experience.

These buying guides are also a great way to fully understand a manufacturer.  The cigars we choose for these guys are meant to showcase the cigars that truly represent that company and what they are known for.  This month we are taking a look at the oldest American cigar manufacturer, the legendary JC Newman.  While this article is going to focus on their cigars, you should check out our interview with JC Newman CEO Eric Newman.

Also, please check out our limited edition JC Newman Cigars Sampler available here.

The Brick House brand dates back to 1937 and was the brainchild of company founder Julius Ceaser Newman.  He named the brand after his childhood home in what was then Austria-Hungary.  While the brand was later discontinued during World War II, it was brought back several years ago.  It is the first major brand to be produced at the new Newman family factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

The Brick House is a solid medium-bodied smoke with a ton of flavor and a great price.  It uses aged Nicaraguan filler and binder tobaccos followed by a special Ecuadorian Havana seed wrapper.  The outer leaf, bristling with oils, delivers notes of pepper, leather, and peanuts with a nice complex and smokey core.  The cigar is very well rounded and a great choice for an everyday smoker with a refined palate.

JC Newman saw tremendous success with the launch of the new Brick House.  Following this, they sought to expand the line in order for different profile preferences to find something for them.  The Brick House Maduro became a fan favorite, due to its Brazilian wrapper, however, it was the Double Connecticut that became its bestseller.

The name Double Connecticut might seem confusing, but trust me it makes sense.  Following some smooth and flavorful Nicaragua filler, the cigar is then held together with a stout Connecticut Broadleaf binder.  The cigar is then finished with a pristine Connecticut shade leaf.  The combination of the two leads to a complex yet smooth and mellow cigar.  Hints of cream and light coffee come off the wrapper while a touch of dark chocolate and mocha sweetness is present as well due to the broadleaf.  This is a great entry into the lineup and a sure thing for mellow Connecticut fans.

The Diamond Crown is the crown jewel in the JC Newman lineup, no pun intended.  It was released during the height of the cigar boom and was meant to help the company break into the newly created high-end American market.  To help them craft this gem, they turned to the best name in luxury cigars at that time, Arturo Fuente.

The Diamond Crown original is hand-rolled at the legendary Château Fuente in the heart of the Dominican Republic.  It uses five different filler tobaccos, including aged Dominican for a smooth and nutty center.  Its wrapper is one of the best-looking Connecticut shade leaves you will ever see.  Every aspect of this cigar is high -end. From its complex and smooth flavor to its appearance, band, and of course construction.   Hints of nuts, sweetness, and cream blend together effortlessly for one of the best mellow cigars you will ever have.  This is truly the height of luxury.

As the industry evolves and palates shift, manufacturers need to adapt to the changes.  So as smokers started leaning more towards fuller bodied, complex cigars, JC Newman saw this as an opportunity to expand the Diamond Crown line.  This lead to the release of the highly praised Julius Caeser.  Named after both the founder of the company and the legendary Roman general, the company decided to use the unique spelling that the original Julius Newman used, so no it is not a spelling error.

As with all the Diamond Crowns, the Julius Ceaser is hand-rolled by the Fuente family in the Dominican Republic.  It uses aged Dominican filler tobaccos along with a flavorful Dominican binder.  The wrapper is a rare Ecuadorian Havana seed leaf that is oily and silky smooth.  This is a medium to full body smoke with a bold zesty flavor with hints of pepper, leather, and a touch of tobacco sweetness.  This might be my favorite entry in the Diamond Crown portfolio.

The latest entry into the Diamond Crown lineup is a dark, rich, and intense smoke that has all of the best quality characteristics of the rest of the line, but with a completely unique flavor profile.  Seeing as how Black Diamonds are among the rarest and high-end gems, the Newman family wanted to make sure that this cigar represented those qualities.  Teaming up with Arturo Fuente once again, the two legendary families experimented with several different blends and tobaccos until they achieved what they thought was the best possible offering.

The Black Diamond starts out with five-year-old Dominican filler tobaccos.  The extra age creates a smooth yet complex aroma and offers strength but in a much more subtle way.  What makes this cigar really stand out is the Connecticut Havana seed wrapper.  This bold and enticing leaf offers notes of black pepper, coffee, citrus, and a touch of cedar and nuts.  The smoke pours out of each puff and the construction was perfect all the way down.  This is definitely the most intense and unique of the Diamond Crown line and has already cemented its legacy.