Blind Cigar Review: Crux | Epicure Galant Toro Cigar Info

This year at the IPCPR trade show, Crux unveiled a new cigar: the Epicure Galant. This is a maduro extention of it’s Epicure line that debuted in 2016. It uses a Mexican San Andrés wrapper over filles from Nicaragua and rolled at Plasencia Cigars S.A.

This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.

Galant comes packed in 10 count boxes in three sizes: Robusto: 5 x 50 (MSRP $10.00),  Toro: 6.25 x 52 (MSRP $11.50), Robusto Extra: 5.75 x 54 (MSRP $10.75).

Blind Cigar Review: Crux | Epicure Galant Toro Vital Stats:

Vitola: Toro
Length: 6 1/4″
Ring Gauge: 52
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Factory: Plasencia Cigars S.A.
Blender: Jeff Haugen and Joel Rogers
Number of reviewers: 5 Alan (Eulogy) Adam B. (Bushboy) Eric (smalls29) Derek (StogieNinja) Steve (ThaGreatWazoo)
Price: $11.50
Age: 2 Months
Release Date: December 2018
Contributed by: Crux Cigars

Initial Impressions

Appearance: 92

“Beautiful toro. Even construction, chocolate brown wrapper. Feels tightly packed, but the cold draw is not at all tight.” –Derek (StogieNinja)

Aroma: 93

“There was a lot of nice pepper and earthy undertones to the wrapper and foot. the cold draw was very spicy on the tongue and the pepper was full bodied right from the beginning.” –Steve (ThaGreatWazoo)

First Third

Blind Cigar Review: Crux | Epicure Galant Toro
Blind Cigar Review: Crux | Epicure Galant Toro

Flavor: 90
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“What a fantastic start to a cigar. Warm and bready flavors with the touch of sweetness. The burn has been perfect and the ash is white and an amazing contrast to this dark rapper. Great draw and smooth mouthwatering flavors. The aroma is fantastic and I keep finding myself wafting the smoke towards my nose. Almost a nutty cashew-like taste lingers after each pull. ” –Adam B. (Bushboy)

“There is an aggressive level of pepper that starts off immediately, coating the entire mouth. I notice a crisp leather and cedar after about an inch and all the notes on the draw are a bit heavy handed at the moment. The draw is a little too tight at the moment but not unsmokable. The most surprising thing so far for me is the retrohale. There’s a lavender and cream note on the retrohale with an also pretty aggressive level of pepper like the draw. ” –Alan (Eulogy)

Second Third

Blind Cigar Review: Crux | Epicure Galant Toro
Blind Cigar Review: Crux | Epicure Galant Toro

Flavor: 90
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“The nice complexity of flavors have meld into one flavor of burnt wood. The variety of flavors have gone away leaving one with a burnt wood, bitter after taste. While this is not a bad thing, it is a bit of a downer based on the start.” –Eric (smalls29)

“Cherry, molasses with a creamy plum sweetness. Hints of raisin and a sharp bite of spice if retrohaled. Burn is slow cool and dead nuts even. I am still loving the Snow White ash contrast on the dark wrapper. This cigar is absolutely fantastic so far. Looking forward to the finish. ” –Adam B. (Bushboy)

Final Third

Blind Cigar Review: Crux | Epicure Galant Toro
Blind Cigar Review: Crux | Epicure Galant Toro

Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“Continues in much the same vein for the final third. Still notes of chocolate and baking spices and pepper, and still a hint of sourness at the very edges. Still seems muted, and I can’t help but wish the chocolate and spices were darker and bolder.” –Derek (StogieNinja)

“The end is a lot like the first third. Strong level of pepper with a rich leather and cedar finish. The odd sweetness is almost gingerbread like but that might be a baking spice with sweetness that is creating that effect. ” –Alan (Eulogy)

Overall Impressions

Draw: 88

“Before lighting, the draw seemed a bit restricted. After putting a flame to the cigar it was never an issue again. I would have thought there would have been issues with the draw but they were not encountered. From start to finish cigar performed fantastically.” –Adam B. (Bushboy)

Burn: 94

“Great combustion, billows of smoke, and no major burn issues.” –Derek (StogieNinja)

Construction: 93

“Overall very good construction. Nothing in the construction detracted from the cigar in any way.” –Derek (StogieNinja)

Overall Strength: Medium-Strong
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
Experience Overall: 90

“I find myself enjoying this more while reflecting back on it. The flavor profile was a very traditional style Nicaraguan with tobacco, cedar, leather, and pepper but it all worked very well when taken as a whole. The retrohale provided a bit of a break from the draw and even though the draw was a bit tight it was a good cigar for what it was. It’s not a game changing cigar but it’s a solid smoke and certainly worth your time. ” –Alan (Eulogy)

“My overall impression of the cigar is that it is fantastic. Definitely not a cigar for to enjoy on an empty stomach, however the flavors, construction, and aroma make this a box worthy sample. The cigar has a lot of good things going for it and I can’t think of a reason not to smoke a lot more. Can’t wait for the write up to post on BMP website so I know what to buy.
Recommend, recommend, recommend.”” –Adam B. (Bushboy)

“This one started out with so much promise. A nice combination of flavors including leather, wood, spices, and a hint of chocolate. However, as time bore on, the flavors left leaving only a burnt wood and chocolate flavor. Not a bad after taste but not the nice start it had. Then, as I approached the final third, the flavors became bitter and only an after taste of burnt coffee was left. While there was a nice combination of flavors, and if one enjoys a bitter, strong cigar, this one fell away way too fast.” –Eric (smalls29)

“I struggled with what to rate this one. On it’s own, it’s a decent cigar, but I can’t help but be disappointed by what it’s not. It’s like that kid you know could really do so much better if he would just apply himself. I kept wishing the flavors had more clarity, that the sour edge would disappear, that there was more sweet cedar. If this is an economically priced cigar, I would recommend it for fans of Liga Privada on a budget. If this is not a bargain cigar, you can do a lot better.” –Derek (StogieNinja)

“I would easily put this cigar in the mid-range, after dinner smoking circle. There were not a lot of bells and whistles to the profile or complexity, but it did pack a punch throughout and rolled through with the big bold pepper finish during the entire smoke. Ultimately, this one is not for the faint at heart, so prepare yourself mentally for a spice bomb and grab your favorite drink to help you get through it.” –Steve (ThaGreatWazoo)

Smoking Time (in minutes): 82

Reviewer
Apr
Aro
1/3
2/3
3/3
Draw
Burn
Const
Ovr
All
Alan 92 92 92 92 90 88 95 93 95
Adam B. 92 92 92 92 95 97 95 95 95
Eric 90 92 90 88 85 88 88 93 88
Derek 92 92 88 88 87 92 95 93 88
Steve 90 90 88 88 87 85 90 85 85

To view the complete scores and notes, click here.

Blind Cigar Review: Crux | Epicure Galant Toro

Overall Score – 90 – Very Good

Blind Cigar Review: Crux | Epicure Galant Toro
Summary
"I find myself enjoying this more while reflecting back on it. The flavor profile was a very traditional style Nicaraguan with tobacco, cedar, leather, and pepper but it all worked very well when taken as a whole. The retrohale provided a bit of a break from the draw and even though the draw was a bit tight it was a good cigar for what it was. It's not a game changing cigar but it's a solid smoke and certainly worth your time. " -Alan (Eulogy)
Appearance
92
Aroma
93
First Third
90
Second Third
90
Final Third
88
Draw
88
Burn
94
Construction
93
Overall Experience
90
90
Very Good