JC Newman

September 28, 2021

Las Calaveras Edición Limitada (EL) 2021 LC48 (6 x 48)








Video review HERE.


(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)

Crowned Heads has released Las Calaveras Edición Limitada (EL) 2021, the eighth installment of the annual series that pays homage to the Year of the Dead.

Las Calaveras was first launched in 2014 and has been an annual release. Las Calaveras pays homage to those who have passed away over the past year. As opposed to being a mournful symbol, it is intended to be a celebration of those lives and remembrances of those who are no longer with us. As with most of the previous blends, the bands of each release of Las Calaveras have contained the initials of four deceased individuals.

Las Calaveras EL 2021 consists of an Ecuadorian Sumatra Oscuro cover leaf and Nicaraguan binder and filler – marking the firs time Sumatra has been used on a Las Calaveras blend. The cigars will be released in four sizes: LC48 (6 x 48), LC50 (5 x 50), LC54 (5 3/4 x 54), and Petit Lancero (6 x 40). The Torpedo will be available as a part of a four-count sampler featuring one of each of the Las Calaveras EL 2021 sizes. The LC48, LC50, and LC54 will be available in 24-count boxes. Production is handled by My Father Cigars in Estelí, Nicaragua – who has produced every release of Las Calaveras to date. Production has been allocated to 1,250 boxes per size and an addition 1,750 of the sampler boxes.

The 24 box counts consist of 3 rows of eight cigars. Crowned Heads has done this because the number 8 is a symbol of infinity as in everlasting life and the three rows represent the beginning, middle, and end of the cycle of life.

“We’re particularly excited about this year’s Las Calaveras releases as it marks a first for us in the series,” commented Jon Huber, co-founder of Crowned Heads in a press release. “In fact, this is the first time we’ve utilized a Sumatra wrapper leaf in any project originating from our partners at My Father Cigars, and I think the resulting profile is not only an obvious change of pace, but is also an amazing expression of Sumatra wrapper leaf.”

Pricing is set at $10.95 to $12.95 SRP per cigar.


Blend and Origin

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra Oscuro

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.


Vitolas Offered

LC48: 6 x 48 REVIEWED TODAY

LC50: 5 x 50

LC54: 5 3/4 x 54

Petit Lancero: 6 1/2 x 40



The cigar is medium brown and well made. It has an average feel in the hand.




The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were cedar with a splash of citrus, citrus peel, brown sugar, dry nutmeg, and an earthy black coffee. There was average black pepper rated at 7. I like the flavor notes. Nice start.



At the first third (23 minutes) the cigar is burning fairly evenly. The cigar has a nice mix of the citrus, citrus peel, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It's a soup of flavors that are almost fermented tasting. Like a sweet wine. There is still an earthy black coffee base but it does not detract from the nice, sweet soup of flavors. The black pepper is good. The finish is citrus and citrus peel with good lingering black pepper. The cigar is currently medium bodied. I rated the first third 94.




As I moved through the second third (46 minutes) the cigar got even sweeter and richer. It's more intense. The black coffee started to elevated which helped the overall balance. The lingering black pepper is also better. The finish is citrus, citrus peel, brown sugar, and nutmeg. The cigar is still around medium bodied. I expected it to jump but it has not. But the cigar is quite tasty. I rated the second third 95.




One thing that is interesting is in each of the previous years the Las Calaveras band has gold medallions on either side of the main circle that has the Las Calaveras name. In those medallians are the initials of 4 people who passed away during the past year.





The cigar lasted 1 hour 6 minutes. In the last segment the black coffee started elevating and it continued through the final third. The cigar got quite earthy due to the elevated black coffee. The nutmeg also rose. The other flavor notes are still there but the nutmeg and coffee took the cigar way out of balance. The cigar is still quite good but the elevated coffee and nutmeg caused me to lower the final third to 93. Still, I really enjoyed this cigar and will be looking for more. This is the best Las Calaveras I've had in recent years.




Overall Score: 94

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