By Vasilij Ratej
I have tested the Chateau Diadem Conviction Toro. The cigar will be available in Switzerland from 01.02.2023. Importer is The Royal Cigar Company AG. What it has to do with this brand, you can read in this test report.
Tasting notes from the Chateau Diadem Toro
The Analysis I performed with the Cigars.Zone Testing Tool by. Explanations to the ZiZo R+ smoke technology you can find here.
External impression before lighting
Format: Toro (ring 52 / length 152 mm)
Price: Status February 23 / CHF 14.90 / box of 12 CHF 178.80
Recommended acclimatization in humidor in cellophane: 10 days
The color and the cover sheet: dark brown / silky and also a little oily
The construction and cold draft: When finger rolling, the structure is uniform. When smoking I noticed an irregular structure (more on this in the conclusion; taste and burning behavior were not negatively affected by this, however). / The cold draw is somewhat woody
General impression after lighting in the first 5 minutes
The lighting and the draw resistance: lighting is easy / the draw resistance is a little too light
The burn, the strength and the taste: The burn is uniform / the strength 2/5 / the taste is discreet and pleasant on the tongue / Retronasal pleasant / R+ pleasant and intense.
Impression during the smoke
Aftertaste and aroma (scent of smoke = room note)
First half: volatile, pleasant, discreet, persistent + / Aroma: mild, round, somewhat spicy.
Second half: pleasant, spicier / Aroma: mild, round, somewhat spicy.
Taste on the tongue
First half: slightly sweet / slightly spicy / light cocoa (bittersweet) / wood / slightly acidic.
Second half: more sweetness / a little more spice / full-bodied cocoa / more wood / less acidic.
Retronasal
First half: slightly spicy / light cocoa / wood
Second half: more spice / more cocoa / more wood
ZiZo R+ Technology
First half: a little coffee beans / spicy / slightly peppery
Second half: more coffee beans roasted / more pepper / less spicy
Course of enjoyment and conclusion
Course of enjoyment: The first half is linear / in the last third the increase goes up / it gets stronger 3/5 and at the finale 4/5.
Conclusion
First the problem, because the cigar also has its beautiful sides. These I would like to write down later.
The last third possibly showed a small design flaw, or the cigar still needs acclimatization (because of the trip). The ash burst open and the filler burned unevenly. Fast on one side and slow on the other. This led to wave burn and skew burn.
It must be remembered that I tested only one cigar and you can not apply this error to all cigars. I have more specimens and I am curious to see how they will behave over time.
Now the positive
The wrapper is nicely marbled and feels good. The cigar smolders very well and evenly most of the time. The ash was stable.
The taste of the cigar was full-bodied and pleasant. It had a very good balance between wood, cocoa, slightly spicy and sweet. Umami (middle of the tongue) was juicy. I really liked the full-bodiedness and the slight sweetness.
The smoke scent (aroma) was soft, round and slightly spicy. The smoke smelled pleasant in my cigar lounge.
The cigar started light to medium strong (2/5). From the second half, it becomes stronger (3/5). Just before the last third, it reached the strength 4/5. To avoid a nicotine flash, you have to be a little careful.
Recommendation: Let the cigar acclimatize first. 10 days in cellophane in the humidor might be enough. For a beginner, the cigar is probably too strong.
A cigar test is subjective. The taste of a cigar is influenced by personal taste preferences, taste memories, the mood of the day, what you have eaten or drunk beforehand. Even the lighting in the room influences the taste experience. The flavor nuances described here therefore do not necessarily correspond to your own impressions.
About the Chateau Diadem Conviction
The Chateau Diadem factory is located in Navarette (Dom. Republic), just minutes away from some of the largest and most famous factories in the region.
The tobaccos are carefully dried and fermented several times. Thus, the colors, flavors and aromas of the cigars can develop. The tobacco used from Nicaragua and Ecuador is hand selected by the Master Blender and his team.
After the cigars are rolled, they are checked for consistency and color. Before the cigars are packed in boxes, the cigars are stored for at least 6 months in the aging room so that the tobacco can mature and develop.
Resources on the topic
Download Cigars.Zone PDF Tasting Tool
Helpful Cigar Tips: From "retronasal", "R+ technique", about "umami" to the difference of cigars storage between Non Cuba and Cuba.
