Blackbird Cigar Co. the Crow Toro

It is not to wonder why Jonas Santana has been called the ‘King of Cubra leaf’. If you take a look into the Blackbird Cigar portfolio, you will find several blends that use this particular leaf from Brazil, including the limited collaboration with Cigar Culture, the Hawk. However, that is not the only Maduro leaf Jonas has used. One of the most visually striking cigars in his lineup, and perhaps his most popular, was one of the first blends he launched his company with, the Crow. Marked by the vibrant red label, the Crow is a special multi-country blend using a dark, oily San Andres Maduro wrapper. Unlike the cigars that use Cubra, the Unkind, and Cuco, the Crow has a hearty kick that offers a measure of spice and pepper at the first light up.

It’s not usual to find a good amount of spice in a Blackbird cigar, but it seems to complement the blend well in the Crow. Jonas has told me, “It seems the market is looking for two things: flavor and strength. Most important, you need flavor.” You enjoy both in this particular cigar. The Crow offers you that medium plus strength level and an excellent balance of flavor.

Underneath that San Andres Maduro leaf, Jonas put a Habano binder and fillers from Nicaragua, Pennsylvania, Corojo, and Criollo 98. Dominican Criollo is something Jonas likes to use in his cigars. However, Nicaraguan or Pennsylvanian are only found in a handful of his others, but balance things well. In contrast, his strongest cigar, the Blackbird Cuco, is a Dominican Puro except for the Cubra wrapper. When smoking the Crow, you can expect a blast of flavor, including spice, earth, cocoa, floral tones, and a lingering sweetness. Scoring an 80 on our ‘One Smoker’s Palate’ series, the Crow is a special experience in the Blackbird line.