Cremoir by Chinnock Cellars

Chinnock Cellars, owned and operated by Brian Chinnock, is a true boutique cigar company residing in Napa, California. Through his Chinnock Cellars wine company, Brian influences all of his cigars by the premium wine he creates. His most recent cigar, the Cremoir, is made out to be Chinnock’s “cream of the crop”. Competing with the more well-established Terroir and Pressoir, the Cremoir is no stranger to its sibling’s superb use of wine techniques—drawing inspiration from a wine fermentation process known as MLF. The Malo-Lactic Fermentation process helps produce a creamy or “Cremoir” flavor in white wines and this similar flavor component can be found in cigars as well.

SEE ALSO: Terroir by Chinncok Cellars cigar review

Cremoir is the fourth cigar for Chinnock (and the brand’s first Connecticut wrapper)—it is billed as “Limited Edition” but it appears the cigars may be in continuous, small batch production.

Cremoir Breakdown

Like its predecessors, the Cremoir is simply a beautiful cigar. A buttery smooth Connecticut shade wrapper is rolled to perfection—triple capped and finished off with a very elegant band. Unlike the experimental/extravagant band of the Terroir, it’s nothing fancy—plain paper—although, the classic design seems very fitting for the cigar’s concept.

Smoking Experience

The golden wrapper lights up easily and welcomes a good toasting. The first few draws start very mellow, with a delicate cedar and white wine barely dancing on the palate—a slow waltz, if you will… The smoke is also a tad bitter from the start, with a grassy earth finish that seems to slightly work against a more preferable profile. The smoke is also rather dry, not quite what I was expecting from a “Cremoir” cigar.

Further into the first third, there is good news in all respects: flavor, smoke, and construction. Starting with the flavor, things have livened up a bit. Although still rather mild, a bigger bouquet has formed. Cream, coffee, Brazilian nut, and a touch of white pepper (I see you, San Andrés). The retrohale is very smooth, with a mellow cedar aroma, spice, and citrus. The smoke has also lost all of its bitter qualities and has developed a touch of the creaminess I had hoped for. Construction is top-notch, with a perfect draw, good smoke output, and very solid ash.

Smoking a good three inches, flavors don’t change characteristics a whole lot. The palate is still slow, waltzing around my tongue, but now there is just a few more dancers involved. The coffee and cream make up the forefront, with a delicate but satisfying white wine and cedar finish. Down to the nub, the body increases a few tics, but still at a mild to low medium. Strength does have a significant presence nearing the end, dancing very close to the edge of the body’s maximum—although never falling overboard.

Would I smoke this again?

On the right occasion. This is an extremely delicate cigar that needs the utmost attention from its consumer to be enjoyed properly. Not only that, but to get the most out of it, I’d suggest a group smoking session in order to fully appreciate what it has to offer.

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