La Vereda No. 52

I have often wondered how unique cigar names come to be. Some are an homage to current or past family. Some, a nod to the flavor profile or an image deemed worthy of adorning their product. In the case of the La Vereda by Crowned Heads, it is named after a song that caught the ear of blend co-creator Ernesto Perez-Carillo during the project’s development, which was played frequently throughout the cigar’s creation process.

La Vereda—which translates to The Path—stands as a distinguished offering within Crowned Heads’ premium cigar portfolio. Positioned as their most expensive line, with a starting point of $18.40, it introduces a notable shift in the pricing structure of Crowned Heads’ cigars, reaching an MSRP of $20 for the first time. Crafted with precision, the blend of La Vereda features a shade-grown wrapper sourced from Jalapa, Nicaragua, paired with a binder that is also from Jalapa. The fillers, hailing from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, undergo a meticulous aging process of at least three years. This dedication to aging is said to ensure a nuanced and mature flavor profile for aficionados who seek a refined smoking experience.

Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr. of Tabacalera La Alianza S.A. and E.P. Carrillo, a respected figure in the industry, expressed admiration for the blend, reflecting a sentiment of pride and satisfaction in having Crowned Heads incorporate it into their extended family of cigars in a recent statement:

“Crowned Heads takes pride in the exclusive production process at Perez-Carrillo Jr.’s Tabacalera La Alianza S.A. factory. Only seven pairs of skilled artisans are entrusted with the creation of these cigars, and they are directed to work at a deliberately measured pace—rolling the cigars at just 60 percent of their usual production rate. This intentional approach aims to enhance the overall craftsmanship, ensuring that each La Vereda cigar is a testament to meticulous attention to detail and quality.”

La Vereda No. 52 Breakdown

Appearance

The La Vereda No. 52 is visually striking, with the band’s color scheme harmonizing well with the wrapper’s gun-leather hue. The presence of light veins imparts a worn leather look. The band exudes a refined “black tie” feel, enhancing the perception of holding something special. I am, however, starkly reminded why I am not a fan of extra banding, as the foot band tears the wrapper leaf as I am preparing for the cut and light.

I would be remiss to not bring up the less-than-subtle nod of the banding design to the Cuban-made Vegueros brand of cigars. How very ironic that Crowned Heads’ most expensive release to date has a visual tie to one of the most value-priced Cubans on the market. While I have no verification on this, I can’t help but think that this was intended.

Smoking Experience

The cap of the cigar cuts cleanly with my guillotine, revealing a very good draw with just the slightest amount of resistance. Cold draw notes are a little difficult to ascertain. Light tobacco and raisin sweetness mixed with a touch of floral hay are about all that I get. The wrapper itself provides a little more diversity, with musty leather being the prominent aroma mixed with a cocoa powder sweetness and some dusty barn notes.

It is a very average lighting experience, so I won’t bore you with a description. The first few puffs of the La Vereda give off a very gritty #mouthfeel (shoutout: Flavor Odyssey). This is not just in the smoke, but an actual physical experience—as if someone took a tiny pinch of dust and dropped it on my tongue as I slept. Flavors are very similar, and a little underwhelming. Flat white coffee and a starchy bread note finish with a light black pepper that is only showing up on the retrohale. I would place flavor at mild, body at medium, and strength at mild/medium.

Getting into the meat of the cigar, I am still struggling to see what this stick is trying to be. The smoke is so light on the palate that I find myself double and triple puffing to get more from the cigar, even though the draw is completely fine. Flavors of tangy leather and a bitter light coffee are fighting each other—each offering differing levels of acidity that aren’t blending together nicely. I’m getting an instance of floral sweetness on the draw… then it’s gone. There is also a flat cream that is waiting to find something to latch onto, which is unusual, as coffee notes tend to go well with cream (duh), but they aren’t matching up currently. The black pepper is still present on the retrohale. It’s very light, and I wish I was getting more on my palate with each puff, as it would certainly increase my interest. The draw is maintaining at an 8/10, and the burn is razor sharp. Flavor is mild, body is medium, and strength is mild/medium.

Having reached the midpoint of this toro, I find myself disappointed. I had hoped for the flavors to build and meld into a more cohesive profile, yet they seem intent on clashing beneath the wispy smoke. Dry leather is the main note I’m getting on the draw, with a dry roasted peanut coming in behind it. The starchy acidic note present at the beginning has returned as an under-baked bread flavor. There is a pleasant fermented tobacco sweetness making a small appearance, and I hope to see more of this as an anchor to the profile going forward. Flavor has ticked up to a mild/medium, body is holding steady at a medium, and strength has bumped to a medium as well.

Popping the band cleanly from the cigar, I am now getting a more enjoyable smoking experience. The flavor, body, and strength are building up now (sitting at medium, medium-plus, and medium-plus, respectively). An earthy mineral profile is in control. It’s akin to the smell of a rusting metal building, playing nicely with the leather that has been present throughout the smoking experience. The acidic bread note is still present, but has settled into the background. Meanwhile, the tobacco sweetness has evolved into more of a fruit skin note (think sweet with a bitter finish). I was hoping it would anchor the flavors, but it has instead set itself apart and no longer fits in with the current mix. The burn has remained impeccable throughout this review, and I haven’t needed to even think about it. The ash has held in solid chunks, which is something I appreciate, as flaky/messy ash on cigars is an annoying pet peeve of mine.

Closing out the La Vereda by Crowned Heads, I don’t find anything new. Leather, earthy mineral, and a bitter fruit skin sweetness are still the main themes. Black pepper has remained on the retrohale, not overwhelming but also never really feeling included in the profile of the cigar. There are no noticeable changes to the intensity, and this is where the experience closes.

Would I Smoke This Cigar Again?

I am a big fan of Crowned Heads. From their core lines to their limited releases, I smoke a lot of their stuff, and I thoroughly enjoy most of them. That being said, I think this cigar misses the mark. It is confusing from the start, and when it finally starts to come together and develop a personality, you’re done. I wanted to like this cigar and I was looking forward to smoking it, but I quickly found that this just isn’t one of the Crowned Heads sticks I would be reaching for again.

• The La Vereda currently has 98 check-ins on dojoverse.com and ranks 1,169 out of over 5,100 cigars, having a smokable rating of 94%.
• Crafted at Perez-Carrillo Jr.’s Tabacalera La Alianza S.A. factory, only seven pairs of workers are allowed to make these cigars. They are instructed to roll cigars at 60 percent of their usual speed, ensuring meticulous craftsmanship.
• The song that inspired the cigar’s name was “De Camino a La Vereda” by Buena Vista Social Club.

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