My Weekend Cigar Review: RoMa Craft Cromagnon Cranium

What happens when you swap a Connecticut Broadleaf with a Pennsylvania?

When the cigar that helped define your brand gets a new blend it can sometimes be a little much for your devoted followers. That’s the risk RoMa Craft Tobac founders Mike Rosales and Skip Martin decided to take with their seminal CroMagnon cigar line which debuted in 2010—and with good reason. They were unable to buy Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that met their standards on a consistent basis unless they bought whole farm lots. It got to the point where by the summer of 2022, their factory, Fábrica de Tabacos Nica Sueño, halted CroMagnon production altogether. So, for 2024 they replaced CroMagnon’s Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper with a Pennsylvania Broadleaf. They also went with a Sumatra hybrid leaf for the binder and added Dominican tobacco to the filler blend. Skip hasn’t ruled out returning to a Connecticut Broadleaf at some time in the future; but for now, with less than a year in circulation, time and patience are key to CroMagnon’s reprise.

Cigar Details:

Factory: Fabrica de Tabacos Nica Sueño – Estelí, Nicaragua
Size: 6” x 54
Body & Strength: Full
Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Sumatra hybrid
Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican
Flavor profile: Full strength, earthy, semisweet, and peppery

Presented in boxes or bundles of 24

CroMagnon Cranium Cigar Review

The Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper on the CroMagnon Cranium was seamlessly rolled and beamed with a reddish tint. No noticeable flaws. The cigar was evenly firm with a comfortable feel in the hand. The triple seam cap was perfectly applied, while the wrapper itself had a rich, sweet hay aroma. Using a perfect cutter, the cap cut cleanly, but the draw was a bit rigid and issued a pronounced raisin flavor.

Once lit, the draw opened further and the flavors were a peculiar combination of sweet tobacco and earth—and not your typical musty or damp earth either, something different. Shortly after that, baking chocolate mingled as an underlying layer of pepper set up and lingered through the finish. So far, medium-plus in body and well-balanced. By the end of the first several inches the only other flavor I could muster was a subtle woodiness.

At the midsection, the strength ups the ante to full. The aroma is also impressive with a certain flowery sweetness. The earthy layer took on more of a mineral-like quality while espresso arrived and melded with the baking chocolate. Even the peppery spice flared up.

With less than three inches remaining, the pepper and strength pressed onward and upward. By now, virtually no sweetness remained as the mineral notes became more graduated. About one inch further, the strength and pepper became just a bit too much and I let it go.

Was CroMagnon Cranium Weekend Worthy?

As I often try to not do, I didn’t know the blend before smoking the CroMagnon Cranium. However, once I knew about the Pennsylvania Broadleaf I understood where a lot of that peppery spice was coming from. From my experience, PA Broadleaf, with rare exception, has been unusually peppery for me. Certainly, the other tobaccos in the blend contributed in making this particular cigar way outside my comfort zone. On the other hand, the cigar performed beautifully as far as burn, balance, aroma, and the thick wrapper held up well in a pretty windy day.

So, besides the RoMa Craft faithful who will certainly want a shot at it, I believe that an experienced cigar smoker who’s looking for a no-nonsense, full-throttle smoke with a hearty and spicy profile will have no problem with the CroMagnon Cranium for a weekend outing or more. I suppose this was a lot more cigar than I could wrap my head – and taste buds – around.

Please Note: Gary’s review was based on his experience, so your mileage may vary.