The Caldwell Long Live the Queen Maduro Queen’s Chalice takes the refinement of the Long Live the Queen family into decidedly richer territory. This isn't simply the original blend dressed in a darker wrapper. Caldwell developed the Maduro separately, pairing a Mexican San Andrés Maduro wrapper with an Indonesian Sumatra binder and aged fillers from the Dominican Republic and United States. After roughly a year and a half of development and numerous blending trials, the result is a deeper, more assertive Queen that still favors complexity over brute strength.
At 6" x 54, the round Queen’s Chalice gives the San Andrés wrapper plenty of opportunity to influence the smoke while leaving room for the heavier tobaccos underneath. Dark cocoa, espresso and earth lead into cedar, roasted nuts and the natural sweetness associated with well-fermented San Andrés. Pepper and strength build underneath, but the cigar remains composed and layered rather than simply powerful—a Maduro best appreciated at an unhurried pace.
For smokers who appreciate a rich Maduro but aren't interested in strength for strength's sake, Queen’s Chalice deserves serious attention. It has the depth expected from San Andrés with the balance and sophistication that define Long Live the Queen. Put a few in the humidor for after dinner or whenever the occasion calls for something darker, richer and a little more regal.
