Crowned Heads Moonflower Review

I had been looking forward to smoking the Crowned Heads Moonflower since we first brought them in. This was mainly because I had heard plenty about the cigar already, including some interesting talk about a mint note that I couldn't help but want to check out for myself.

So, on paper, Moonflower checked a lot of boxes for me. It's a Nicaraguan puro made with a Corojo wrapper, and I tend to gravitate toward medium to fuller-bodied cigars in the evening. Add in the fact that I'm a pretty big fan of most things coming out of My Father Cigars, and I'll admit I went into this one with fairly high expectations. So, did it live up to them?

Quick Answer: Is the Crowned Heads Moonflower Worth It?

Yes, the Crowned Heads Moonflower absolutely lived up to my expectations. The Robusto delivered a really super enjoyable medium-bodied profile which, for me, focused mainly around baking spice, creaminess, and smooth white pepper, which continued to build throughout the cigar.

I never really found the mint note I'd heard so much about, but I didn't miss it either. That warm spice ended up being the standout for me, while excellent construction and an almost trouble-free burn made this a cigar I'd absolutely smoke again.

Crowned Heads Moonflower Robusto Details:

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo (Namanji)

Binder: Nicaraguan - Estelí & Jalapa

Filler: Nicaraguan - Estelí, Jalapa & Condega

Factory: My Father Cigars S.A., Nicaragua

Available Sizes: Corona Gorda (6 x 46), Toro (6 x 54), and Robusto (5 x 52)

Size Reviewed: Robusto (5 x 52)

Flavor Highlights: Baking spice, white pepper, cream

Price Point: $12.95 MSRP per cigar / $271.95 per 21 count box

The Story Behind Crowned Heads Moonflower

Moonflower marks an interesting return to My Father Cigars for Crowned Heads. While the two companies have continued working together on cigars like Las Calaveras and Tennessee Waltz, Moonflower is Crowned Heads' first new regular-production cigar made by My Father since 2015.

There's also some history behind the blend itself. The co-founder of Crowned Heads Cigars, Jon Huber, has described Moonflower as an evolution of the discontinued Las Mareas, a cigar Crowned Heads developed with My Father roughly a decade ago.

Moonflower uses some of the same tobaccos, including the Corojo-seed wrapper grown by the Garcia family in Nicaragua's Namanji region, but with a blend that has been adjusted to create a richer, rounder profile.

The name itself comes from the night-blooming moonflower plant. For Huber, the flower has much more personal connection, with it representing overcoming adversity and difficult times, giving the name of this cigar far more meaning than simply another addition to the Crowned Heads lineup.

Cold Draw & First Impressions

Before lighting it, I took some time to soak this cigar in, and I'll admit, this was a really good looking cigar. The Corojo wrapper had a rich reddish-brown color with some visible veins, but overall the construction looked really clean and well put together. The blue and white bands also stand out nicely against the darker wrapper, and those blues pop really well against the color of the wrapper.

I smoked this one in the evening out on my deck after the heat from the day had finally died down. That's exactly when I would choose something with a little bit more body. Knowing this was a Corojo-wrapped Nicaraguan puro from My Father, I was pretty confident it would be right in my wheelhouse.

I was, however, really curious about one flavor in particular. I'd heard other people mention picking up mint in Moonflower. Mint isn't necessarily something I go looking for when choosing a cigar, but after hearing about it a few times, I wanted to see if I could find it for myself.

First Third

 Once it was lit, the Moonflower started to reinforce to me pretty quickly why I had been looking forward to smoking it. Baking spice was one of the first things that really stood out, along with the white pepper I was expecting from a Nicaraguan cigar coming out of My Father.

The pepper had some presence without being too over the top. There was also a creaminess behind it that really helped keep everything well balanced. The baking spice was probably my favorite part of the profile, as I expected it would be, and it actually reminded me a little of the Aganorsa Leaf Supreme Leaf I reviewed earlier this year, which also features a Corojo ’99 wrapper.

They're definitely not the same cigar, but there was something about that warm spice character that hit on a flavor I really enjoy. Construction was also off to a great start. The draw felt right, and the Moonflower was producing plenty of smoke with a solid ash forming almost immediately.

Second Third

Moving into the second third, the Moonflower didn't completely change direction. Instead, the flavors that were already there seemed to settle in and work together.

The baking spice remained one of the more memorable parts of the cigar while the white pepper gradually picked up. Even as the pepper increased, it stayed smooth and never overpowered anything. The creaminess still continued underneath it and gave a nice balance between spice and richness.

I was still waiting for that elusive mint note I'd heard so much about, but I never really found it. It just wasn't something I could clearly identify, at least in the Robusto I smoked.

That's one of the reasons I really try not to put too much weight on tasting notes before smoking a cigar. Two people can smoke the same blend and come away with two completely different things. Oh well, I figured if I went looking for it, it might appear, but not this time.

Final Third

The white pepper continued to build into the final third, but what I liked was that it still never crossed over into being too much. It just remained smooth and enjoyable all the way down.

That creaminess also seemed to become a little stronger toward the end, which worked really well against the slightly increasing pepper. Baking spice was still part of the profile, although by this point I wasn't trying to pick apart every individual flavor. Everything had settled in really nicely, and I was mostly just enjoying the cigar.

By the time I reached the final few inches, I had smoked the Moonflower pretty close to the nub. For me, that's usually a pretty good sign of how a cigar review is going.

Construction, Burn & Draw Performance

Construction was one of the strongest parts of the Crowned Heads Moonflower Robusto, and that didn't really surprise me. The draw was right where I wanted it, and I had no issues with smoke output throughout the cigar.

The burn was also very good. I gave it one small touch-up along the way, although in hindsight I probably didn't need to. It looked like it was going to correct itself, but I got a little impatient with it. Either way, it was nothing I would consider a legitimate burn issue.

That performance was pretty much what I hoped for considering Moonflower is made at the My Father factory. From start to finish, construction issues stayed out of the way and let me enjoy the cigar.

Does Crowned Heads Moonflower Live Up to the Hype?

For me, yes. I went into this review with higher expectations than I normally like to have. Moonflower has been getting a lot of attention, and on paper it sounded like something that was made for my palate.

Interestingly, the cigar I smoked landed closer to medium for me than medium-full. There was plenty of flavor and enough intensity to make it an enjoyable evening cigar, but I never found the strength pushing too hard beyond that medium mark.

And while I never found that mint note that originally had me so curious, I didn't walk away feeling like I missed anything whatsoever. The combination of baking spice, building white pepper, and creaminess was more than enough to keep me engaged throughout.

Price-wise, Moonflower isn't inexpensive by any means, especially compared with something like the Crowned Heads Thunderkiss I reviewed. I would have to say that I enjoyed Moonflower considerably more, but to be fair, they are two completely different cigars, with Thunderkiss being an exceptional cigar for the money and Moonflower delivering a lot more complexity and flavor progression throughout.

Final Verdict

The Crowned Heads Moonflower Robusto ended up being pretty much what I hoped it would be. The baking spice was easily the highlight for me, followed by smooth white pepper that gradually increased throughout and a creaminess that seemed to get stronger toward the end. Add in the excellent construction, a great draw, and an almost trouble-free burn, and there really wasn't much here for me to complain about.

I still want to know where everyone is finding that mint. Oh well, maybe I'll catch it in the next one. Either way, Moonflower is absolutely a cigar I'd smoke again, and after my first experience with the Robusto, I'm interested to see how the profile changes in the Corona Gorda and Toro vitolas.

Ratings Breakdown

A flavorful Nicaraguan puro with standout baking spice, smooth white pepper, and a creamy profile that lived up to the hype.

Where To Buy Crowned Heads Moonflower Cigars Online

I smoked the 5 x 52 Robusto for this Crowned Heads Moonflower review, but we currently carry the Moonflower in the Corona Gorda and Toro sizes at After Action Cigars. Personally, I've got my eye on the 6 x 46 Corona Gorda to try next. After enjoying the Robusto as much as I did, I'm curious to see what a slightly smaller ring gauge does with the blend.

If Moonflower sounds like something you'd enjoy, you can shop both sizes and explore rich, dark Maduro cigars at After Action Cigars. Whether you go with the Corona Gorda or the larger 6 x 54 Toro, you're getting an outstanding Nicaraguan blend from Crowned Heads and My Father Cigars.