Cigar Intel
Tennessee Waltz has been part of the Crowned Heads story for more than a decade, but the meaning behind the cigar goes back much further than that.
For Crowned Heads co-founder Jon Huber, "Tennessee Waltz" was a song closely tied to his maternal grandfather. It was playing when his grandfather first met his grandmother at a dance, and Huber remembers hearing him whistle the tune throughout his childhood. The name also became a tribute to Tennessee itself, the state where Huber met his wife, raised his family, and helped build Crowned Heads in Nashville.
Originally released in 2014 as a Tennessee-exclusive cigar, Tennessee Waltz developed a following that stretched well beyond the state's borders. The blend was also notable as Crowned Heads' first cigar to use a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, pairing the dark, hearty American tobacco with a Nicaraguan binder and filler and production at My Father Cigars in Estelí.
That combination gives Tennessee Waltz a noticeably darker personality than some of the other cigars in the Crowned Heads lineup. Expect plenty of Broadleaf richness with flavors of dark chocolate, roasted coffee, leather, earth, and black pepper, along with sweeter notes of caramel and molasses that help balance the heavier profile.
The 6 x 54 Toro gives the blend more room to develop than the original Tennessee Waltz format. The larger ring gauge rounds out some of the Broadleaf's intensity while allowing the darker flavors to build gradually throughout the smoke. It's still a bold cigar, but there's enough sweetness and balance underneath the pepper and earth to keep it from becoming one-dimensional.
More than anything, Tennessee Waltz is one of those cigars where the story actually matters. What started as a tribute to Huber's grandfather and his home state became one of Crowned Heads' longest-running and most recognizable blends. The Toro gives smokers a new way to experience a cigar that has been part of the brand almost from the beginning.
Tasting Notes
Tennessee Waltz Toro opens with dark chocolate, roasted coffee, earth, and black pepper before developing richer notes of leather, oak, and caramel-like sweetness. The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper keeps the profile dark and full-flavored, while the Nicaraguan core adds spice and strength as the cigar progresses. Medium to full-bodied with a lingering earthy sweetness on the finish.
Team Review
Our team is currently smoking and reviewing this cigar. Check back soon for a full breakdown covering construction, flavor progression, burn performance, pairings, and whether we'd buy it again.
