Four Kicks Mule Kick
Three years ago at the end of 2011, Crowned Heads launched its inaugural line, Four Kicks. Inspired by a song of the same name by Kings of Leon, Four Kicks initially launched with four sizes.
Over the next year the line was expanded with two more sizes and a limited edition was released almost exactly one year later. The limited edition, called the Four Kicks Mule Kick, was inspired by some darker-than-normal Ecuadorian habano wrapper leaf and featured a little stronger ligero to accommodate for the wrapper difference.
The results were a cigar that was priced well, moved quickly and was well received by consumers. When I initially reviewed the cigar I could only agree and rated the cigar well, which the rest of the halfwheel staff agreed enough with to place the Mule Kick in the 2012 halfwheel 25. Since then I’ve smoked the rest of the Four Kicks line, and while I enjoy them, they’re just different enough from the Mule Kick to make me wish I had more than the single Mule Kick remaining in my humidor.
- Cigar Reviewed: Four Kicks Limited Edition 2012 Mule Kick
- Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
- Factory: Tabacalera La Alianza S.A.
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Size: 5 7/8 Inches
- Ring Gauge: 52
- Vitola: Toro
- MSRP: $8.95 (Boxes of 10, $89.50)
- Date Released: November 20, 2012
- Number of Cigars Released: 500 Boxes of 10 Cigars (5,000 Total Cigars)
- Number of Cigars Smoked for Redux: 1
Since I last reviewed the cigar, the wrapper has toughened up a little, though it still has an oily feel to it. The aroma of the wrapper was much different from what I remember, with almost no barnyard note noticeable and instead rich cocoa and cedar notes coming off the wrapper. The cold draw however is very similar, with sweet milk chocolate and fresh hay notes beckoning me to light the cigar.
The initial burst of flavor I distinctly remember isn’t quite as prominent as I would’ve liked. Milk chocolate notes and a general nuttiness make up the first third, which while enjoyable isn’t exactly the plethora of flavors I remember. The second third sees an expansion of the profile, with some cinnamon, spice, and a very light touch of citrus added to the chocolate and nuttiness from before. Overall however the flavors are slightly muted and not really shining like I know they could be. Towards the end the Mule Kick gets a little bitter, which combined with the muted profile from earlier leaves me a little disappointed.
The construction of the Mule Kick was impeccable. As noted in my original review the burn line wasn’t perfect and the draw was a little on the tight end, but the ash held to well over an inch. After having rested in my humidor for a little over a year the burn line was beautiful throughout the entire cigar, not needing any touch ups at all. The draw was quite ideal as well, allowing the cigar to produce plenty of smoke. Lastly, the ash that I remembered being so sturdy was still just that, holding to well over an inch.
To say the very least, I was disappointed in this redux. I had very high hopes for the cigar, which scored so well initially. I speculated that the Mule Kick was slightly over humidified when I reviewed it and wrote that I hoped some time and rest would bring out even more flavors. That leads me to believe that either the cigar smokes better at a higher humidity, this was a fluke and a bad sample, or there is the possibility that the Mule Kick was in its prime when it was released and hasn’t done well with age. Whatever the case may be and despite the delightful construction, the muted profile and lack of previously enjoyed flavors really put a damper on my enjoyment of the cigar.
Brian Burt
I have been smoking cigars since 2005 and reviewing them as a hobby since 2010. Initially, I started out small with a 50-count humidor and only smoking one or two cigars a month. Not knowing anybody else that smoked cigars, it was only an occasional hobby that I took part in. In March of 2010, I joined Nublive and Cigar Asylum, connecting me with many people who also shared an interest in cigars. Reading what they had to say about brands I had never heard of, I quickly immersed myself in the boutique brands of the industry and it was then that cigars transformed from a hobby into a passion.
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