This one is for all you strong cigar smokers out there who are fiending for your next nicotine fix but don't want to go too dark or ultra-heavy in body. A premium cigar blend for those looking for "raw power and flavor" along with a surprisingly soft underbelly and plenty of personality.

Bull & Bear by Crux Cigars brings you all of these things and more, and like the members of the animal kingdom that represent it, does not back down when confronted. At least when it comes to providing a super clean smoking experience, an impressive amount of fermented flavor, and some impressive aromatics.

Built for those who favor a gradual climax instead of a fast-paced instant freefall, this blend is still very much a strong smoke. But it's also a bit of a meandering monolith, so it likes to take its time getting to where it needs to go, and then doesn't slow in momentum once it reaches stampede speed.

Unlit Impressions 

Produced by Plasencia down at the company's Nicaraguan factory, Bull & Bear makes the most of its birthright by providing impressive construction points and aesthetics. Expertly filled and rolled, the cigar is Plasencia-grade from foot to cap, with just a few small issues with my review stick being of note, whereas my sample cigar was flawless. These were small scale, but not something I expected to see coming out of a Plasencia factory, and included a tiny pockmark near the band, some discolored seams with rough edges, and a cap that was not firmly fitted.

Move beyond these minor quibbles and you will find aromas of honey and tree nuts along the wrapper, accompanied by some fermented hay, hints of cedar, and a little bit of animal hide. Foot fetishists will savor the scent of toasted Ritz crackers and cream down bottom, as well as the smell of spiced ginger ale. Interestingly, there isn't much spiciness or pepperiness to this blend to be detected pre-light, making for an even more enigmatic intro.

Cold draws, however, are very robust and contain scoops of soil mixed with long-dried manure, a good bit of leather, and tannin tastes that shift into a dark walnut note the more you draw. Still, not a very spicy unlit impression, and one that feels more grounded than gregariously gung-ho in intensity.  

On a personal note, it is not lost upon me that we stock the "toro" vitola of this blend, which coincidentally translates to "bull" in Spanish. Perhaps Crux needs to roll up an "el oso" for those looking for the bear side of the story. Just a thought...

Initial Smoke

Like a salaryman visiting his favorite dominatrix on a Friday night, leather hits me first. Representing both of the animals on the band, there is a whole lot of it as well, and unsurprisingly, some of it is rather gamey tasting.

Soon, flavors of vegetable soup stock and grassy fields form, and the cigar shifts away from the rough and rugged. As things grow sweeter, the taste found inside cans of honey-coated mixed nuts comes out, complete with that lingering saltiness that keeps you coming back for another paw-full. The retrohale is easy-going and lush, and I still cannot detect much if any peppery spice... until suddenly I do.

1st Half   

The shift into the first third starts with mild mineral notes and a little bit of mixed peppercorn spice. A hardwood tannin aftertaste and faint herbal nuances leftover from the pot of veggie broth just a few minutes prior encourage more retrohales. Here, you may detect stronger scents of farmhouse French ale, or "Saison" as it is commonly called in the craft beer biz. These beers tend to be peppery, yeasty, herbal, and a bit funky, which plays into the whole farmhouse and animal hide side of the blend beautifully. 

But Saison can also be quite sweet, and this premium cigar blend capitalizes upon this fact by doubling down on some malty sweetness and then adding a spoonful of honey to the kettle. Together, this forms a wild-fermented yeasty funk fest, that doesn't get out of control, but definitely hits every taste bud on the way in and out. 

Body and flavor are all upper medium, while strength remains a few steps behind at the midway mark. This makes lengthy retrohales far more manageable and boosts the overall enjoyment of the blend itself. Quite the impressive first half...

2nd Half 

As ginger and honey continue to coat the palate and balance out the dry, increasingly long finish in the second half, the largest transition within the cigar occurs... eventually. Still hardwood tannin-directed and French farmhouse ale-like, things gradually get more intense the deeper down you go. This means more flavor than ever before and even more amazing retrohales, but also a sizable shift toward spice and strength the more you puff. 

It all starts with the unmistakable taste of star anise and some rain-soaked soil notes. Up until this moment, the earthen side of the cigar has been more of a second string contributory taste in the farmhouse ale fermentation fiesta. Much of the time, this was more of a chalky sensation than a flavor. But as things get heavier and darker in the final third, the shift toward the substrate that all of those grassy, herbal plants like to set root in let you know that something big and burly is headed your way. It's time for the horns and the claws to come out.

Sharper pepper spice notes start to overpower the sweeter honeyed oats and malts from the saison flavor profile, and before long nicotine comes a knocking. First in a gentle wrapping manner, and then in a major way. Medium-full in all segments, but still extremely smooth, this is the point in the cigar where you will be forced to make a decision. Do you call it quits and walk away with a nicotine-buzzed memory of the fantastic flavors and aromas you have just experienced? Or do you go deeper, and brave the wilds that await?

Parting Puffs

Those daring enough to smoke this stick down to its final inch or so will discover that while it may be very bold in character, it is also well-balanced and therefore quite palatable. Sure, the nicotine buzz by this point might cause your head to swim a bit, and those peppercorn spice notes definitely have a little red chili flake folded in for good measure, but that's part of the adventure dammit. Look beyond these top notes and you will discover the lush leather underbelly of this blend is still very present, as is the star anise, ginger, honey, and a healthy last splash of that barrel-aged saison ale you were sipping prior. 

I found this section of the cigar to be the most appropriately named portion, as both the bull and the bear attempt to maul you while putting on a show for your senses. It's an intense, borderline all-out moment that on my review cigar left me a bit dizzy and in need of a snooze in my armchair thereafter to settle my nicotine-soaked senses.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

Beyond a tiny touch-up in the final third, and then one more in parting puffs, there was little to gripe about when it came to this blend's build and burn. These were both done to keep the wrapper burning at the same pace as the innards of the cigar and while not extreme in size, were worth noting. As for the ash and the cone found underneath, along with the draw and the coolness of the burn and its smoke, let's just say that you can definitely tell that this is a Plasencia product through and through. 

Final Thoughts 

Like many of you, I too tend to enjoy cigars that build in character as they go, and Bull & Bear is a prime example of what is possible when things are done correctly. The gradual shift from herbal and grassy with light notes of nuts and cedar, to the sweet and spicy peppercorn wild fermented yeast funk of farmhouse saison ale all made for memorable moments during my two-hour smoking session. Little dabs of honey to keep the bear happy, and more manure-soaked soil and hay for the bull along the way also left me impressed, as the cigar burned slowly and evenly toward its finale. 

Although the last 15–20 minutes of this blend may leave some reeling, there is no denying the impressive way in which all of the cigar flavor profiles just listed continue to be delivered. This is a cigar that is blended to be medium-full based purely upon the fact that it is primarily medium for much of its duration, and only hits full once the latter part of the final third commences. 

So while I may have found the utterly divine Limitada Short Salomone from Crux Cigars to be more refined and complex—which coincidentally was also produced by Plasencia—I cannot stop thinking about when I might get my next chance to spark the boldest blend in this boutique brand's portfolio. 

Flavor, Aroma & Transitions

Depth & Complexity

Construction, Burn & Physical Appeal

Backstory & Branding

Overall Balance & Repeatability

Stogie Specs