For my wild Irish friends and relatives the name Jameson has always been associated with one thing and one thing only: uisce beatha. That’s whiskey with an “e.” Fine Irish wine.
But not anymore. A couple years ago Jameson cigars arrived, thereby providing the perfect match for the perfect drink, a combination which by Winston Churchill’s example can be enjoyed even at breakfast. I’m not about to follow that example, but I’m not about to argue with a man who leads his forces to victory behind a bottle of Johnny Walker Black.
Indeed, cigar smokers can look to Churchill as a model of defiance as we fight the powers that would like to snuff us out. It is in that same spirit that Jameson’s new cigar is called Declaration. It is a blend designed to inspire personal liberty, or as the promotional material advises, “Smoke to be Free.”
The Declaration is a Dominican puro featuring a Habano 98 wrapper and a Criollo 98 binder. They are manufactured by Tabacalera LTC (La Tradicion Cubana) in Santiago, and are available in boxes of 21. There is only one size: the 5.5 x 50 “Iniquity.”
I confess some confusion about the meaning of the name Iniquity, which means something like licentiousness or sin. I could give in to the urge to discuss the distinctions between liberty and license, and how these might apply to the legislation of morality, but I think I’d rather smoke this cigar instead.
Construction Notes
This cigar is built like a tank but it performs with finesse. The wrapper is a dark and rustic looking colorado maduro. Some sections of the wrapper are more oily than others, which is a little strange, but aesthetic appeal is not this cigar’s forte anyway. The head is formed well with firm shoulders. The cap is pasted on rather than wound.
The roll is solid and the draw is firm without being tight. At times the ash can be a little flaky at the perimeter but when it’s ready to drop it falls like a stone without crumbling. The burn is even and effortless.
Overall excellent construction.
Tasting Notes
The Declaration Iniquity starts up with a flavor of hard wood and a sweet note of maple syrup. After an inch or so some peppery spice kicks in and the flavors develop more complexity. This cigar seems leathery or meaty on the palate, but it has a sweet and woody aroma that blends well with the other flavors. It’s smooth, but the varied flavors and subdued punch keep it interesting.
The mid section gets a little spicier on the tongue and the finish lengthens. The aroma is still sweet though, woody with a touch of graham cracker.
There are no dramatic changes in the last third, just a deepening meaty spice. The syrupy note transitions to caramel. The aftertaste gets a little charred in the last lap, but aside from that it smokes well to the nub.
Conclusion
Jameson’s Declaration cigar is a tasty and finely rolled medium-bodied smoke that I think almost anyone would enjoy. The sweet aroma is quite distinct from the palate flavors, lending the smoke a complexity that will interest veterans, but at the same time it’s smooth enough that it won’t frighten off the novices. Overall it’s a very well balanced cigar.
The Declaration Iniquity retails for around $6.00 per stick, which is excellent for any cigar, but for a Dominican puro it’s outstanding.
Final Score: 90
Contest
I want to thank Jameson for offering samples of their Declaration cigar for this review by sharing their generosity with a lucky reader. Just leave a comment about Jameson or La Tradicion Cubana cigars below and I will pick one entry at random to receive a few of these fine smokes for their own enjoyment. Contest ends January 31, 2010. U.S. residents only please.
And don’t forget to enter the Jameson Humidor contest! All you have to do is sign up for their newsletter and you’re eligible to win a very sweet Vanderburgh Forteleza Humidor stocked with Declaration cigars.
Cigarfan.net 
I’m here for the contest. And another great review by Keepers and this is a cigar I want to try.
Im interested to try some of these Jamesons. Hope i win the contest. Thanks for a great review!!
I had been intrigued by this cigar; thank you for the review; I now hope I can get some to try
Sounds like an interesting stick. I’ve only had one Jameson in my life – a red label. That one was too mild for my tastes, but still pleasant, with lots of light wood, some papery notes, and a sugar-like sweetness to it. From the review, it sounds like this Declaration would be more in line with my tastes, as would the black label. Anyway, thanks for the review and the contest.
The Jameson sounds like the kind of stick we should all have in stock in the humidor. I’d love to take one for a spin!
I enjoy your reviews. Hope I get a chance to try these.
Thanks
Sounds like an interesting one that I will have to look for. There is alot to like in the review, especially the price. Have you noticed how big the bands are that so many of the new offerings carry? There seems to be a trend there.
Nice review. I’m definitely a black label guy and I’ve never had a Jameson cigar. I’m putting this one on my list.
Hooeee! Been reading about these (lots of notes in my inbox). Would be *happy* to give them a try!
I would love to try Jameson, I have not yet had the pleasure.
uisce beatha
Nice.
Nice review, too. Maple syrup and all!
Maple syrup is probably a little subjective, I know. When they come for me with the strait jacket I’ll know why.
I really enjoy reading your reviews. The Jameson Declaration looks like a fantastic cigar and at a pretty nice price point. I will have to try a few.
as usual high end cigar review. sounds an interesting cigar
Nice review! This cigar sounds intersesting
Great contest, love the whiskey and love cigars so this should be a great pairing. Hope to win and keep up the great site.
Sounds like an interesting stick.
The original Jameson cigars are a tasty breakfast smoke. Sounds like they’re moving into stronger fields – Bravo! Thanks for the review.
Great review as always. I’ve been waiting for a review on Jameson cigars, I’m going to have to give these a shot one day.
Another great review! I would love to give them a try.
I haven’t seen these at my local B&M, I’ll have to go searching.
I can’t find Jameson’s at any store I’ve been to.
The Whisky vs. Whiskey debate riles up every Irish or Scot man I’ve ever met.
You can find all the Jameson cigars at the Jameson website. You can find whiskey in my liquor cabinet, next to the Scotch. 🙂
La Tradicion Cubana makes some fine cigars. I haven’t had a Jameson yet, but I’m going to make a point of getting one of these. Thanks for the review!
Thanks for posting the Jameson review, they are putting out some great stuff! Have you had their coffee yet?
I have not. I roast my own coffee, but based on the quality of the cigars I bet it’s worth a shot.
as a fellow irishman with a name like jameson its got to be something good.
It’s a random drawing, which means Irishmen have an edge. That’s not my fault, but if you win I’ll have some explaining to do.
Ordered a 5 pack of Red Label Perfectos from the Jameson Cigar’s web site and received a complimentary Black Label Robusto with my order. Both labels were great smokes! I like variety in my rotation and looking to discover others.
I’m eager to try the Declaration. Great review.
They look quite nice. Can’t wait to try them. Thanks for always providing such thorough reviews!
I plugged the number of entries into a random number generator and the winner is No. 4. Congratulations, Robert!
Thanks to everyone for your comments!
Just checking back in with some comments on the cigars. Thanks for the contest and the smokes! I’m sitting on my porch smoking the last of these Jamesons.
Re-reading your review I can echo many of the impressions you had. It’s a firm cigar, with a firm draw. The draw is actually a bit firmer than I like, but it’s manageable. The burns have been pretty good. I had one that tunneled a bit, and none were Davidoff razor-sharp, but for the most part they required no corrections or attention.
As far as taste: hard wood, check; meaty/leathery, check; elusive sweetness, check. I didn’t personally find a maple syrup flavor, though. I’d call the sweetness coffee, when you get a particularly sweet varietal. I wouldn’t call it spicy, but there is a touch of spice to it. It does get harsh if you over-smoke it. The one thing I would mention that you didn’t is that I find this to be a very dry and tannic cigar. It leaves my mouth parched with every puff.
When I had the first of these I thought it reminded me of the LTC Deluxe Anniversary (15th). So, I smoked one of those last night to do a little comparison. They’re both woody and dry, to my palate. The LTC is more complex (gives more notes at once), and has more savory, vegetable like notes, in particular something that reminds me of bell peppers. The only other place I’ve tasted that is in a Cuban Partagas. Overall, I’d call the LTC more interesting and refined, which is probably to be expected.
So, all in all, the Jameson is a good cigar. Though, I’m not sure I’d buy more because the dryness became distracting to me. Well worth trying, though, especially if you like woody cigars with just a touch of sweetness and spice.
Thanks again for the smokes!
Thanks for your thoughts, Robert, and I’m glad you enjoyed the smokes. I agree that the LTC is more complex and refined, but I’ve been missing out on the bell peppers. I’m going to be looking out for them now though!
buena