Crowned Heads Jericho Hill Jack Brown

Crowned Heads Jericho Hill Jack Brown

The Crowned Heads Jericho Hill Jack Brown is a medium to full bodied, lightly box pressed robusto gordo wrapped in a dark, toothy Mexican San Andres Maduro leaf over a Nicaraguan binder and 100% Nicaraguan long fillers, handcrafted at My Father Cigars S.A. in Esteli, Nicaragua by the Garcia family. Jericho Hill is Crowned Heads’ tribute to Johnny Cash, inspired by the outlaw ballad “Cocaine Blues” from the legendary 1968 live album *At Folsom Prison*. Every vitola name comes directly from the song’s lyrics and story: “Jack Brown” is the alias the outlaw Willy Lee gives to the sheriff from Jericho Hill after being captured in Juarez, Mexico. At 5 x 56, the Jack Brown is the thickest vitola in the Jericho Hill lineup, a dense, punchy robusto gordo that packs leather, earth, pepper, molasses, dark chocolate, coffee, cedar, and spice into a lightly box pressed format with a dark, oily San Andres wrapper that pays visual homage to the Man in Black himself. Rated 90 by Cigar Aficionado, the Jericho Hill line marked Crowned Heads’ first regular production Nicaraguan cigar and their first use of a Mexican San Andres wrapper. Packaged in boxes of 24.

• Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper with a dark, reddish brown color, visible tooth, ample wrinkles, and a rustic appearance that delivers earthy, leathery, spicy flavor from the very first puff.
• Nicaraguan binder provides structural backbone and peppery intensity that supports the bold San Andres wrapper.
• 100% Nicaraguan long filler creates a pure Nicaraguan core with depth, potency, and earthy character that the Garcia family at My Father Cigars is celebrated for.
• Lightly box pressed format at 5 x 56, the thickest ring gauge in the Jericho Hill lineup, delivering a comfortable grip, even burn, and a cool smoking temperature that reveals every layer of the blend.
• Inspired by Johnny Cash’s “Cocaine Blues” from the 1968 *At Folsom Prison* live album, with every vitola name drawn from the song’s characters, story, and details.
• “Jack Brown” is the alias Willy Lee gives to the sheriff from Jericho Hill in the song, fitting for a vitola that disguises serious power behind a smooth, balanced delivery.
• Handcrafted at My Father Cigars S.A. by the Garcia family, the same factory that produces La Imperiosa, Tatuaje, L’Atelier, and the Garcia family’s own My Father lines.
• Cigar Aficionado 90 rating, noting herbal, woody, toast, nuts, spice, and a licorice finish.

The “Cocaine Blues” story

“Cocaine Blues” tells the story of Willy Lee, a man whose drug fueled rage leads him to shoot his woman with a .44. He flees across the border to Juarez, Mexico, but is captured and brought to justice by a sheriff from Jericho Hill. When the sheriff asks his name, Willy Lee gives the alias “Jack Brown.” He is convicted and sentenced to the penitentiary, where from his prison cell he warns listeners to stay off the whiskey and let the cocaine be. Johnny Cash made the song famous during his iconic 1968 performance at Folsom State Prison, and the raw, defiant energy of that performance is the creative foundation for Crowned Heads’ entire Jericho Hill line.

Every vitola in the lineup draws its name from the song. The .44S references the gun Willy Lee used. LBV references a lyric from the ballad. OBS references another detail from the story. Willy Lee carries the outlaw’s own name. And Jack Brown, the largest vitola, carries the alias he gave to the law. Jon Huber, co founder of Crowned Heads, chose the Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper as a deliberate nod to both Juarez, where Willy Lee was captured, and to Cash’s nickname, the Man in Black. The dark, rustic wrapper visually embodies both references.

Crowned Heads

Crowned Heads was co founded by Jon Huber and Mike Conder in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2011. Music and Americana run deep in the brand’s DNA, and Jericho Hill is one of the purest expressions of that identity. When it launched in 2014, Jericho Hill was a strategic departure for Crowned Heads in two ways: it was the company’s first regular production cigar made in Nicaragua rather than at E.P. Carrillo’s La Alianza factory in the Dominican Republic, and it was the first time Crowned Heads used a Mexican San Andres wrapper. Both decisions signaled Huber’s willingness to push the brand in new directions, and the critical and commercial success of Jericho Hill validated the move.

The Garcia family and My Father Cigars S.A.

My Father Cigars S.A. is the Esteli, Nicaragua factory owned and operated by Don Jose “Pepin” Garcia and his son Jaime Garcia. The Garcia family produces their own My Father brand alongside partner brands including Crowned Heads, Tatuaje, and L’Atelier. The factory is renowned for its tobacco processing, fermentation expertise, and the meticulous quality control that the Garcia family applies to every cigar. Jericho Hill benefits directly from this expertise, with the Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos hand selected and processed by the same team responsible for some of the highest rated cigars in the world.

Smoking experience

The Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper is dark reddish brown with visible tooth, thin veins, plenty of wrinkles, and a rustic, old school texture. The light box press gives the Jack Brown a slightly flattened profile. The pre light aroma presents sweet cedar, oak, earth, and leather. The cold draw brings molasses, sweet tobacco, and mild spice with a moderate draw resistance that opens up nicely after the first quarter inch.

The Jack Brown opens with the earthy, leathery character of the San Andres Maduro wrapper asserting itself immediately. Earth and leather are the dominant forces from the first puff, joined by woody notes of cedar and oak and a peppery spice that lights up the tongue and retrohale. The retrohale carries a sparkling white pepper that brings lightness and brightness to the nose, contrasting beautifully with the dark, earthy palate flavors. Molasses and almond add an unexpected sweetness underneath the bolder elements, and the smoke is thick, sweet, and aromatic. Strength reads medium, and body sits at medium to full.

The second third builds in complexity as dark chocolate and cocoa emerge alongside the continuing leather and earth foundation. Coffee pushes forward with a roasted, slightly bitter quality, and cayenne pepper joins the white and black pepper on the tongue, adding a sharper, more focused heat. Banana bread and baking spice create a warm, doughy sweetness that balances the spicier elements. The leather remains dominant throughout the middle section, with dried cherry and a tangy citrus brightness appearing as accent notes that lift the profile. A beef jerky, savory quality develops and adds an umami dimension. The burn line is straight, the ash holds firmly, and the smoke production remains ample.

The final third pushes the body toward full as earth, dried wood, and pepper step forward together. The leather that has been constant from the first puff reaches its peak intensity, and a licorice note joins the finish, adding a bittersweet, anise like quality that Cigar Aficionado specifically noted in their 90 point rating. Coffee holds on as a lingering flavor between draws, and the citrus brightness from the second third persists as a counterpoint to the darker, heavier finish. The cigar smokes cool and clean to the nub, with no harshness or bitterness even as strength reaches medium full. The Jack Brown’s 56 ring gauge keeps the smoke temperature low and allows every transition to develop at a measured, unhurried pace.

The Jericho Hill lineup

The Jack Brown (5 x 56) is the thickest vitola in the lineup, and that extra ring gauge produces the coolest smoke and the most filler forward flavor profile, emphasizing the Nicaraguan internals’ depth and complexity. The .44S (5 1/8 x 44) is the thinnest, producing a more wrapper forward, spicier experience. The Willy Lee (6 x 54) is the longest and widest of the larger formats, delivering the most gradual transitions. All five vitolas share the same blend, the same lightly box pressed format, and the same 24 count box packaging.

Pairings

The Jericho Hill Jack Brown’s leather, earth, dark chocolate, and spice profile pairs naturally with dark spirits and bold beverages. Bourbon with caramel and vanilla notes complements the molasses and baking spice in the blend. A dark stout or porter matches the chocolate and coffee qualities. Black coffee or cold brew mirrors the cigar’s roasted, earthy character. For a more adventurous pairing, a barleywine ale brings sweet plum and fruit flavors that contrast with the cigar’s spice, creating a push and pull dynamic that multiple reviewers found especially rewarding.

Summary

• Box Count: 24
• Region: Nicaragua
• Strength: Medium to full
• Binder: Nicaraguan
• Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
• Filler: Nicaraguan

What is the Crowned Heads Jericho Hill Jack Brown?

It is a medium to full bodied, lightly box pressed robusto gordo (5 x 56) with a Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and 100% Nicaraguan long filler, handcrafted at My Father Cigars S.A. in Esteli, Nicaragua. It is the thickest vitola in the Jericho Hill lineup.

What does the Jack Brown taste like?

Leather and earth dominate from first light, joined by white, black, and cayenne pepper, molasses, dark chocolate, coffee, cedar, oak, banana bread, baking spice, dried cherry, citrus, and a licorice finish. The profile evolves from a leathery, spicy opening through a chocolate and coffee middle to a woody, earthy, full bodied finish.

What is the Johnny Cash connection?

Jericho Hill is inspired by “Cocaine Blues” from Johnny Cash’s 1968 *At Folsom Prison* live album. Every vitola name references the song: “Jack Brown” is the alias the outlaw gives the sheriff, “.44S” is the gun, “Willy Lee” is the outlaw, “LBV” references a lyric, and “Jericho Hill” is where the sheriff is from.

Who is “Jack Brown” in the song?

Jack Brown is the alias that the outlaw Willy Lee gives to the sheriff from Jericho Hill when asked his name after being captured in Juarez, Mexico. The name is a deliberate deception, fitting for a vitola that disguises serious power behind a smooth, balanced delivery.

What sizes are available in the Jericho Hill line?

Five vitolas: .44S (5 1/8 x 44), OBS (4 3/4 x 52), Jack Brown (5 x 56), LBV (6 1/2 x 46), and Willy Lee (6 x 54). All are lightly box pressed and come in boxes of 24. The Jack Brown is the thickest ring gauge, producing the coolest smoke and the most filler forward experience.

Who makes the Jericho Hill?

It is handcrafted at My Father Cigars S.A. in Esteli, Nicaragua by the Garcia family. Jericho Hill was Crowned Heads’ first regular production Nicaraguan cigar and their first use of a Mexican San Andres wrapper when it debuted in 2014.

What pairs well with the Jack Brown?

Bourbon with caramel and vanilla, dark stouts, porters, black coffee, cold brew, and barleywine ale all complement the cigar’s leather, earth, dark chocolate, and spice profile. The barleywine pairing is especially rewarding, as its sweet plum flavors contrast with the cigar’s peppery intensity.

Is the Jack Brown suitable for newer smokers?

It is best suited for experienced smokers who enjoy medium to full bodied cigars with bold, earthy, leathery profiles. The pepper and spice can be intense in the opening, and the strength builds through the final third. Newer smokers may want to start with the .44S or OBS, which have thinner ring gauges and shorter smoking times.