2023's LE means a different blend all together.

Each year Crowned Heads releases a limited-edition ('LE') within their original Four Kicks portfolio in a single vitola named Mule Kick, and for 2023, it's a 5.8"x52 Robusto Extra. Unlike year's past when there was just a change in wrapper leaf, this time around everything is different, with all 3,000 boxes having been produced at Ernesto Perez-Carrillo's Tabacalera La Alianza in the Dominican Republic.

Mule Kick LE 2023 features an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper atop a Dominican binder and long-fillers from the Dominican and Nicaragua. (The original Four Kicks utilizes an Ecuador Habano wrapper with a binder and long-fillers from Nicaragua.) “The cover leaf really drove the blend for this year’s Mule Kick,” said Jon Huber, co-founder of Crowned Heads, in a press release. “When Ernesto (Perez-Carrillo) presented this dark, rich Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper to us last year, I immediately earmarked it for Mule Kick 2023. When we went to validate the Mule Kick 2023 blend with that wrapper, Ernesto presented an alternative version of the blend that took the flavor profile to a different level. As it turned out, that blend incorporated a Dominican binder and some Dominican Piloto Cubano in the filler.”