May & June 2015 Recap

B&M purchases are nearly impossible in my new hometown, with the closest tobacconist about 2 1/2 hours away. I will be visiting El Paso in a few weeks and will be frequenting the local cigar lounge during my stay. I am an avid supporter of B&Ms. I just wish there was one a bit closer….maybe I should open one!

June Cigar Reviews

Review Highlights

Jeremy’s Reviews
Olive Cigar Co – Inferno 3rd Degree, a Famous Smoke Shop Exclusive

From start to finish, I thoroughly enjoyed the Inferno 3rd Degree. There were easily noticeable change-ups in the profile as the cigar progressed, but, more than anything, it just satisfied without any hassle. No touch-up, no flaky ash, just one heck of a cigar.

Ventura Cigar Co. – Psyko Seven Maduro

To say the least, the Psyko Seven Maduro far exceeded my expectations in both flavors and performance. From the core flavors of leather, pencil-shavings, and spice to the more unique saltiness, balanced out by the maduro sweetness, the Psyko Seven Maduro delivered an intriguing, but not overly complex, profile that never lost my interest. The cigar burned evenly, the ash held firm, and a mouth-full of smoke was produced with each draw.

Fusion Cigar – Headlines 2nd Edition Page 

Headlines 2nd Edition brings to the table a consistent profile that is dark, meaty, earthy, and woodsy. Several times throughout the smoke, an undesirable char flavor arrived distracting me from the more enjoyable flavors. However, the biggest issue I found in the flavor department was the complete lack of any type of sweetness, which really surprised me considering the honey and chocolate I picked up on during the pre-light on both the aroma and the dry draw. The absence of sweetness made the profile off-balanced and much to be desired.

Tony’s Reviews

Crowned Heads – The Angel Anvil 2015, TAA Exclusive

The Angel’s Anvil 2015 is a bold, strong, and solid cigar which had good dimension, without being overly complex. This cigar is great for the seasoned cigar smoker who wants a bold/strong experience that isn’t overruled by the strength in the cigar, and it’s great for the novice smoker who is looking for a solid, strong cigar with great flavor.

Tatuaje – Anarchy, Mircoblend Series, a Smoke Inn Exclusive

This was, and still is probably my favorite Microblend Series that Smoke Inn has released to date. The Tatuaje Anarchy leads with bold, semi-complex flavors packaged in a great, easy smoking format. Its a great cigar, at a great price, with a long burn time delivering on all marks.

Crowned Heads – Las Calaveras 2015

I was a big fan of last year’s Las Calaveras, but the 2015 blew last year’s out of the water. I know it’s still very, very early in the year but this is the best new release that I have had so far. I’m a big fan of bold cigars, and I am even a bigger fan of bold cigars that create amazing flavor profiles without being overloaded with strength. The Las Calaveras did just that.

llusione ~eccj~ 20th

The ~eccj~ is a great example of an absolutely great cigar experience. The bold, complex, yet complimentary flavors provide an amazing profile with great construction and flawless burned all delivered at a decent price point. Yes, it’s one of the more expensive cigars in Illusione’s portfolio but it more than satisfies and I’d pay it time and time again.

Drew Estate – Pope of Greenwich Village, Microblend Series, a Smoke Inn Exclusive

It’s got some great bold flavors with a more medium strength level resulting in a smooth, relaxing experience at a great price. I highly recommend this cigar if you are a fan of flavorful, milder cigars of if you are into Drew Estate’s Undercrown series at all. Get them while you can.

Guest Reviews by Jeff Oda

L’Atelier Imports – LAT46 Selection Spéciale

The way the flavors built in intensity and complexity and the contrast of the smooth entry on the palate and somewhat edgy retrohale was something to behold; and despite the initial draw problem and wavy burn, the construction of the cigar was very good.  Add to that a nice long smoking time, even though I was enjoying it so much in the middle portion that I was smoking a bit faster than I normally do, and the price is more than reasonable.

The post Monthly Recap – May & June 2015 – Jeremy Hensley Edition appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Following the success of the 2013 release of the Psyko Seven, a maduro version was launched by Ventura Cigar Co. at the 2014 IPCPR Trade Show. Unlike the Dominican Hybrid wrapper utilized on the original release, the maduro features a Mexican San Andres wrapper.  Psyko Seven is manufactured in the Dominican Republica by the famed Henke Kelner, the master blender of Davidoff cigars, at the Tabadom factory.

The Psyko Seven derives its name from the seven tobaccos utilizes in the blend originating from six different countries.  Three vitolas in the Maduro version are currently available to include: Robusto (5 1/2 by 50), Toro (6 by 52), and Gordo (6 by 60).

The Facts

Samples Provided by Ventura Cigar Co.
Price: Unknown
Vitola: Robusto
Size: 5 1/2 by 50
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Mexican Sumatra Hybrid 151
Filler: Nicaraguan Ligero, Peruvian Pelo de Oro Viso, Honduran Holancha Seco, Dominican Hybrid, and Pennsylvania Ligero
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes
Drink: Water

Pre-light

A large band designed as a medical prescription form details the vitola, size, and specific tobaccos utilized in the Psyko Seven Maduro. It also conceals the majority of the Mexican San Andres wrapper that is dark brown in color with couple of light colored veins and lacks any visible oils. Upon removing the primary band, a smaller, simpler, secondary band is found underneath where a typical cigar band would be placed.

While the oils are hard to see, a fair amount of oil and a fine tooth are felt under my fingertips as I examine the Psyko Seven for soft spots. No soft spots are found, only a handful of veins are noticeable, but stretch marks are all over this Mexican leaf.

A sweet chocolate aroma is found on the wrapper of the cigar, along with some rich clove notes. The same chocolate is found on the foot accompanied by some graham cracker, cinnamon, cherry, and rich cedar. The double cap is hard to spot as it has been applied cleanly. The shoulder has a sharp angle resulting in a flat head of the cigar, which I believe to be a result of the packaging. Upon clipping the cap, a decent cold draw with just a hair more resistance than preferred presents milder than expected flavors of clove, cedar, and chocolate notes that are drying out my mouth.

First Third

Taking my time lighting the foot of the cigar evenly with my Zippo Z-Plus! butane lighter, the Psyko Seven Maduro is underway. Medium flavors of pencil-shavings, leather, and pepper are first to arrive on my palate, while a pepper spice warms the back of my throat and entire mouth. There is just enough maduro sweetness to round-out the profile and an intriguing Cubanesque saltiness has grabbed my attention. A thin, eyeliner burn is evenly forming a gray layer ash that is holding past an inch.

Middle Third

Moving into the second third of the Psyko Seven Maduro, the flavor remain, for the most part, consistent with the previous third. A few minor variations include the leather and sweetness gaining more ground in the profile, the pencil-shavings and pepper taking a step back, while the saltiness holds strong. The finish is of earth and chocolate, while the retrohale brings forth a medium red pepper spice. Other than the ash becoming more flaky, the Psyko Seven Maduro continues to perform exceptionally.

Final Third

Toasted notes push back the maduro sweetness as the leather and saltiness continue along. The flavors have crept up from medium to medium/full and the strength is now in the medium arena. The burn is beginning to waver, but, with so little left of the cigar, I do not foresee any touch-up required.

Wrap-Up

My expectation of the Psyko Seven Maduro was rather low when I first received the samples. Not because I read anything bad about it, but because I knew nothing about it. As I began my preliminary research, my expectations began to gradually increase as I learned that it utilized a Mexican San Andres wrapper and is produced under the watchful eyes of Henke Kelner. To say the least, the Psyko Seven Maduro far exceeded my expectations in both flavors and performance. From the core flavors of leather, pencil-shavings, and spice to the more unique saltiness, balanced out by the maduro sweetness, the Psyko Seven Maduro delivered an intriguing, but not overly complex, profile that never lost my interest. The cigar burned evenly, the ash held firm, and a mouth-full of smoke was produced with each draw. While I do not know the exact price of the Psyko Seven Maduro, searching online retailers, you can easily find this stick for under $7.00. One heck of a deal for a great cigar!

Giveaway!

Our good friends at Ventura Cigar Co. sent over a few extra PsyKo Seven Maduros, a Ventura torch lighter, and a double guillotine PsyKo Seven cigar cutter that we are giving away to one of our faithful readers! I may throw in a few extra cigars as well, but they will be a surprise.

The rules are simple. Just enter using the Rafflecopter widget below and one winner will be chosen at random and announced next Friday. You must live in the USA or Canada, and must be 18 years or older to enter. The contest will run from today until Thursday, 6/25/2015, at 11:59 PM.

That’s it! Now get to it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Ventura Cigar Co. – Psyko Seven Maduro and Giveaway appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.