Prologue:
7:19pm
It's the Sabbath. I shouldn't even be writing, I should be resting. And you want a prologue? Feh on you!
The Cigar:
Psyko Seven
Ventura Cigar Company
Cuban seed hybrid Dominican wrapper
Mexican Sumatra Binder
Nicaraguan, Peruvian, USA Broadleaf,
(aaaaaaannnd...)
Honduran and Dominican Republic fillers
6 x 60 Gordo
Medium brown complected with a somewhat yellow-ish hue. Matte finish, dry but not brittle. A tad of a risen seam but most are tight. Minimal and un-aggressive veins. Cap is well constructed. Packing is medium-firm with a softer spot or two. Nice density (although less dense in a single spot mid-center) peeking into the foot, rich milk chocolate color with blond highlights.
Mellow tobacco nose and vague bakers spice to the wrapper. The foot hints at some nutty cream additions to the schnozolla. A bite off o' the cap shows a surprisingly tight draw well beyond the medium spectrum. All of the smell notes are in the cold pull. I nibble off a lil more from the cap and it opens to a medium+ draw. I get a little more bakers spice.
Not a bad start, at all.
Light:
White bread, artisan, notes off the toasting of the foot. Lots of bakers spice not led by the usual cinnamon or nutmeg. The ginger and allspice are balanced in the blend. The ginger dries my palate a tad. First full hot draw is boiled peanuts and yeastiness with a hardwood finish that meets up with those bakers spice. Palate dryness is a bit off-putting. Second pull is retro-haled and adds a whisper hint of white pepper which quickly fades. Third pull adds a narrowing of wood to oak and an addition to the finish of a sweet buttery cream which borders on Redi-whip. Some fleeting milk chocolate, too at the draw and into the opening only, of the finish. Finish lasts a good while and has its own transition from sweet beginning to more savory end.
Draw remains medium+. Another soft-spot or two makes itself known. Burn is even enough, burn line is an acceptable width. Ash is very pale grey (mainly) to light charcoal (in spots) and is a nice density, showing more oil than flake.
Profile is -medium across the board. Foot smoke is pleasantly sweet but not sickly so, owing to an oak balance. Medium volume, kind aroma output.
A warm, cmomfortable nutmeg rises on the retro-hale in particular and is quite nice, doubly so as it leads to some salivation and moistens up my palate. The looser seam has lifted a tad at the burn line, but it should smoke through. I'm beginning to get sweetness from a light floral honey now. Chewing the smoke and letting it lift into my sinuses, there is a hint of nice enough white wine. Unfortunately, that sour note negates the nutmeg's moisture-bringing and I'm going cotton again. It's especially troublesome on the finish.
The hiccup at the seam has been smoked through and all is clear. No touching up of the light is required.
End off the opening act is very much oak and bread with a counter-balance of varying cream and nuttiness. Bakers spice mingle among themselves -- jockeying for position there and in the profile as a whole in ebbs and flows. Finish is sweet, but not cheaply artificial and too is balanced by savory notes. It lasts to the next draw fairly easily and oft transitioning.
Profile is medium split down the middle on the nose. Speaking of nose, there is a bit of graham cracker on the foot smoke. Dry bakers spice and a subduing of their nutmeg, plus the addition of white wine on the retro-hale continue to be quite nice, but quite drying.
Ash clumps off at an inch and is oily in a spot, ashy in the rest of it. all of it, on my slacks. I give thought to putting my dry cleaner on retainer -- then realize I have no dry cleaner. That's a load off.
Act II:
The pace of the burn is excellent. Right as the second act begins, a saltiness is introduced to my palate and lips, which fixes nicely the moisture level. This too causes a mellowing as all flavors are filtered through saliva. This is good. A bit of canoeing not so much threatens, as catches my eye and I ease up a bit on pulling. Notes seem to deepen again as we are fully heated. Really quite a nice, mellow smoke. I'm enjoying a cigar in my profile wheel-house after a few clubbing offerings. I pull the brim of my hat back and let the moon shine in.
The burn is evening itself out and its burn-line is not a razor, but not far from it. The packing has softened a tad, but is now even throughout. Coming up on the halfway mark, I sit and wonder...
But first I roll off the ash. It's oily dense spot has expanded. It's coloring, paled.
Halftime brings about more peppers, white. A deepening sans darkening of tobacco. A maturing of wine and bread is heavier. Leather and almonds appear in crisp fashion. Very nice. Some golden hay notes keep it light. The draw tightens a tad and I toothpick it. This helps greatly, but I can feel an uneven packing. Foot smoke increases as does its graham. I can taste it on the draw now. Finish is a mellow and complex balance of sweet and savory.
This has by light years been my favorite Ventura offering to date. I'd buy a box for certain -- although in a more svelte vitola. An excellent meditation, this. One which allows me the movement to deep-water my rose garden with an eased and focused mind.
A bit of citrus appears as the second act closes. It tastes a bit like cool sunshine feels. All told, a breezy blend with just enough weight to keep your attention on its nuances and complexities. Bravo. Honey rises to meet the orange twist. I'm impressed by the full return of all notes -- which never left but were at times somewhat subdued.
Ash is now full-on dense and oily. Construction holds as does draw, which has given me no tightness since the tooth-picking. An red clay oil ushers in --
Act III:
Imma jus' enjoy myself. I don't see any more transitions looming. Will let you know if I'm wrong, gentlepersons.
(A heightening of white wine finishes this offering off cleanly and splendidly.)
Ends as medium+ profile and with a great and comforting chew. The orange turns lime and the bread becomes a toasted rye. Hot damn! Threatens to diesel bite at the very end, but does not. I highly recommend this offering. Would make a great daily smoke, if yer budget and schedule allow. It's the best Casa de Garcia you'll ever smoke.
I adore Casa de Garcia,
As you read on, you'll see I overlooked a couple of issues/potential hazzards in the final grade. One other item of note I overlooked is the marketing -- i.e band, etc. I shall continue to overlook.
Simply more fantastic work by Henke Kelner. I chose that as my focus here. The steak at hand -- not the short pants backward ball cap juvenile sizzle.
Simply more fantastic work by Henke Kelner. I chose that as my focus here. The steak at hand -- not the short pants backward ball cap juvenile sizzle.
Pairings:
Pretty much anything to the left of bold.
Pretty much anything to the left of bold.
Final Grade: A-
(This with an * for its deductions being construction and 1/3 finish. Two facets I could have marked down more, but I allowed to be over-ridden by overall flavors.)
(This with an * for its deductions being construction and 1/3 finish. Two facets I could have marked down more, but I allowed to be over-ridden by overall flavors.)
Epilogue:
Lost track of time here. 'Bout an hour and a half smoke.
Lost track of time here. 'Bout an hour and a half smoke.
Dr. Kaplowitz prescribes 1 qD.
Gut Shabbos, y'all.
My kingdom (Old Timer pocket knife, pleather change purse, and new nylon socks cache) for a doing away of cool and extreme marketing and a return to the traditional.
My kingdom (Old Timer pocket knife, pleather change purse, and new nylon socks cache) for a doing away of cool and extreme marketing and a return to the traditional.