Early in 2019, Riste (Buc) Riatevski started teasing the cigar world with a new cigar he was working on. We learned over time that it would be called the “Tyrannical Buc” – a name that symbolizes tyranny and harsh. I am still not sure what message Riste is making with this, but one may assume, he is declaring himself a Tyrant in the cigar industry, in the sense he will break the rules, like he did with is CBD “Nuggs” Cigar also this year. Those that know Riste, realize he has always played to the edge, both in his craft and on social media. He tells the world what he thinks, pulls no punches, even if it pisses you off.
As for the Jas Sum Kral Tyrannical Buc, he took months to roll out the information on the cigar, eventually releasing the info on the Maduro version which we reviewed earlier in July. At the PCA Trade Show he not only showcased the maduro, but also a Connecticut Shade variety of the Tyrannical Buc.
The “Conny” uses the same binders and fillers as the maduro but is wrapped with a Connecticut Shade leaf instead.
- Wrapper – Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
- Binder – Jalapa
- Filler – Condega, Pennsylvania, Esteli Double Ligero
Like the maduro, the Conny is expressed in 4 vitolas and packaged in 15-count boxes:
- Magnum 48 (4 x 48) – MSRP $9.00/cigar
- Generosos (5.5 x 40) – MSRP $8.20/cigar
- Dobles (6.5 x 50) – MSRP $10.50/cigar
- Golem Buc (5.5 x 60) – MSRP $11.50/cigar
For this review, I sampled the Golem Buc vitola of the Tyrannical Buc Connecticut which I received from Jas Sum Kral for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie press.
Pre-Light Examination
The Jas Sum Kral Tyrannical Buc Connecticut – Golem Buc – is a stout cigar, that has a shiny yellowish tan wrapper with a well defined vein structure. The cigar is solid in the hand, like a roll of quarters, and is finished with a well applied cap with a thick border.
Riste noted, in a Facebook post, that he opted to go with a simple band on this cigar to keep the costs down. It is a simple white gloss paper band that has an image of a Tyrannosaurus-rex skeleton head adorned with a yellow crown. The name “Tyrannical Buc” is printed below using yellow for the first word and black for the second. It is simple yet bold.
The pre-light aromas on this offered sweet fermented leaf along the barrel and sweet nuttiness off the foot.
The cold draw brings notes of pepper spice on the lips, and natural sweetness, earth, and fruit on the palate. This is actually a most tasteful cigar even before I put the flame to it. But as we all know, all good cigars must be turned to ash, sooner or later, and now is the time for the Tyrannical Buc Connecticut to meet the flame.
With the larger ring gauge on this cigar, I went with a triple flame torch to warm the surface area of the foot. Rolling the barrel between my fingers as the heat of the flame brought the foot to a even orange glow. The first puff immediately opened my nasals on the retro-hale with a burst of pepper.
Cigar Review Notes
- First puffs tell me this may not be my Pappy’s Conny
- Strong burst of pepper opens the nasals
- Smoke volume is radically full and chewy
- Delicious undertone of natural sweetness evolves
- Butter and fruit notes start to develop as the pepper pulls back
- Sweet fruit jam aroma wafts off the foot
- Solid well formed white ash has developed on a straight and medium char line
- Cedar notes ad to the profile moving toward the second third
- Ash fell after a good run revealing a flat but centered burn cone
- Spicy fruit notes enter
- Bitter notes enter midway and linger on the palate
- Aroma shifts to nut component
- Strength is ratcheting up to medium-plus
- Burns a bit hot to the touch
- Spice continues to grow down to the final third
- Mild wave develops entering the final third
- Smoke starts to get hot
- Ash has reformed and stayed solid again
- Lingering fruit notes at the end
- Strength hits full
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 30 minutes
Overall, the Jas Sum Kral – Tyrannical Buc Connecticut Golem Buc was a terrific cigar. I am not a fan of big ring gauge cigars but this one was so well constructed that it gave me no burn issues, less a slight wave in the burn deep in the journey. The flavors and aromas transitioned well starting with a heavy burst of pepper leading to an array of notes with a natural sweetness, butter, jam, cedar, fruit and nut. It did deliver some short lived biter notes midway. The ash fell only once during the journey. Late in the journey it burned a bit hot to the touch and the smoke got a tad hot. I would still pick a fiver of these, but if you are a new cigar enthusiast, be aware this is not a mild cigar! I rate this a 92.
Point Deductions: (-1) Slight wave in the burn end of second third; (-1) Burned hot to the touch ; (-2) Smoke is hot in final; (-1) Short lived bitter notes midway
Bonus Point: (+1) Solid long ash
Thank you for the review