Conceived and formed in 2020 by seasoned retail tobacconists, in a state in which indulgence is considered a sin, Apostate cigars proudly stands as Utah’s only premium cigar producer. Bucking tradition in both branding and blending, it is our mission to honor the historical use of tobacco as a communion with one’s self and the community at large.
Introduced in 2021, the Apostate Cigars – The Initiatory is the company’s first shot at making something premium and they wanted a straightforward blend that really showcased Dominican tobaccos.
As described by the company’s website:
This blend is a fully immersive introduction to what premium tobacco can be. Accessible to all palates and experience levels, as well as being ideal for any time of day, The Initiatory is our take on the classic cuban-style habano. This cigar features a gorgeous ultra-premium Ecuadorian grown Sumatra wrapper over a rich Mexican grown San Andres binder which perfectly encapsulates the complexities of 4 different Dominican fillers.
The blend is described as:
- Wrapper – Ecuadorian Sumatra
- Binder – Mexican grown San Andres
- Filler – Dominican
The Initiatory is expressed in a single (6 x 52) toro vitola and comes packaged in 12-count boxes with an MSRP of $12.50/cigar.
For this review I sampled 2 of these which I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.
Pre-Light Examination
The Apostate Cigars “The Initiatory” is a oily medium brown cigar that I found to be firmly packed with just a few noticeable vein running along the barrel. A well applied double cap finishes the presentation.
Two bands adorn the cigar. The primary band uses a gold and black motif and is the same band on other products in their lineup. It uses symbiology to spell out the word APOSTATE. The top of the band states “Apostate Cigars” and the bottom states “Est. 2020, State of Deseret” . The secondary band, placed just below the primary uses a red and gold motif and declares this “The Initiatory” in both English and the ancient Mormon alphabet.
Running the cigar along the nose i picked up a mild spicy note along the barrel, while the foot exudes nut and cocoa notes.
I used my CigarMedics Baller cutter to open the cap perfectly and proceeded to give some cold draw puffs that was spot on with restriction and offered notes of fine black pepper and cocoa.
Using my single flame torch, I warmed the foot to an even orange glow and drew in the first dose of sweets and peppery smoke. As soon as the foot was warmed I should note that the was an immediate natural tobacco sweet aroma wafting in the air. Follow along as I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Immediate naturally sweet aroma as I warm the foot
- Sweetness and a slight peppery note grace the palate to start the journey
- Medium thick wavy char char line forms beneath a solid light grey ash
- Floral notes join the mix early in the burn
- Ash drops in a decent chunk revealing a well formed burn cone
- Moving into the second third an enticing vanilla note brightens the profile
- There is continued sweetness in background
- A mild nut nuance enters midway
- Deep in the second third, the profile shifts a bit to more of an umami nuance and a touch of spice
- The spice grows into the final with continued undertone of sweetness and a hint of chocolate
- Medium in strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 35 minutes
Final Analysis
This is the second review of an Apostate Cigars product and once again I have found it to be an excellent cigar that is well crafted with a decent burn and a moderately complex flavor profile. I enjoyed the natural sweetness that stuck throughout the journey and the pleasurable nuances of vanilla and chocolate in spots. I found the shift to umami notes deep in second third an interesting twist to the blend and kept the palate enticed. I say this is worth a box buy. I rate this a 95.
Point Deductions: (-1) Mild Wave in Burn;
Bonus Points: (+1) Box Buy; (+1) Positive and Consistent Experience across multiple Samples
