According to the Book of Mormon, Zarahemla was a large city located in the ancient Americas. If one looks at the guide to scriptures by the Church of Jesus Christ of Church of Latter-Day Saints, it is further explained that:
“…Zarahemla refers to (1) a man who led Mulek’s colony, (2) a city named after him, (3) the land of Zarahemla, or (4) the people who followed him.”
Most important is the explanation that …The city of Zarahemla was burned at Christ’s death, 3 Ne. 8:8, 24.
Now enter Apostate Cigars, with a new release called The Zarahemla. With this introduction you too can burn The Zarahemla down to the nub.
According to Brandon Oveson – co-owner of Apostate Cigars, this is the first box-pressed cigar in the company’s portfolio, He describes the rich blend as:
- Wrapper: U.S.A. (Pennsylvania Broadleaf)
- Binder: Cameroon
- Filler: Dominican Republic & Mexico
The Zarahemla is expressed in a single (5.5 x 54) box pressed toro and comes in 12-count bundles and has an MSRP of $13.00/cigar.
For this review, I sampled 2 Zarahemlas which I received from Apostate Cigars for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.
Pre-Light Examination
The Apostate Cigars “The Zarahemla” is a decently constructed box pressed cigar with its rounded edges and exhibiting a proper give along the barrel. It is draped with milk chocolate brown wrapper that is silky smooth and is practically veinless. It has more of a matte finish as opposed to oily. A well applied cap finishes the construction.
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 an orange and gold motif and declares this as “The Zarahemla”.
Running the cigar along the nose I was greeted with notes of foot exudes notes of roasted hickory and a touch of floral off the foot. The barrel did not present much aroma.
Using my double blade Xikar cutter, I sliced the cap straight across the shoulder of the cigar and gave it some cold draw puffs. The draw was spot on and offered notes of hickory and cinnamon.
Using my single fan flame torch lighter, I warmed the foot to an even orange glow and drew in the first puffs that treated the palate to notes of cinnamon and natural sweetness. Follow along as I burn The Zarahemla to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Cinnamon graces the nasals to start the journey especially on the retrohale
- Pleasant natural sweetness quickly adds to the early profile
- Light grey ash forms on a thick slightly wavy char line
- Savory aromas waft off the foot
- Thick chewy smoke on every puff
- The cinnamon is predominant note in the first third
- Ash fell in a nice solid chunk revealing a well-formed burn cone
- Exotic spice notes begin to appear moving into the second third
- A pleasant nut component fills in the background
- The profile gets a tad bitter in the final third before making way for a hint of dark chocolate
- Slight off-burn develops but does not require a touchup
- The nut lingers mildly on the palate down to the finish
- Medium in strength
- Total Smoking time was 1 hour and 40 minutes
Final Analysis
The Zarahemla Toro journey begins with a gentle caress of cinnamon spice, enveloping the senses and setting the tone for the experience, especially as it graces the retrohale. Soon, a delightful natural sweetness swiftly joins the early flavor profile. The foot emanates savory aromas, enticing and adding depth to the overall olfactory experience. In the initial third, the predominant note is the warm embrace of cinnamon, offering a distinct character to the smoking experience. As the journey progresses into the second third, exotic spice notes emerge, adding an intriguing layer to the ensemble. Meanwhile, a pleasant nut component subtly fills the background, enhancing the complexity of the flavor profile. Moving into the final a nuanced shift occurs, introducing a hint of bitterness before gracefully making way for a subtle touch of dark chocolate. The nutty essence lingers mildly on the palate, accompanying the cigar to the finish. This is worth grabbing a fiver of. I rate this a 92.
Point Deductions: (-1) Wavy Burn; (-1) Off Burn in Final
