As I continue to experience the craft of Benjamin Holt’s Dissident Cigars, which are hand crafted at James Brown’s Fabrica Oveja Negra in Estelí Nicaragua, I will honestly say – “keep up the great work“.
Today I review the Dissident RANT, one of three new blends introduced late in 2020. The other two were the RAVE and the TIRADE. The RANT is the smallest of the three new offerings, in comparison to the others, it could have been named the Runt.
All kidding aside, the RANT has blend described as:
- Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf
- Binder: Ecuador
- Filler: Nicaragua & Dominican
The RANT is expressed in a single (4.5 x 46) Petite Corona and comes packaged in 20-count boxes with an MSRP of $10.00/cigar.
Pre-Light Examination
The Dissident Cigars RANT is draped with a dark brown, lightly marbled wrapper that has a few veins running through the barrel. The cigar feels evenly packed and is solid to the touch. The barrel has a smooth feel to it and it is expertly finished with a triple cap.
A single band adorns the RANT, using the same black, red and white motif as all Dissident cigars. The name RANT is emblazoned across the band using a distressed lettering font. The ‘R’ and ‘T’ are white and the the ‘A’ and ‘N’ are red. The ‘A’ is actually a open ended triangle. The company name ‘DISSIDENT CIGARS’ is printed on the bottom of the band.
As I ran the Dissident RANT along the nose, I picked up a light spice note along the barrel and shifting to the foot, my nose detected notes of fruit and spice.
I sliced the cap straight across the shoulder and proceeded to give it some cold draw puffs. The draw had a decent restriction and graced the palate with a rich peppery note and a sweet plum sensation hiding in the background. I cold puffed it a few more times to make sure it was indeed plum.
Using my double flame torch lighter, I warmed the foot to an even orange glow drew in the first puffs of nasal opening pepper shot. Follow along as I burn the RANT to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Right off the first puff there is pepper shot to the nose
- White ash forms on and thin even char line
- Nice full volume of chewy (smoke ring texture)
- Dry fruit breaks through after an inch of burn
- Sweet and spicy aroma wafts off the foot
- Ash falls with a decent burn cone
- Slight sour note enters at the start of the second third
- Strength moves up to solid medium midway
- Touch of cream lingering on the palate
- Spice increases moving into final third
- Strength ratchets up
- Aroma shifts to a toasted cracker note
- Vanilla cream nuance moving through final
- Medium Plus in Strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 25 minutes
Final Analysis
If you are a fan of Pennsylvania Broadleaf, the Dissident Cigars RANT should be right up your alley. The blend of this not only highlights the spicy sweetness of the wrapper but adds a delicious depth to the cigar. With notes like vanilla cream, toasted cracker and dry fruit, this kept my palate interested from foot to nub. The aromas and flavor transitioned well through the almost 90 minute journey down to the nub. There was a slight sour note in the second third that lasted for a brief few puffs. The burn was error free and even. This is certainly box worthy and I rate it a 95.
Point Deductions: (-1) Mild Sour Notes in the Second Third
Bonus Points: (+1) Box Worthy; (+1) Even Burn from Foot to Nub
