“Warfare is important to a nation. It is a matter of life and death. It is the way to survival or to destruction. So study it.” – Sun Tzu
This is the first passage of the first chapter of the infamous literary work, The Art of War, by Sun Tzu, written over 2,500 years ago in China. I have read this book, and it applies not only to war but competitive strategy in general. Read by business majors, aspiring lawyers, politicians, and most definitely the various US military academies.
Sun Tzu will go on later to say “Contemplating the advantages, he fulfills his calculations; contemplating the disadvantages, he removes his difficulties.” The list of quotes can go on, but I will leave it to you to read it, as I have read this work twice in my life.
Viva Republica is well-known for their “Warfare” line of cigars, think Guerrilla Warfare and Advanced Warfare. This year, the company introduced their latest creation, the Art of War, representing Viva Republica’s venture into a larger group of vitolas for the Warfare lineup. Introduced at the 2016 IPCPR in Las Vegas, the Art of War is constructed at the La Aurora factory in the Dominican Republic – as are the rest of the Viva Republica lineup.
The Art of War is available in 4 vitolas:
- Robusto (5 x 50) MSRP: $8.50
- Corona Gorda (6 x47) MSRP: $9.50
- Toro (5.5 x 54) MSRP: $10.50
- Gran Toro (6 x 58) MSRP: $11.50
The Art of War is being distributed by Nestor Miranda’s Miami Cigar Company. Jason Holly, owner of Viva Republica describes the blend as:
- Wrapper: Stalk Cut Connecticut Broadleaf
- Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra
- Filler: Colombian, Nicaraguan, Dominican
The cigar is finished with a pigtail cap and has a Dominican Candela leaf around the footer. The cigars are packaged individually in cardboard cases that serves as both the sleeve and band for this cigar.
Once opened up and removed, the cigar is ruggedly beautiful in its naked glory.
For this review I sampled the Art of War Corona Gordo
Cigar Review Notes
- Closed Candela foot
- Dark brown rugged broadleaf wrapper
- Pig tail cap
- Sweet fermented tobacco
- Earthy and pepper cold draw with a touch of butter
- First fired up shot gives a hit of pepper
- The develops a salt and pepper look
- Pepper lingers in background
- Cooking spice enters wrapped in a butter component
- Ash falls easy
- Burn is excellent with thin char line and well centered flat burn cone
- Touch of coffee feeds the palate at the end of the first third
- Spice builds throughout the second third and becomes the dominant note
- There is a fruity background that blends with the spice
- The spice pulls back at the end of the second third
- Nut finds its way in at the end
- Solid medium strength smoke
These are my notes, but as Sun Tzu said 2500 year ago:
There are not more than five cardinal tastes (sour, acrid, salt, sweet, bitter), yet combinations of them yield more flavors than can ever be tasted.
Overall, the Art of War was pleasant smoking experience. It was not overly complex, but offered consistent flavor with an issue free burn and a full body of medium strength smoke.
Viva Republica Art of War