Ventura Cigars Archetype – Axis Mundi – Are You Centered?

When my son Dominic was a young boy, he and I began to study Tae Kwon Do together. It was my first experience at martial arts. It is called an art because it is not really about fighting but more about choreographed moves of kicks, strikes, punches, and jumps. You had to learn not only the moves but also the history of the Korean culture to advance in rank. It taught me Courtesy (Ye Ui), Integrity (Yom Chi), Perseverance (In Nae), Self-Control (Guk Gi), and the Indomitable Spirit we all have as humans.

Sadly I don’t practice the art these days,  and I know, I should  get back into it. One primary lesson I have taken with me through life, besides the 5 tenets i noted above, is knowing your Chi (your center). Everything around us has a center. It creates the balance of things in the universe. In some philosophies this universal or world center is known as the Axis Mundi. It is the perfect point between the heavens and earth,  a point where higher and lower realms communicate and pass on knowledge. I like to think of it as a perfect place of equilibrium.

Today’s review focuses on the last sample of the Ventura Cigars Archetype series – the Axis Mundi, it is part of the chapter 2 series that was developed in collaboration with Drew Estate and announced at last years IPCPR. If you think about what I just discussed,  the Axis Mundi is should be a very well-balanced cigar. So let’s get into the review and see how it lives up to its name.

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Pre-Light Examination

The Ventura Cigars Archetype Axis Mundi is a dark, cocoa powder, brown Ecuadorian Habano (Maduro) wrapped cigar. The wrapper has a shiny, slightly waxy look to it and the Axis Mundi is adorned with a red and black band that displays what some would say is golden Cosmic Tree – a symbol that unites three planes: sky (branches), earth (trunk) and underworld (roots). A little closer examination and you may notice fruit hanging off the branches which would also imply it may be a symbol of the Tree of Life. Either way, it represents an axis of knowledge leading to enlightenment, which is what the Axis Mundi is all  about. You are considered centered when you achieve enlightenment.

The wrapper is  light on veins and is finished with a well applied cap and a simple red and white footer band that defines it as an Archeype series cigar. Running the foot across the nose I pick up a delicious nutmeg spice and tobacco sweetness. Once the cap is sliced the cold draw offered notes of pepper, earth, and fruit  through a perfectly restricted draw.

The Axis Mundi blend is described as:

• Wrapper – Ecuadorian Habano (Maduro)
• Binder – Indonesian Sumatra
• Filler – Nicaraguan Habano

The Axis Mundi is a Ventura Cigars/Drew Estate collaboration and comes in 4 vitolas and are limited in availability. Ventura cigars has stated these will  only be available  to Ventura Cigar VSR accounts.

• Corona 5 x 46 ($10.49)
• Robusto 5 x 54 ($11.49)
• Toro 5 x 52 ($12.49)
• Churchill 7 x 48 ($12.99)

Follow along with me as I enlighten you to the Axis Mundi.

For this review I sampled 2 of the Ventura Cigars Axis Mundi Coronas

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Cigar Review Notes

• Full smoke volume right off the light
• Tangy spice and pepper notes are the first to  enter
• Quick oiling showing on the wrapper
• Savory aroma wafting off the foot
• Those savory notes join the flavor profile 
• Espresso and sweetness develop near the start of the second third
• Aroma shifts to more of a sweet fruity floral aroma
• Dark coffee bean and spice evolve
• Spice picks up 
• Woody notes enter
• The ash is solid white and pristine
• Savory notes re-enter with a s subtle maple syrup aroma shift
• Finishes with a reentry of pepper 
• Strength is full
• Total Smoking time was just shy of an hour

Overall,  the Ventura Cigars Archetype Axis Mundi was certainly a well-balanced cigar with terrific flavor transitions and pristine burn qualities. A must try for all  cigar enthusiasts. The smoke was amazing full for a corona vitola. I can think of a number of beverages to pare this with, but for the second sample I paired with a Magic Hat #9 Not Quite Pale Ale.

If you want some extra enlightenment to keep you centered just read the inside of the bottle caps of the Magic Hat #9. So there you have it,if you want to take an Archetype journey, you can read all our reviews of the Ventura Archetype cigar line here. I have to get my hands on some  of the larger vitolas of the Axis Mundi,  just stay enlightened. I would like to thank Ventura Cigars for the review samples.