Today we review the second cigar in the Ventura Cigars Archetype lineup introduced at this years IPCPR.
In case you missed it, you can listen to Ventura Cigars Chief Marketing Officer, Jason Carignan, describe the Archetype line here:
Like the Sage Advice, the Archetype Dreamstate is produced at the Occidental Cigar Factory in the Dominican Republic. The blend is described as:
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
- Binder: Dominican San Vicente
- Filler: Multi-Country Blend
The Ventura Cigars Archetype Dreamstate is a regular production cigar and available in 3 vitolas each packaged in boxes of 20:
- Robusto (5 x 52) — MSRP $9.99
- Toro (6 x 50) — MSRP $10.99
- Churchill (7 x 48) — MSRP $11.99
As the Ventura Cigars website states:
Drift away into the subconsciousness with a smooth, mild to medium-bodied cigar enveloped in a velvety-golden wrapper that rewards with a complex bouquet..
For this review, I sampled the Dreamstate Toro after building my new fire pit, to burn the oak that Hurricane Matthew left behind. Fire pits are great if you want to relax and drift away!
Cigar Review Notes
- Light wrapper with some dark spots scattered across
- Sweet tea off the foot and barrel
- Cold draw offers a definite honey note
- Upon 1st light – pepper hits the nasals and honey greets the palate
- This is further joined with a toasty note
- It is reminding me of my mothers honey on toast breakfast treat
- The ash is medium grey holding solid through the first inch
- Burn is perfect with a thin char line
- The honey builds as an herbal note enters near the end of 1st third
- This is followed by a sweet almond flavor wrapped in a creamy background
- Ash finally fell after a good two plus inches
- Perfectly centered dark burn cone
- Spice begins to fill the profile
- Sweet pepper notes follow
- Smoke production is full
- A floral aroma develops
- The almond shifted to more of a white chocolate with cedar mixed in
- Amazingly no bite or bitterness coming in through 2/3 of the smoke
- Spice intensifies in the final third
Overall the Ventura Cigars Archetype Dreamstate had a bit more complexity than your average Connecticut. I especially enjoyed the honey and almond notes that enlightened the palate. I once had a conversation with one of the Cigar Babes and she suggested I try to pair a cigar with a nice cup of English tea. I would say the Dreamstate would be a perfect cigar to do such a pairing, maybe even with a teaspoon of honey and a dram of rye.
Ventura Cigars Archetype Dreamstate