Today we take a road down time and authenticity both of which are consistent. We are talking about the Veritas Cigar company. A young company based out of Delaware with roots that go deep into the Pittsburgh.PA area. Last year we did an interview with Chris Weber from Veritas Cigars, which you can read here. Since that interview, I have had the opportunity to sample the blends in the Veritas line-up. We started with the “412” and tonight we review the company’s namesake, the Veritas.
Not much is going on in the Stogie Press lounge tonight, The regular crew are either out-of-town or working so it is just Ziggy and I tonight. As I open up my cabinet humidor, Ziggy jumps up and examines the contents like he was born to protect my stash. He is only a small English Cocker Spaniel puppy, but he is learning quickly what it means when I open that humidor up, tag wagging, body wriggling, he runs to the lounge door as I select the cigar of the night.
We go out to the lounge and I settle in to examine the Veritas. It is a beautifully dark, Brazilian Arapiraca Maduro, wrapped cigar. The blend includes South America & the Dominican fillers with a Dominican Oler binder. The Veritas comes in one vitola – a 6×50 Toro. I run the Veritas across my nose and pick up a slightly pungent aroma. The cigar itself is constructed, with a smooth wrapper, tight seams and a well applied cap.
The Veritas band is simple, void of luster, art, and such/ Just a black and white band with the word Veritas printed in white on a black background embraced by white lines on top and bottom of the word. I know of the humble beginnings of Chris from the interview and his great love for the hardworking men and women in the Pittsburgh area. I can only say the band on the namesake cigar is perfectly aligned with the man behind this company.
After slicing off the cap, the dry draw had some earthy notes and the draw itself was a bit tight but not where I would need an ice pick to open it up. I have talked about draws in the past, and restriction is not a bad quality so long as the cigar still delivers smoke and flavor with out burn issues. So far I like this stick and I am looking forward to putting the flame to it. You know, some times I wish I had fire insurance on my cigars as they seem to always go up in smoke.
Once lit, the Veritas offers some early pepper that tingles the nostrils along with an earthy mineral like flavor. About an inch or so into the salt and pepper ash burn, the Veritas delivers on the dry draw coffee flavor but brings along with it a back note of mint. That was a surprise, perhaps the early mineral flavor teased my palate into the mint flavor, but at this point it was delightful. The smoke production is medium in volume and filling the my palate well not to mention the lounge. The wrapper is oiling up nicely along the pin point burn.
Moving into the 2nd third, the Veritas shifts into another gear, as it brings forward notes of fruit combined with a nutty aroma. I would say at this point that the Veritas is a solid medium strength cigar. It has been a slow burner so far. Chocolate notes enter the profile near the half way point of the cigar and the draw begins to loosen up, increasing the smoke volume.
My lips pick up a clove like flavor near the end of the second third along with a slight bitterness. It lasted for just a short while but was for sure a tease on the tongue. The remainder of the Veritas remained consistent in flavor.
Overall the Veritas was a well constructed and flavorful cigar.Though it had a tight draw to start, it eventually opened up and delivered a decent volume of smoke. It had an impeccable burn and delivered some interesting flavors. This medium body cigar would be enjoyed by most any cigar lover .
Veritas