Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is various shades of medium brown as it is darker closer to the foot and lightens as it goes towards the head. There are a couple of raised veins present and the seams are slightly raised as well, making them fairly easily visible. The head is finished off with a wrinkled double cap. The band is the standard for the line and this iteration is black on white. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of leather and barnyard funkiness while the foot brings leather and sweet hay. The pre-light draw is also a mix of leather and hay, but not quite as sweet.

Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the Ventura Case Study 01 Robusto is a tan chocolate color. The band is the standard design in the Case Study series of black lettering on a white band. The wrapper has aromas of sweet cedar, and in the foot I’m able to smell tobacco sweetness.

First Third

The cigar begins with a very full mix of wood and a mild crushed red pepper note. At a quarter inch in, the crushed red pepper note leaves except for the finish of the lingering heat as the general wood note transitions to a more definitive cedar. At an inch in, some mustiness joins the cedar. The retrohale has a bit of a black pepper bite to it. As the third comes to a close, the cedar transitions back to a general wood note. The strength in this third was slightly below medium.

First Third

I tasted flavors of sweet hay to open the first third and the draw finished with white pepper. On the retrohale, there are baking spices with some slight bitter cedar underneath. I would describe the cedar as having medium strength tannic qualities. A few minutes in. there is a subtle chocolate being buried under the other flavors. At the 15 minute mark some sour notes appear. Halfway through the first third, the tannin’s start to fall off, leaving cedar as the primary flavor.

Second Third

As the second third begins, some dry earthiness joins in with the musty wood note. At a half inch in, the earthiness and wood are even while the mustiness is slightly behind. The retrohale is now a mirror image of this profile. At an inch and a quarter, the cigar warms up again, bringing a toasted wood note to the profile while the earthiness and mustiness are now background notes. As the third comes to a close, the warmth has subsided and the mustiness comes back even with the wood while the earthiness is in the background. The strength in this third bumped up to medium.

Second Third

The baking spices that were on the retrohale start to fall off as the second third begins, a few minutes later the cedar falls along with it. The white pepper is nowhere to be found here. With the cedar, spices and pepper so low in intensity the retrohale starts to pick up some mild chocolate. The sourness has fallen to a light level once the second third has established itself.

Final Third

As the final third begins, some cream joins in with the musty wood while the earthiness is now very faint in the background. At a quarter inch in, a slight vegetal note joins the profile. At three quarters of an inch in, the flavor profile is very full with the musty wood and some vegetal and earthy notes in the background. The retrohale has the vegetal note up front with the musty wood in the background. As the cigar comes to a close, it heats up again which brings a slight bite to the vegetal note up front while the musty wood is in the background. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly above medium.

Final Third

Transitioning into the last third, there is some mild char. Mild cedar is the only flavor that defines the flavor experience.

Burn

The burn line was very straight the entire way. The cigar did go out on me twice requiring re-lights. The ash held on in about one inch increments.

Burn

The burn is slightly wavy throughout, with the ash holding on in one inch increments. Minor touch-ups throughout the smoking experience.

Draw

The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

The cigar was centered around musty wood and had the addition of dry earthiness and vegetal notes. Other than the cigar going out on me twice, construction was fairly good. Overall, the flavor profile of the Ventura Case Study 01 Robusto was fairly average with nothing that really kept my attention. The price point on this cigar is rather steep, so it would be a deterrent from me revisiting it along with the average flavors. Not my favorite in the Case Study line, but it may be something that others find attractive.

Draw

Using my standard v-cut I found the draw to be right in the ideal zone.

Overall

The Ventura Case Study 01 Robusto smoking experience was fairly one note with nothing in the flavor profile being memorable. I was surprised after the review to find the cigar had an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. The profile is light-medium and would be a suitable choice for cigar smokers who enjoy light Connecticut Shade profile cigars.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.40

Cost/Point

$2.31

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

4.58

Cost/Point

$2.72

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Ventura Case Study 01 Robusto