Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a light golden brown with a few veins visible as they carry a lighter color. The seams are visible due to the light wrapper color, but they are very smooth. The head has a very well applied triple cap. The cigar has two bands, a very large band that is placed at a diagonal that covers most of the cigar and looks like a prescription sheet. That slides off easily and reveals a more traditional band which is the standard PSyko Seven band, but this line’s colors are primarily black with some white and red. The aroma from the wrapper is a full mix of hay and barnyard. The foot brings a more subtle tobacco sweetness and hay. The pre-light draw brings some raisin sweetness and hay along with a decent spicy tingle on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Ventura PSyko Seven Connecticut Robusto has a silky smooth claro shade wrapper. A few veins are prominent and seams are tight but visible. Bunch and roll feels well done as there are no soft spots and a uniformed give throughout. The head is finished off with a thick triple cap. Nosing the wrapper gives hay, barnyard and slight white pepper. Nosing the foot tells sweet nuttiness and sharp cedar. Cold draw reveals hay, grass and aged cedar.

First Third

Initial draws bring a lot of creamy hay with a mellow black pepper finish. At a quarter inch in, the hay transitions to a general woodiness while the cream remains and some black pepper is still present on the finish. The retrohale is a very slightly peppered wood. At three quarters of an inch, the cream and woodiness has mixed together perfectly and the slight black pepper gives a nice added dimension. At an inch and a quarter, the pepper picks up a bit and becomes more of a player in the profile with the creamy wood. As the third comes to a close, the profile is an even mix of cream, wood and black pepper. The strength in this third was just below medium.

First Third

First third has a balanced delivery of hay, subdued white pepper, creamed dry nuttiness and aged oak. Inch in, a light cream and intermittent cardboard paper forms. Through retrohaling, deeper notes of black pepper, sharp cedar and creamed nuttiness. The finish is rather dry and medium in length with flavors of dry wood, dry nuts and faint black pepper spice. Body and strength is at the medium mark.

Second Third

As the third begins, the even mix of cream, wood and pepper continues. The retrohale is now more pepper than wood, but not an intense pepper. At a half inch in, some bitterness joins in to the profile which masks much of the pepper. At an inch in, the bitterness really mellows, and the pepper is also gone, so the creamy wood is what is up front. The retrohale is now an equal mix of pepper and wood with a slight bit of creaminess. As the third comes to a close, it is primarily cream with the wood at a slightly lower level. The retrohale has lost the pepper and is primarily wood with a slight creamy note. The strength in this third is slightly below medium.

Second Third

The second third although still balanced, is more hay and light cream focused. Other notes still remain, such as tapered white pepper, creamed dry nuttiness and aged oak. The retrohale remains unchanged, still providing deeper notes of black pepper, sharp cedar and creamed nuttiness. The finish is still medium in length and not as dry, with notes of light cream, dry wood, faint black pepper and dried nuts. Strength and body continues to be at the medium mark.

Final Third

As this third begins, the wood comes back even with the cream and there is a slight bitterness on the finish. At a half inch in, the cream drops back quite a bit with the wood moving up front. At an inch in, the cream increases slightly while some bitterness comes into the background and on the long finish. The retrohale is creamy wood with a slight mintiness. As the cigar comes to a close, the cream ramps up some more and comes even with the wood while the slight bitterness remains in the background. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Final Third

From the start of the last third, a wood bitterness and harsh bite enters the profile. With that, the profile is now namely aged oak and dry nuts. The retrohale thankfully remains unchanged, still giving deeper notes of black pepper, sharp cedar and creamed nuttiness. The finish is now comprised of wood bitterness, dry nuts and harshness. Body and strength finishes at the medium point.

Burn

The burn was razor sharp the entire way. The only drawback was that it went out on me once in the final third and required a re-light. Ashes held on in one inch increments.

Burn

Through and through a flawless burn. Total smoking time clocked in at a great 2 hours and 40 minutes. Ashes held on tight with no flaking, averaging 1.5 inch self tapped ash marks.

Draw

The draw was a fairly snug the entire way and my draws were a bit deliberate, but I didn’t feel like it effected the smoking experience.

Overall

This is a good Connecticut that I would say fits within the fairly traditional Connecticut profile. It has a little more strength than what is typical with Connecticut shades, but not too much. For those that like mild Connecticut’s, this may be one to check out to slightly increase your strength threshold. The cigar wasn’t really grassy, so that’s a plus and I would say that this is a very good variation on the PSyko Seven line. I wouldn’t hesitate one bit in smoking more of these and would really like to try one in the morning with some coffee.

Draw

The draw was perfect. Just the right amount of resistance to pull in all the flavors.

Overall

The best word to sum up the Ventura PSyko Seven Connecticut Robusto is balance. Especially within the first and second third, there was never a note that spikes or dulls. The last third was less than desirable as it may be a function of it’s youth. The balance paired by perfect construction yields a cigar I will gladly smoke again and again.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.47

Cost/Point

$1.24

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.67

Cost/Point

$1.20

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Ventura PSyKo Seven Connecticut Robusto