Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5 x 54 Robusto
Strength: Full
Price: $11.00
My cigars have received 4 months of naked humidor time.
BACKGROUND:
From Artesano Del Tobacco:
“Viva la Vida, a new Nicaraguan cigar brand, was launched on the U.S. market in 2019. Created by Artesano del Tabaco and cigarmaker A.J. Fernandez.
“Artesano del Tabaco is a company formed by Billy and Gus Fakih, two of the three brothers who owned and ran the two Cigar Inn stores on the east side of Manhattan.”
THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
The wrapper is strong with aromas of black cherry, barnyard, spicy red peppers, apricot, honey, dark chocolate, and caramel.
I saw the Pope on his private balcony in 1965 when I veered off from the regular tour and saw him above me. We waved to each other. He converted me. I struggled to get my foreskin back on but with my mother’s skill at sewing, it now looks like I am wearing a cocktail umbrella on the end of my schmekel. I frighten small lizards.
Good start. I taste the awakening complexity on the first puffs. Notes of cinnamon, smoked pork, creaminess, espresso, black cherries, honey, and malt. A light sting to my tongue tells me I’m on the right track.
There is absolutely no way my first go around with this cigar was appropriate. I fucked up and smoked this baby a week after receipt. This is a good lesson to all you children reading me…Say no to drugs…unless they are free.
Nicely well-rounded blend at this point…which leads me to believe that it will be kicking ass and taking social security numbers soon.
Strength is medium but not for long. The strength is waiting to pounce…and turn me into a blithering idiot…or more of a blithering idiot. I never drool when I write a review. OK…there is a little droolage.
So far, everything I’ve smoked from Artesano Del Tobacco has been a wonderful variation on a theme. Each blend swept me under the carpet where I keep my nonsense meter. I fail miserably at writing a straight review…but then there are 10,000 reviewers who can write a straight review better than me.
The Vida is bordering on delicious. Transitions begin. Linear disappears before I get past half an inch. I love the black cherry and honey. Coated with dark chocolate.
I am going to use a very technical word to describe this blend: Yummy. Google it if you need to…I’ll wait.
Took 25 minutes to burn 2”. And boy are my arms tired.
The flapping made a bit of wrapper come loose. No angst. My PerfecRepair Cigar Glue takes a swoosh at it and the fix is in.
New twist: Cinnamon graham crackers, black pepper, milk chocolate, espresso, a hint of black grapes, cedar, malt, caramel, smoked meat, and raw sweet cashews. Complexity is in the building.
The advertised aging seems right and add to it 4 months of my own aging and the cigar is pretty sophisticated. To all my beloved readers that are not sophisticated, you can stop reading right here. Go clean the bathroom.
This Nic puro is not reinventing the wheel. All familiar flavors we’ve come to love or hate. AJ has a special touch using these leaf stats. He can use them for good, or for evil, by turning them into bundle cigars.
There is a warm blankey mode happening. The character, the nuances and subtleties, and the balance are working on the chain gang singing gospel tunes. Hallelujah.
Strength is a potent medium/full.
This blend is very complex. Flavors become muted as the cigar grabs the steering wheel and turns this Nic leaves into a big character blend.
I’m at the halfway point. 40 minutes. The burn remains constant.
Nothing linear going on here folks, so please stand behind the yellow ribbon.
This blend is soaring now. I use duct tape on my sack to keep me in the chair. It was easy. Not so easy when I remove the tape.
The strength is blinding me. I will have to walk it off when I’m done.
Despite the power of the blend, it does part the Red Sea and allows me to taste everything that counts while I run across wet sand screaming “Don’t close yet!!”
All of you whose first sexual experience was dry humping a girl raise your hands. I practiced on my kid sister’s Barbie Dolls…hey! I always cleaned them when I was done.
The final smoke time will be around 90 minutes.
Flavors break free and explode turning the cigar into a flavor bomb. I can dig it.
Savory v. sweet is spot on.
The spiciness from the black pepper has stayed in the background allowing me to finish this cigar.
The nicotine level is acceptable. I can remove my eye patch.
Even though my heartbeat slows down to 4 beats per minute, I can finish it down to the nub.
No harshness or bitterness.
You can purchase Viva La Vida from sponsors Small Batch Cigar (10% off with promo code ‘katman’), Luxury Cigar Club (15% off with promo code ‘katman’), and Cigar Page.
RATING: 93
Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS, VALUE SPOTLIGHT
Cigar Reviews by the Katman 
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