Wrapper: Ecuadorian Rosado
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano (Jalapa)
Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican
Size: 6 x 50 “Toro”
Body: Medium
Price: $7.49 MSRP ($6.75 at Famous Smoke)

Today we take a look at the new Therapy Habano by Nomad Cigar Company.

BACKGROUND:
Made its debut at the 2015 IPCPR trade show.
There are three blends in the Therapy line: Maduro, Habano, and Connecticut.
They come in only two sizes: 4.5 x 50 $6.95 and 6 x 50 $7.49.
Cigars are produced by AJ Fernandez at Tabacalera Fernandez S.A. in Estelí, Nicaragua.

The Connie leaf stats:
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Mexican San Andrés
Filler: Nicaraguan

The Maduro leaf stats:
Wrapper: Pennsylvanian Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan (Jalapa)
Filler: Nicaraguan

Initially to be rolled out to 100 retailers.
Distributed by House of Emilio.
My review of the Maduro Therapy is highlighted on the House of Emilio Face Book page.
This is a regular production cigar. All three blends.

DESCRIPTION:
Like the Therapy Maduro, this is a nice looking cigar. In fact, I think the wrapper is much prettier. And I am a monster Maduro fan.
The oily, caramel/medium brown wrapper has just a touch of tooth. Construction is gorgeous. Seams are tight. Very few veins which gives it a very sleek look. The triple cap is outstanding. Packed solid with the perfect amount of give when squeezed.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell spice, cinnamon, gingerbread, cedar, leather, sweetness, and cream.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell strong spice, ginger, cocoa, coffee, cinnamon, sweetness, and leather.
The cold draw presents flavors of spice, milk chocolate, malt, cream, butterscotch, cedar, and leather.

FIRST THIRD:
If you read my review of the Therapy Maduro, then you know how much I dug it. I digged it? I dugged it? What the hell.
So the Habano has a lot to prove.

The draw is spot on.
Big doses of black and red pepper assault the senses. And then there is the: Creaminess, baking spice, malt (TBD), chocolate, espresso, cinnamon, warm yeasty bread, earthiness, and cedar.
Just like its brother: Therapy Maduro, it starts with a big bang.

Malt begins to play a significant role: Aromatic Malt, Vienna Malt, Special B Malt, and Chocolate Rye Malt. (See Malt Chart).

Strength is a light medium body.
Flavors have a creative balance of a whirling dervish. The finish is on its way to becoming very intense.
The char line is nearly dead nuts. (A term used by ironworkers. Meaning a high strength bolt is calibrated to be tightened perfectly using a tension gun).

The Therapy Habano by Nomad Cigar Company is Über Smooth.
I’m 1-1/4” in and the complexity is just now beginning to build. It happened even sooner on the Therapy Maduro.
Warm and toasty. Nutty and creamy. Baking spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove.

Now a lemon citrus element appears. It gives the very sweet profile some counterpoint.
I don’t know about you, but I love a lemon twist in my martinis. Olives and onions ruin the flavor of a good martini using superb vodka. Might as well buy the house vodka. The lemon twist brings out the best of all the flavors concerned.

“Angel” by Jimi is playing on the cable TV radio. Man, memories. What there are of them. Sometimes the playlist on that classic rock channel nails it. Today is one of those days so the sound bar is cranked.
Lawdy…and now Janis singing “Try (Just a Little Bit Harder).” Lawdy, mama.

With 4-1/2’ to go, we hit Sweet Spot 1.0.

Crosby, Stills & Nash singing “Suite Judy Blue Eyes.”
“”Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” is a suite of short songs written by Stephen Stills and performed by Crosby, Stills & Nash. Do you know who Judy is?
Folk singer Judy Collins. Stills had a love affair and she broke it off and he was devastated.
Damn. Look at those blue eyes. Everyone from that era, including me, had a big crush on her. Lucky Stills got to share a bed with her.

Back to the Therapy Habano by Nomad Cigar Company.
It is really kicking up dirt now. The spiciness has moved to the front of the line. Followed by baking spice, chocolate, coffee, creaminess, lemon citrus, cedar, and rich tobacco.
Strength stays at medium body.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 30 minutes.
Damn. I love this little baby. As much as I do the Therapy Maduro. I want more. And oh yes, the Connecticut will be next. That will finish off the trifecta of blends from the Therapy line.

So far, this is a great blend for newbies and experienced smokers alike.
I am so glad that Fred Rewey sent me the Toro size. More cigar to gush over.

Once again, I believe that Fred has reached a new level of journeyman blendsmanship.
The Therapy line is like nothing else in his catalog. And I love everything in that catalog. I’ve reviewed all of his cigars: Nomad Connecticut Fuerte, Nomad C-276, Nomad Estelí Lot 8613, Nomad S-307, and Nomad Classic. Just punch the name into my Search Window to find the reviews.

Caramel shows itself. And brings with it a new malt flavor: Cara Munich.
Sweetness ups the anty. Flavors explode like a light switch was flipped.
Now it’s a flavor bomb only half an inch from the halfway point.
Spice, creaminess, and malt reign the day.

The chocolate reaches new heights and becomes a chocolate malt milk shake. We had a Thrifty’s Drug Store near my high school. They had a lunch counter like most drug stores did at the time. At lunch time, I would dash over there and get a chocolate malted. It was heaven on 8 wheels. Of course, I got a lot of brain freezes trying to gulp it down and get back to school.

Not a single flavor disappears. All there is perfect formation.
The spiciness wanes though. Moves to the middle of the pack.

And now “The Police” are playing. Old buddy Stew Copeland on drums. I have a great story about Sting and me but it is R rated due to drug use and not respectful to Fred to place it here. I will write about it in the next review where the cigar was on my dime.

My lord. The flavors are bold. Exciting. Never boring. Very complex. Perfect balance. And a long chewy finish.
I gave the Therapy Maduro a 94. This will be a close one.

HALFWAY POINT:
Smoke time is 45 minutes.
The Therapy Habano by Nomad Cigar Company has been a helluva’ joy ride.
The caramel and creaminess and malt take first, second, and third place in line.
Chocolate interweaves amongst those flavors. So complex.

Ever since “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” the music has been crap. I need music to help me focus. Good music, that is.
We now have Flavor Bomb 2.0. Flavors are dripping down my leg.
I could probably add a couple more malt elements, but that would just confuse things.

So far, every good cigar I’ve reviewed has had superb malt components. They really make the flavor profile complete.
The Therapy line, I expect, will make my Top 25 Cigars of 2015. No shit.

Lots of new cigars coming out of IPCPR but so expensive. I can’t afford them with my medical bills. I will be left in the dust compared to the other reviewers.

I got things worked out for the big neuropsychological test on Sept. 10. This 6 hour test will tell my neurologists just how bad my Alzheimer’s is and how advanced it is. At that point, they can prescribe meds. And tell me how long I’ve got.
Good buddy turned me on to a remedy used for decades for this dreaded illness: Coconut oil. Every medical web site I found said the same thing. Take coconut oil every day and it should slow things down. Thank you Kevin Esser. What a pal. You’re in the will.

The char line is dead nuts. The construction is perfect. Just like the Maduro.
Strength is still medium body. But the flavors? I don’t want them to end. Unfortunately, the samples are it. But you never know.
If I had to choose, the Nomad Therapy line would be my desert island cigar. Just barely nudging out Ezra Zion.
I can’t wait to try the Connie.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 5 minutes.
If you haven’t tried either the Habano or Maduro Therapy, this is a must.

Just got a comment on the Espinosa Laranja review from Ben. He complains that he has never tasted a milk shake in his 20 years of smoking cigars. And that all of us reviewers sound the same. LOL.
If I have one single comment and that is that every palate is different. Some try and no matter how long they are cigar smokers never develop a sophisticated palate. I feel bad for those fellas. They are really missing out. And if all of us “Reviewers” all sound the same, what does that tell you? Poor Ben.

Back to the Therapy Habano by Nomad Cigar Company.
Strength hits medium/full. And Nicotine enters the arena. Mild, but there it is.
Not a single iota of change has occurred. Except that flavors are stronger and more intense.
Spiciness has returned in force moving its way up the flavor list.

I recommend sipping water with monster blends like the Therapy Habano by Nomad Cigar Company. It forces the wonderful flavors to wash over your palate and create a neutron bomb experience.

Look at the quantum leaps Fred Rewey has made since starting the Nomad line in 2011-2012. On the Nomad web site, Fred admits he has only been blending for three years. That, ladies and germs, is a savant.
Can you imagine what he will be putting out in the years to come?

With 1-1/2” to go, I’m ready to rate the Therapy Habano. I gave the Maduro a 94. The Habano deserves the same score: 94.
The Therapy Habano by Nomad Cigar Company finishes perfectly. Not a hint of harshness or heat. No bitterness. And smooth as my tushy.
Once again, my day is ruined. I don’t have a single cigar that can compete with the Therapy Habano.
Get some.

PRICE POINT:
The price range is absolutely absurd. While other manufacturers are charging an arm and a leg for their new blends, Fred went the way of wallet friendly. I can’t think of another blend in this price range as good as these blends.
I check and more and more online stores carry the Therapy blend. Cigar Federation now has it. Famous Smoke carries it. And at least 100 B & M’s carry the line.

RATING: 92

This just in from Fred Rewey (8-20-2015):
“Cool Review Phil….always entertaining!”

Thank you Fred.

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

Tags: cigar review, cigar reviews by the katman, cigars, fred rewey, Therapy Habano by Nomad Cigar Company Cigar Review