Project805 Robusto - Ventura Cigar Company

To start out, I would like to thank Kevin Newman from the Ventura Cigar Company for providing samples to make this a more comprehensive review. After reviewing the Psyko Seven a couple weeks back, Kevin and I had a conversation about the Psyko and the Project805. The end result, Kevin sent me some samples of the Project805 Robusto and a sample of the Andullo tobacco used in the filler blend.

• Cigar Size: 5  x 50 Robusto
• Wrapper:  Corojo Shade
• Binder: Dominican Olor
• Filler: Dominican Blend and Andullo
• Price: $6.80 Sample provided by Ventura Cigar Co.

After removing the Project805 from the cellophane the first thing I checked were the cold aromas. From the foot I found notes of tree fruit, toast and leather. Once the initial flavor notes were out of the way I inspected the body. I found the Project805 to be well packed full length with no hard or soft patches and the sturdy Corojo wrapper contained fairly small veins. Once the cigar was clipped, the cold draw again had notes of fruit and toast with a lingering toast aftertaste. My initial thoughts were that the Project805 must contain a dark fire cured leaf inside, but more about that later.

After toasting and lighting the Project805, the first two draws were sharp blasts red pepper. Once those two were out of the way, I could taste a more pleasant mix of leather and smoky tobacco. This mix continued for a few puffs then some earth followed by sweet anise showed up to finish out the first third. Around the mid section the smokiness and leather became the main flavors again. In the final third I could taste some oak for a bit, but it shifted back to the smoky tobacco and leather to create a nice long finish. The flavor mix did shift quite often between the flavors I just mentioned but the smokiness and leather was always present, plus just enough red pepper to let you taste it. I normally don't like red pepper at all in a cigar, but this was mild, it didn't burn my tongue at all, and I thought it added to the smoking experience.

As the cigar burned it left a sharp burn line and a medium gray striped ash that held on until the cigar's mid point.

In reflection, I thought this cigar had amazing flavors, the Andullo tobacco creates some nice flavors that make it a very flavorful cigar that is enjoyable, but not overpowering. The Project805 does have great flavor, but it still tastes like a cigar, not a flavored stick of tobacco. The Ventura Cigar Company did a great job blending this cigar and I plan on having a few of these in my humidor all the time!

Rated: 95

Below is a photo of the cured Andullo tobacco. To the touch it's hard and feels a bit like beef jerky.  To the nose it has notes of sweet anise, smokey tobacco, and believe it or not, a touch of worcestershire sauce. I think the cured Andullo leaf has a fantastic aroma.