Cigar Review: Ouroboros (Blue Havana Exclusive)
11 Sep 2013
Last month I reviewed Abaddon, a forthcoming single-size blend from Blue Havana, a tobacconist in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Crafted at Fabrica de Tabacos Nica Sueño in Estelà by Skip Martin of RoMa Craft Tobac, I found the cigar to be unique and flavorful, and I mentioned that I looked forward to its release in September.
September is here, and so is Abaddon. On Friday, to be exact, Blue Havana hosted a Nica Sueño event to welcome Abaddon to the shop’s selection of smokes. The cigar, which takes its name from the dwelling place of the dead in the Hebrew Bible, sells for $8.15 and sports a dark, oily, slightly mottled Nicaraguan hybrid (Criollo/Corojo) wrapper from Nicaragua, a Mata Fina binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. I liked the cigar enough to award it a rare rating of four and a half stogies out of five.
So I was understandably eager to try Ouroboros, the other RoMa Craft-produced Blue Havana exclusive that also made its debut on Friday. Named after an ancient symbol depicting a dragon eating its own tail, Ouroboros is also available in one size (6.25 x 52). It retails for $8.50 and has a Mata Fina wrapper from Brazil, an Indonesian binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Only 40 boxes of 12 will be produced in the first run.
Ouroboros is dark, firm to the touch, and heavy in the hand. Its wrapper is clean with few veins and plenty of tooth. I don’t find much pre-light aroma besides faint syrupy notes. Interestingly, despite the closed foot, the cold draw is smooth after clipping the cap.
Once an even light is established, a dense, leathery flavor emerges with pepper spice, coffee bean, earth, and traces of bitterness. Hints of black licorice come and go, and the aftertaste is characterized by a lingering paprika spice. The final portion of the cigar, rather than predictably building to intense bitterness or heat, is characterized by cream and cedar.
With outstanding construction—something I’ve come to expect from Fabrica de Tabacos Nica Sueño—I’m happy to report that Ouroboros, like Abaddon, is a very pleasing cigar. The balance, complexity, and fragrance make it well worth its price tag and worthy of another solid rating of four and a half stogies out of five.
[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]
photo credit: Stogie Guys
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Any idea on whether these only be available in-store at Blue Havana? Haven't been able to find much info on how to purchase these sticks. Also, assuming those hand written bands are only for the purpose of identifying IPCPR samples?
When I asked, Blue Havana was not yet set up for receiving phone or online orders, but they were looking into this. Both Abaddon and Ouroboros are outstanding, so hopefully a wider audience will have the chance to smoke them in the near future. Otherwise, make a visit to the shop the next time you're in Chicago.
The bands on the samples I smoked for my reviews are indeed pre-release bands.
773.242.8262 ext. 224 Give us a call on Monday, we are taking phone orders. Ask for Connie, and he will give you the details.
Pretty epic name for a cigar! Sounds fantastic – but I am a big licorice fan.