IPCPR 2016: Archetype Dreamstate Toro

[TommyBB]

Good afternoon, sports fans, it's the day and hour for another cigar review. This week has been pleasant, now, with a second opportunity for a cigar, with time, devices and enjoyable weather for cigar-smoking. While it's overcast and slightly breezy, the temperature is nearly perfect, that is, it's not hot and it's not cold out here. Now that we have the formalities out the way, today's choice is another specimen collected at the summer's International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers' Association trade show.

Collected by Jefslat and sent along by the editorial staff of Cigar Weekly I present to you, from Ventura Cigar, the Archetype Dreamstate. Ventura Cigar, in their website copy, describe this particular line to be inspired by writers C.C. Jung and Joseph Campbell (he of mythological research notoriety.)

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Every Legend Has A Beginning.

Archetype is an exploration of nuance that rewards the discriminating palate with a new line of highly-complex, yet perfectly balanced cigars. Each vitola is artfully crafted with a unique blend of rich, flavorful tobaccos and bound in a pristine wrapper—working in harmony to create an intense, memorable smoke that has no equal.

Archetype is inspired by the work of psychologist Dr. Carl Jung and mythographer Joseph Campbell who defined ‘archetypes’ as the constantly repeating characters who occur in the dreams of all people and the myths of all cultures. Campbell discovered through his study of world myths that the ‘Hero’s Journey’ is a common storytelling arc that has been retold in infinite variations since time began.

Ventura bills this cigar as having a mild-medium flavor profile.
The filler blend is a "multi-country blend" whilst the binder is Dominican San Vicente. The wrapper leaf is a light to medium, reddish-brown, and having some veining, but not prominent at all. There is a triple-cap at the head, however it appears a bit roughly applied although the rest of the wrapper appears quite fetching.




This one SHOULD show the head of the cigar, although this reviewer's photography and phone camera are limited at best.

The cap clipped quite cleanly, and the foot band came off rather easily as well, although there appears to be a small pull in the wrapper leaf. Subsequently, the cigar lit with two small matches, not a bad start. Before lighting, it exhibited plum-like fruit flavor in the initial draw.

I notice that the burn is perfect halfway around the cigar, but for whatever reason, my two matches didn't get the other half of the cigar, so I have to re-light the other half which is quickly correcting itself. This bodes well, to me, as it appears this is a well constructed cigar, and it requires little further effort to catch up. There's a sweet bit to the beginning with some leather in there as well.

A couple more puffs and this thing is razor straight, with a thin-as-air burn line at the char. WOW. It's exhibiting a sweet character as I'm not far along, but man, it's as if it lit perfectly and remains that way. This thing burns as if it's copying a perfect rendering of what a cigar's burn should look like.

The ash bumped off lightly, and there's now a goodly portion of the bunch poking beyond the burn line, this, as in previous reviews, indicates a healthy amount of ligero tobacco which gives the cigar both physical strength as well as flavor. So far, there's nice flavor, but a bit of harsh char on the finish, although it isn't a whole lot, it is evident.

As the ash reconstitutes itself after the first drop, the char is receding and almost non-exisstent. This cigar is resilient as I make errors in smoking or lighting, and it fights me. It almost has a mind of its own and it improves with each draw and rest.

Farther down the body of the cigar, and the flavor is consistently enjoyable. The "char" is now solid leather, and the ash has, again, grown. This is a well-done cigar and I will recommend this to anyone.

NOW Reese, the incontinent dachshund is pushing at the door to come outside, when I'm well past halfway through smoking.

This is a worthy cigar for almost anyone.