Info:
This review is of another Ventura Cigar Co release from August 2013. This one is the PSyKo SEVEN. I have seen quite a bit of advertising and mention of this cigar on various social media sites but didn’t really know much about it. From the band and box design, I figured it was going to be a rather powerful cigar, but on the contrary. The theme of this cigar is to “medicate your mind”, so it is actually designed to help one relax and tune out.
The PSyKo SEVEN comes in four vitolas; robusto, toro, gordito, and gordo. There is also a maduro version that sports a San Andreas wrapper.
We received this sample from Ventura Cigar Co. We are grateful for the cigar but this will not affect the rating.
Looks:
The Ventura PSyKo SEVEN has a natural brown wrapper with a few veins and smooth seams. The cap is smooth as well. The foot looks well packed.
There are two bands, or more like a sleeve and a band. The top “band” looks like a prescription label you would receive from the Joker if he were a doctor. Though it looks a bit menacing, it actually contains a lot of useful information, such as the origin of the tobaccos used, the size, and that El Diablo Blanco prescribed it.
Under the sleeve-band is a regular sized band that is mostly white with PSyKo in black print. There are little red rectangles on it that say, “medicate your mind” all over it .
Function:
The PSyKo SEVEN feels smooth and silky with just a little give. I do not detect any soft spots or lumps. It should go down pretty smoothly I’d say.
Sniffing the foot, I detect mostly hay and manure with a touch of sweet pipe tobacco. The barrel smells of cocoa and earth.
After clipping the cap, I test the draw. It is a little tight but not plugged by any means. I do pick up some hay, cocoa and earth.
Smoking:
The PSyKo SEVEN takes a moment to light but does so mostly even. The draw ends up being better than on the prelight and I can get ample smoke on each puff. The burn is pretty wavy overall, but I am able to forego any touch-ups.
The ash is a nice mix of white, gray, and black. The ash looks pretty solid in the beginning and it does hold on for about an inch. After that, it gets kind of flaky at times, especially when the burn line gets wonky.
Flavor:
It’s been a long week and I am ready to medicate my mind. Since the PSyKo SEVEN advertises that it will do just that, I say bring it on!
The first third starts out with a prominent flavor of nuts with a touch of tanginess. There is also a slight bitterness that only lasts for the first ten or so puffs. Once that goes away, a faint pepper and some wood develop. As this section winds down, the pepper comes through as white with more nuts and a touch of butter.
The second third continues with the white pepper, nuts, wood and butter. Later on, some graham cracker sweetness appears. Near the end of the section I pick up on a hint of floral notes, particularly on the retrohale.
The final third is mostly the same but with more butter and floral notes. Most of the cigar has been pretty smooth with a slightly bity finish. However, the end gets a little harsh. I finally let it go out. The Ventura PSyKo SEVEN Robusto was a pretty enjoyable cigar. There was just enough transition to make it interesting. It was medium in strength and medium to medium-full in flavor. Smoke time was just over 1hour 30 minutes.
Would I Buy It Again?
Probably.
Is It An Everyday Smoke?
Not for me.
Would I Buy a Box?
No. I could see getting a 5-pack.
Conclusion
The Ventura PSyKo SEVEN is a good cigar that was rather enjoyable. I would say that $7 is a fair price to pay for it, but no more than that. Though I enjoyed it, my feeling is that the packaging and marketing may be more appealing than the cigar itself. Since I don’t smoke bands, sleeves or boxes, that doesn’t do much for me. However, the cigar does well enough on its own to be worthy of a try.
