You have to have an amazing product to be able to claim the best cigar in the world. El Septimo has done just that. A premium brand newly hitting the United State from Europe. A good portion of their selections are larger gauge due to the fact that they use a full leave as a wrapper. The addition of oils to draw out the flavors and make the cigar glisten are also another step in their meticulous process. They also age/infuse with white rum which is an added bonus. The hard work, dedication, time, and finds definitely were put into this brand without question. Below you will find a review for one of many cigars from El Septimo.
STATS:
Brand: El Septimo
Name: Dark Ruby
Collection: Diamond
Profile: Medium
Wrapper: Maduro
Shape: Fabuloso
Length: 6.25 inches
Gauge: 70
Country: Costa Rica
Tobacco Age: 5 years
Pricing: (Box of 25) - $1710
(per stick) - $76
First Impression:
The Dark Ruby is a thing of beauty. A beautiful dark and oily wrapper jumps out at you. The aroma that comes form this cigar. You really have to admire it in all its glory. I was definitely excited to review this cigar and the time was finally here.
Pre-Smoke Ritual:
I wanted to really take my time with this part. When your talking ultra premium cigars you want to make sure everything is perfect. This cigar has an amazing aroma. One of the best scents I have ever smelled on a cigar. I used a punch for this particular cigar. I toasted the end of the cigar at a distance. No flame touched the actual cigar. I let the heat do all the work. It was a slow process, but well worth the time and effort. I did skip the cold draw for this one. I wanted to add the heat to get all the oils and flavors moving for the first draw.
Lighting, Draw, and Burn:
Lighting this cigar was a privilege. A very slow toast gets the flavors moving with the oils. Once it was lit it kept a nice glow to it that can be seen through the ash. The draw was very even and smooth. It was as close to perfection as you could probably get in my opinion. The burn was very even and slow. The highlight of the Diamond collection really set the bar high with the Dark Ruby. A definite statement in the premium cigar world.
Flavor:
One thing that really jumped out at me here was this cigar stayed true from beginning to end. The smell you get adds to the enjoyment of flavor. Notes of almonds, white chocolate, black licorice, and french vanilla mix so well. There was also a sweetness that remained throughout the entire smoke that was amazing, but I would not classify it as sugar. In the final third of this cigar there was zero bitterness. I smoked this down to the nub and enjoyed all two hours of it.
My Preference:
This cigar came ready to go on arrival. I did rest it a week in the humidor. I made my cut with a punch that is part of the El Septimo black and gold butane torch lighter. The source of fire was form the same.
Final Thoughts:
I had extremely high expectations for this cigar. This is the flagship of the Diamond Collection. From first sight to watching the nub burn out it was an amazing experience. The wrapper, the aroma, and the flavors just work. When it comes to buying high end cigars not all of them fit their price tags. I am pleased to report that the Dark Ruby meets and exceeds its price tag. It is probably time to get a few more inside my humidor now.