Sippin' with Stogies
August 2021
What Makes it Special:
Viva la Vida Club 500 (by Artesano del Tobacco)
Origin Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro
Binder and Filler: Nicaraguan, Nicaraguan Corojo 99 and Criollo 98
Vitola: Box-pressed 6 x 60
Price: $13.80
The Viva la Vida line of cigars from Artesano del Tobacco taught me what a great impact the vitola of a cigar can have on its flavors and overall experience. The Viva la Vida line is completely different than that of the JTL Espiritu No. 2, for example, where every size of the cigar delivers the same delight. With the Viva la Vida line of cigars, the different sizes are completely different experiences, even though they all share the exact same blend. When AJ Fernandez teamed up with Billy and Gus Fakih, former owners of the Cigar Inn’s two locations in NYC, they created something very, very special. There’s no better introduction to Viva la Vida than the Club 500.
As mentioned above, every Viva la Vida is a different flavor and smoking experience, but even within one cigar you’ll experience changes that make it a journey for the palate – I call them “shape--shifters”. The Club 500 is no exception, and even though I’ve smoked it a few times before (enough to know it’s worthy of this review), quietly focusing on it to dissect the flavors, construction, etc., revealed flavors I never noticed before.
Visual / Pre-light Draw
The feel of the wrapper didn’t have the velvety, almost fuzzy feel of other cigars, and I almost took that as a sign it wouldn’t have the rich oils I expected – and I’m glad I was wrong. After caressing the wrapper, I was able to smell a combination of sweet wood and what I can only describe as Nutella-ish – a balance of cocoa and what seems like hazelnut. I also pick up a hint of vanilla, and all these flavors come through on the cold draw. The construction is great; I can see a couple small, smooth veins, but the cigar has the build you’d expect from a Padron. “Promising” is an understatement.
First Third
Baking spices and that cocoa--nutty flavor come through, but with a surprise I’d never noticed before – a slightly sweet, tangy citrus! Only on the palate, however – the citrus note doesn’t carry up into the retrohale. The cigar is delicious; it’s like milk chocolate but with so much complexity. The smoke is like the body and palate of the cigar, very rich and full. If a Padron ’64 and an Aging Room Quattro Maestro had offspring, this could have been the result. The burn is as flawless as I expected.
Second Third
As strong as the cigar is, the milk chocolate stands out among the flavors. A new layer of spice carries it, but humbly underneath. It becomes the “shape--shifter” of a flavor journey as I can taste more of a peppery kick, but nuttiness corrals the flavors and keeps it smooth. I no longer taste citrus… it’s been replaced by the flavor of a sweet, dried stone fruit. There’s also a hint of leather, another note I hadn’t picked up before during casual smokes. I’m gaining even more respect for the Club 500 as it burns…
Final Third
This has become a cigar experience unlike most others; the original palate from the first and second thirds remain in the puff, but a stronger spice coats the mouth on the exhale. There’s the slightest hint of a diagonal burn, but that’s easily attributed to sitting near wind… no touch--ups are needed. The Club 500’s final third is definitely the most complex and even surprising, one cigar with so many flavors that come through differently on the draw vs. the exhale. At some point throughout this cigar, you’re guaranteed to look at it in your hand and say “wow” – in a very good way, of course!
The Pairing:
The Club 500 has a very worthy pairing with Widow Jane, a 10--year aged, single--barrel bourbon with 45.5% ABV. Perfect for sipping, the nose presents the vanilla, nuttiness, stone fruit and, ever so slightly, a bit of caramel. I can smell a slight hint of the cocoa I found in the Club 500. The vanilla is stronger on the palate, followed by a peppery kick that quickly smooths out with the caramel, baking spices and a hint of dried fruit in the aftertaste. Many flavor notes of the Widow Jane were in the same realm as the Club 500, but distinct enough to appreciate each independently – both complex, both deliciously surprising.
