Vitola: Robusto- Received as part of 2021 SnS Member Kit
Background
And just like that, the Saints and Sinners Member Kit series is done for another year. It won’t be long before the head of the club sends out the renewal reminder emails and folks around the country will scrounge up the $200 or so they need to send in for another year’s membership.
My pattern since I’ve been a member has been to smoke one of the 5-packs as soon as possible after the kit arrives at my house. Usually that means starting a few days after arrival and completing the first pack by the end of November. Then the second pack gets this “short review” treatment. And the final pack I smoke around the time the next pack is due to ship. I broke with that tradition this year. I’m currently living with a friend who’s been some similar personal circumstances…we’re helping each other out. Last week I brought some of pack #3 out…I smoked one and he smoked one. Some traditions are worth updating with good friends. He’ll probably be a member himself this year.
Notes
Another personal milestone this year got me to buy my first ever bottle of Blanton’s Bourbon…billed as “the first single-barrel bourbon.” I added a little water to smooth it out a little more than I remembered it being the first time I had it…and because this stuff is outrageously expensive and I need it to last as long as possible.
The Saints and Sinners 2021 #5 had a medium-brown wrapper leaf with a little darker mottling. It appeared to probably be an Ecuadorian Habano leaf…so at least I didn’t have to wonder if this was yet another Connecticut Broadleaf variation! Although in the cold draw I did get a slight hint of copper, so it made we wonder if this might be Sumatra instead of Habano.
After firing it up, I got tons of cedar, some earth, and a slight metallic note. The retrohale was intensely peppery, but the fire was short-lived. This profile made me fairly sure this was Sumatra…but really, what does it matter…it was good!
I spent most of the cigar’s burn time on the phone with my old friend and Leaf Enthusiast collaborator, Keith. It was good to catch up on what’s been going on in our lives, especially while puffing on a fine Tatuaje and sipping some amazing bourbon.
