In June, Skip Martin tweeted a picture of yet another RoMa Craft Tobac store exclusive. This time, it was a box-pressed version of the Intemperance BA XXI blend headed to Outland Cigars.

Intemperance BA XXI Revenge Box 1

Intemperance BA XXI Revenge Box 2

Intemperance BA XXI Revenge Box 3

The cigar, which was released on Oct. 4 at the store’s Lite Up Charlotte event, measures 5 x 56, the same dimensions as the line’s Breach of Peace vitola. It’s actually only the third store exclusive for the Intemperance line and the eight vitola overall. For those hoping for another box-pressed Intemperance, that seems unlikely. Martin told halfwheel the fragility of the Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper on the EC XVIII will make it unlikely that there will be a direct counterpart.

Intemperance BA XXI Revenge 1 

  • Cigar Reviewed: Intemperance BA XXI Revenge
  • Country of Origin: Nicaragua
  • Factory: Fabrica de Tabacos NicaSueño S.A.
  • Wrapper: Brazilian Arapiraca
  • Binder: Nicaragua*
  • Filler: Nicaragua*
  • Size: 5 Inches
  • Ring Gauge: 56
  • Vitola: Robusto Gordo
  • MSRP: $8 (Boxes of 12, $96)
  • Release Date: Oct. 4, 2014
  • Number of Cigars Released: 600 Boxes of 12 Cigars (7,200 Total Cigars)
  • Number of Cigars Smoked for Review: 4

While the Revenge looks somewhat large, once in the hand, it’s hardly a concern. The Brazilian wrapper smells like a mixture of leather and peanuts. From the brushed foot I pick up notes of cedar, lacquer, walnuts, vanilla and some semblance of a floral flavor. I get a fair bit of peanuts, walnuts and that familiar floral flavor, although it’s far less sweet than it was on the foot.

The great peanut and walnut combination start through the nose and extends all the way through a lengthy finish. On the way, a cedar note joins and a slight pepper kicks in a good 15 seconds after the smoke has left my palate. I’ve smoked my fair share of Intemperance BAs over the last couple of years and the Revenge is rather familiar. Leather, sweet chocolate and orange peel are present upfront; while nuttiness, a consistent flavor in my Intemperance BA experiences is present upfront, before dominating the finish. It’s joined alongside some saltiness and spices around the lips. I have no complaints about the burn or draw, smoke production is massive, almost to the point of becoming annoying. 

Intemperance BA XXI Revenge 2

Upfront, things change quite a bit in the second third. It’s earthier underneath, but lively on top with dry cranberries, acid cherry and vanilla. Cedar joins the nutty finish, a definitive addition as far as complexity goes. Strength remains medium-plus, seemingly want to get to being medium-full, but never leaving there. Construction remains much like the first third, easy draw, even burn and a ton of smoke.

Intemperance BA XXI Revenge 3

As things wind down, sweetness begins to play a role that hasn’t been found since I lit up the Intemperance BA XXI Revenge. It cuts through the cedar and black pepper on the finish, while also adding some depth to the upfront flavors, which now include coffee. Interestingly, the vanilla seems immune to the uptick in sweetness, seemingly remaining in the same place it was earlier in the cigar. I get well beyond an inch left and eventually the cigar becomes too hot, forcing me to put it down.

Intemperance BA XXI Revenge 4

Final Notes

  • While this definitely seemed more aggressive than most of the other Intemperance BA XXIs I’ve smoked, the overall nicotine content doesn’t seem like it was that much more.
  • As always, the box-press reduces the impact of the ring gauge.
  • It might have taken a while, but once RoMa Craft Tobac put bands on its cigar, it at least put high quality bands.
  • As you can see in the pictures above, the cigars we received had various shades and veins.
  • Revenge might also pop up at an event or two here and there.
  • The smoke production on the Revenge was tremendous.
  • Cigars for this review were provided by RoMa Craft Tobac.
  • Final smoking time was one hour and 45 minutes.
  • The only way to purchase the cigars is through Outland Cigars, you call them at 704.369.5500.
90 Overall Score

I have really liked the smaller ring gauge BA XXIs, particularly The Revenge followed closely by the Vanity. That being said, the Revenge works, a lot better than the Breach of Peace. The nutty core that I’ve often found in the line is on display here, particularly in the first half, but there’s a completely different end to the Revenge. Box-pressing a cigar almost always results in a change, the results aren’t always this drastic and not always the good.

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Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.