PSyKo Seven Connecticut Toro

Launched at the 2016 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show, the PSyKo Seven Connecticut is the third blend in Ventura Cigar Co.’s PSyKo Seven Collection, after the original PSyKo Seven and PSyKo Seven MADuRo.

Seven different tobaccos from six different countries were incorporated into the final blend, including an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, a Dominican San Vicente binder and a “multi-county blend” of tobaccos used in the filler. Packaged in boxes of 20, the new regular production blend is rolled at in the Dominican Republic at Davidoff’s Occidental Cigar Factory.

“The PSyKo Seven Collection has enjoyed a lot of attention,” said Jason Carignan, chief marketing officer of Ventura, in a press release. “It’s a favorite of both the retailer and the consumer, so we added PSyKo Seven Connecticut to round out the line, and give our enthusiasts more to explore, and more to connect with.”

The PSyKo Seven Connecticut launched in three different vitolas, all packaged in boxes of 20.

• PSyKo Seven Connecticut Robusto (4 3/4 x 50)
• PSyKo Seven Connecticut Toro (6 1/4 x 48)
• PSyKo Seven Connecticut Gordo (6 x 60)

• Cigar Reviewed: PSyKo Seven Connecticut Toro
• Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
• Factory: Occidental Cigar Factory
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
• Binder: Dominican San Vicente
• Filler: n/a
• Length: 6 1/4 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 48
• Vitola: Toro
• MSRP: $8 (Boxes of 20, $160)
• Release Date: November 2016
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

The PSyKo Seven Connecticut Toro is covered in a light brown wrapper that is quite smooth to the touch and features a touch of oil. The cigar has some nice give when squeezed and there are a number of viens running up and down the length, although none of them are overly distracting. Aroma from the wrapper is a combination of sweet hay, molasses, barnyard, manure, dark chocolate and pepper, while the cold draw brings flavors of fresh-cut grass, leather, dark coca, anise, white pepper and a slight indeterminate sweetness.

It starts out quite mild flavor-wise, with a dominant barnyard and leather combination at the forefront followed closely by notes of grass, espresso beans, dark chocolate and cedar. There is a slight vanilla sweetness note on the finish that comes and goes, along with quite a bit of white pepper on the retrohale, but there is not spice to be found so far. The burn is a little wavy, albeit not even close to bad enough to have to touch up yet, while the draw is excellent after a simple straight cut. Smoke production is plentiful off of the foot and the overall strength starts off and ends the first third basically in the same place: a point just above the mild mark, although it does seem to be increasing slowly.

While profile of the PSyKo Seven Connecticut continues along the same path in the second third, there is a noticeable increase in the amount of white pepper on the retrohale, as well as the addition of a bit of spice on my tongue. The dominant flavors remain the same distinct barnyard and leather combination, while other notes of dark cocoa, ground coffee, cedar and grass flit in and out. Construction-wise, the draw continues to impress, but I am forced to touch up the burn a couple of times to keep it from getting out of hand. There is still plenty of smoke pouring off of the foot, and the strength does increase a bit, although it is still well short of medium by the end of the second third.

Unfortunately, the final third of the PSyKo Seven Connecticut Toro pretty much stays the course, with the same leather and barnyard notes dominant, followed by the same slight vanilla sweetness on the retrohale, interspersed with flavors of creamy cedar, hay, coffee, dark chocolate and bitter espresso. The burn has evened up nicely and gives me no more issues, and the draw remains excellent, while there is still copious amount of dense, white smoke coming off of the foot. The overall strength struggles to increase any any noticeable way, but does succeed in reaching a point about halfway between the mild and medium marks before I put the nub down with less than an inch left.

Final Notes

• The massive medical-themed band is made to look like a prescription pad, and easily takes up more than half of the cigar in total. However, much like ones on La Sirena’s core line, the larger band comes off fairly easily revealing a smaller, more restrained band underneath.
• Speaking of the band, while I do find it too large, I have to say I love the fact that the blend information is so prominently displayed on it.
• Of course, medical-themed cigars are nothing new: Viaje has previously released the Zombie Antidote, while Crowned Heads has a cigar named Blood Medicine.
• Ventura is Phillips & King’s premium cigar brand, which just happens to be the largest distributor of tobacco products in the country.
• The cigars for this review were provided by Ventura Cigar Co., which advertises on halfwheel. Oettinger Davidoff AG, which produces the cigars for Ventura, also advertises on halfwheel.
• The final smoking time for all three samples averaged one hour and 52 minutes.