Dr. Sigmund Freud is a historical figure that I am sure most individuals have at least heard of. He is the founder of psychoanalysis and consequently one of the most influential and historically significant members of neurological and psychiatric history. He also was a prominent cigar smoker. According to Freud Cigar Co.’s webpage the company was formed by a “team that shaped other established players in the market,” and has “brought top names in the cigar industry together to create innovative, small-batch blends of their own.” Freud Cigar Co.’s inaugural blend is named SuperEgo after Dr. Sigmund Freud’s “model for psychoanalytic theory, namely the moral standards by which the ego operates.” The concept behind the brand, the team involved, and the blend details all caught my attention and I had to get in on it.
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: Tabacalera William Ventura
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Corojo
Binder: Sumatra
Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
Vitola: 5 x 54 Robusto Extra
Price: $17.50 MSRP
Release Date: May 2022
Link to Purchase: Guitars & Cigars Farm (Use code “Review”)
Company Website: www.freudcigars.com
Expectations
Being that this is a new company, I do not have previous experiences to draw from, but I do have some expectations considering the factory, blend details, and price point. I am looking for medium-full bodied smoke with plenty of flavor. I expect complexity and nuance with general notes of creamy nuttiness, peppers, some wood, and baking spices. I don’t really expect much strength, but I could be surprised.
Prelight Characteristics
This cigar has three bands, which is sometimes a bit much for me, but in this case, it works. I like the color combinations and the portrait was a bit of a gamble, at the risk of being cheesy, but I think it turned out nicely. The wrapper is medium brown with a rosado hue and quite clean. The cigar is very firm and dense. The cigar smells of cream, citrus, and cedar. The cold had a distinct banana note upfront, followed by some wood and spice.
First Third
First light brings medium-full bodied smoke with full flavors of tannins, toast, earth, and dry spices. Quickly there is an emergence of a savory cream, like cream cheese. About a half inch in the wrapper is burning a touch wonky but wants to self correct. The retrohale has a nice combination of creamy baking spices and wood. Nearing the end of the first third I have to do a quick touch up to a bit of a canoe. Prior to the touch up the profile has settled into a creamy wood, baking spice, and a light brown sugar sweetness.
Second Third
Moving into the second third the savory cream is becoming a bit more prominent off the bat. The retrohale echoes the cream and spices on the draw, but adds some saltiness. Approaching the secondary band I have to do a quick touch up. Halfway in there is a bit of earthiness joining in. The performance has been great beyond the one small touch up. The second third holds consistent flavors through the end.
Final Third
The final third quickly sees the body and flavor ramp up with some pepper making its first appearance on the draw. There’s also a vegetal note that joined, along with the return of some tannins. Into the primary band the profile has gone primarily peppery and earthy, still with some vegetal components and some wood. Approaching the end of the cigar I do another slight touch up, mostly just for aesthetics, as it was barely lagging on one side. The profile is unchanged with the exception of some subtle sweetness joining the retrohale. Coming to an end there are no changes to report.
Overall Experience
Overall I thought that this was a pretty straight forward cigar, at least in this vitola. The primary components were wood, baking spices, and cream, but there were moments where brown sugar, salt, and cream cheese were apparent in the first half. The second half was more earthy and peppery. The final burn time was about an hour and 10 minutes and the performed pretty well overall, but did need a few minor touch ups. I’d be curious to smoke this cigar in the lonsdale format to see how it compares as this robusto extra was a bit underwhelming. I think this cigar would be a good candidate for some aging to see if it brings out a bit more complexity and nuance.
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