Ezra Zion Tantrum

The Ezra Zion Tantrum is the third blend to be released by the Ezra Zion Cigar Company.  The Tantrum marks the company’s first limited edition series.  The plan is for the Tantrum to have a run of 1500 boxes.   In a promotional video, it was also mentioned that this would be a true limited edition in that “When they’e gone, they’re gone“.  The Tantrum is decribed as “a little baby powerhouse”.  The cigar is made in one size – a small box-pressed “Prensado Pequeno”. According to the company’s web-site, the Tantrum is described as “a little baby powerhouse“.  Recently, I’ve had an opportunity to sample a few of the Ezra Zion Tantrums.  Not only did I agree with the description of this cigar, but overall I found this to be a Ezra Zion’s best work to date.

The Tantrum is expected to be a showcased cigar at the 2013 IPCPR by Ezra Zion Cigars.  Over the past year, the company has really developed a loyal following.  With the energy and the quality releases, we named Ezra Zion Cigars one of our 2013 Five Boutiques to Watch going into the trade show. The Tantrum helped solidify why we felt Ezra Zion was one of these companies.

At this point, let’s dive right into the Ezra Zion Tantrum and see what this particular cigar brings to the table:

Blend Profile


The blend is described as a “Nicaraguan puro with a Corojo wrapper and Ligero aged since 2005 and 2006” using Aganorsa leaf. .
. 
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan


Vitolas Available


As mentioned, there is a single size of the Tantrum called the Prensado Pequeno.  This is pretty much a box-pressed  petit corona with a size of 4 11/25 x 44.  The cigars are packaged 28 per box.  Based on the 1,500 box allotment, there will be a total of 42,000 cigars produced.

Appearance

The wrapper to the Ezra Zion Tantrum is a medium brown color with some red clayish color to it.  The wrapper has more of a silky complexion as opposed to an oily complexion.  The cigar itself is pretty much void of veins, but there are a few visible wrapper seams.  The box-press itself is well packed with no soft spots.

There are two bands on the Tantrum. The color scheme and design are similar to the Jamais Vu. Both have a silver font and black background color scheme. The primary band features the logo that pays homage to the two deceased children of the company owners.  This primary band features the “EZ” logo in the middle – surrounded by a shield. There are two silver angels to the left and right.  Below the shield it says “EZRA ZION” in silver. “Cigar Company” in smaller silver font. The remainder the band has silver and black striping around it.

The second band is a footer band with the same silver font and black background color scheme. On the band it features “TANTRUM” in large silver font.  Below that text is the text “Edicion Limitada” in silver scripted font.  There are silver leaves to the left and right.  The top and the bottom of the band has silver trim.

Preparation for the Cigar Experience

For my start of the Ezra Zion Tantrum, I went with my usual choice of a straight cut to remove the cap. Once the cap was removed, I started the pre-light draw.  The cold draw provided a mix of wood, cedar spice, and some natural tobacco.  The longer I spent on the pre-light draw, the more spice I detected.  Overall I considered the Tantrum’s pre-light draw to be solid.  At this point, I was ready to remove the Tantrum’s footer band, light it up, and begin the smoking experience.

Flavor Profile

Given this cigar was positioned as a little powerhouse, it was no surprise that there was a shot of pepper at the start of the Tantrum.  Once the pepper settled down, some natural tobacco flavors joined the pepper in the forefront.  I also detected some cream and earth notes in the background.  The retro-hale definitely yielded a strong dose of pepper for a good chunk of the smoking experience.

As the smoking experience progresses through the first third, the flavors of natural tobacco and pepper alternated in terms of which note was the primary flavor.  The natural tobacco provided a very nice sweetness to this cigar and it was countered by the pepper very nicely.  Meanwhile the cream and earth continued to play a secondary role and adding nicely to the flavor profile.

The second third had a real nice sweetness to it.  The natural tobacco almost had some sugar cane qualities to it.  This sweetness was the primary flavor at this stage of the cigar, but the pepper and other notes still played a important role.

In the last third, the pepper came back into the forefront and fused very nicely with the natural tobacco flavors.  This cigar really had a nice synergy between the sweetness and spice.  I found the Tantrum had some spice, but did not have too much spice.  The resulting nub was ideal – firm to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn and Draw

Overall I found the Tantrum to be a very well-constructed cigar and this was reflected nicely in both the burn and draw.  The burn line remained relatively straight with a few touch-ups, but nothing out of the ordinary.  The ash was on the firmer side with a nice salt and pepper color.  The burn rate and burn temperature were ideal.

The draw was ideal as well.  There was a nice touch of resistance – which is something I normally enjoy on a cigar.  This made the Tantrum a very enjoyable smoking experience.

Strength and Body

As I mentioned, this cigar lives up to the term “little baby powerhouse”. This is true from both a strength and body perspective.  This cigar easily qualifies for what I term a “full / full” – namely a cigar that is full strength and full-bodied.  There is also great balance between the strength and body – with neither attribute overshadowing the other.

Final Thoughts

In the promotional video, it is mentioned that this is a perfect smoke for a “drive” or “commute” because of its size.  While I understand the point, here is where I will disagree: This is an outstanding cigar.  It’s one that you will want to savor, and it’s one that will want you coming back for more.  When you smoke this with full concentration, you will really appreciate it.  Add to the fact that this might not be a cigar you can get in the future, and it makes me think I will want to stretch my supply for as long as possible.

Given this is a full strength, full-bodied smoke, I will recommend this to a more seasoned cigar enthusiast who goes for that particular type of flavor profile.  I’d also encourage fans of Nicaraguan puros to check this out.  This is a cigar I would definitely smoke again.

Summary

Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Full
Body: Full
Finish: Excellent
Assessment: Memorable
Score: 93

Source: The cigars for this assessment were purchased from Outland Cigars in Charlotte, North Carolina.