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| RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance BA XXI Revenge |
The RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance BA XXI Revenge is a shop exclusive to Outland Cigars in Charlotte, North Carolina. Back in August, we reported the first details around this particular release. Revenge is the eighth size to be released in RoMa Craft Tobac’s Intemperance BA XXI line as well as the line’s third shop exclusive vitola. Perhaps the most significant fact is that it also introduced the first box-pressed cigar into the Intemperance line – coming in a 5 x 56 Gran Robusto size. Recently, I’ve had an opportunity to smoke this new addition into the Intemperance line. Overall, this is an excellent cigar, and it might just be a “belle of the ball” – meaning the standout vitola in the line.
The name Intemperance is a play on the Temperance Movement in this country. In 1918, a Temperance Movement resulted in the passing of the Volstead Act. This became the 18th Amendment to the Constitution which resulted in prohibition of alcohol. Prohibition would be repealed with the 21st Ammendment. In a cigar conversation we had with RoMa Craft Tobac co-owner Skip Martin at the 2012 IPCPR Trade Show, he explained that there was a tobacco connection to the Prohibition movement. While they successfully banned alcohol, tobacco was still mainstream. Today the tables have been reversed and alcohol is mainstream while tobacco is more taboo.
Two blends make up the Intemperance brand – the EC XVIII and the BA XXI. The Intemperance EC XVIII references the 18th Amendment and the wrapper used (EC = Ecuadorian Connecticut). The Intemperance BA XXI references the 21st Amendment and the wrapper used (BA = Brazilian Arapiraca).
As mentioned the Revenge introduces a box-press frontmark into the Intemperance line. RoMa Craft Tobac founder Skip Martin explained the details around this when the announcement of the Revenge was made:
“We have had a lot of positive response to our box-pressed version of the CroMagnon and CroMagnon Aquitaine Cranium. We feel like the blend presents very differently in this format and started to think about how this could translate to the Intemperance line. When Tom (Kakadelis) and Mark (Boley) asked us to work on a store exclusive size for them, this immediately came to mind.
“One of my personal favorite cigars over the last few years has been the Torano Exodus 1959 50 Years Box Press. While the flavor profile of this line and the Intemperance BA are very different, they share the same wrapper varietal and have similar blends. In my opinion, this size, for some reason, really stands out in that line as a ‘Belle of the Ball’, so while we tried the prensado process on a number of different sizes, I kept coming back to the box-pressed version of the Breach of the Peace.”
Due to the fragile nature of the Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper on the Intemperance EC XVIII, a companion box-press size to that line was that made. This makes the Revenge the only size that is exclusive to the Intemperance BA XXI line.
Without further ado, let’s break down the RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance BA XXI Revenge and see what that cigar brings to the table.
Blend Profile
The Revenge shares the same blend components common to the RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance BA XXI line:
Wrapper: Brazil Arapiraca
Binder: Indonesia
Filler: Nicaragua/Dominican Republic
Vitolas Available
As mentioned, the Revenge is a box-pressed version of the 5 x 56 Breach of the Peace. Ironically, the Breach of the Peace had a soft-launch national debut at Outland Cigars in 2013. For completeness, we list the other sizes of the Intemperance BA XXI line.
Revenge: 5 x 56 (Box-Pressed Gran Robusto) – Exclusive to Outland Cigar in Charlotte, NC
Intrigue: 4 x 46 (Petito)
Avarice: 4 1/2 x 52 (Short Robusto)
Envy: 5 x 50 (Short Perfecto)
Breach of the Peace: 5 x 56 (Gran Robusto)
Vanity 5 1/2 x 37 (Panatela) – Exclusive for Just for Him in Springfield, MO
Ambition: 5 1/2 x 54 (Belicoso)
A.W.S. IV: 6 1/2 x 44 (Lonsdale) – Exclusive to Cigar Hustler in Deltona, Florida
The Revenge comes packaged in 12 count boxes.
Appearance
The Revenge is a well-packed square press. It features a medium-brown coffee bean colored wrapper. Upon close examination some darker marbling can be seen on the surface. There is some oil on the surface of the wrapper. There are some thin visible veins and thin visible wrapper seams.
Like most of the Intemperance BA XXI cigars, the Revenge has some exposed binder and filler by the footer. At IPCPR 20112, Martin explained there were two reasons for this: First, because Arapiraca wrapper is sensitive to humidity, the wrapper would actually shrink.They found the best way to work with this wrapper would be to let it age before cutting the foot (thus the shrinkage). Second, by exposing the binder and then the filler, it allows the cigar enthusiast to experience those parts of the blend without the dominant flavor component of the wrapper.
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| Exposed footer of the RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance BA XXI Revenge |
Last year, RoMa Craft Tobac added bands to the Intemperance line. The band to the Intemperance BA XXI Revenge shares the one as the remainder of the BA XXI line. It is a thin white strip with the text “INTEMPERANCE” in large black font on it. Below it is the text “CIGARS” in smaller font. To the far right (on the back) is the Intemperance tree logo.
Preparation for the Cigar Experience
Prior to lighting up RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance BA XXI Revenge, I went with a straight cut to remove the cap. Once the cap was removed it was on to the pre-light draw. The dry draw notes provided a mix of pepper, earth, and cocoa notes. Overall I was quite pleased with the pre-light draw from the Revenge. At this point, I was ready to light up my Revenge and see what the smoking phase would have in store.
Flavor Profile
The Intemperance BA XXI Revenge isn’t going to be a cigar that undergoes radical flavor transitions as it burns. At the same time, it is a cigar that is going to deliver plenty of flavor – and plenty of flavor nuances. These nuances help contribute to the complexity of this cigar and keep things interesting.
The start to the Intemperance BA XXI Revenge provided notes of coffee, cedar, pepper, and a slight cream note. In the early stages of the cigar, there was no really dominant flavor as all of the flavors seemed on equal ground. On the retro-hale, I picked up a cedar-like spice.
During the first third, the coffee and cedar notes went to the forefront. Both the coffee and cedar notes alternated in intensity and at times floated between the forefront and background. Meanwhile, the cream notes moved to the background. I also started picking up a citrus like note. The citrus provided a little extra sweetness and did not overwhelm the blend. There also was still some pepper notes on the after-draw.
As the Intemperance burned through the second third, the cedar notes became more prominent. The pepper also increased The coffee notes joined the cream and citrus in the background. While I found some spice at the end, it never assaulted the pallet – and I could still detect the other notes. The resulting nub was ideal too – firm to the touch and cool in temperature.
Burn and Draw
The burn of the Intemperance BA XXI Revenge scored very nicely. It remained relatively straight from start to finish. The resulting ash had a salt and pepper color. It was a firm ash that came off the cigar in nice clean chunks. The burn rate was ideal.
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| Burn of the RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance BA XXI Revenge |
The draw to the Intemperance BA XXI Revenge is going to be a little more open for a box-press. This was not a loose draw by any means. I mention this because the Intemperance BA XXI Revenge is going to be a cigar you are going to want to smoke a little slower and not over-draw. You will get a great experience with a nice steady pace of smoking it. If one smokes it fast, I have found it will get hot later in the cigar. The Revenge is also going to produce an ample amount of smoke.
Strength and Body
From both a strength and body perspective, I found the Intemperance BA XXI Revenge to be in-line with the rest of the BA XXI line. The strength starts out in the medium range and then picks up in the last third moving into medium to full territory. As for the flavors, they start out medium to full-bodied and by the last third progress into full-bodied territory. Overall, in terms of strength versus body, I found the body to have the edge with the Revenge.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to the Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper, I am a pretty big critic of blends with this wrapper. Like San Andres wrappers, I find that this is a wrapper that can tend to overwhelm a blend very easily. With the RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance BA XXI line, this is not the case as it delivers a great flavor experience – and the Revenge falls in line with this.. Like when I smoked the CroMagnon Blockhead, I was really surprised the changes box-pressing a cigar could do. While the rounded 5 x 56 Breach of the Peace was a very good cigar, the Revenge is an even better one. This is a cigar I’d recommend to an experienced cigar enthusiast or a new cigar enthusiast looking for something a little fuller, but not too full. As for myself, this has all of the makings of being the standout cigar in the Intemperance line – the “Belle of the Ball”. It’s definitely a box worthy cigar.
Summary
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium (1st 2/3), Medium to Full (Last third)
Body: Medium to Full (1st 2/3), Full (Last third)
Finish: Excellent
Assessment: 4.0 – Box Worthy
Score: 92
References
News: RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance BA XXI Revenge Heading to Outland Cigars in Charlotte, North Carolina
Price: $9.00
Source: Cigars Provided by Retailer / Manufacturer
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