Ventura Cigars Psyko Seven By Henke Kelner Natural Review

Psyko Seven Natural Look & Feel

• Wrapper Hue: Walnut
• Rolling Consistency: Mostly Even
• Spring: Firm
• Aromas: Straw, Cedar, Cocoa

The wrapper showcases an intriguing Dominican Cuban seed and the binder is a Mexican Sumatran variety. Meanwhile, the filler is composed of a variety of different territories from several terroirs.

You have Peruvian Pelo de Oro viso, Honduran Holancha Seco, American Pennsylvania ligero, and a Dominican hybrid, which is not disclosed.

The Natural has a relatively toothy-looking wrapper, which is quite dark in appearance with some visible veins. Nevertheless, the construction is nice and consistent. There’s a firm spring with any soft of bumpy spots.

You’ll notice that its walnut-coloured wrapper’s sheen is quite oily with some rich aromas. I experienced straw, cedar, and cacao.

Psyko Seven Natural Review

Firstly, the cigars have been stored in Boveda acrylic humidor for the last few weeks to prepare them for a review. They were stored using 69% Boveda packs, and closely monitored with a Boveda Butler.

We follow these steps for all our cigars before they are reviewed in order to standardise the process.

Pre-Lighting Experience

• Draw: Some Resistance
• Aromas: Cloves, Nutmeg, Leather

In the pre-light, I noticed that the draw was ideal and a little bit on the tight side with a touch of resistance but not too much that would put you off. It had a rich bouquet of flavours and aromas, and I detected a very spicy accord of cloves, nutmeg, as well as a hint of leather.

1st Third Smoking Experience

• Notes: Fertiliser, Copper, Brandy Butter

The first third offered fertilizer in the opening notes, which produced a mineral and earth accord. There was also a presence of copper, which added a metallic aroma to the aforementioned mineral. Meanwhile, heady brandy butter delivered cream and additional substance.

2nd Third Smoking Experience

• Notes: Charred Oak, Toasted Brioche, Cloves

Afterwards, the second third opened up to reveal some charred oak, toasted brioche and yeast, as well as the cloves that we experienced in the pre-light earlier.

Final Third Smoking Experience

• Notes: Ground Coffee, Black Pepper, Cinnamon

Finally, the last third revealed a much more robust bouquet of flavours, which consists of ground coffee, some spicy black pepper on the retrohale, and a hint of soft and creamy cinnamon.

Nevertheless, this wasn’t the most complex cigar that I’ve smoked, but it was still perfect in terms of construction, which I’ll touch on in a moment. The mouthfeel was also quite smooth and velvety with a perfectly balanced astringence and palate stimulation, which was felt in every part of the tongue.

The lifecycle was somewhat developed and you will notice an evolution in flavours. However, as I mentioned earlier, it did slightly lack on complexity, not necessarily in a bad way, though. After all, this is a nice, easy-going smoke.

Overall Burn

• Ash Backbone: Some Strength
• Burn Angle: Mostly Straight
• Temperature: Cool
• Draw: Some Resistance
• Final Smoking Time: 80 Minutes

In terms of burn and construction, the draw was ideal throughout and remained consistent. Similarly, the smoke’s temperature was nice and cool. While the burn angle was generally quite straight, you may experience occasional a little bit of heaviness if you don’t touch it up.

Furthermore, the ash backbone was nice and strong. Throughout the first third, I enjoyed a nice, long ash stack. However, I chose to break off because I didn’t want it to plop into my lap in the middle of a video.

Ideal Pairings With An A Psyko Seven Natural

First of all, I would suggest pretzels with a cigar given its overall gourmand and savoury flavours. Dark chocolate would also be a great option and it may contrast nicely against the toasted brioche of the second third.

Alternatively, this would be a great cigar for a barbecue, and you can enjoy it with some chargrilled meat.

With regards to the beverages, I would suggest a fine champagne cognac, or a cognac with a nice rounded, mellow flavour. Alternatively, perhaps consider our Highland single malt that has a richer expression than a whiskey that comes from the other Scotch whiskey regions.

Finally, another great pairing with this could be a Kentucky bourbon. If you were to have coffee with this, perhaps go with a dark roasted espresso.

Overall Experience

First of all, I love the Psyko Seven band. As you will see, the cigars are presented with a large band reminiscent of a prescription that goes on a medicine bottle. And it’s signed by El Diablo Blanco, which we know is Patrick Hurd.

The box has a lovely presentation with a slim rectangular box. The lid’s interior features a label similar to the cigar’s band, which offers additional information about the blend.

In terms of value, this is astonishing value to say that it was manufactured in the Davidoff cigar factory. It costs $8.50 for a single and $7.50 if you buy them in a box.

And finally, with regards to the occasion, personally, I wouldn’t want to take a cigar with a big band like this that says, “Psyko,” on it to a formal occasion.

Nevertheless, this is a great cigar to have casually with friends, and it could be quite funny at an occasion like a wedding as well. Therefore, perhaps consider the environment and the context of where you’ll be smoking it. It’s intriguingly presented, which might be a little bit bold for certain circumstances.

Closing Thoughts

Overall, this is an intriguing cigar and very pleasant to smoke. It does lack a little bit of complexity, so if you’re looking for something with a greater array of flavours, this might be somewhat underwhelming.

Word is that the Maduro is supposed to be a lot more complex than the Natural. However, everyone has their own interpretations and their own preferences so the Natural may be better suited to your tastes.

Nevertheless, this is a five-star cigar according to the Bespoke Unit cigar formula with a score of 85 out of 100.

Further Reading

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