Torpedo, 6” x 52 ring gauge, approximately $5
Vegas de Santiago bills themselves as a “Manufacturer of Premium Cigars in Costa Rica” which is also the inspiration behind their Costa Rica Cigars brand name. As you might suspect, the Chaman (pronounced “Shaman”) is a Costa Rican puro and is claimed to be a “Shamanic Blend,” designed to “intrigue and enchant its owner...and imbue the Spiritual Powers of the Shaman.” I’ll let you discover the rest of the over-the-top marketing silliness yourself--honestly the website is amateurish and the writing style is extremely hokey. This cigar was a gift from the Doc at Stogie Fresh, which can make it tricky to review, but I will be as honest about my feelings as he is with us each week in his podcasts.
The wrapper of this cigar was very nice for a stick in the $5 range--blemish-free and evenly colored. The cap/point of the torpedo was well-finished. The wrapper had a light aroma of hay and manure while the foot was stronger in the manure department. The unlit cigar drew well and had that flavor I call “classic mild cigar”: sweet hay, a little cream and a little honey.
Initial puffs followed that same mild cigar template--creamy smoke with slightly sweet hay and honey notes. There was a little pepper spice when the smoke was blown through the nose. Nothing surprising, but nothing bad so far, either. The Chaman’s first third ended up being almost medium in body. It had the sweet creaminess of a mild cigar along with a healthy dash of black pepper and just a little more oomph in body. The burn was razor-straight as I tapped ash the first time and I found myself surprised at just how enjoyable this $5 Costa Rican puro was--not a brilliant cigar, mind you, but proving itself to be worth its price--or more.
The second third, though, was not nearly as enjoyable. It still had decent flavor, but it seemed to just be sort of “creaming out.” All the flavors became muted and diminished. There was still a bit of pepper, though, and a bit of nuttiness to it. The burn started to go crooked and stayed that way throughout the second third, but the draw was still good and the ash held on for an inch or more.
The last third was more of the same. Unfortunately, this cigar never did anything to really impress me after the first third. It turned out to be a decently nice medium-bodied smoke with nothing in particular to recommend itself. It was especially disappointing after starting with such promise. I do want to thank the Doc at Stogie Fresh again for the opportunity to try something different. While not something I would seek out, the Chaman is at least something that is smokeable and affordable if your choices are limited.
Body: 5/10
Strength: 4/10
Complexity: 4/10
AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 3/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 7/10
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