October 30th, 2017

Size of cigar: 5 inches by 50 ring gauge

At the 2017 IPCPR Convention, Ventura Cigar Company introduced a new, broad line of cigars. Actually, they introduced 26 new lines.

This massive product launch is notable for more than its size. First, the lines commemorate 26 iconic, post-World War II homes in the Los Angeles area that were built in the minimalist, modernistic aesthetic. The 26 unique blends pay homage, with their straight-forward black and white bands, to the simple and efficient styles of the homes.

The Case Study line is also notable for the fact that (as of this posting) Ventura has not released the names of the blenders of each cigar, the blends or their country of origin. The only information available references the wrapper leaf. So, we’re talking simple, mysterious and hopefully good.

Each of the blends encompasses one to four vitolas. The CS/02 comes in a Corona, a Robusto, a Belicoso and a Toro. The cigar I reviewed for this article was the Case Study CS/02 Robusto.

The band on my cigar was simple – plain white imprinted with a black logo ‘Case Study CS/02’. According to the Ventura Cigar Company website, the CS/02 has a Habano wrapper. But no origin is specified, nor is any information listed for the binder and filler.

At any rate, my cigar sported a double cap and appeared medium-brown. The surface was a bit bumpy from some larger veins, but had no obvious flaws or blotches. A squeeze test found the cigar displaying a good degree of sponginess except for one hard spot in the middle. Surprisingly, the cold smell was floral – practically of roses.

I used my usual punch cut and a cedar splint to light the CS/02, which fired up easily and, to my delight, smoked like a freight train. The Robusto drew effortlessly right from the start, while the ash was pale gray and flaky with large uneven segments. The burn proceeded in a mostly even fashion, and was slow and cool. Total smoking time clocked in at 51 minutes.

Right off the bat, the notes from the cigar were of pepper. There was even a subtle spicy pepper nuance on the retro-hale. Also present in the first third were sensations of salt, fresh split oak and a semi-sweet tartness much like cheesecake.

In the middle of the session, the pepper picked up in intensity, and there was the faintest twang of nut shell. The salt flavor grew, and a meaty/savory quality became evident.

The finish was presaged by the tiniest bit of leather emerging five minutes before I put the cigar down. The CS/02 robusto was one delicious cigar – right in my wheelhouse. It was just north of medium, and full-flavored. Side note: I got a serious nicotine buzz from this stick.

So, here’s how I rated the Case Study CS/02 Robusto:

Pre-light: 8.9 (not a particularly handsome cigar)
Light: 9.2 (fired up like a champ)
Draw: 9.3 (consistent and easy as pie)
Construction: 9.0 (ash could drop at any moment, but she smoked so well)
Flavor: 9.3 (damn, it’s good)
Power: 9.0 (not overpowering, but strong enough)
Average: 9.14 (winner, winner, chicken dinner!)

Yeah, I liked the CS/02 – a lot. I look forward to smoking more of them. This is a medium-to-full-bodied cigar packed with loads of interesting flavors. I don’t know who blended it, but he or she definitely deserves kudos. I believe every cigar enthusiast needs to try at least one of these.

The Case Study CS/02 Robusto retails for around $8.50, depending on the retailer and state taxes. Ventura Cigars are available nation-wide, internationally and on-line. The Case Study lines are new, so they may not be in your neck of the woods yet. In my humble opinion, the CS/02 is worth the search.