Name: EP Carrillo Pledge Sojourn

Country: Dominican Republic

Shape: Box-Pressed

Size: Toro (6 inches x 52)

Strength: Full

A masterpiece. I smoked it until my fingers burned. EP Carrillo’s Pledge Sojourn had an excellent draw, and it produced enough smoke to form a whole cloud in the sky. I paired it with espresso and sparkling water.

The Pledge Sojourn is a potent cigar. Very powerful, as powerful as an epic poem. When I closed my eyes, I saw Achilles, I saw Beowulf, and I saw the daredevils of Sassoun. It was as if the smoke had summoned them.

I got a harmony of notes: wood, burnt caramel, black pepper, earth, and red roses on fire.

I loved this cigar.

Name: El Septimo Sacred Arts Van Gogh

Country: Costa Rica

Shape: Diadema

Size: 9 inches x 55

Strength: Medium

A great cigar from a great cigar brand. This is a stick that will keep you company for a good two or more hours. The El Septimo Sacred Arts Van Gogh is a celebration cigar and nothing short of a masterpiece.

But like all masterpieces, it came with some imperfections.

The draw was alright. But if it were a tiny bit looser, it would have been perfect. I like to blow out thick, creamy smoke, and a firm draw doesn’t allow me to do that.

The Van Gogh burned slowly and beautifully, although sometimes unevenly. But it was nothing that a little fire couldn’t fix. I had to adjust the line only a couple of times: once before reaching the end of the first third, and a second time before the beginning of the last third.

Other than that, the overall experience was excellent.