Explosive looks, dynamite taste: the Berger & Argenti Entubar V32

One eccentric looking cigar!

This Joe’s Gems column was created to feature cigars of unique quality.  In the case of the Berger & Argenti V32, just a glimpse at its unusual construction is enough to qualify it as unique.  But looks alone won’t cut it in a world where taste rules.  Would the V32 have flavor unique enough to be a “Gem”?  Let’s find out.

First some introductions…

Berger & Argenti is a relatively new company.  Formed in 2009, it is the collaborative effort of Michael and Albert Argenti, and Enrique Berger.  No strangers to the cigar business, the Argenti brothers have years of cigar making experience.  Additionally, Berger, the founder of Cuban Crafters, brings his tobacco growing expertise to the mix.   But with an ever-increasing number of cigar manufacturers, standing out above the crowd is a challenge.  To their credit, Berger & Argenti have exploited a method of cigar rolling that other cigar makers seem to have overlooked.  Called “entubar”, this Cuban technique is time consuming and requires dexterity beyond the abilities of many cigar rollers.  Rather than folding and bunching the filler leaves, entubar requires each leaf be rolled into a tube, and then carefully assembled within the binder.  In theory, this technique enables a cigar to have an exceptional draw.

In order to further differentiate the B&A cigars, the makers added a somewhat peculiar construction element; their Entubar cigars are actually two cigars in one.  First a core of pure ligero is rolled into a 32 mm stick (hence the name V32).  Then additional ligero, and some, more combustible, seco leaves are rolled around this inner ligero core.  The end result is a cigar within a cigar.  To accentuate this design, B&A have let a small portion of this core protrude past the end of the cigar’s foot.  The result is a cigar that looks much like a stick of dynamite and a fuse.  With the addition of a yellow and black warning label, this cigar looks absolutely dangerous!

A cigar within a cigar.

Lighting the fuse.

The V32 comes with instructions; a warning label suggesting to completely torch the foot before smoking.  I chose to simply cut off the protrusion and light it as I would a conventional cigar.  Frankly, I was concerned that this heavy, densely packed cigar would draw poorly.  But this is the beauty of the Entubar construction.  The first puff revealed a perfect draw.  It was clear that the entubar technique was not simply a gimmick.  I was sold…so far.

The V32 burned evenly and needed no touchups.

The flavor.

It’s always fun to taste a cigar before lighting.  This “cold” flavor can tell much about the quality of the wrapper.  In the case of  the V32, this rich-looking maduro had tones of black pepper and fresh cut herbs.  This was encouraging and indicated strong, well-fermented tobacco.  I was excited to light this flavor bomb.

In the article The Flavor Color Connection, we talked about how cigar color can foretell certain flavor characteristics.  In that context, maduro cigars are often described as “earthy”.  At its best, earthiness can translate to rich tobacco taste.  But all too often these dark cigars can have a bitter finish, leaving the mouth with a dirty feeling.  It’s a horrible taste, that “dirty mouth”, and it can sometimes linger for days.  Frankly, this has made me leery of the new crop of maduro cigars.  But to my great pleasure, the V32 is a muduro of great richness and depth, with absolutely no foul overtones.  Right to the nub, this stick remains intensely smooth and sweet, with a clean finish.  Notes of black pepper, espresso, and dried dark fruits prevail.  It is clear that Berger & Argenti compromised nothing in the blending of this Nicaraguan puro.

Explosive power.

The V32 is a cigar I wish I could smoke all the time, but it’s just too powerful to be an everyday cigar.  Sometimes I can handle it just fine, other times it knocks me for a loop.  But it’s just so darn flavorful that I always want to fire it up.  I’ve found that storing it without the cello can round out some of its intensity within a few weeks.  But right out of the cello it has just way too much punch.  I’m figuring that over time the V32 will get even better.  I’m excited to see how well they age, and look forward to smoking them over the course of the next year.

Entubar; not just a gimmick.

Living on the edge!

The Berger & Argenti V32 is a cigar that tastes as bold as it looks, and newbies might want to proceed with caution. But for seasoned smokers who enjoy strong, earthy cigars, the V32 will provide all the good stuff but none of the bad.  Plus its unique construction channels all that great flavor right to your palate.  The V32 is a cigar unlike any other I’ve smoked, and I recommend it to all adventurous cigar aficionados.  It’s a blast!

Happy smokes,

Joe

Brand: Berger & Argenti V32

Vitola: Rothchild (5 5/8 x 54)

Wrapper: Maduro (High priming from Jalapa, Nicaragua)

Blend: All Nicaraguan

Flavors: Black pepper, espresso, dried dark fruits.

Manufacturer: Tabacalera Esteli, Nicaragua

X Factor: 9.6

Finish: Creamy

Strength:  Strong, very strong.

Price: $9