Cigar Review: Vartan Zoravar

Thanks to Gary J. Arzt a well known member of the cigar community I was sent some samples in a blind tasting. Upon reporting back my findings in these samples I was sent a couple of more smokes to write a formal review. The Vartan Zoravar is a house blend for Ambassador Fine Cigars located in Scottsdale, AZ that was blended by Henrik Kelner who is the head blender for Davidoff. These fine cigars are the next big thing in boutique blends as they will be made available to select retailers in the near future.

The Vartan Zoravar comes in 4 different sizes. The Churchill (7 x 48), Belicoso (6 x 52), Pyramid (5 x 52) and Robusto (5 x 50). The price range for the Vartan Zoravar is a tad expensive coming in near $17.00 a stick and it will be up to you to make the call if it is worth it or not. The name Vartan Zoravar is that of a Armenian hero and if interested you can learn more about him here.

Cigar: Vartan Zoravar

Size: 6 x 52 (Belicoso)

Wrapper: Ecuador (Cuban Seed)

Binder: Ecuador special sun grown (Connecticut/Cuban seed hybrid)

Filler: Dominican

Strength: Medium

Appearance and Construction (16/20): The Vartan Zoravar cigar is a toothy looking stick that features a gorgeous looking wrapper that has a minimal amount veins. The roll of the cigar is a tad sloppy with the seams easily visible. There are some soft spots in the stick and some stems visible at the foot of the cigar which is something I’ve come across in some of my recent smokes. The cigar has an eye catcher of band that utilizes the colors of neon green and silver and states Vartan. While the secondary band of blue and silver denotes the Zoravar.

Flavor & Notes (30/30): The prelight draw there are notes that one would expect from a cigar that was blended by Henrik. The notes are of hay, grass and earth. As we smoke the first third of this complex smoke there are notes of hay, toast and some wood notes. As we reach the second third of the smoke there are notes of wood, cinnamon and a slight mocha that give this cigar a truly enjoyable profile. The final third of the cigar is nutty with wood notes and some toasty bread notes on the finish of a cigar that I wish went on longer.

Burn/Ash/Draw (21/25): Despite the great flavors of this cigar most of the samples had burn issues. They needed to be touched up with an uneven burn on more then one occasion. The multi shade of gray ash on this cigar held on incredibly well with only a minimal amount of flake. The draw was a tad loose causing the cigar to smoke a little faster then I would like but it was acceptable.

Overall (21/25): The cigar has an identity problem. If you love a cigar with a great, yes GREAT flavor profile then you will go crazy over this stick. However if aesthetics matter to you then you will be disappointed with the construction of the cigar. Unfortunately for a cigar with this price point you need both. For me though, I will buy more of these since the flavor profile of the cigar is so incredibly enjoyable that I think it will be the next big thing in the world of boutique cigars. The score however has to be calculated by taking the entire cigar into consideration. But I ask you the reader to keep in mind I gave it a 30 out of 30 in the flavor section. Let’s hope the construction issues are addressed.

Rating: 88

Price: $17.00

