El Septimo Culinary Art Collection Rioja

El Septimo released the Culinary Art Collection at the 2024 Premium Cigar Association Trade Show in Las Vegas. Shipping began during the show. The line is made at the company’s factory in Costa Rica and is built around pairing cigars with wine regions in France, Italy, Japan, and Spain.

The four vitolas are Bordeaux, a 6 x 60; Toscana, a 6 x 52; Nigori, a 6 x 46; and Rioja, a 5 x 54. Rioja was the first El Septimo cigar with a $9 MSRP, or $180 for a box of 20. At release it was one of the company’s lowest-priced lines.

The blend uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, an Ecuadorian Habano 2000 binder, and fillers from the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Brazil. The tobaccos were aged a minimum of five years. The company described the blends as mild to medium.

Stogie At A Glance

Review

First Third

Nutty notes with a slight bit of sweetness on the light. Slightly sweet cedar and pepper on the retrohale. Sweet and salty peanuts come through along with a creamy coffee note and a little pepper on the finish. The creamy coffee notes continue, with creamy and nutty notes on the finish, which is long. Near the end of the first third, the coffee and cream continue, earthiness starts to come through, and there is also a slight mineral note.

Second Third

The salted peanut note comes out stronger, with a sweet coffee note on the aroma and finish. An almost hay-like note also enters the flavor profile. Halfway through the second third, sweetness comes out, adding to the cream and coffee notes. There is a hint of floral or light fruity note as well, but it is very faint. Creamy, peppery cedar comes through, with coffee and pepper on the finish. Some vanilla notes start to come out as well.

Final Third

The pepper comes through more than in the previous thirds, and the vanilla and spice notes are much stronger now. Creamy notes still come through in a big way, along with a hay note. The vanilla continues, with pepper on the finish. A sweeter note starts to come out more, mixing nicely with the pepper and hay. The finish is creamy and peppery, with slight sweetness.

Score

89/100