Pura Soul is a brand that comes to us from Robert Wright, who has been in the cigar industry for more than 30 years. I first met Robert Wright when he was a representative for CAO at an event in the Bronx. It was at this event that I became aware of his other passion, the saxophone. His brand Pura Soul has been around for quite sometime, and today we fire up the Pura Soul Barber Pole which was released in July 2015.
Cigar Review: Pura Soul Barber Pole
Wrapper: Honduran Corojo & Honduran Maduro
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 54
Vitola: Toro
The Look: Packaged in white boxes with a gold silhouette of a saxophone player, the Pura Soul Barber Pole comes in 20 count boxes. Inside the box the first thing that caught my eye was how high up on the cigar the band sat. It reminds me a bit of a military patch 5 gold strips and a styled PS in the center that also looks like at artistic treble clef. The barber pole isn’t as pronounced as some, but there is no mistaking what the cigar is. In the hand the cigar is firm with a slightly spongy foot.
The Notes: After using a straight cut to remove the cap the cold draw of the cigar offers up a tangerine sweetness with a touch of caramel while the aroma has a musky aroma reminding me almost of manure which is said to be the ultimate compliment one could pay to tobacco. After we toast the cigar with my Vertigo Rocket, there is a subtle pepper and rye note.
Moving on to the first third of the Pura Soul Barber Pole the flavors are pretty straight forward with touches of earth, pepper and a subtle wood component. The retrohale of the cigars is loaded with spice that tingles the nostrils and lasts long into the finish.
In the second third the cigar really begins to develop in terms of complexity. There is a subtle honey sweetness along with a smooth creamy coffee over a base note of cedar. On the finish there is still some earth and the retrohale of the cigar has a toned down pepper. It’s not often I come across a cigar where the finish gets shorter as we progress but that is the case with this smoke.
The last third continues down the road of the second third, but there is an addition of some cinnamon which is more notable on the aroma than the palate. The notes of cedar, coffee and honey remain, with pepper on the retrohale. The finish of the cigar is short, which at times I prefer.
The Finish: I’ve always thought of barber pole cigars are a gimmick. However there have been some great barber pole sticks over the years. One of which comes to mind was a Camacho Liberty. While Christian Eiroa no longer owns Camacho, these cigars are made in Honduras at his factory, the same factory that makes CLE and Asylum. It’s an enjoyable cigar, and something I will smoke again.
Score: 90
Price: $12.19 / $215.99
Pura Soul Barber Pole
Pura Soul Barber Pole Foot
Pura Soul Barber Pole Burn
