My Weekend Cigar Review: Ozgener Family Pi Synesthesia Red
VIDEO CIGAR REVIEW: OZGENER FAMILY PI SYNESTHESIA RED
A Primo Worth Repeating
Pi Synesthesia Red is the second release from Ozgener Family Cigars in which the blend is defined by color; in this case, red. Sounds a bit odd, right? Yet Tim Ozgener and Ernesto Perez-Carrillo were able to make that happen to the tune of 2,500 boxes.
The inspiration came from Tim Ozgener’s late father and CAO Cigars founder, Cano A. Ozgener. A gifted artist himself, “Pi Synesthesia” references one of Cano’s abstract paintings that assigns colors to numbers. (The piece is shown in miniature on the cigar’s neck band.)
When cigar smokers were asked what they thought the color red tasted like Tim said, “People gravitated towards heat, red peppers, and hot sauces.” So, does Pi Synesthesia Red capture all that? According to Tim, “It’s one of those cigars that starts off with a definitive bang. It’s got a bit of a sneaky element to it.”
Cigar Details
Factory: Tabacalera La Alianza – Santiago, Dominican Republic
Size: 6×52 Toro
Strength: Medium-Full
Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaragua
Presented in boxes of 12
Ozgener Family Pi Synesthesia Red Cigar Review
This Toro was firm and a little bumpy in feel. The Sumatra wrapper was even in color with a fair number of veins that are flat, not raised. After cutting, the cold draw tasted like “white” (my invention), or actually, sweet cream. Once lit, the familiar peppery spice came and went quickly.
The smoke was now creamy, nutty, and sweet. A heartier body and strength made their presence known fairly early, but the smoke also had a certain mellow quality. At about half an inch the cigar rounded-out to medium with a combination of sweet cream and roasted nuts. I also began to notice that the cigar had a very clean, natural tobacco flavor.
At about two inches in, damp earth and light herbal notes entered a medium-plus mix, all supported by an underlying sweetness.
By the midpoint the flavors really came alive. Nuttier and sweeter, the earthier element subsided, and I picked-up some hints of cinnamon.
Entering the last several inches, all of the ashes had held on pretty tightly but tapped off easily. The smoke remained smooth, and some earthiness returned as the body now inched closer to full. The smoke retained some sweet and nutty flavors as some baking spices drove-by.
At the nub stage, by letting the cigar cool down I was able to stave-off some developing bitterness. A few flourishes of nuts and sweet cream were still viable. Finally, with about one-and-a-half inches remaining, I put the Red to bed.
Was Ozgener Pi Synesthesia Red Weekend Worthy?
When Tim Ozgener visited us a few months ago for an in-store event at Famous Smoke Shop, I had my first Pi Synesthesia Red. I remembered it well, and I was just as impressed by my review Reds—maybe even more so. I really liked the cigar’s natural flavor, especially its well-rounded nuttiness, creamy smoke, and underlying sweetness. Moreover, since the cigar was blended by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, I wasn’t surprised that the cigar’s performance was just about perfect on every count.
I didn’t find the cigar too spicy or full. Plus, I don’t think Tim and Ernesto wanted the blend to be too strong. I believe they wanted Pi Synesthesia Red to appeal to a wider audience. Overall, the Pi Synesthesia Red offered a distinctive, well-refined smoke with about 90-minutes of serenity; and if that’s what the color Red tastes like, I’ll take it.
Please Note: Gary’s review was based on two samples and that your experience may vary. If you’ve already had an experience with this cigar please share your thoughts with a comment.