Acid Roam box of 10

Yes my friends, here is the latest and possibly the last of my ACID reviews. Hey! Who just said 'thank you?" OK, so I know not everyone is a fan of infused cigars. Or better put, I know that many people despise them for their odiferous effect on the smoking environment. But for the brave few like me who appreciate the mystic transcendental state of consciousness smoking a fine ACID can incite I will once again provide my experience that others might learn.

Alright, stop gagging. What I really mean is that I've smoked my way through most of the line and have now found only three that I actually like. So here we are with one that I found just OK, the Roam.

The Cigar

The ACID Roam is a 7 x 48 Churchill with a Connecticut Shade wrapper and Nicaraguan filler. Like all ACID cigars the Roam is hand rolled at Drew Estates' Esteli Nicaragua factory. The Roam is part of ACID's Purple line that includes the Extra Ordinary Larry , which I thought was very ordinary. Like the Larry the Roam is infused with over 140 botanicals. Drew Estates accomplishes this infusion using what they call an aroma room where the walls are lined with herbs, botanicals, and essential oils. In effect the tobacco for the wrapper is cured in this room for a period of time infusing the wrapper with a blend of aromatics specific to its line. With the Roam the wrapper is also cask cured in oak barrels for an additional 150 days. The manufacturer describes the Roam as "the creamiest cigar in the world."

Strength

The Roam is described as Medium strength but I would put it on the mild to medium side.

Burn Time

The Roam has a burn time of about 70+ minutes.

The Maker

As I've mentioned in my other ACID reviews Drew Estates was founded in 1995 by fraternity brothers Jonathan Sann (aka Jonathan Drew) and Marvin Samel. The business started out as a retail shop in the World Trade Center Mall. The co-founders decided to start their own line in reaction to the cult popularity of Lars Tetens, which are considered inferior cigars by many. Their goal was to create an infused cigar, they don't call them 'flavored,' made with superior tobacco. The infusion process uses secret blends of Asian herbs and botanical essential oils to impart exotic background flavors without overwhelming the flavor of the tobacco itself. Today they own an estate in the cigar capital of Esteli Nicaragua, home of such renowned makers as Perdomo and CAO among others.

My Experience

I found the Roam to be a decent cigar but not overly impressive in the style of other ACIDs. It was one of the more bland ACIDs I've smoked and although definitely creamy it was far from the creamiest stick I've smoked. That honor goes to a Montecristo #2 Habano. I could detect a slight floral note on the palate but the majority of the flavor was mild tobacco ala an Ashton. My friends did say it had the ACID smell, but then again they aren't really fond of my ACIDs. The most dominant background flavor was slight cedar with a little leather and the hint of floral. The Roam burned evenly and left a nice ash indicating it was well rolled. The cigar also drew very well. All in all it isn't a bad smoke, just not one I'd roam around town trying to find.

Pairing

(Oops, I almost forgot pairing) I almost feel like I should just put a standard disclaimer at the bottom of my cigar reviews and reference it in the pairing comments with an asterisk. It would say something like "I smoked this cigar while drinking an ale. I always smoke cigars while drinking ales. Usually English Strong or Pale Ales." Having said that it is once again true. The Roam matched up fairly well with my pale ale but any much stronger drink such as a whisky or tequila will overwhelm this cigar. You would better to pair it with a milder beverage.

Price

I paid about $8 for my individual stick and I've seen boxes of ten advertised for between $60 to $75.