There were a couple of cigar shop partners in the state of Utah by the name of Brandon Oveson and Kendrick Woolstenhulne who were forced to closed their doors and social distance during the pandemic of 2020. Contemplating their next move, they decided to run with the idea of creating their own brand, Apostate Cigars. The name is a Mormon reference for those who reject their faith. Brandon and Kendrick both grew up in the church and wanted to bring some of that to the brand. When Apostate Cigars first hit my radar a couple years ago, they already had three core line blends. The first blend is The Initiatory, second is The Deseret, and the third blend is The Liahona. I picked up two samplers so I could have a couple swings at each blend. I remember being super impressed with all six cigars and probably smoked them all within three weeks. They were that good. If you asked me what's the first brand that comes to mind that needs a revisit, Apostate would be the one. That's why when The Deseret landed in my humidor again I knew I had to write a review. Deseret is the Mormon word for honey bee. The blend was meant to be on the sweeter side and is accented with Ecuadorian Connecticut stripes at the foot to represent a bee. I'm looking forward to flying away with this one!
The Deets
Cigar: Apostate The Deseret
Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: Tabacalera Palma
Size: 5.25 x 54
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres with Ecuadorian Connecticut striping
Binder: Dominican Olor
Filler: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
Appearance 9.5/10
Wow, I mean just look at this thing! The long stinger cap and striped foot are very appealing features and aptly used considering The Deseret means honey bee. The double bands are robust, uniquely designed, popping with class and have a dash of mystery. There is no slop at the cap, seams are snug, and veins are heavily diminished. The only reason I docked a half a point was there were a couple minor blemishes on the striping and the cylindrical profile was flirting with bumpy at the head. If I recall correctly though, the two Deseret cigars that I smoke a while back were absolutely flawless.
Draw 9/10
Went with a small straight cut here and the draw was very good, with a slight lean toward open. I was hoping it would tighten up a smidge as I worked down the cigar, but it remained constant. It puffed just fine the entire session, but I did find myself needing to be a little more gentle on the pull during the last third to keep temps lower. Overall a nice draw.
Burn/Construction 9.5/10
Excellent performance here. Straight burn line the whole time with zero corrections needed. The ash was taught and dropped when told to. No cracks, swelling, overheating, or any other issue to get in the way of just enjoying the cigar.
Taste 9/10
1/3 - Off the foot I pick up soft cedar, deluxe nuts, and a hint of cayenne pepper in the back. Things quickly open up and hay cordials join the fun, along with Cinnamon Toast Crunch. The retro for me is a mildly spicy pita bread. Helping to round off the 1st third is black coffee and plain donuts.
2/3 - Moving inward cedar has been warmed up while not being charred. CT Crunch moves forward but has now been sprinkled on angel food cake. Retro continues as spicy pita and now also has some white pepper. The body is a hearty medium with a long finish that has a light honey sweetness on the lips.
3/3 - Cedar now has some light burns, plain donuts have become powdered donuts, and a crispy caramel floats in the rear. The Crunch Cake remains which I certainly enjoy and some baking cocoa bitters show up during the last inch.
Overall 9.3/10
If you haven't had any cigars from Apostate, you can't go wrong choosing The Deseret as your first. I may have listed a number of sweeter notes, but I wouldn't say this is a "sweet" cigar. All of those notes are very well balanced with everything else. There is a lot of complexity to this cigar and no single note is screaming for attention. A lot of balance and harmony with this blend and one I wish I could smoke every single day. I strongly urge you to check out the Apostate Cigars website and browse their offerings. They now have a total of 6 lines and two more on the horizon. Let me know in the comments below if you've tried this awesome new brand!
**Number of cigars smoked for the review: 1
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