Oscar Valladares 2014 Island Jim Review

Island Jim 2014
Made by: Oscar Valladares
Country: Never Released
Vitola: “No 2”

This is an interesting one and it isn’t as much as a stretch to find it as you would think. I have come across a couple boxes in different brick and mortar shops on the west coast. That said I only pick up one when I find them because I am a firm believer that when it comes to rarer cigars, I hope as many people as possible get the chance to experience them. It was released in 2014 by Oscar Valladares, that is important because Ortega Cigars released a “Wild Bunch Island Jim” cigar that is very different. This is a work of art and Oscar didn’t release the blend, so if you find a cigar that looks like this grab one. Chances are the only way you will know what you came across is if you have read something like this. Lets see what it has to offer with a Oscar Valladares 2014 Island Jim Review.

Prelight

So where to begin with this cigar, my first thought was I didn’t want to cut it at all. To back that up, it does draw without cutting it. Now that said, if you were to leave the cigar the way it comes it is very tight. So I’m going to cut it, and that opens up the draw a bit more although it seems to becoming stronger through one side. There is a good amount of tooth to the wrapper, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to be too creamy. Small to medium sized veins, a very even and firm pack. The foot is actually giving off sweet grass, hay, and floral jasmine. The pre-light draw shows white pepper and floral jasmine, so I am guessing that this cigar is going to have a good amount of complexity. Let’s get it lit up and see how it performs.

1/3

There is tobacco hanging off of the foot, so lighting this felt like lighting a Tiki torch. Pretty thin smoke production off the start, as well as thin smoke thickness. Dry hay on the front with a sour slightly bitter note coming in on the center. The finish has floral Jasmine and white pepper, which redeems the start of the profile a bit. I’m hoping that the cigar will balance out as I get further into it, but at this point the flavors are slightly off. If the profile can develop off the finish the cigar would be really good. Medium bodied and low to medium strength. The burn line is going pretty well, I was expecting it to be off more because of the foot. One very clear note that I can make already, this cigar is a slow burner. That little off-balanced bit at the start is deceiving. As I get into the first third, the front has developed and now it has a mint, almost Altoid-like flavor. Complexity is increasing significantly the body seems to be increasing as well.

2/3

OK, so mint is on the front, very clean almost like a store-bought breath mint. The center shows floral jasmine and hay, and then the finish holds that floral note and has a subtle light white pepper appear. Wonderful complexity, night-and-day from the very start of the cigar. The body is at a medium plus and the strength remains at a low to medium. Smoke thickness has improved a little, but smoke production remains pretty low. The draw resistance is above normal, and that may be contributing to the slowburn of the cigar.

3/3

The burn line stayed great throughout the cigar, I am well into the last third now. Smoke thickness reach a medium, smoke production still stayed pretty low. I contribute this to the tight pack the cigar has. The body reached a medium plus, and the strength stayed at a low to medium. The mint note on the front of the cigar is much stronger than it was in the second third, it carries into the center of the profile boldly, but a jasmine note remains underneath. The finish is now a mix of floral jasmine, white pepper, and leather.

Smoke Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Conclusion: 90

Apart from the first 5-10 minutes this was unique, delicious, and very complex. Pretty good transitions, wonderful flavors, the cigar smokes as good if not better then it looks. I would say that the resistance is a bit to strong and that the extra tobacco off the foot is excessive. However, considering the idea of “Island” Jim the extra length on the foot really felt like a Tiki torch, and the tighter draw wasn’t an issue and made for a wonderfully long burn time. So this cigar really is all about experience, I think it would be absolutely perfect in a hammock on a beach. Which is a bit stereotypical, but this cigar really fits that description.

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