Vudu Dark Jar and Vudu 9 Cigar sampler Review

[NPLopez]

Well i bought the Vudu Dark #7 Jar and the Vudu 9 Cigar Samper and I've been enjoying them enough that i shelled out for the Vudu Sacrifice #3 jar + Vudu 9 Cigar sampler cigar.

The 1 lb Vacuum Coffee jar that the cigars come in intrigued me but the really cool sticker sold it. Yes i own and uses two of these coffee vacuum jars and they are identical to the ones the cigars come in. They just pimped it out with a sticker and 69 Rh 10 gram Boveda pack.
https://www.amazon.com/Coffeevac-Ultimate-Vacuum-Sealed-Container/dp/B0046JB136/ref=pd_bxgy_201_img_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=JMY0CKRVJ9HNE1MGD0X5

I bought the Vudu dark #7 (toro 5 3/4 x 50) because at the time it was only 4 dollars more than the #3 (Robusto 4 3/4 x 50). I also added on the Vudu 9 cigar sampler for $10 dollars. With shipping and minus the promo code it all came out to $66.57 for 28 cigars.

https://www.famous-smoke.com/vudu dark no. 7 cigars/item 48561
https://www.famous-smoke.com/top rated vudu sampler cigars/item 52755

I smoked the Vudu dark rott and while the burn was wonky the cigar was quite enjoyable. Its very interesting and one of the better offering by Jesus Fuego. Its has a very nice earthy, tart, mocha espresso, woody type flavor that is medium strength with a relatively short finish. The Dark hints at a really nice creaminess but it tends to get drowned out by dark mocha espresso type flavor profile. The construction is quite good with an effortless draw but they seem to be on the lighter side and will have a tendency to get mushy and hot in the final third. The only draw back to the cigar is that 100+ degree weather really dictates how long you can smoke this cigar. I smoked the toro for about 1 hour before i tossed it due to it getting hot and mushy. I felt terrible because i had 1.5 inches left on a cigar but had to toss it because the flavor was being overwhelmed with a lingering tar build up. The Toro size is the best size of the bunch since you get 1 hour+ of smoke time before you have to toss the cigar.

I waited about 10 days before i smoked any of the cigars that came with the Vudu 9 cigar sampler (Dark #13 5 1/2 x46, Sacrifice #13 5 1/2 x 46, Priest #3 4 3/4 x50).

I decided to smoke the Vudu sacrifice #13 (Corona 5 1/2 x 46) first and i was quite impressed with how different but similar it was to the Vudu dark. The flavor is much lighter that the Dark with a similar tart woodiness with some cream but without dark espresso mocha profile. Its has a very nice flavor but its really hard to describe. I find that the flavor profile sort of reminds me of the Oliva Connecticut Reserve but much better done. This is a very well balanced cigar that combines a creaminess with a tartness (almost bitter but not) and general wood with enough strength that i stay interested the entire time. I smoked this for about 1 hour before i finally called it quits. I should have dumped it 10 minutes prior but i really was digging the cream and tartness that i held on too long. The construction was the same as the dark with a light pack, effortless draw, but with a tendency to burn wavy and turns to mush with about 1.5 inches left. The finish was als

I have enjoyed these cigars since they are flavorful with a creaminess and strength profile that keeps me interested the entire time (not overly complex but with enough going on that they keep me interested). The heat here in Arizona has really been playing havoc with my cigars since all my cigars turn to mush with about 1.5 inches left. Its very saddening (tossing cigars with ~1.5 inches left) but these Vudu cigars are affordable enough that i've been smoking them almost exclusively the last two weeks. I'm having the same type of problem with all my cigars (turning to mush with 1-2 inches left to go) and its seems that 100+ degree weather really dictates having the will power to toss cigars with close to 2 inches left.

I'm planning on smoking the Priest #3 later tonight and will add that review later if people wish. If it has the same type of performance as the previous two i may have to complete the set and order the Priest jar.

These cigars have been performing so well in the heat for me and since famous is offering the sampler + free shipping for just $4.00 more; i ordered a Jar of the Sacrifice #3 and another of the 9 vudu cigar sampler. I also tossed in the humidor starter jar and a 60 gram boveda pack and it only costed me $62.19. These vacuum coffee jars are really quite amazing and you can easily fit 20 cigars with a 50 ring gauge in each with several small boveda packs. The sticker job on the vudu dark jar is a little amateurish but it looks quite nice from a distance.

https://www.famous-smoke.com/starter jar humidor kit/item 53323
https://www.famous-smoke.com/boveda 69 humidity single pk/item 31882
https://www.famous-smoke.com/vudu sacrifice no. 3 cigars/item 48565

For size comparison here's a picture of the Vudu dark Jar on top of a 20 ct and 50 ct wood humidor.

Here's the top shelf of my Havana footlocker with the surviving 9 vudu cigar sampler. I also have some j fuego originals there (paper pouches double stacked) that i've forgotten for months since this is my cigar dungeon that rarely gets opened.

The originals by j fuego have some similarity in flavor profile with the Vudu sacrifice but aren't as creamy and they have almost a mint type effect on my tongue that the Vudu's lack.

 

[multi-useless]

@NPLopez - Looking at the last pic; you might want to store your Acids separately from your "normal" sticks, to keep the infused flavors from contaminating other cigars in your humi. It's probably not as serious of an issue as I'm imagining it to be, but I think most bros tend to keep their infused sticks away from the rest of the collection.

 

[NPLopez]

@NPLopez - Looking at the last pic; you might want to store your Acids separately from your "normal" sticks, to keep the infused flavors from contaminating other cigars in your humi. It's probably not as serious of an issue as I'm imagining it to be, but I think most bros tend to keep their infused sticks away from the rest of the collection.

The Footlocker is my cigar dungeon where i place cigars i don't like, where i initially store newly arrived cigars, and long term aging in the bottom. I dislike those Alec Bradleys and Victor Sinclairs and i place them there strategically so that guest who enjoy acids can mistakenly pick one up. I place some more decent options like the Originals and now the Vudu's there on the top shelf to somewhat protect my nicer cigars in the lower levels from getting chosen. That's my evil method of ridding myself of cigars i don't enjoy and protecting my better cigars at the same time. Most people are lazy and don't bother removing more than the top tray or looking below the top lay of my humidors. Its diabolical but i've placed a bunch of Oliva G, O, Connecticut, Master blend 3, on top of my Aging room quattro, La aroma De Cuba, Jericho hill, and Camacho triple maduro and it works to perfection. I give people free range of 5 humidors and the Havana footlocker and its amuses me to no end how people only choose from the top layer. Its important to have acids and decent but affordable cigars on hand if you don't want people cleaning out your favorite cigars. Acid blondies are fabulous because new and occasional cigar smokers really seem to dig them.

 

[NPLopez]

Well i've finished up smoking the Vudu Priest and i can now wrap up my thoughts on these cigars.

The vudu priest starts off decently enough but the flavor profile reminds me way too much of the Alec bradley 1633, AB connecticut, and the AB classic blend which i don't enjoy at all. Connecticut's have a sour/bitterness that i absolutely abhor when the blenders try to use them on stronger blends. That upper tray of my footlocker has the AB connecticut and the AB classic blend intermixed with the acids because i dislike them due to the sour and borderline bitterness.

The Vudu priest is at times decent enough but it has a more limited flavor profile that doesn't really work well with the underlining tart sourness present. Its like a sour dough type flavor that really doesn't add anything to the nutty wood that predominates. The priest is much more balanced than most of the medium bodied Connecticut's that are all the rage but i had to switch over to some coffee with creamer instead of plain water. It's okay if you enjoy stronger Connecticut's but its not something i will ever buy. Personally i find Connecticut's work well as mild cigars (i can avoid them easily) but once they become medium plus they have a tendency to become sour blandish cigars.

The Priest started burning extremely well but became wonky and wavy just like the other Vudu blends. Here is a burn progression that last about an hour.


Out of the 3 Vudu blends the Dark is the best overall, the Sacrifice is also very enjoyable while the Priest is way too bland and the sourness is not that enjoyable.

All these Vudu cigars have a tartness that works very well with all the blends except the Priest, where its only so so. The Vudu Dark has a enjoyable earth, mocha, espresso, wood, cream and sweetness that works well with the underlining tartness. The Vudu sacrifice has a light coffee, wood, cream, and tartness that is well balanced; i especially liked the tart and cream present that i smoked the cigar way past the point where i should have tossed it. The Vudu Priest is basically dry wood with a tartness that is well balanced but i find a little too boring.

 

[multi-useless]

The Footlocker is my cigar dungeon where i place cigars i don't like, where i initially store newly arrived cigars, and long term aging in the bottom. I dislike those Alec Bradleys and Victor Sinclairs and i place them there strategically so that guest who enjoy acids can mistakenly pick one up. I place some more decent options like the Originals and now the Vudu's there on the top shelf to somewhat protect my nicer cigars in the lower levels from getting chosen. That's my evil method of ridding myself of cigars i don't enjoy and protecting my better cigars at the same time. Most people are lazy and don't bother removing more than the top tray or looking below the top lay of my humidors. Its diabolical but i've placed a bunch of Oliva G, O, Connecticut, Master blend 3, on top of my Aging room quattro, La aroma De Cuba, Jericho hill, and Camacho triple maduro and it works to perfection. I give people free range of 5 humidors and the Havana footlocker and its amuses me to no end how people only choose from the top layer. Its important to have acids and decent but affordable cigars on hand if you don't want people cleaning out your favorite cigars. Acid blondies are fabulous because new and occasional cigar smokers really seem to dig them.

 

[havana1]

Thanks for the reviews, brother. I have not tried the latest version of Vudu but can say without hesitation the original blend was one of my "sleeper" cigars. I loved them and wish they never changed from Amilcar Perez Castro as blender.
I will try the newer blends, however.

 

[NPLopez]

Thanks for the reviews, brother. I have not tried the latest version of Vudu but can say without hesitation the original blend was one of my "sleeper" cigars. I loved them and wish they never changed from Amilcar Perez Castro as blender.
I will try the newer blends, however.

If you give them a shot go with a five pack of the sacrifice because its been the most consistent of the blends. The vudu dark i smoked as a corona and I had to dump it because it went completely bitter on me. These are all quite tart cigars that have a somewhat loose pack and when they burn hot its easy for them to become sour or even worse bitter. They have an interesting flavor profile with a nice medium strength but they are prone to burning hot and they become dry wood and sour if you don't slow down. They are a pain to smoke in the smaller size and its why its only worth getting these as a toro.

I smoked the Vudu dark in the Corona size (5 1/2 x 46) and i had to toss it because it got bitter on me and when i slowed down the fkn ash kept falling off at half an inch.

Here's the burn progression of the Vudu dark corona. You'll notice that there is only one ash in the bowl because the rest either fell on my lap or barely missed me.


I started smoking at 7:23 pm when it was about 104 degrees and i quit smoking at 8:05 pm when it cooled down to a very nice 102 degrees. Basically i got 30 minutes of decent flavor then it turned to a dry wood and then i tossed it once it turned bitter.

Its probably not the cigars fault because solid cigars that i usually enjoy i'm having to dump after just 35-40 minutes due to them becoming either sour or foul tasting. I'm pretty much going to have to quit smoking until the end of September since high temps and cigars just don't mix well. I miss 60-70 degree winter and spring weather when my cigars tasted so much better without having to smoke at such a slow 1 puff per every 3 minutes with the ash falling of randomly.