BACKGROUND: This week's postscript cigar was first featured on the Stogie Fresh 5 podcast in Episode 177 on Sunday, July 12, 2009. The Havana Soul is a house brand made specifically for Cigar King in Scottsdale, Arizona by Jose "Pepin" Garcia.

The wrapper used on the Havana Soul is Corojo 99, a hybrid of the original Cuban Corojo tobacco, which is in this case grown in Nicaragua. The filler and binder are also Nicaraguan, with a combination of Corojo and Criollo tobaccos blended to achieve a unique flavor.

This cigar is made in the style known well to Don Pepin, the medium-bodied and flavorful Cuban style that he both made and enjoyed while living in Cuba. The Havana Soul comes in 8 different sizes; today's featured stick is the 7-inch by 50 ring gauge Churchill.

TASTING NOTES: I’ve always liked this cigar because it reminds me of what I really like in a Cuban cigar, which is the unique character and spicy sweetness that can only be found on the Island. The Havana Soul whispers some of the same magic into my ears. It's got that rare combination of sweetness and a spicy, tangy kick. And, it shows a lot of complexity.

The flavors are a mix of light aromatic wood, fresh hay, alfalfa. And, when I retrohaled, a good dose of pepper spice lit up my nasal mucosa. I will say that the pepper has moderated somewhat over the past year. The cigar is more balanced now, but I much prefer that spicy kick that it has, in spades, when it is younger.

This cigar has a lot going for it. It is well constructed and performs really well as regards draw and burn and it regularly exhibits a long firm ash.

The Havana Soul Churchill has a complex mix of flavors that are balanced perfectly in a medium-bodied stick. With a box date of January 2007, these cigars are now sitting at 3.5 years of age. I am not sure if this cigar has reached its prime, but I wouldn’t recommend aging these over 5-6 years. I can tell you one thing, though, I will be very eager to test that theory. I have a few more of these sticks on hand and you can never tell what the future will bring until you arrive.

That said, the price will be a sticking point for many folks. The Havana Soul is in that range of around $8 per stick and that is always a tough sell, especially in this economic climate. Nevertheless, I recommend that you get your hands on a couple of these and give them a try. I can recommend this cigar highly.