Let me start out by saying that I never win anything....ever.  Until last week, that is.  I had been fiddling with JRCigar's Beat the Dealer app for years with no wins when suddenly out of the blue, I won a three pack of Archetype cigars.  Needless to say, I am still stunned that it happened.  Having been interested in the Archetype brand for a couple of years now so I thought I should use this win to post a review or two.  First up is the Dreamstate - the mildest of the series A offerings.  I should say the Series A Archetype cigars use Davidoff tobacco and are rolled in the Davidoff factory.  Let's get smoking....

Construction: The Dreamstate is a pretty Connecticut cigar.  Perfect wrapper with no real seams or veins.

Pre-light Aroma and Draw: The unlit aroma of this cigar shocked me once I tossed the cellophane aside.  Notes of honey, lemon zest, and copious amounts of hay and dried grass blasted me full in the nose.  A rather unusual start.  The cold draw is very herbal with notes of oak, dry grass, and hay.  A very slight citrus is in there too.

Light and Burn: She fired right up with two matches and burned absolutely laser perfect until the end.

Tasting: Right out of the gate the Dreamstate hits with toasty wood, white pepper, and something like my Grandparent's basement.  That sounds odd, I know - but the TAA tasting sheet has a " damp cellar" note on it, so....Anyway, it has an aroma and flavor that reminds me of cement, cut wood, and wool.  I can't really quantify it better than that.  It's comfortable and absolutely delicious.  Notes of mushroom and dried lemon peel make their way into the mix as well.  Easily the most unusual and unique Connecticut Shade cigar I have ever smoked.

The middle third pumps up the mushroom flavors.  It still tastes like my grandparent's basement....so let me try to pin that down more - Damp concrete,  old wool, machine oil, cut wood.  A toasted marshmallow note pops in on the finish as well.  Simply delicious.

The final third opens up with more white pepper, mushroom, and lemon zest.  The core of the cigar is so earthy and rich without being overpowering.  Yet again, simply delicious.  I wish it had a reset button so I could smoke it all over again.

Value: At $12 a pop, the Dreamstate toro is a touch higher in price than required for a daily smoke for most of us slobs, but overall - I would smoke this one regularly and often given the chance.

Final Thoughts: Without question, the Dreamstate is a fantastic cigar.  Unusual flavor profile, solid construction, and tastes that remind me of my family.  What more could a guy ask for?  This one comes highly recommended.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Undisclosed multi-country blend

Strength: Mild to Medium

Size: 6 x 50

The bands on the A Series are a little strange...but they fit the enigmatic feel of the brand.