The Borons Cigar Blog

I found the C & C Connecticut while browsing a local cigar shop. I was in the market for a cheap, mild cigar. I often snub the cheapies in the humidor, but every now and then, I figure, “Why not?” At this price point I had little to lose, so I grabbed a few. Is this just another cheapie, or a diamond in the rough? Let’s find out.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican

Size: Robusto 5 x 50

Price: $3.65

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

A quick visual inspection of the wrapper revealed a nice, shiny appearance. There were some decent sized veins, but nothing that I would consider a flaw. The odor of the wrapper was cedar, with a sweet mild spice. I couldn’t get any smell off of the foot, perhaps a mild earthiness. Overall, the cigar was solidly packed, and had some variances in construction (lumps). The draw had some resistance, and was a little snug. The pre-light flavor was mild and earthy.

The snug draw wasn’t an issue once lit. The burn required no corrections, and the ash held for just around an inch.

Flavor:

The first half had a mild peppery spice on the retrohale. The main flavor was earthiness, subtle nuttiness, and a smooth buttery component. As I approached the end of this half, the strength increased slightly, perhaps to the upper mild region.

The second half took on a thicker, creamier smoke feel. The spice kicked up a notch, but remained easy and mild. Earthiness, along with a nutty note, remained the same. The buttery component remained, but took a back seat towards the end. A mild, spicy tingle lingered on the palate for a little while.

Conclusion:

I know many people don’t care to read reviews of cheap cigars. There is an undeniable market for them, so I’m going to give them a shot from time to time. So… This was a decent milder cigar. It was fairly one dimensional, but with coffee, I enjoyed it much more than the standard water. Burn, construction, and flavor, weren’t bad. It basically is a typical Connecticut wrapped cigar. It pretty much lived up to the price point. If you’re in the market for a cheap, decent Connecticut cigar, this is worth a shot.

I found this cigar at a local shop, as you know by now… If I haven’t reviewed it, I’ll usually pick a few up. The Diamondback is a product of Altadis. It is said to be smooth, mild and aromatic with a touch of sweetness. It was blended by Omor Ortez, and that’s about all I know about this cigar. I paired this review with water.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Size: Robusto 54 x 6

Price: Around $4.00

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The tax wrapper was a little toothy looking, but had no major flaws. The odor of the wrapper was sweet cedar. The foot was similar, but had a little spice. The cigar was fairly evenly packed, and bounced back when squeezed. The pre-light draw had slight resistance, and the pre-light flavor was earthy with cedar.

The ash held for around an inch, and the burn required no corrections.

Flavor:

The first third: I didn’t notice this on the pre-light draws… There was a sweetness that reminded me of a sweetened cap. I don’t know if that was the case or not. Otherwise, the dominant flavor was earthiness and natural tobacco. Through the nose was a slight spice. The smoke feel was dry and crisp.

The second third was still earthy with woody notes. There may have been a tinge of nuttiness mixed in at times. The cap still seemed to leave a sweet taste on the lips. It tasted like a sweetened cap to me, as opposed to a natural sweetness. The retrohale didn’t change. Passing smoke through the nose was the same as well. The smoke feel took on a thicker feel and was almost creamy.

The last third pretty much stayed the same in terms of flavor. The body may have increased in strength a little bit, but remained upper mild. Nothing new to report in the last third.

Conclusion:

This was a decent mild to upper mild bodied cigar. The flavors were good and simple. It basically was a typical Connecticut, but with a sweetened cap flavor added. That would probably be my biggest complaint. The sweetness wasn’t’ bad, but had an artificial taste. I could see myself smoking these in the morning with coffee. For me it isn’t suited for anything more than that.

The Diamond Crown is made by Fuente and JC Newman. It was developed in celebration of JC Newman Cigar Co’s 100th anniversary in 1995. They boast the wrapper is fermented twice, which is said to boost the smooth sweet flavors.

I should mention that this is a first impression review, meaning I’ve only smoked one. The cigar was sent to me awhile back from Bonita Smoke Shop. Given the $11.80 MSRP for a Robusto, I probably would have passed up buying this cigar.

Wrapper: Connecticut

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican

Size: Robusto 5.5 x 54

Price: $11.80

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The light tan Connecticut wrapper was shiny with small veins. It had a somewhat toothy (bumpy) appearance, but no visible flaws. The smell of the wrapper was cedar. The foot had a mild tobacco odor. The cigar was very solidly packed. It was a bit harder to the touch towards the cap. The pre-light draw had slight resistance and had a mild cedar and earthy flavor.

The burn required one minor correction, and the ash was solid, holding for around 1.5 inches.

Flavor:

The first third went pretty much the way I expected of a Connecticut wrapped cigar. Cedar and nuttiness were the main flavors. Through the nose, a smooth, mild spice was present. It was almost like a mild pepper (not black pepper). Overall the smoke was silky smooth and pleasant. The further I dug in, the more richer the flavors became.

The second third continued that develop a rich flavor profile. It was simple, but rich. The flavors were basically unchanged – Nuttiness and some cedar. The spice increased in strength but remained smooth and easy to pass through the nose. Occasionally I found earthiness very far in the background. The smoke feel bordered on creaminess, but never quite got there.

The spice kicked up another notch in the last third. It left a nice sweet tingle on the lips and palate. The nuttiness became the dominant flavor. Cedar was there but didn’t seem as prominent. The smoke feel became crisp and went well with the increased spice. Like before, wispy earthy notes were in the background.

Conclusion:

This was a good mild to medium bodied cigar. It started off mild, and crept into the mid-medium range. The flavors were simple but very rich and refined. Construction was another plus. While many aspects of the flavor profile were typical Connecticut, there was a bit more going on here. The only downside I see is the price. If it were cheaper, I could easily smoke this often with coffee. Price aside, anyone who likes Connecticut wrapped cigars could appreciate the Diamond Crown. I’d sum it up as a Connecticut wrapped cigar with a spicy twist.

This is the last cigar in sampler pack that Xikar sent to me. They wanted my opinion on their new Grande size HC cigars, and I accepted the offer. I appreciate them giving me the chance to review these cigars. The blend is has not changed. The only difference is the size. Will the new large 6×60 taste different then the Robusto? Read on and see. As always, I paired this review with a glass of water.

Wrapper: Connecticut shade – Ecuador

Binder: Sumatra

Filler: Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua

Size: Grande 6 x 60

Price: $9.50

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper had soft, smooth, look to it. At the same time, it had a toothy component as well. The wrapper had an earthy barnyard odor. The foot shared that same smell, but had a spicy component. The cigar was evenly and solidly packed. The pre-light draw had slight resistance, and a smooth earthy and slightly sweet flavor.

The burn was a little crazy for the first half, and required quite a few significant corrections. This isn’t a common characteristic of this cigar. It just happened during the cigar I chose to review. Call it Murphy’s law. This is a hand made product, and these things can happen to any cigar. The ash held for almost two inches.

Flavor:

The flavor in the first third was pretty simple and straight forward. There was an dominant earthiness with woody notes hiding in the background. The smoke feel left a slight coating in the mouth, but it was dry as well. I found myself drinking a lot of water. When passing smoke through the nose, there was a nice peppery spice. While it had a slight zing, it was still fairly mild and easy.

The second third held that core earthy flavor, but it took on a creamy, buttery component. The dryness went away and I stopped feeling parched. The pepper remained and developed a little more zing that separated it from most Connecticut wrapped cigars. Eventually I started to pick up notes of nuttiness, and it mixed well in the flavor profile. Everything really came together in this third.

The last third continued where the second third left off. A rich melding of nutty, buttery, and earthy flavors dominated the flavor profile. Like before, the smoke was creamy and coated the mouth and lips. The pepper kept it’s zing, but it smoothed out quite a bit. It was a pleasant, easy relaxing experience. Very nice…

Conclusion:

This was a very good medium to upper medium bodied cigar. It may have even crept into the full range. While it shared a lot of typical Connecticut flavors, there was something about it that separates it from the pack. I could easily smoke this in the morning with coffee, or in the afternoon after a meal. It is pretty versatile and could fit the bill at almost any time of the day. Thanks again to the guys at Xikar for letting me try these cigars!

I always enjoy a natural or Connecticut wrapped cigar in the morning. When one of my favorite brands – Alec Bradley – Introduced their Maxx line in a Connecticut wrapper, I went out and bought a few. The only change in the blend from the original Maxx line is the wrapper. This sounded like a promising morning cigar. For the sake of the review, I paired it with water. Otherwise, I think I would pair this one with coffee.

Wrapper: Connecticut

Binder: Costa Rica

Filler: Nicaragua, Mexico, Honduras, Columbia

Size: The Fix – 58 x 5

Price: Around $6.09

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper had a smooth appearance, with minimal veins or seams. The smell of the wrapper was almost non existent, while the foot had a slight tobacco odor. The cigar had a few soft spots when squeezed, but it was nothing of concern. The pre-light draw was free, with a sweet natural tobacco taste.

The burn required a few minor corrections in the second third, and the ash held for about two inches.

Flavor:

The first third had very common and basic flavors you’d expect to find in a Connecticut wrapped cigar. There was a hint of earthiness way in the background. In front of that was an almost buttery feel and taste. Up next were toasty notes. Smoke volume was plentiful and thick.

As I got into the second third, the smoke took on a creamy feel. At the same time, it kept a toasty feel and taste. The buttery notes remained just like in the last third, and coated the lips and tongue. When passing smoke through the nose, it was easier to detect the earthy flavors along with a very mild peppery spice. Everything was mild and nice…

The last third didn’t offer any new flavors. The body crept into the medium range, but otherwise nothing changed from the second third.

Conclusion:

This was a good mild to medium bodied cigar. While it didn’t offer anything unique or special, it was still a solid Connecticut wrapped cigar that I could fit into my morning routine. I give it a thumbs up.

If I recall correctly, a local tobacconist named Jack gave me these to try. It looked like it had potential to be a morning cigar, so I graciously accepted the samples. As always, for the review I paired with water and offer you my thoughts…

Wrapper: Connecticut

Binder: Habano, Nicaragua

Filler: Habano, Nicaragua

Size: Robusto 5 x 52

Price: Around $4.00

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper looked smooth, with minor blemishes and some small veins. The wrapper smelled of sweet earth, while the foot had a slight woody spice. The pre-light draw was free, almost loose, and had a mild earthy woody taste. The cigar was a little soft but bounced back when pinched.

I did no burn corrections, and the ash held for an inch.

Flavor:

The first third was nice and mild. An ever so slight spice was detecting when passing smoke through the sinus. There were buttery and nutty notes with a wisp of wood.

The second third offered a little change, and I think for the better. The flavor profile developed into what the rest of the cigar would be. The smoke feel became a little thicker with a slight creaminess. The body increased slightly, and the spice had a mild peppery zing. The butteries picked up a little, and wood and nuts rounded things out.

The last third was identical to the second third. Really, there isn’t anything more to add.

Conclusion:

This was a nice mild cigar. Sure, it was basically just another mild Connecticut wrapper cigar, but it was good. I’ll even go as far as saying it was typical, but I still liked it. If mild cigars are your thing, then give this one a try.

I picked up this cigar at Ed’s shop awhile back. It looked like it may be a decent milder cigar, which I’m always keeping an eye out for. For the sake of this review, I smoked this cigar with water, and offer you my thoughts.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut – Aged 7 years

Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra

Filler: Dominican

Size: Robusto 5 x 50

Price: Around $6.00

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper had very few flaws, with small to medium sized veins and a slight toothy appearance. I could only get natural tobacco odors when sniffing the foot and wrapper. The draw had slight resistance, with an earthy tobacco taste. When squeezed, I found that the cigar was softer towards the foot, and firmly packed towards the head.

The burn was wavy at first, but straightened itself out without my help The ash held for around an inch.

Flavor:

The first third started off with mild earthy flavors. It took awhile, but the smoke started to take on a slight creamy feel. All the while, I was left with a parched feeling and craved water. An addition of woody notes helped keep things interesting.

The second third had minimal change. The smoke feel became a little less creamy, but the core flavors remained the same – Earthy, woody, and perhaps a nutty note here and there. A slight peppery spice came in but only noticed when exhaling through the nose.

For the last third, the earthiness fell into the background. A creamy woodiness was dominant, with a spicy finish. When exhaled through the nose, the mild pepper remained. As the cigar came to an end, the smoke feel became more crisp and toasty.

Conclusion:

This was a good mild to medium bodied cigar. It pretty much lived up to what I expected. It is really nice in the morning with coffee. If you are in to Connecticut wrapped cigars, or are looking for a good morning smoke, this may be for you.

This is the final installment of my Xikar HC Series reviews. As you saw before in the reviews of the Criollo and Habano Colorado, I really enjoyed them. This line is touted as the milder of the 3 blends, although Xikar says it is slightly stronger then your typical Connecticut wrapped cigar. For more info, make sure to visit their website. Although I tend to gravitate to fuller bodied cigars, I still often enjoy a good mild cigar. I looked forward to trying the Connecticut shade. With my usual glass of water, I got to smoking.

Once again, I’d like to thank Xikar for sending me these cigars to review. I’m glad they were confident and took a chance. Let’s see what I thought of the Xikar HC Series Connecticut Shade.

Wrapper: Connecticut shade – Ecuador

Binder: Sumatra

Filler: Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua

Size: Robusto 5 x 50

Price: $8.50

Pre-smoke & Construction:

Giving the cigar the ol once over, I found it visually appealing. The tan wrapper had a few medium veins running throughout, but most were small. The wrapper and foot had almost no odor. I could only pick up a slight woodiness. The pre-light draw had a little resistance, and had very mild natural tobacco and earthy notes. Inspecting the cigar further, I found it was somewhat tightly packed with no soft or hard spots. This probably accounts for the resistance in the draw. Keep in mind, the draw wasn’t bad, just a little tight.

The burn required no corrections at all, and the ash held for well over an inch. After lighting up, I found that the draw was fine despite being a tad bit tight.

Flavor:

The first third began with easy earthy notes. I detected a nice peppery spice when passing through the sinus. The pepper was very smooth and on the milder side, but it did have a small punch to it. As I dug further in, the smoke feel became a little creamy with a toasty finish.

The second third kept those earthy undertones I spoke of before. Layered on top of that was a creamy smoke feel with buttery notes. That peppery punch remained but really calmed down to a much smoother sensation. I noticed a toasty finish at the end of the exhale. The smoke itself seemed to coat my mouth but wasn’t lip smacking.

The last third didn’t offer too much change. The earthy undertones remained with smooth, mild peppery spice. The creamy smoke feel became a little thicker and coated the mouth. A slight sweetness entered the flavor profile to round things out. The dry toasty finish remained and had me craving water. This didn’t detract from the overall experience.

Conclusion:

This was a good mild to medium cigar. It packs enough punch to satisfy a seasoned smoker, but is simple and mild enough for perhaps a beginner to try. All in all, I really enjoyed this cigar. I think this would go great with morning coffee, and even makes a good after lunch smoke. Although some aspects were typical, this isn’t your average Connecticut wrapped cigar. I say give it a try.

Not too long ago, a new cigar blog popped up called The Cigar Nut. David, who runs the site, paid me a visit to review the Rocky Patel Vintage 1999 Connecticut.

When your done watching this quick, to the point review, pay The Cigar Nut a visit. It is in its infancy right now, so you might as well add it to your favorites and check back every now and then. Reviews seem to be popping up at a consistent rate.

A lot of sites are doing video reviews now, and most of them offer something a little different then the others. David definitely has his own style and offers a to the point, honest review. Check it out!

Mornings are usually when I’ll spark up a Connecticut wrapped cigar. This was one of those mornings, so I sat down with some coffee and the Oliva Connecticut Reserve. I switched it up a bit and paired up with coffee.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Size: Churchill 7 x 50

Price: Around $7.00

Pre-smoke & Construction:

The tan wrapper had a few mid sized veins and a couple blemishes, but overall looked decent. There were no soft spots on this firmly packed cigar. Sniffing the wrapper and foot gave off a woody scent, while the pre-light draw had a sweet, slightly earthy taste. Speaking of the draw, it was great, with a slight resistance. I didn’t have to do any burn corrections, and the ash held strong for over an inch. It took effort to tap it off into the ashtray. Construction overall was good.

Flavor:

The first third was simple enough… I got buttery notes combined with a toast. When passing through the sinus I noticed a faint pepper that was quite nice. As things progressed, the smoke became really thick and creamy.

The second third carried on with a simple flavor profile. Toasty, buttery flavors dominated, and the pepper decreased a bit. The creamy, thick smoke continued and overall everything went well.

On to the last third… The creaminess took over. Mixed with buttery, toasty notes, combined with a slight nutty flavor to round thing up. The smoke remained thick and plentiful right up to the end.

Conclusion:

Although many aspects of this cigar screamed “Another Connecticut wrapped cigar,” this was a good light to medium bodied smoke. It was a very refined, smooth and easy smoke. I could easily put this into my morning cigar rotation, and I probably will.