At this years IPCPR, Robert Caldwell and Matt Booth announced a line extension to “The T” cigar they released last year in collaboration with A.J. Fernandez. The latest rendition replaces the original Nicaraguan grown habano wrapper with an Ecuadorian Connecticut leaf. Like the original, The T Connecticut cigars are produced at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A. in Estelí.
The latest blend is therefore described as:
- Wrapper – Ecuadorian Connecticut
- Binder – Nicaraguan
- Filler – Nicaraguan
The T. Connecticut is available in four vitolas and come packaged in 20-count boxes:
- Corona (6 x 44) – MSRP $10.60
- Short Robusto (4 x 48)- MSRP $10.80
- Double Robusto (5 1/2 x 54) – MSRP $11.80
- Toro (6 x 50) – MSRP $11.40
For this review, I sampled the one, Short Robusto sample I received from Robert Caldwell at the show.
Pre-Light Examination
The T. Connecticut short robusto is a beautiful specimen of a cigar, even with it short stature. The wrapper is silky smooth with a medium tan color and tinge of orange. It has a light sheen to it when examined in the light. The cigar is finished with a simple cap. It is solid to the touch and has practically no noticeable veins.
There are two bands that adorn this cigar. The primary uses an orange, black, and white motif with a design similar to the original with three keys in black representing the three key contributors and the phrase “The T” in white across the keys. The word Connecticut is printed in white on the right side the “Estelí” printed in white on the left. The Secondary band is a pastel yellow and is placed directly below the primary with the initials of the each contributor “MB”, “AJF” and “RC” printed across it. I do like how the orange band brings out the color of the wrapper.
Running “The T. Connecticut” along the nose I picked up a well fermented leaf with a slight pungent aroma along the barrel and hay notes off the foot.
I chose to slice the cap with a double blade cutter and proceeded to give it a few cold draw puffs. I immediately picked up earthy and barnyard notes through a decently restricted draw.
So far so good, but the truth is in the burn. So I used the soft flame of a cedar spill to ignite it so as not to scorch the delicate wrapper.
Cigar Review Notes
The T. Connecticut
The T. Connecticut
The T. Connecticut
The T. Connecticut
- Thick and spicy laden smoke on the first puffs
- Cedar enters quickly
- Coffee notes followed rounding out the early profile
- Solid white ash developed resting on a thick char line
- A characteristic Connecticut bitterness entered after the first third
- The barrel slowly became hot to the touch
- Strong spice and nut aroma wafted off the foot
- Once the ash fell, a flat and off centered burn cone was revealed
- Cedar builds through the second third masking the bitterness
- Smoke became hot in final third
- Mild to Medium in Strength
- Total Smoking Time was just shy of one hour
Overall, The T Connecticut scored a rating of an 88. The flavor profile was not very complex except for the early part of the burn and it settled with a primary core of cedar notes with a background of Connecticut bitterness. There was a slight off burn during the journey which I would attribute to the off centered burn cone. From a price to value on this particular vitola, I feel it should be lower. I would like to experience the other vitolas in the line to see how they compare.
Here are the point deductions taken during the review:
-1 off burn, -1 burned hot to the touch midway, – 2 smoke was hot in the final, -1 off centered burn cone, – 2 should be lower in price
The T. Connecticut