Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Artesano del Tobacco Viva La Vida Connecticut Robusto is medium tan and has some raised, knotty veins. The seams are smooth and the caps well applied. There are two bands, both is a black, white and gold color combination. The primary is the traditional design for the brand, while the secondary denotes the line and company. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of hay and earth while the foot brings cedar, earth, mustiness and smokiness. The pre-light draw brings musty cedar along with a mid-level spiciness on my lips.
Seth: The Artesano del Tobacco Viva La Vida Connecticut Robusto is a nice-looking cigar. The wrapper itself shows off a nice golden hay coloring, and it is silky in texture with small to medium sized veins. The bands pop against the wrapper, and this is better coloring than its predecessor. The cigar has an aroma of cedar, earth, tobacco and spices, while the foot gives off earth, raisin, spice and chocolate notes. The cigar is firm in hand.
John: The Artesano del Tobacco Viva La Vida Connecticut Robusto comes in cellophane with a UPC sticker displaying the cigar information. It features an integrated tear space that remains intact when opened. The cigar is double-banded with a primary Viva La Vida band and a Connecticut secondary band. I weighed the cigar at 15.5 grams, and measured the humidity at 66.1% using the CigarMedics HumidiMeter Pro. For aromas from the wrapper, I noted medium-strength barnyard, with sweet tobacco underneath and some dry hay. From the foot, I picked up sweet tobacco, mild wood and hay.
Jiunn: The Artesano del Tobacco Viva La Vida Connecticut Robusto has a golden Colorado Claro wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and the head is well wrapped and capped. Pre-light aromas tell of ample rich cedar and mixed nuts with trailing dried red pepper spice.

Artesano del Tobacco Viva La Vida Connecticut Robusto

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with toasted cedar, creamy breadiness and black pepper. At a quarter inch in, the black pepper increases a bit. At half an inch in, some earth joins the profile. The retrohale is toasted cedar, earth and lightly zingy black pepper. At an inch and a quarter, the earth has moved up to become even with the creamy breadiness. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the creamy breadiness and earth, with black pepper not too far behind them. The strength was right at medium.
Seth: The first third begins with cream and cedar notes. I am picking up some sweet earth aspects as well, bits of cocoa, and the finish is that of sweet spices, pepper and tobacco. I would classify the cigar as medium in strength and body.
John: The cigar opens with a combination of mild wood and sweet tobacco, as hay and mild spices come together on the finish. Through the retrohale, I noted creamy wood leading off, followed by light-plus, lingering baking spices, and a touch of cinnamon on the post draw. As the third settles in, mildly tannic wood joins the post draw. Toward the end of the third, the profile continues to evolve with chocolate joining the retrohale and hay carrying through the finish.
Jiunn: The first third has distinctive and full flavors. Balanced dried red pepper spice, creamy and sweet roasted nuts with just the right amount of tannins, citrus and leather. Retrohaling gives elevated dried red pepper spice and leather. The finish is on the drier side with lingering cedar. Strength and body is medium.

Artesano del Tobacco Viva La Vida Connecticut Robusto

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the creamy breadiness mellows and lands just behind the black pepper. At a half inch in, the black pepper mellows a bit and is even with the creamy breadiness. At three quarters of an inch in, the creamy breadiness increases a bit. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, earth, creamy breadiness and lightly zingy black pepper. At an inch in, a light chalkiness joins the profile. At an inch and a half in, the creamy breadiness mellows to the background. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the earth, with black pepper in the middle of the profile and the creamy breadiness and chalkiness in the background. The strength remained at medium.
Seth: The second third delivers that cream and cedar profile, and I am getting some hay with the sweet earth notes. Like before, bits of cocoa with sweet spices, pepper and tobacco on the finish. Like before, medium in strength and body.
John: The second third kicks off with creamy chocolate, wood and mild hay, while mildly tannic wood and lingering spices define the post draw. As the cigar progresses, hay becomes the dominant note at the center of the profile. A persistent dryness builds on the post draw through the bottom half of the second third, giving the cigar a more drying mouthfeel.
Jiunn: The second third’s flavor profile becomes muddled. There’s mainly a combination of cedar, minerals and leather. I can guess the flavors from the first third based on the muddled aspects but it’s certainly not as full flavored. Strength and body remains medium.

Artesano del Tobacco Viva La Vida Connecticut Robusto

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the earth becomes even with the toasted cedar up front and the creamy breadiness and chalkiness have left the profile. At a half inch in, the toasted cedar and earth become fuller with black pepper increasing a bit. The retrohale is now a creamy mix of toasted cedar and earth with lightly zingy black pepper. At three quarters of an inch in, creaminess joins the profile right behind the black pepper. As the cigar comes to a close, the toasted cedar and earth are even up front, with black pepper just ahead of the middle of the profile, creaminess right behind and some vegetal mintiness in the background. The strength bumped up to slightly above medium.
Seth: The final third is a continuation of the first and second. Not much development and transitioning. Flavor profile nearly identical. Medium in strength and body.
John: The last third opens with creamy bread up front, followed by wood, and dry wood on the finish. The profile remains relatively consistent through the halfway point. Eventually, a note of anise appears on the finish, adding some intrigue, but bitterness joins the finish in the bottom half, detracting from the overall balance.
Jiunn: The final third is just as muddled as the second third with a mixture of cedar, minerals and leather. At this point, I’m losing interest in the profile and trying to engage for the sake of reviewing the cigar. Strength and body finish the same medium.

Artesano del Tobacco Viva La Vida Connecticut Robusto

Burn

Aaron: The burn was straight throughout, but the cigar went out once unexpectedly in the second third requiring a re-light.
Seth: The burn was perfect from start to finish.
John: The burn began slightly wavy in the first third but self-corrected. From there, it remained straight and maintenance free through the remainder of the smoking experience.
Jiunn: Just a minor deduction for some uneven and unburnt wrapper within the second third. More importantly, I didn’t need to use my lighter past the initial light.

Artesano del Tobacco Viva La Vida Connecticut Robusto

Draw

Aaron: The draw was slightly looser than I prefer, but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.
Seth: The draw was perfect throughout the entire cigar.
John: The draw measured 63 inches of water using the CigarMedics Draw Machine. Subjectively, it was 2.5 to 3 notches toward the resistant side, landing in snug territory.
Jiunn: The draw was perfect, striking the ideal balance between air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with toasted cedar, creamy breadiness and black pepper. Some earth joined in a bit later. The second third saw the creamy breadiness mellow a bit and then increase again. A light chalkiness joined in a bit later as the creamy breadiness mellowed to the background. The final third saw the creamy breadiness and chalkiness depart and some vegetal mintiness joined in right at the end of the cigar. The Artesano del Tobacco Viva La Vida Connecticut Robusto had a nice flavor profile through the first two thirds. The flavor components worked well together and there was enough transitioning to keep things interesting. The final third took a step down as the profile wasn’t quite as dynamic, but still pleasant. This is a bit stronger Connecticut Shade offering than traditional offerings and it worked well. The price is a bit higher than my liking, but I would definitely come back to it and am interested in trying the other vitolas.
Seth: The Artesano del Tobacco Viva La Vida Connecticut Robusto is a solid Connecticut robusto, but nothing extraordinary when compared with so many other Connecticut’s on the market. With that, the price is high for the type of release. There is nothing about this cigar that makes it a special Connecticut, and not worth the price tag. Not a cigar I would seek out but would smoke at an event.
John: The Artesano del Tobacco Viva La Vida Connecticut Robusto delivers a refined and evolving profile early on, offering notes of sweet tobacco, hay, chocolate, cinnamon and creamy wood. The first two thirds are flavorful and balanced, with transitions that maintain interest. However, the final third introduces bitterness, which holds back the finish. Decent construction, with an amazing burn and a somewhat snug draw didn’t detract from the overall experience. While not without its flaws, it’s a well executed Connecticut offering, with plenty of nuance for those looking beyond the typical mild profile. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 41 minutes.
Jiunn: The first third of the cigar was beautiful, providing distinct and full flavors of dried red pepper spice, creamy and sweet roasted nuts with just the right amount of tannins, citrus and leather. But past that point, the profile was jumbled into a glob of muddled mediocrity. Although I wouldn’t return back to the Artesano del Tobacco Viva La Vida Connecticut Robusto, that first third was money.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.57

Cost/Point

$2.21

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$2.52

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.52

Cost/Point

$2.23

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.00

Cost/Point

$2.42

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Artesano del Tobacco Viva La Vida Connecticut Robusto