Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Buenaventura Favoritos Connecticut 50 is dark tan with some hints of green and carries some lightly raised veins. The seams are smooth and the caps very well applied. There are two bands, with the primary being the traditional gold, brown and white design for the brand and it sits on top of a solid yellow band that peeks out at the bottom to denote that this is the Connecticut version. The aroma from the wrapper is a light mix of cedar, hay and earth while the foot brings a mix of bread and cedar. The pre-light draw brings light spicy cedar and bread.
Seth: The Buenaventura Favoritos Connecticut 50 is finished with a dark Connecticut wrapper. It is silky to touch, and a firm cigar, but the coloring is almost Natural. It doesn’t have that golden hay coloring. Faint aromas of tobacco, cedar and wood.
John: The Buenaventura Favoritos Connecticut 50 came in cellophane and had a UPC sticker with the cigar information and a tear space to remain intact when opened. I weighed the cigar at 12.2 grams and measured the humidity to 62.8% with the HumidiMeter Pro. Aromas from the wrapper were largely sweet bread. From the foot, raisin, tobacco and hay. I noted originally it had a single Buenaventura band, but after removing it I noted there was a yellow secondary band underneath.

Buenaventura Favoritos Connecticut 50

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with toasted cedar, bold black pepper and some light cardboard. At a half inch in, some light earth joins the profile. The retrohale is toasted cedar, zingy black pepper and dry earth. At an inch in, the pepper mellows a bit. At an inch and a quarter, the earth picks up a bit and the light cardboard note has departed. At an inch and a half in, some creaminess joins the profile. The third wraps up with toasted cedar up front, black pepper in the middle of the profile and the earth and creaminess a bit behind the pepper. The strength was slightly below medium.
Seth: The first third starts out with soft cream and cedar notes. There are some burnt paper and faint tobacco notes present as well. Just under medium in strength and body.
John: The first third leads with creamy, sweet tobacco as the sweet tobacco combines with wood to finish. After a few puffs, spices break into the retrohale. Some mild cocoa joins the center of the retrohale as it settles, with mild grassiness on the finish. The profile remains stable and consistent for the remainder of the first third.

Buenaventura Favoritos Connecticut 50

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the earth moves to just in front of the middle of the profile with the pepper easing a bit further back. The retrohale is now just toasted cedar and dry earth. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is up front, with the earth just ahead of the middle of the profile, black pepper just behind the middle of the profile and the creaminess in the background. The strength bumped up to medium.
Seth: The second third is a lot like the first. Strong burnt paper aftertaste notes. Just under medium in strength and body.
John: I’m greeted in the second third with creamy tobacco and a tag team of wood and spices in the center. Hay joins the finish as the second third settles in. Chocolate returns to the center of the retrohale, and groups with light-plus strength spices. That profile remains stable for the remainder of the second third.

Buenaventura Favoritos Connecticut 50

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, a light vegetal mintiness joins the profile. At a half inch in, the black pepper mellows to the background. The retrohale remains toasted cedar and dry earth. At an inch in, the earth mellows to just behind the middle of the profile. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted cedar is up front, with earth just behind the middle of the profile with black pepper, creaminess and vegetal mintiness in the background. The strength dropped down to slightly below medium again.
Seth: The final third is identical to the first and second third. I don’t have anything else to say.
John: Creamy tobacco in the last third, chocolate for the center and a mildly tannic wood on the finish. Spices come into the finish and post draw as the last third progresses. Those spices have moved up to medium strength by the halfway point.

Buenaventura Favoritos Connecticut 50

Burn

Aaron: The burn was a bit wavy at times, but never needed any attention. The ash held on in inch and a half increments.
Seth: The burn was perfect throughout.
John: The burn was straight in the first third, becoming wavy in the second third. The uneven burn required a touch-up to correct in the second third. In the last third, the burn became uneven and required another touch-up to correct.

Buenaventura Favoritos Connecticut 50

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: The draw was perfect throughout.
John: The draw was at most 1/2 to one notch towards the resistant spectrum which puts it in the ideal range between open and resistant.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with toasted cedar, bold black pepper and some light cardboard. Some light earth joined a bit later. The cardboard note then departed and some creaminess joined in. The second third saw the earth pick up a bit. The final third saw some vegetal mintiness join in and the earth and black pepper mellow a bit. The Buenaventura Favoritos Connecticut 50 had an average flavor profile throughout and was a pretty typical Connecticut shade offering. The price point is wildly attractive, so it’s a no brainer to try it out. While I wouldn’t come back to it for an exciting flavor profile, it’s an easy smoke and would have no problem smoking it again.
Seth: While the Buenaventura Favoritos Connecticut 50 is an affordable cigar, it is not one I would come back to in the future. It’s too cheap of a Connecticut if I am honest. The flavors are lacking and simple at best. No transitioning and depth. The strength and body were lacking as well. Great construction, but that’s not going to take the cigar anywhere.
John: The Buenaventura Favoritos Connecticut 50 had a promising start with flavors that grouped well and engaged me. The second third was still pleasant but the complexity took a bit of a step back. Draw was perfect, and the burn required a touch-up in the second and last thirds to correct. Overall, this was a pleasant cigar to smoke and review, and I think when you factor in the price point, this is something that could be in a regular rotation for Connecticut smokers. I would smoke this again. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 46 minutes.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.65

Cost/Point

$0.87

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

4.68

Cost/Point

$1.05

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.90

Cost/Point

$0.83

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Buenaventura Favoritos Connecticut 50