Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a light tan but darkens as it gets closer to the head. There are a couple of slightly raised veins. The seams are smooth and hardly visible until the color variance near the head. The head appears to be finished off with a well applied double cap. The band has a classic look to it and is primarily green with gold and white accents and lettering. The aroma from the wrapper is primarily dry hay with a faint barnyard note. The foot brings creamy wood. The pre-light draw brings a fairly light wood note.

Pre-light Experience

The El Artista Cimarron Connecticut Robusto has a smooth, light tan wrapper. The band is green on white with gold and white lettering. The wrapper noses of very sweet cedar, with light barnyard underneath. In the foot, I get aromas of a sweet raisin and fermented tobacco combination.

Pre-light Experience

The El Artista Cimarron Connecticut Robusto has an as expected Colorado Claro wrapper shade. The wrapper is smooth showing some decent oil content. Major veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and a well applied thick cap. Aromas from the wrapper give cedar, nuts and fairly pungent barnyard. Aromas from the foot give white pepper, cedar and nuts. Cold draw reveals hay, cedar and nuts.

First Third

The cigar begins with a mix of wood, hay, a little cream and a very subtle black pepper. At a half inch in, the wood gains a slightly toasted note as the other components remain the same. At an inch in, the toasted wood and hay are up front with the cream in the background and some pepper still hanging on during the finish. The retrohale is a mix of wood and baking spice that has a nice zing with a bit of cream in the background. The strength in this third was mild-medium.

First Third

The first third begins with powdered cocoa and light, sweet hay underneath. There is a mild bitter wood flavor on the post draw. The retrohale is a combination of mild cocoa and toasted wood notes.

First Third

The first third gives a sweet cream and bread baseline profile. Following these notes are cedar, hay, nuts and underlying bitterness. Retrohaling brings white pepper spice and stone fruits to the already mentioned flavors. The finish is medium length with cedar and light white pepper. Strength and body is medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the profile continues on except for the addition of some baking spice coming into the mix. At a half inch in, the wood loses the toasted note and is replaced by some char as the baking spice and hay are right behind it and the cream is now in the background. At an inch in, the retrohale is showing toasted and slightly charred wood along with a mild baking spice. As the third comes to a closed, the profile is slightly charred wood and hay with the baking spice in the background. The strength has bumped up to slightly below medium.

Second Third

In the second third, the sweetness dials back, along with the cocoa and toasted cedar. The profile settles into a pretty classic Connecticut shade profile for the remainder of the second third. The profile is absent the grass or big hay notes, but there is a drying mouthfeel.

Second Third

The second brings more of the white pepper influence in all aspects (mouth draws, retrohale and finish). The baseline of flavors are still very much so present though (sweet cream, bread, cedar, hay, nuts, accented bitterness). Strength and body remains medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the profile is slightly charred wood, some dry earthiness and a slight cream as the hay and baking spice have left the profile. At a half inch in, the dry earthiness has a slight lead over the charred wood and the cream has left which causes the profile to be a bit drying. At three quarters of an inch in, the charred wood takes the lead again which knocks down most of the dryness of the profile. The retrohale consists of a creamy version of the charred wood. As the cigar comes to a close, the charred wood and dry earthiness are even while some cream returns to the profile to smooth everything out. The strength in this third bumped to be right at medium.

Final Third

The toasted cedar returns, and lingers between draws. The toastiness becomes char and picks up to become quite bitter and harsh. Purging did not get rid of the char.

Final Third

The last third continues to show more white pepper influence but surprisingly the other flavors are still intact (sweet cream, bread, cedar, hay, nuts, accented bitterness). Strength and body finishes medium.

Burn

The burn was wavy at times but always kept up with itself. The ash held on through each third.

Burn

The Cimarron Connecticut had a slightly wavy burn in the first and middle thirds, slight canoe at the end of the first that corrected. A touch-up was required in the middle third. Ash held on well in one and a half inch increments.

Burn

Burn performance was very good. The only downside was the wrapper always playing catch up on the burn (but it only required one touch-up). Burning temperature was cool, ample smoke production and fairly tight ashes.

Draw

The draw was perfect with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

This is a pretty good version of a classic Connecticut shade. The profile was wood, hay, cream and black pepper. The wood transitioned to a toasted version and then charred as the pepper was replaced by baking spice and some dry earthiness was present in the second half. Construction was great and the strength never climbed beyond medium. If you’re a Connecticut shade fan, then this is definitely worth a try. You couldn’t go wrong smoking this in the morning with some coffee, but it would also hold it’s own as a nice wind down smoke in the evening if you hadn’t smoked anything too heavy prior. I’d have no problem returning to this cigar when I’m in the mood for that classic shade profile.

Draw

The draw was 1 notch into the resistant spectrum.

Overall

The El Artista Cimarron Connecticut Robusto is well constructed, and has a pretty consistent classic Connecticut profile. There are some interesting non-traditional cocoa and wood notes in the first third.

Draw

The draw was perfect. No issues here.

Overall

For me, the El Artista Cimarron Connecticut Robusto is more towards the traditional side of Connecticut shade cigars. The baseline flavors of sweet cream and bread are notes I always welcome to any cigar. Paired with white pepper, cedar, hay, nuts and underlying bitterness rounds out to a profile in which I can enjoy any time of the day. I think it’s important to note that Ecuador Connecticut shade wrappers tend to be on the bitter side. The bitterness I tasted was an underlying and accented bitterness that actually helped the cigar’s profile. Props to the blender for blending out the majority of the bitterness involved with this wrapper.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.72

Cost/Point

$1.07

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.15

Cost/Point

$1.40

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.07

Cost/Point

$1.02

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: El Artista Cimarron Connecticut Robusto