Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The rectangle pressed Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut Short Churchill G has a wrapper that is dark tan with a couple of raised and knotty veins. The seams are smooth and the caps well applied. There are two bands, with the primary being the traditional design for the brand with an orangish-gold foot ribbon. The aroma from the wrapper is a hay and earth forward barnyard while the foot brings a musty mix of hay and cedar. The pre-light draw brings an airy, lightly sweet cedar.
Seth: Finished with a solid Claro wrapper, the Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut Short Churchill G has a silky Connecticut wrapper that sports few veins throughout. Those present are medium in size. Firm cigar in hand. One of the best aromas I have gotten from a blend with a Connecticut wrapper recently, and I have smoked some great Connecticut releases. Aromas of honey meade, sweet spices, rich fruit, earth, cedar and raisins.
John: The Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut Short Churchill G comes in cellophane, and has a UPC sticker with a tear space so it remains intact when opened. You’ll find two bands on the cigar; a primary Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich band and a bronze ribbon foot band. Additionally, the cigar has an artisanal complication of being box pressed. Aromas from the wrapper included sweet bread, almost a melted sugar sweetness, light barnyard and wood. From the foot, I could pick out sweet tobacco and hay, both at light levels.
Jiunn: The Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut Short Churchill G has an even and smooth golden brown wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll on the loose end and the head is well wrapped and capped. Aromas from the wrapper tell dry barnyard and sharper dried red pepper spice. Aromas from the foot tell the same, but with great spice intensity. Cold draws reveal airy cedar and fresh black pepper spice.

Team Cigar Review: Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut Short Churchill G

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with toasted cedar, toasted hay and black pepper. At a quarter inch in, a light creaminess joins the profile. The retrohale is toasted cedar and black pepper. At an inch in, the black pepper is showing up at the very end of the draw and carrying a long finish. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar and hay are even up front, with black pepper right behind and light creaminess in the background. The strength was slightly above medium.
Seth: The first third starts out with some red and black pepper notes that are paired with cedar and some cream qualities. It doesn’t have a strong cream and cedar profile, not as sweet, but present. Earthy cigar with some toast and Asian spices on the finish. Medium to medium-full in strength and body.
John: The first few puffs are flavors of creamy bread, wood and sweet wood into the post draw along with delayed light-plus strength spices. Some mild earthiness joins the post draw as it settles in. Vegetal components come into the middle of the profile, and mix with the wood as it continues. Chocolate moves into the retrohale and brings with it hay on the finish some time later.
Jiunn: The first third’s flavor profile is both smooth and deep. No doubt abundant creaminess coming off shortbread or wafers. But there’s also a nice dried red pepper spice, citrus twang and cedar. Retrohaling gives a surprising amount of dried red pepper spice, but in a good way. The finish creates a combination of cedar, dirt and leather. Strength and body is medium.

Team Cigar Review: Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut Short Churchill G

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the black pepper mellows a bit. At a quarter inch in, some earth joins the profile. At three quarters of an inch in, the earth is now right behind the cedar and hay and just ahead of the black pepper. The retrohale is now toasted cedar along with light earth and black pepper. As the third comes to a close, the profile is toasted cedar and hay up front, earth just behind, black pepper a little further behind and light creaminess in the background. The strength bumped up to medium-full.
Seth: The second third continues to deliver those pepper and Asian spice notes while delivering some cedar and cream notes. Like before, earthier and heartier than most modern Connecticuts. Bits of espresso on the finish. Medium to medium-full in strength and body.
John: Sweet, malty bread leads off here as hay and wood finish the puff and the hay lingers on the post draw finish. Hay and wood define the center of the profile as the cigar settles in. Chocolate and spices make up the retrohale as the cigar approaches the halfway point.
Jiunn: The second third does a good job of maintaining the first third. Still a deep focused flavor profile of shortbread/wafers, cream, dried red pepper spice, citrus twang and cedar. Strength and body is still overall medium.

Team Cigar Review: Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut Short Churchill G

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the black pepper increases a bit to become even with the earth. At three quarters of an inch in, the earth has now moved up to become even with the toasted cedar and hay. The retrohale is now toasted cedar and earth with mild black pepper. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted cedar, hay and earth are all even up front, with the black pepper right behind and a light creaminess in the background. The strength remained at medium-full.
Seth: The final third finishes with a combination of cedar, cream, espresso and black pepper. Some Asian spices as well. Earthy notes on the finish. Medium to medium-full in strength and body.
John: The last third gets going with a surprise of medium strength spices, bread and wood as the spices intensify to medium-full along with some creaminess on the post draw. The spices recede to medium minus as it continues with hay defining the center of the profile.
Jiunn: The final third turns to the grittier, earthier side of things. More influence in dirt, leather and cedar, without having enough of the softer flavors to follow suit. Strength and body finish the same medium.

Team Cigar Review: Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut Short Churchill G

Burn

Aaron: The burn line was straight throughout, but the cigar did go out once in the second third, requiring a re-light. The ash held on in inch and a half increments.
Seth: Very good burn.
John: The burn was straight through the first and second thirds, and had some minor unevenness in the last third that never required intervention.
Jiunn: Amazing burn performance. Even burn, tight ashes, cool burning temperature and ample smoke production.

Team Cigar Review: Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut Short Churchill G

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: Very good draw.
John: The draw was right in the ideal zone between open and resistant.
Jiunn: Amazing draw performance as well, giving the best balance of air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with toasted cedar, toasted hay and black pepper. A light creaminess joined in fairly quickly. The second third saw some earth join in. The final third saw the earth increase to become even with the toasted cedar and hay. The Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut Short Churchill G had a nice start with a bold flavor profile. In the second third, as the earth joined in and built up, the profile dropped a level and maintained that the rest of the way. This is definitely a bolder Connecticut offering. The last two thirds were on the verge of being good, just a bit too much earth for me though to put it over the top. I would probably come back to this on occasion when I’m looking for that bolder type of Connecticut. Out of the three Knuckle Sandwich variations I’ve smoked, I’d say that this is my favorite over the Habano and the Maduro.
Seth: I think the Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut Short Churchill G is the best Knuckle Sandwich released to date, but just shy of that 601 Black quality. This is a hearty Connecticut. You get the cedar and cream notes, but it is much more earthy and peppery. The flavors play off of one another well throughout. I came away with an experience where it was a Habano like Connecticut. I will explain more in the videos.
John: Espinosa has another winner on their hands with the Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut Short Churchill G. The first and second thirds were the most interesting for me, with complimentary flavors that were balanced in strength. The last third seemed to step up with some intense spices out of nowhere that didn’t match up what the rest of the cigar had delivered to that point. The burn and draw were perfect. I will happily pick up another Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut in the Short Churchill G vitola at the earliest opportunity. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 7 minutes.
Jiunn: This Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut Short Churchill G is new(er) age Connecticut shade done right. That is, a baseline profile that is full of soft flavors touching on sweetness, creaminess and nuttiness. The newer age side of it being a bit more spice than your traditional old school Connecticut shade. Pleasure to smoke and will be back for more.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.00

Cost/Point

$2.17

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.57

Cost/Point

$1.98

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$1.91

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$1.91

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut Short Churchill G