Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona is dark tan with some lightly raised veins. The seams are smooth and the caps well applied. There are two bands, with the primary band being the traditional design for the brand with a burgundy background color. There is a gold ribbon at the foot. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of earth and hay while the foot brings graham cracker and cedar. The pre-light draw brings a mix of cedar and floral notes along with a mild spiciness on my lips.
Seth: Finished with a lovely Connecticut wrapper that is silky with a near Colorado coloring, the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona has small veins throughout. It is firm, well constructed, and has aromas of stone fruit, spices, tobacco and rich earth.
John: The La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona comes in cellophane and has a UPC sticker that pulls off with the cellophane when opened. The cigar has a primary La Aroma de Cuba band and a gold ribbon as a foot band. The cigar weighed in at 12.6 grams and the humidity as measured with a HumidiMeter Pro was 64.7%. Aromas from the wrapper were sweet hay and green wood. Out of the foot, I was getting hay and dusty tobacco.
Jiunn: The La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona has a pale Colorado Claro wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll lumpy and the head is well wrapped and capped. Aromas from the wrapper tell of light cedar and dry barnyard. Aromas from the foot give black pepper spice and nuts. Cold draws reveal cedar and a hint of floral tones.

La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with toasted cedar, black pepper, earth and faint creaminess. At a half inch in, the pepper has a bit of delay as it allows the cedar and earth to lead and then rushes in with some oomph. The retrohale is toasted cedar, earth and fairly zingy black pepper. At an inch and a quarter, the black pepper is now inline with the other components and doesn’t have the delayed delivery. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar, earth and black pepper are all even with a light creaminess in the background. The strength was slightly above medium.
Seth: The first third opens up with some roasted nuts, tobacco, dry earth, peppery spices, cedar and cream. The cigar is smoking at a level just above medium, and that is for strength and body. Connecticut with a kick.
John: My initial puffs bring flavors of chocolate, spices and creaminess with wood through the finish into the post draw. As the first third settles in, some nuttiness moves into the center. Spices and baked bread join the retrohale with some mild, tannic wood on the finish.
Jiunn: The first third reveals a good mixture of soft notes and layered spice to compliment. Flavors of sweet cream, bread, grass and spicy cedar. Retrohaling provides increased spicy cedar. The finish is the most lacking part, being driven by wood bitterness and tannic leather. Strength and body is medium.

La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, a bit of dry hay becomes present. At a quarter inch in, the black pepper mellows a bit. The retrohale is now just toasted cedar and earth. At an inch in, the black pepper has picked back up. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar, earth and black pepper are all even once again, with the light creaminess barely hanging on. The strength bumped up to medium-full.
Seth: The second third continues with those roasted nut, tobacco, dry earth and peppery spices. The cedar and cream flavors are still present, but not as noticeable as in the first third. It’s still smoking around that medium level.
John: Creamy bread leads off with medium strength baking spices in the retrohale. A mildly tannic and dry wood takes hold of the post draw. The profile is consistent through the second third with no major changes in strength or flavor combination.
Jiunn: The second third’s finish is more pronounced. The mixture of wood bitterness and tannic leather overshadows especially the softer sweeter notes. Strength and body remains medium.

La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the black pepper mellows once again. At a half inch in, the black pepper is now a fair distance behind the toasted cedar and earth. The retrohale is now toasted cedar and earth with light black pepper. At an inch in, the earth takes a slight lead in the profile. As the cigar wraps up, the earth is slightly ahead of the toasted cedar, with black pepper in the middle and faint creaminess in the background. The strength remained at medium-full.
Seth: The final third is stronger than the second third. With that, there are very few cedar and cream notes. Lots of roasted nuts, dry earth, tobacco and peppery spices. Still over medium in strength and body.
John: Creamy, mild bread starts the last third with wood on the finish. Baking spices are present through the retrohale at medium strength and linger for a long period between draws. Some bitterness develops on the finish by the halfway mark.
Jiunn: The final third tastes spicier and sweeter but my palate is still focused on the wood bitterness and tannic leather. So given that, it’s still the same average experience as the second third. Strength and body remains medium.

La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona

Burn

Aaron: The burn was straight throughout and the ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.
Seth: Amazing burn throughout.
John: The burn was razor straight through the review, with the ash holding on up to two inches at times.
Jiunn: Burn performance was perfect. Even burn, ample smoke production, tight ashes and cool burning temperature.

La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: Great draw.
John: The draw was quite snug, roughly 3-1/2 to 4 notches into the resistant spectrum.
Jiunn: Draw performance was on point, providing the ideal balance between air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with toasted cedar, black pepper, earth and faint creaminess. The second third saw some dry hay become present for a bit. The final third saw the earth take a slight lead in the profile while the black pepper waned. The construction was absolutely perfect. The La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona had a nice start, being full throttle in flavor fullness. Things began to settle down in the second third and the enjoyment level took a step down and maintained that level the rest of the way. This is definitely a much stronger Connecticut shade offering, so those that enjoy a mellow shade experience need to take note. While I wouldn’t really see myself coming back to this cigar, I would be interested in trying a larger vitola offering to see if it changes up the experience at all.
Seth: There are a lot of appealing vitolas with La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut. I don’t know if I would gravitate towards the Corona vitola personally, but I do feel that if the line can perform this well in a tricky vitola, it is bound to be successful in the other offerings. The Connecticut definitely had some strength and body, and the flavors were darker than your typical Connecticut as well. It really captured that modern Connecticut. I have a feeling that the cigar will be softer in a larger format, and that may make those more appealing to me. Overall, the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona was a solid cigar.
John: I enjoyed the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona, with interesting flavor combinations through the first and second thirds that elevated it above Connecticut Shade offerings on the market. The last third started out in a similar fashion, but the Connecticut bitterness came through to offset it. The burn was absolutely straight throughout, while the draw had some significant snugness to it. Price point aside, this is an enjoyable offering I would return to. When you factor in the price point, this could easily be a daily cigar choice. Total smoking time was 1 hours and 51 minutes.
Jiunn: Unbelievable and amazing pricing, especially for the current cigar market. At that price, you might as well say it’s free. But who cares if the cigar doesn’t taste good right? Well, I can say the initial third tastes good, giving what a proper Connecticut shade should (soft flavors, mild strength, and accented spice). But the remaining two thirds are passable. But hey, for $6.50 give the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona a shot for yourself.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$1.07

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.45

Cost/Point

$1.01

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.37

Cost/Point

$1.02

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$1.07

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona