Aaron Loomis

 John McTavish

Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Los Statos Deluxe Connecticut Robusto is a mix of medium tan and green with some lightly raised veins that carry a lighter color to them. The seams are slightly raised while the head is very well finished. The band is purple, black, gold and white and has the initials of the brand. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of cedar and paper, while the foot brings cedar, cardboard and a bit of stone fruit sweetness. The pre-light draw brings cedar, cardboard and mild earth.
John: The Los Statos Deluxe Connecticut Robusto is completely covered in a paper wrap with the logo and tissue covering the head and foot. Removing the paper wrap and tissue reveals a single band. I weighed the cigar at 13.8 grams with the wrap and tissue, and 12.1 grams without. Aromas from the wrapper included dry cedar at medium strength with light cedar in the foot.

Los Statos Deluxe Connecticut Robusto

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with toasted oak, bold black pepper and some light earth. At a half inch in, the black pepper mellows a bit and the earth increases a bit. The retrohale is toasted oak, slightly zingy black pepper and earth. At an inch in, a construction paper note joins the profile. At an inch and a quarter, the black pepper mellows significantly. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is a bit ahead of the construction paper and earth, with black pepper in the background. The strength was slightly below medium.
John: Sweet tobacco starts the review with mild, dry wood to finish. Some mild bitter hay mixes in with creamy tobacco through the retrohale, and lingers well into the post draw. The first third continues to evolve with mild chocolate moving into the center of the retrohale. Hay also joins the finish as it progresses to the halfway point. I find the first third to be a prototypical classic Connecticut Shade blend.

Los Statos Deluxe Connecticut Robusto

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the construction paper and earth inch closer to the toasted cedar up front. The retrohale is now toasted oak, earth and mild black pepper. At an inch in, the black pepper picks back up a bit. As the third comes to a close, the toasted oak is just ahead of the construction paper and earth, with the black pepper just behind the middle of the profile. The strength bumped up to medium.
John: A creamy and savory meat flavor leads off with dry wood and pepper to follow. The dry wood and pepper combine on the finish and into the post draw to linger. That profile remains consistent until the halfway point where mild bitterness is present on the finish.

Los Statos Deluxe Connecticut Robusto

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the toast level increases a bit. At a quarter inch in, the earth is now even with the toasted oak up front. The retrohale now has the toasted oak and earth even with some light black pepper. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted oak and earth are even up front, with the construction paper a bit behind and the pepper just behind the middle of the profile. The strength remained at medium.
John: Creamy, mildly bitter hay, wood and grass is delivered at the opening of the last third. The same flavors are present on the finish at light-plus strength but move up to almost medium-minus through the post draw. Like the second third, the profile is consistent and the only change here is some dryness on the finish by the halfway point.

Los Statos Deluxe Connecticut Robusto

Burn

Aaron: The burn was a bit wavy throughout, and the cigar went out once in the second third, requiring a re-light. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.
John: The burn was wavy to start, eventually self correcting. The cigar went out on me at the halfway point, requiring a re-light. I found the burn even through the last third. The ash was quite flaky through the review experience, to the point where I left it near my ashtray.

Los Statos Deluxe Connecticut Robusto

Draw

Aaron: The draw was slightly tighter than I p[refer, but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.
John: The draw was at most one notch towards the resistant spectrum, which puts it in the ideal range between open and resistant.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with toasted oak, bold black pepper and some light earth. Some construction paper joined a bit later and the pepper mellowed significantly. The second third saw the construction paper and earth increase a bit and the black pepper increased slightly. The final third saw the toast level increase and the earth became even with the oak up front. The Los Statos Deluxe Connecticut Robusto smoked well for the first inch, then when the construction paper joined and the pepper fell off, it lost its attractiveness. It was then pretty average the rest of the way. The cigar has an attractive price point, but the flavor profile isn’t exciting enough to make me want to come back to it.
John: I think the Los Statos Deluxe Connecticut Robusto delivered textbook flavors of a Connecticut Shade offering. As a result, I found the overall experience to be pleasant, but I wasn’t engaged or impressed by any of the flavor combinations. The draw was perfect and the cigar went out on me once, requiring a re-light. I have to assume this cigar is positioned to be a budget Connecticut Shade offering, and I think it will do well for those smokers who are looking for this consistent flavor profile at a good price. I’d smoke this again, but it isn’t something I would seek out. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 43 minutes.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.40

Cost/Point

$1.63

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.55

Cost/Point

$1.58

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Los Statos Deluxe Connecticut Robusto