New World Connecticut Toro

Late last years, only a few months after the debut of the New World, A.J. Fernandez Cigars announced that it would be making a Connecticut version of the cigar, logically named New World Connecticut.

The cigar uses a U.S. shade-grown wrapper, Mexican San Andrés binder and fillers from Brazil and Nicaragua.

While the cigar debuted in a 5 1/2 x 54 version last year for an event at Cigar Inn, the production vitolas are Corona Gorda (5 1/2 x 46), Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (6 x 52) and Belicoso (6 x 54), all of which are priced around $6.

There are a few changes between the New World and New World Connecticut beyond the blend. The New World Connecticut is round, as opposed to the original box-pressed. In addition, the original cigar was made only in 55 and 58 ring gauge vitolas, while there is greater diversity with the newer cigar. Finally, the foot band has changed a bit.

• Cigar Reviewed: New World Connecticut Toro
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: Tabacalera Fernandez S.A.
• Wrapper: Connecticut
• Binder: Mexican San Andrés
• Filler: Brazil & Nicaragua
• Size: 6 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Vitola: Toro
• MSRP: $6 (Boxes of 20, $120)
• Date Released: May 28, 2015
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked for Review: 3

It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed a cigar with a Connecticut-seed wrapper that did not feature cover leaf from Ecuador. Yes, it’s different, although I’m not sure the difference is as revolutionary as some make it out to be. There’s no question the brightness of the leaf is a bit toned down, especially compared to some of the newer leaves from Ecuador over the last few years. Aroma-wise, there’s leather, cedar and ammonia—somewhere around medium-plus. From the foot, I pick up some sweet cocoa, woods and a big red pepper—and it’s full. That makes the cold draw even more surprising, as it’s muted with a creamy chocolate flavor that reminds me of a chocolate shake.

There’s no ice cream desserts for the start of the New World Connecticut. Instead, sweet cedar and berries with sour apples, creaminess and nuttiness on the finish. It’s not as sweet as those flavors are normally, but there’s still a fair bit of sweetness, as only the sourness is really cutting through it. Eventually, the cigar transforms pretty dramatically with creamy cedar dominating the tongue, some floral flavors and a dry bitter chocolate on the retrohale with a touch of spices in the back of the throat. The smoke itself is warm, but the cigar seems to be pretty adaptable to smoking speeds. When I do push it, there’s not only a black pepper, but also an orange peel.

It’s a full-flavor cigar with medium-full body and medium strength, but the finish is excruciatingly long and by the second third, I feel like I’ve smoked two or three cigars. Fortunately, the middle point gets much better flavor-wise. A big peanut takes over, along with an artificial milk flavor that reminds me of a milk stout, earthiness, parsley and a red apple characteristic. The finish has a unique cold french fry potato flavor and is a bit shorter than before, which for once is a good thing in my book. The New World Connecticut’s draw has been open from the start, but the smoke production and burn are good, so it makes up for things.

The flavor drops off quite a bit in the final third, with things become muddier and a bit less potent. That’s a particularly unique problem because of how full the flavor was for the first two thirds. I manage to pick up a fleeting cocoa, some spices and a fading oak, but there’s a lot of harshness. In addition, for the first time in the cigar, I’m working hard to keep it lit, which the open draw is not helping. It’s a pretty sad ending for what had been a lively cigar for inches, but at some point, I’ve had more than enough.

Final Notes

• I much prefer the regular New World.
• The New World Connecticut comes in boxes of 20. The only reason why that is of note is because the company made a big deal about how it put the original cigar in boxes of 21, but priced the cigars as if it were in boxes of 20.
• Strength was medium.
• The inside of the bands feature Abdel Fernandez’s signature.
• Cigars for this review were sent to halfwheel by A.J. Fernandez Cigars.
• Final smoking time was a very quick one hour and 25 minutes, amongst the quickest burning cigars I’ve smoked.
• Site sponsor Serious Cigars has the New World Connecticut in stock.