La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona

If I had to compile a list of staple brands in humidors across the U.S., I’d certainly hope that I would include La Aroma de Cuba, part of the Ashton Distributors portfolio and a brand that I think has some of the better go-to options that can be found without much effort.

It’s a portfolio that includes the original La Aroma de Cuba, which uses a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and filler, and then a series of extensions that includes the Mi Amor, the Noblesse, Pasión, Edición Especial and Reserva.

At the end of May 2023, Ashton Distributors Inc. announced the release of the seventh member of the La Aroma de Cuba’s lineage, the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut, which uses an Ecuadorian-grown, Connecticut-seed wrapper atop a Nicaraguan binder and filler, with those tobaccos grown in the country’s Estelí, Jalapa and Condega regions by the García family of My Father Cigars. The line is produced by My Father Cigars S.A. in Estelí, Nicaragua, which has been producing the La Aroma de Cuba portfolio since 2008.

The La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut debuted in seven sizes, ranging from a slender corona to a sizable 7 x 58 vitola.

The cigars began shipping to retailers on June 1.

• Cigar Reviewed: La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.
• Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut-seed)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Length: 5 1/2 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 44
• Vitola: Corona
• MSRP: $6.50 (Box of 25, $162.50)
• Release Date: June 1, 2023
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

It takes a bit more work than normal to get the first cigar out of its cellophane, then when I get it out of the sleeve, I notice it has an odd density, not quite firm, not quite soft, but kind of a firm mushiness. The foot ribbon slides off without too much issue, but what’s more noticeable is that the main band slides up and down fairly easily, making for an interesting first impression of the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona. The other two cigars also have slightly loose bands, while the sides looks like they has been flattened by being pushed into a snug-fitting box, something confirmed by seeing and feeling a ridge where the curve occurs. None of the cigars have an appearance that would stop me from purchasing them, however. Each of the three cigars look to be rolled well, with flat seams and well-constructed heads. The foot has aromas of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes cereal with a finish that is more peppery than I would have imagined, while the smell of buttered dinner rolls makes up a decent amount of the finish. The cold draw is soft and creamy, and echoes some of the Corn Flakes and buttered bread from the aroma but only a fractional amount of the pepper.

This is one of those statements for which I do not have enough evidence to support, but out of the gate, the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona might be the most amped-up cigar out of the gate to use the word Connecticut that I have smoked. There is a good bit of bright pepper right away, sitting atop a light bread flavor, some mixed nuttiness, and the crispness of plain potato chips. I get a bit of a mineral note at times as well, suggesting there is some earthiness in the profile as well, though I don’t pick up any earth in the profile immediately. After the first half-inch, there are thin threads of creaminess that meander through the other flavors. Retrohales continue to be peppery and now show a robust earthiness that is enjoyable, yet also feels a bit incongruent for what I think a cigar billed as a Connecticut should be offering. There is a pretty distinct corn cereal note as the first third begins to transition into the second, a profile that also signals that the pepper has settled down for a bit. While I can’t directly attribute this to any flavor change, the profile seems smoother, almost a bit oily, though I’m hesitant to lean into that term too much. The final puffs of this section suggest pepper is about to make a comeback as I can feel my taste buds and nostrils tingling after a brief respite. Flavor is at least medium-plus in this section, maybe medium-full but not quite full, while body is medium-plus and strength is mild. Construction in the first third is fantastic and problem-free.

While I thought the first third had some peppery kick, the second third kicks things up even more, especially via retrohales, which results in almost everything above my neck getting a peppery tingle. It’s clear that this isn’t harshness, but rather just a sensation that finds its way to seemingly anything that will tingle. While it’s not a heavy profile, there is more earthiness in the profile, as well as a very light char and a slightly rougher sensation on the finish. Creaminess reemerges past the midway point and it definitely is welcomed, both as a contributing flavor and what it does for the profile, softening over some of the rougher spots while not completely eliminating them. The change also makes retrohales fuller-bodied than they have been before, earning the term nostril-filling much more than they have been thus far. As this section begins to wrap up, the flavor mellows in terms of vibrancy while the body of the cigar remains very full. Once again, this section ranges from medium to medium-full, body is consistently medium-plus, while strength still feels in mild territory. Construction is still very good across the board, as the draw is smooth and easy, the burn line is even, and there is plenty of smoke production.

The final third of the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona starts with a bit of smokiness, not that far off from the aroma of a nearby campfire. That leads into a new flavor of lightly charred wood, the return of black pepper, and some new tingling sensations in the front of my mouth. Retrohales are also vibrant, a bit too vibrant at times due to some metallic notes and a sharper top note of white pepper. While the cigar hasn’t felt like it was burning at a brisk pace thus far, the burn line in the final third moves from the pace of a purposeful run into that of a sprint, as the burn line progresses by a leap with seemingly every puff. The flavor seems to coalesce around both creaminess and a crisp, almost biting pepper, an interesting duality of the cigar that has me liking it one moment and reaching for water to rinse off my palate the next. Flavor finishes medium-plus, body is medium-full, and strength is medium-minus at most. Construction remains very good across all three samples, as other than what seems to be a faster burn line progression, there’s nothing to complain about in this department.

Final Notes

• When I take the band off and allow myself not to think about what the cigar is, there are times it reminds me of some Cuban custom rolled cigars I’ve picked up at La Casa del Habano shops in the country. The vein structure of the wrapper is a bit different than that of Cuban wrappers, but the color of the leaf could certainly pass.
• I’m not crazy about the durability of the ash, as a few too many clumps landed on my desk, lap, or the floor. I’d definitely suggest being proactive with knocking it off in order to avoid an unnecessary mess.
• That said, the first clump of ash seems to be more durable than the rest of the ash.
• While the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona gets its own color scheme, I am a bit surprised that It didn’t get a secondary band or a mention of this being a Connecticut wrapper on the main band. I’m always in favor of clear differentiation and identification whenever possible, especially in line extensions like this. In particular, I’m thinking of a consumer smoking one of these, enjoying it, and only remembering that the name had something to do with Cuba, then being presented with the line’s other versions and not being sure which one it was and ending up with a very different cigar.
• That said, I find it interesting that the El Jefe size gets its own secondary band, something that seemingly dates back to 2012 when the size was added to the original La Aroma de Cuba line.
• I have not yet smoked the other vitolas in the line, so I can’t speak to one being better than another. I would certainly like to try some to see how the sizes affect the profile, as there might well be a vitola where this cigar really shines, even enough to be in consideration for some end-of-the-year awards.
• I don’t know how many people know that La Aroma de Cuba is part of Ashton’s portfolio, just like San Cristobal is. Both of those lines have roots in the Cuban cigar portfolio, with Cuba’s cigar industry currently producing their own versions of those brands.
• Because of this, in non-U.S. markets, Ashton sells the La Aroma de Cuba line under the name La Aroma del Caribe, while San Cristobal is sold under the name Paradiso.
• I didn’t get any nicotine strength from the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona, or at least not enough to be noteworthy. While the flavor was vibrant and lively at times, I didn’t find any strength to go along with that.
• The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time was one hour and 45 minutes on average.
• Site sponsors Atlantic Cigar Co., Cigars Direct, Famous Smoke Shop carries the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona. JR Cigar carries the line but does not currently list the corona vitola.