5 Great Connecticut Shade Cigars

Are you (or a friend) a new cigar smoker? Are you someone who simply doesn’t like “strong” cigars? Or maybe you like a wide variety of smoking experiences and are just looking for something that smokes great first thing in the morning…perhaps with a cup of coffee?

If any of those questions describes you, then I’ve got some suggestions for you: five of my favorite cigars that are wrapped in Connecticut Shade leaves. Let’s talk about the general category a bit first…

“Can’t I tell how strong a cigar is by the color of the wrapper?” The quick answer is “No.” The more in-depth answer is “sometimes, but it depends.” Yes, many (most?) Connecticut Shade-wrapped sticks are blended to be milder in body and strength. No, they do not need to be…a few manufacturers have tried to push the envelope. While a truly “strong” or “full-bodied” Conny hasn’t been really successful yet, there are many “mild to medium” Connys on the shelf and more seem to be added all the time. Additionally, I’ve seen Ecuadorian Habano wrapper leaf that is every bit as golden and light in color as a Conny…and they definitely don’t smoke mild!

“Connecticut Shade”…but grown in Ecuador? Yeah, that’s a little confusing. Connecticut Shade describes a tobacco varietal these days. It’s a specific type of plant long grown in the Connecticut River Valley under the shade of cheesecloth that is suspended over the fields on tall poles. Turns out this same varietal grows really well in a few other places, including Ecuador…and it turns out that at some places in Ecuador there is continuous cloud-cover so you don’t have to hang cloth over the fields to achieve “Shade” coloration. The cost is much lower and the resulting flavor is very similar, so the vast majority of today’s Connecticut Shade leaf is grown in Ecuador. I have been told that US-grown leaf takes a longer fermentation process to get rid of the most bitter notes, but when it does there is a greater, more pronounced sweetness than you can ever get with the Ecuadorian leaf.

5. La Aurora 1987

The newest entry on the list is from the oldest company on the list. La Aurora has been making cigars in the Dominican Republic for something like 115 years now. In 1987 they started using Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade leaf and this cigar commemorates that year. It’s a really inexpensive cigar, retailing for $6 to $7 in my local area, but it is my favorite example of Conny that’s ever come out of the La Aurora factory…and I’m including the Preferidos line in that assessment.

from the Oliva Cigars website

4. Oliva Connecticut Reserve

When Oliva started making a Conny, I think most people expected it to be in that “mild-to-medium” range because of Oliva’s Nicaraguan roots and the fact that the Serie V was a powerhouse (it was the major line that came out slightly before the Connecticut Reserve). Turns out you can make a wonderful mild cigar using Nicaraguan filler and binder, along with a creamy Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade leaf. And the price is great, too! These run about $6 to $11, depending on vitola…and there are plenty to choose from. It’s not only one of my favorite Connys…this is my favorite Oliva!

3. My Father Connecticut

Don Pepin and Jaime Garcia have been wowing the world for well over a decade now with their blends for other companies (like Tatuaje and the Nestor Miranda Collection) and under their own names. The “My Father signature” had become a blast of pepper spice and a medium or medium-to-full…or just straight-out-full!!!…bodied cigar that you wouldn’t soon forget. Then came the first Connecticut Shade cigar to wear the My Father name…and it was the best thing they had done with this wrapper so far. The price is fair and the blend is unmistakably Nicaraguan…and a great way to introduce newer smokers to the My Father brand.

2. GTO Gold Churchill

If you live somewhere besides the American Southeast, you’ll have a hard time finding these sticks. The GTO Cigars brand has been around about a decade or so, although the family behind them has been supplying tobacco to the industry for many, many years. Oscar Rodriguez lives in Alabama but his family farms tobacco in the Dominican Republic. This “Gold” blend uses his own Dominican fillers and binder leaves, along with a U.S. Connecticut Shade wrapper (the only one on this list). The result is a creamy, mildly sweet cigar that has a flavor that reminds me of Golden Graham cereal…seriously, the notes of graham cracker and honey on this one send me back to childhood every time. He makes this stick in a Robusto and a Petite Corona, as well, but the Churchill is where it’s at. If you do see them, buy lots!

1. Camacho Connecticut

It may not be the very first “medium-bodied Conny” on the market, but it was one of the first. And it may be the only one of those early adopters that is still on the shelf. Camacho was purchased by Davidoff, who helped them engineer something new for the brand: a Connecticut Shade cigar that is the mildest thing sold under the Camacho label, but was definitely not “mild.” This stick smokes like a true medium, but with the creaminess and citrus tartness of the best Connys. Thanks to the Dominican and Honduran leaf used in the blend, it has a fantastic complexity that has never failed to please my palate. All the while, the price tag has stayed fair and moderate. I’ve been saying that the Camacho Connecticut is my favorite Conny for years…and while the others in the Top 5 have changed a bit, it’s still got the #1 spot.

So, I’ve shared my Top 5 Connecticut Shade cigars, but I know I’ve skipped some great ones. What are your favorites? Share them in the Comments section below!!!