Vitola: Churchill- 7” x 48 ring gauge
- MSRP $9.00
- Review sample provided by Gran Habano Cigars
Background
According to the official press release, Gran Habano’s Blue in Green project was released in late October 2018. I was provided a review sample by Gran Habano, which also happens to be a sponsor of Leaf Enthusiast, but because it’s a Connecticut Shade-wrapped cigar, I had to wait until the weather was cooperative…late fall and early spring was really cold really early this time around. Thankfully, there was an early January day with temps in the mid-to-high 60s and I decided it was a good time to burn this one.
This is what the press release had to say about this cigar:
This medium-bodied version of a Gran Habano classic blend is selected from the finest vintage tobaccos. The Blue in Green Connecticut-wrapped cigar blissfully embodies the rich nuances of its fillers from the exceptional sunbathed soils of Nicaragua. Blue in Green’s wrapper, binder, and fillers produce a synergy of smooth, creamy, and toasted loaded flavors. This is one cigar that demonstrates that a mild to medium-bodied cigar does not have to be bland.
Blue in Green uses Nicaraguan filler and binder leaves along with a “Connecticut” wrapper. It is Connecticut Shade as a type of leaf, but it isn’t stated if it’s grown in Connecticut or Ecuador; judging by price alone, I’m guessing Ecuador. Blue in Green is available in 3 sizes and comes in 20-count boxes.
As to the name, the press release doesn’t give a clue as to the origins, but “Blue in Green” is the name of the third song on Miles Davis’ 1959, Kind of Blue. And now I think I know what album to play while I smoke this cigar.
Prelight
From a presentation perspective, I find the Blue in Green a definite step up from the majority of Gran Habano releases. The band has a blue background with gold foil text and trim and a bit of embossing. There is a cedar sheath with “Blue in Green” printed on it in blue and both top and bottom edges of the sheath are wrapped in gold ribbon. Overall it’s a simple, classy and cohesive branding. The boxes are white with stylized tobacco plant drawings printed in blue on them. Not the cleanest look, but it is eye-catching without being gaudy.
The wrapper leaf was clean, smooth and practically flawless in appearance. It had a dusky gold hue and an evenness of color that I was frankly surprised to see on a stick less than $10. The aroma from the wrapper was clean hay and a slight cedar note, while the foot had a stronger cedar aroma and a good amount of freshly-tilled earth.
The cold draw was very good. I got flavors of fresh hay and wood mostly.
Flavor
Firing up the Blue in Green, I got a strong cedar flavor right up front, with lesser flavors of hay and lemon grass, along with a citrus sweetness on the finish and a nice dose of red pepper on the retrohale. The first third of the cigar burned along slowly, mild to medium in body, with a pleasant flavor profile that retained grassy, woody and citrusy notes. Pepper built slowly on the palate, adding to what I had already experienced on the nose.
During the second third, I got an increased sweetness in the form of molasses, along with a steady citrus and hay note riding on a creamy mild-to-medium-bodied smoke.
The last third was creamy and slightly sweet with molasses and citrus notes, along with just a touch of grassiness.
Construction
I had a great draw, very even burn line and solid ash for this cigars.
Value
Blue in Green was a good cigar with a nice price, so the value quotient was solid.
Conclusions
The Gran Habano Blue in Green was a good example of a refined and mild Nicaraguan-based Connecticut Shade cigar. I enjoyed it from end to end, but I can’t say I was ever blown away or that I discovered something new and unusual during the hour and a half or so that it took to burn. Overall, though, good mild cigar at a good price that I can recommend to fans of milder cigars and Gran Habano fans that want something more refined than their original Connecticut.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10
