Cigar Review: Oliva Connecticut

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge, approx. $4.50
With the success and acclaim of the full-force Serie V, Oliva has turned its attention toward creating something at the opposite end of the spectrum--a good quality mild cigar. The result is the Connecticut Reserve, a blend of Nicaraguan filler and binder with an Ecuadorian Connecticut shade wrapper (hey, the Oliva Connecticut doesn't have any parts from Connecticut--kind of like an "American" car built in another country, say, a Pontiac G8!). I will be the first to admit that I am partial to more full-bodied smokes, although I have friends whose tastes run even more to that end of the spectrum than mine. I have found that many affordable mild cigars just do not taste that good and man of the great nameplates that do deliver on flavor are ridiculously overpriced (yes, I'm talking about you, Davidoff!). There are exceptions, though, my favorite being the Nub Connecticut (coincidentally distributed by the Oliva company...hmm), which I have consistently called "the best mild cigar on the market." Will the Oliva Connecticut play in the same league?

To start with, this cigar is simply beautiful--an evenly-colored, flawless wrapper the color of coffee with cream. The one thing that would separate this from one of its very expensive brethren is that it is not perfectly smooth--there are a couple prominent veins that would not fly on a stick costing 3 to 4 times the price. The aroma from the body of the stick is that classic humidor smell that you get walking into a well-stocked shop. From the foot there is some sweetness, maybe a creamy coffee aroma. The prelight draw was easy and the flavor was slightly sweet and creamy with notes of hay. After lighting the flavor was light and creamy, more like a cafe au lait.

That creamy coffee flavor persisted in the first third--the creaminess was absolutely wonderful. There was occasionally a touch of spice on the finish, too, which only enhanced the experience. The retrohale was smooth as well, with a definite nuttiness to it. The draw was excellent and the smoke heavy and thick enough to blow easy smoke rings.

The second third saw the cigar move into a more nutty mode. Any lingering spice pretty much disappeared but the creamy sweetness stayed around to support the flavor of roasted nuts. So far this was a fairly mild smoke but with some potential for nicotine kick in larger sizes.

As the Oliva Connecticut winded down, the flavors evolved again, becoming stronger in the roasted nuts department and even picking up an earthy tone. There was no cafe au lait flavor to speak of left. Overall, this is a splended mild cigar. It has a ton of flavor and keeps your interest throughout. It would be perfect for a new smoker or anyone looking for a nice cigar to have in the early morning with a nice cup of coffee. This may now be the best mild stick available.

Body: 3/10
Strength: 4/10
Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 10/10