The 8 Best Connecticut Cigars
Connecticut cigars are blended with wrappers grown in the Connecticut River Valley, where tobacco farmers have been planting crops since the 1760s. However, there is more than one kind of “Connecticut” cigar today. In the 1970s, farmers began growing Connecticut-seed tobacco in the nutrient-rich soil of Ecuador, much as Cuban-seed tobacco was planted in Connecticut over a century ago.
There are three primary varieties: Connecticut Shade, Ecuador Connecticut, and Connecticut Broadleaf. For the most part, when we discuss Connecticut cigars, we’re talking about cigars with Connecticut Shade or Ecuador Connecticut wrappers. Connecticut cigars are easy to identify by their golden-blond wrappers. Connecticut Broadleaf, on the other hand, is dark and oily and used in many of the best Maduro cigars.
There are subtle differences between Connecticut Shade and Ecuador Connecticut wrappers, but you’ll find both among the best mild cigars. Connecticut Shade tobacco is grown in the Connecticut River Valley under nylon mesh tents that filter the sunlight. In contrast, Ecuador Connecticut refers to Connecticut-seed tobacco grown in Ecuador, where it’s less expensive to cultivate due to higher yields, a longer growing season, and lower labor costs. In Ecuador, the region’s cloud cover naturally filters the sunlight, giving the leaves a tan complexion nearly identical to Connecticut Shade crops. We outlined the best Connecticut Shade and Ecuador Connecticut cigars below. Add them to your rotation when you’re looking for impressive, mild cigars you can share with your friends.
1. Ashton Classic
The first Ashton cigars were created in the early 1980s, and the original Ashton Classic remains the bedrock of the brand’s iconic portfolio today. It’s one of a handful of cigars that continues to define the creamy and elegant taste connoisseurs of mild cigars have come to adore. A glistening Connecticut Shade wrapper surrounds a well-aged amalgam of premium Dominican long-fillers, handcrafted in several classic shapes blended by Carlito Fuente. Notes of cedar, almond, and coffee bean display hints of sweetness in a luscious profile.
2. Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente Natural
Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente is blended in three wrappers: Connecticut Shade (Natural), Connecticut Broadleaf (Maduro), and Sun Grown. The Connecticut Shade edition makes our list for its silky, mellow profile of nuts, cedar, and coffee bean, with a creamy, toasty finish. Vintage Dominican tobaccos fill out a wildly popular collection that’s been blended the same way by the Fuente family for decades. A cedar sleeve cradles each cigar to achieve optimal flavor as it rests at the factory and in the retail environment before it reaches your humidor. Indulge in one of the bestselling Arturo Fuente cigars in the world.
3. La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut
La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut delivers a luscious profile of almond, cedar, cashew, and coffee bean over a delectable foundation of buttercream and spice. Legendary father-and-son cigarmakers Pepin and Jaime Garcia prove they can blend mild cigars as masterfully as the strong smokes they’re best known for. A seamless Ecuador Connecticut wrapper leaf surrounds a mellow core of premium Dominican long-filler tobaccos in nine traditional sizes. This 92-rated classic rose to mainstream status immediately after its 2023 debut, driven by strong demand.
4. San Cristobal Elegancia
San Cristobal Elegancia is blended by award-winning cigarmaker José ‘Pepin’ Garcia from premium Nicaraguan long-fillers and a golden Ecuador Connecticut wrapper leaf. Tasting notes of white pepper, leather, almond, and cashew layer the palate before a luscious finish resonates with signature Nicaraguan spices in a collection of well-made sizes. Elegancia is an excellent introduction to Nicaraguan cigars due to its approachable taste and alluring aroma. Fans of San Cristobal cigars adore Elegancia for its easygoing finish.
5. Montecristo
Montecristo cigars are among the most famous of the Cuban-legacy brands produced today. The original blend has no shortage of admirers thanks to its soft, creamy profile of cedar, cashew, oak, and buttered toast, accompanied by a grassy sweetness. A uniform Connecticut Shade wrapper covers a nutty, smooth blend of premium Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. Although the Cuban heritage of Montecristo draws most cigar lovers to this historic brand at first, its mellow, pleasant flavor is what keeps them loyal.
6. Nub Connecticut
When you combine the short, chunky shape of Nub cigars with the velvety taste of an Ecuador Connecticut wrapper, you’ve got an immediate hit. Nub Connecticut is the number-one-selling Nub blend, featuring an elegant cover leaf and a balanced blend of premium Nicaraguan long-fillers inside. Tasting notes of toasted almond, white pepper, and a touch of baking spices go great with an ice-cold beer in the afternoon or a coffee in the morning. Nub cigars are handmade at the award-winning Oliva factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.
7. Macanudo Café
More aficionados smoke Macanudo cigars the very first time they light up than with almost any other cigar, thanks to the brand’s widespread availability and the creamy, mild taste of Macanudo Café. A Connecticut Shade wrapper blankets a smooth core of Dominican long-filler tobaccos in several traditional shapes. You’ll find Macanudo Café in every premium retail cigar shop, plus a host of gas stations and convenience stores, making it an easy cigar to locate when you’re craving its light profile of freshly baked bread with hints of vanilla, nuts, and pepper.
8. Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne
Aficionados applaud Perdomo cigars for the versatile variety of wrappers they’re blended in, but, hands down, their favorite is the 10th Anniversary Champagne. A luscious Ecuador Connecticut wrapper marries a medium-bodied blend of Nicaraguan long-fillers, handcrafted in a series of cool and easy-burning sizes. Notes of coffee with cream, toasted nuts, and black pepper create a pleasant impression in every puff. Brand founder Nick Perdomo enjoys a devoted following thanks to his high standards for taste and consistency, as well as his value-minded prices.
