Let's cut straight to this Honduran-made Connecticut Toro that's been turning heads since its 2012 debut. Measuring 6"x52 in classic box-pressed parejo shape, these sticks come 20 to a box at $167.40 - solid value for a daily smoke that won't knock out newbies. The Connecticut Shade wrapper shines like polished mahogany, hugging Honduran/Nicaraguan fillers tighter than a Havana sunset.
The cold draw teases cedar shavings and damp earth. Initial puffs deliver cream soda fizz with white pepper tingle on retrohale. Smoke output's modest - no cloud chasing here. Burns arrow-straight with salt-and-pepper ash holding strong.
Warms up to cashew butter territory with baking spices (think nutmeg, not cinnamon). Noticeable sweet spot develops - honey-glazed almonds minus the cloying aftertaste. Construction holds firm; no relights needed.
Enters roasted coffee bean phase at the 45-minute mark. Mild nicotine kick emerges but stays manageable. Some detect wet stone minerality before the nub. Pro tip: stop before last inch to avoid bitterness.
Rolled in Danlí's humidity-rich factories, this blend represents Central American teamwork: Nicaraguan Estelí leaf for structure, Honduran tobacco for sweetness, all wrapped in Connecticut's golden ticket. The box-press isn't just aesthetics - it's like a built-in humidification channel.
