Wrapper: Connecticut (Ecuador)
Filler: Honduras, Dominican
Size: Monarca (Robusto) (5 x 50)
Strength: Mild

A Stroll in Flavor Country

Every once in a while its  nice to take the path less traveled, and branch out into uncharted waters.  Camacho is no novice brand when it comes to making good cigars, but they are new to making a mild Connecticut stick.  It is in fact a response to the masses who have been clamoring for a stick of this nature.  The Camacho Connecticut is a wonderful treat wrapped up in a truly inexpensive package.

The stick I chose was the robusto (Monarca) size, and it was selling for five and some change at my local cigar haunt, Casa Fuma, in Gilbert.  Having smoked the stick with one of my good friends, and talking with the proprietor of Casa Fuma, Cliff Coen, we all concluded that it was a great stick for the price, and a lovely example of a Connecticut.

In choosing the size, I went with the preferred size of Camacho’s president Christian Eiroa.  In a recent article he stated “I tend to favor the robusto.  It is the chassis from which we make all of the blends.  In my opinion, this size, 50 ring by 5 or 41/2 inches, allows us just the right girth for the blend to develop and the right amount of time to smoke the cigar.”  It is knowing this that I sampled his preferred size, and was greeted with a wonderful smoking experience, that I liken to taking a stroll through flavor country!

Construction: The construction of the Connecticut is a revealing look at the passion of the master blenders at Camacho.  Every Camacho Connecticut is an amalgamation of different blends of tobacco from all over the Central American region.  The wrapper is a beautiful Ecuadorian Connecticut leaf, which gently wraps a Honduran binder, that securely nestles the Dominican and Honduran filler.  All of the  wrapper leaves that I inspected in the box, and on my stick were smooth and without rips or tears.  The cap was of a sturdy construction that allowed for the Camacho Connecticut to be easily punched or cut, without compromising the integrity of the draw.  On this particular size I would recommend a punch.

Draw: The draw of the Camacho Connecticut was tight, but smooth.  It was tight in the sense that you could feel some resistance, but smooth in that smoke had no trouble passing through the channels and come spilling out in creamy clouds of tastiness.

Burn: While smoking the Connecticut I found the burn to be even and steady.  There were some moments where the burn was slightly uneven, but overall it held a fantastic burn down to the end.  Throughout the smoking experience the ash was consistently strong and light gray, with a slight striated pattern.  Overall the cigar burned the way it was supposed to and clearly showcased the telltale signs of expert rollers who know how to construct one fine cigar.

Flavor: One of the most flavorful cigars to me is a well constructed Connecticut.  Perhaps it is because that is the type of stick I first started out with, and it therefore will forever hold a special place in my heart, but a creamy Connecticut is truly a blissful smoke.  The Camacho Connecticut is creamy, spicy, and contains a constant note of cedar.  Upon the first draw the spicy taste is the overture to the masterpiece that is about to unravel in your mouth.  From there the spice becomes the sotto voce to the notes of cedar that take over for the remainder of the time.  From there it is a mixture of cream and cedar with the interruption of nutty flavor all the way to the last inhalation.  Connecticut’s can tend to end on a bitter note, but this cigar had no hint of bitterness at the end, and was a delectable cigar that any connoisseur could appreciate through and through.

Overall Opinion: From start to finish the Camacho Connecticut is one of the nicest mild body Connecticut’s I’ve had the pleasure of smoking.  Everything melded together to create an enjoyable smoking experience for a rock bottom price.  To be quite honest, this stick comes close to Ashton quality at half the Ashton price.  Camacho has done well in venturing out into terra incognita, and come back with cigar gold!  So if you are looking for a delightful mild body connecticut at a lower end price, or higher end price for that matter, then this cigar should definitely be at the top of your list for taste, construction, and overall economy.

Wrapper: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: Rico Grande (Torpedo) (6 x 54)
Strength: Medium

In the world of cigars there is always a passion and love for tradition. Heritage and craftsmanship are the hallmarks of a strong line. When it comes to new lines and companies, there is often a sense of wariness attached to the viability of the new cigar product. It’s the old axiom of the young go-getter having to earn their stripes. Ascendancy to the pantheon of cigar greats is not guaranteed; it’s earned.

George A. Rico is one such heir apparent. He is probably best known for his 3 Siglos cigar, which was a blend he put together for his family line of Gran Habano. It received a warm initial reception and planted the seed (no pun intended) for him to branch out and start his own company G.A.R. G.A.R. are the initials of his name, George A. Rico, and it has the added affect of having a sonorous quality about it, that produces an edgy appeal.

Everything about his line is appealing to the younger generation, from his aggressive name and branding which is a faded heraldic shield enshrined by victors leaves, to his trendy webpage which encourages a life and culture of a life aggressively, and well lived. With all of this swagger and style, one question immediately comes to mind…

“Does his cigar deliver, or is it simply a case of style over substance?”

Construction: Every cigar lover knows that the key to a great smoke is great construction. The G.A.R. Vanguard has the beginnings of great construction, and falls short in only a few areas. The binding of the vanguard is tight, and the filler was packed in a pattern that allowed for maximization of a smooth draw. I would say the chief downfall of the cigar construction is in its wrapper. The wrapper at both ends was unraveling, and this caused for some initial burn problems. Another deficit with the wrapper is its generally pronounced veins, as this was the cause of the unraveling and tears that I and my compatriot experienced while smoking the vanguard. To be fair to G.A.R. though, the cigars were a day or two off the truck, and Arizona climate can be a tough acclimation process for any cigar. Regardless the binder and filler are well crafted, but the wrapper could use some work.

Draw: The draw of the G.A.R. Vanguard has an amazing profusion of smoke that pours through the channels of filler effortlessly. Throughout the process of smoking the Vanguard I had no relights or troubles with the draw, which is a testament to its solid craftsmanship.

Burn: The burn of the Vanguard brings up mixed emotions. For the first part of the cigar the ash was loose, and tended to dust off without encouragement from the smoker. Upon20reaching midpoint the story changed and the cigar had better ash construction that was solid and grey. Another aggravation of any cigar smoker is when they have to perform “surgery,” surgery is the process by which a smoker creates an even burn, when an uneven island of tobacco begins to form. The initial unraveling created an environment out of the gate that made for an uneven burn; upon a few microsurgeries I was able to obtain an even burn for the rest of the stick.

Flavor: The flavor of the G.A.R. Vanguard was consistent. Consistency is good, especially for the beginnings of your own line. The Vanguard is definitely a cigar of leathery notes and subtle initial spice. At first the palate is greeted with a hint of spice, but that quickly takes a back seat to the leather tones, as is reminiscent of walking into a men’s fine shoe store. There is a pleasant association rooted in a man’s psyche with olfactory smell that is wafted into his palate when greeted by a fine leather product. Perhaps it goes back to his hunter instinct, but whatever it is it speaks to a primal place, that makes a man feel right at home.The Vanguard does that well, but unfortunately where it falls a little short is the end.

A race is not told in the steps, but rather in the finish, and unfortunately just like with good writing, a good cigar wants to leave its audience with a strong finish. The vanguard burns hot at the end, and creates a singed palate, which in return compromises the taste previously developed in the earlier smoking experience. So while the cigar is a strong consistent flavor for the majority, it falls short in the endgame.

Overall Opinion: I appreciate young blood, and heir apparent scenarios. George Rico is carving a niche for himself in the cigar world one stick at a time. The Vanguard is a great start to what will inevitably be a bright future, but there are hurdles to overcome. The Vanguard is a great consistent cigar with a handful of areas to improve upon. Anyone who likes consistency will appreciate this cigar, and anyone who likes a cigar with distinct leathery notes will also appreciate what this stick brings to the table. While this is not the finest stick I have ever smoked, it is a work in progress and a good first step. So the final verdict is that it is good, but takes some work to truly enjoy it, and is ultimately a cigar that could benefit from a little redesign.

Wrapper: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: Robusto Grande (5 x 52)
Strength: Medium

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George Rico was kind enough to sit down with PuffingCigars.com for an exclusive interview.

George Rico is the owner of G.A.R. cigars and the soon to come Opium Cigar line.

Information from the website:

For many years the name George Rico was known for blending cigars for Gran Habano Cigars such as the highly rated 3 Siglos.

The time has come and after many years George has decided to release his own line of cigars tailored to the style he is known for today and will be known for in the future.

G.A.R. is about living life and not putting things off. In the everyday life of George A. Rico the airports and hotels become boring and mundane. At the cigar events that George frequents he is given the chance to meet great people that share the same love of cigars he does. When the event is over he is on to the next airport and the cycle starts over. For this reason we have created a new way to break the cycle and make things very interesting.

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