Connecticut wrapper
Binder: Connecticut, Dominican Republic
Filler: Brazil, Dominican Republic
Strength: Mild



Another goody in Ashauler’s care package was the Cusano 18 Paired Maduro in the robusto vitola. This cigar was chocolaty dark and firm with a slightly wrinkly, bumpy look; it was covered with plume and had a very slight sheen of oil. To my eye it appeared that my brother of the leaf had had this one around for a long time. The cigar cut cleanly and easily, and prelight draw was open, easy and airy with very little taste or aroma. I toasted, lit, and commenced to smoke.

The taste was immediately nutty and sharp, like black coffee. What a gorgeous taste, right from the start! Strength was mild, as billed, but the flavor was enormous, as was the smoke volume. The burn was initially less than even, but the burn zone, although not razor-thin, was well-defined. Queen Catfish took a puff and agreed that it had coffee and nuts dominant in the flavor profile.

The first third was a lesson in how smooth a smoke can be, and a lesson in how a lot of flavor can be delivered in a mild cigar. The ash was light gray and solid, but did not hold up very long, falling off at three quarters of an inch in length. Aftertaste was light but lingering. The nutty flavor came to the fore in the second third, with coffee remaining steady, and a bit of saltiness and bitterness in the aftertaste developing. I gave it a purge and let it rest a moment and the bitterness faded a bit.

The final third showed a strengthening of all flavors, and the addition of a bit of grassiness. The cigar was increasing in complexity as it progressed. The burn did become very uneven in the last third, with a bit of the wrapper flaking off.

Score = 82, gaining 1 point for a really excellent start and another for uniqueness; losing a point for a little bitterness in the aftertaste, for a final score of 83. If a mild cigar with a lot of flavor is what you’re after, I would certainly recommend you try this one. Many thanks to Ashauler for a fine smoke.