Artesano Del Tobacco burst into the cigar industry with the Viva La Vida. Years later, they cemented their place among cigar smokers with the El Pulpo. Their newest cigar, the Viva La Vida Connecticut, filled a void in their line by providing a lighter, but still powerful smoke. While it is their lightest cigar, it still provides great range of flavor and body. Read the review, and consider smoking the Viva La Vida Connecticut.
The Viva La Vida Connecticut features the same Jester as the original, but with a black, white, and gold color scheme. There is a secondary band on the cigar with the same color scheme. The secondary band displays "Connecticut" boldly, giving a visual preview of the bold flavor of the cigar. The cigar itself is silky to touch. There are a few veins throughout the body.
The Viva La Vida Connecticut is constructed with Nicaraguan Binder and Filler, and wrapped in an Ecuadorian Connecticut Wrapper. After cutting and lighting, the cigar provides an effortless draw, giving the perfect start to the experience. While smoking the cigar, the ash is so light it's almost white. The ash is also very sturdy, not falling off until halfway through the second third. The cigar also provides a great smoke output, giving a nice aroma while smoking. The burn line is remarkably even and consistent throughout the smoke, require little to no touch-ups.
The flavor profile on the Viva La Vida Connecticut is exquisite and complex, keeping your palate wanting more. The cold draw may provide notes of toffee, dried fruit, and a slight floral note. At first light, the cigar provides notes of milk chocolate, caramel, and cedar.
The first third may provide front notes of milk chocolate and earth, accompanied by notes of cream and raisin. The first third may also have subtle notes of cream and black pepper, with a hint of flour. The retrohale of the first third may have notes of black pepper, toast, and coffee.
The second third of the cigar may have strong notes of earth, with black pepper coming to the forefront of the palate. The notes of milk chocolate linger on the palate, along with subtle notes of coffee, dark brown sugar, and cream. There may also be hints of honey, dry hay, and cedar. The retrohale of the second third may provide notes of black pepper, coffee, and raisins.
The final third of the cigar may have more upfront notes of caramel, along with steady notes of black pepper. There may also be undertones of coffee and cream, with the earthy notes falling to the backburner. There may also be hints of cinnamon and milk chocolate. The retrohale on the final third may feature notes of toffee, toast, and black pepper.
The Viva La Vida Connecticut is priced will. A single can go for around $15, while a box of ten can go for around $150.00. The price point is appropriate for the cigar given the flavor profile and construction. However, the cigar could be priced between $13-$14 and still be well worth the money. That being said, this is definitely a cigar in your humidor. It's great for experienced cigar smokers, but also a good introduction to more full-bodied cigars for newer cigar smokers.
GC Rating: 92
