Noob Reviews #11: Gran Habano #1 Connecticut

Noob Reviews: A new smoker’s guide to the best beginner smokes

Since I recently hit my tenth review, Jason and I took a walk through our massive humidor in search of more sticks we thought noobs would appreciate, keep them interested in cigar smoking, and develop their palate. Some made us face palm they were so obvious; others were lesser known gems that we knew needed some love to get the attention they deserve. As much as I’d like to spill the beans on this new list, my lips are sealed. You’ll just have to stay tuned. For now, I give you my take on a brand well known for myriads of flavor.

The #1 Connecticut looks a little rough around the edges, with dark marks across the wrapper akin to scuff marks on a basketball floor, however, as no stranger to Gran Habano quality, this didn’t worry me in the least. Since the size I chose is so short and stout(4 x 60), much like Best Cigar Prices’s exclusive Robolo size (4 1/2 x 60), the wrapper seams have the interesting aesthetic of being nearly horizontal, instead of the usually diagonal, candy cane look. It’s almost a Nicaraguan puro, with the exception of the wrapper, which is the Ecuadorian Connecticut that gives this smoke its smooth, mellow body.

When I gave this guy a whiff it had a very peculiar combination of nuts and flowers. The cold draw was a bit more traditional: toasted nuts with hints of varnish and tobacco. When I gave it a spark the cigar started out with some sublimely smooth black pepper, with toasted cashews on the finish. Soon enough a supremely sweet malt flavor took the main stage and remained throughout. The draw was pretty firm, but produced copious amounts of smoke thanks to the 60 ring gauge. Going into the second half the finish changed over to bread and hazelnut with some mellow cream creeping in just towards the end.

A short cigar calls for a short review. The #1 doesn’t change too much throughout its smoke; just a few, pleasant tones shifting around persistent, sweet, chewy malts, are more than enough for an excellent hour-plus smoke session. If this sounds like your thing, and the pyro in you can put up with a flawless, no-touch-up burn, this might just be the noob stick for you. Click here to try it out.