I’ve been a fan of the original Corojo La Vieja Habana line for a while and have gone through a couple of boxes. I think they’re a great value smoke and know quite a few people who agree. The original line was recently revamped with new bands, cellophane, and four wrapper choices including Maduro, Connecticut Shade, Cameroon, and Corojo. Here we have a Connecticut Shade Rothschild Luxo at 5×54.

The Connecticut Shade wrapper is light and smooth with several small veins and a tidy double cap. The cap cuts very cleanly revealing a very easy draw, definitely easier than I was expecting. Since this is a ‘Cuban Sandwich’ mix of long and short filler, I’m accustomed to being greeted with a little loose tobacco after the cut but got none this time. The foot toasts easily and the first couple of draws yield the familiar La Vieja Habana flavor. It burns rather straight and yields tons of thick blue-white smoke.

While the basic flavor profile is very similar to the original La Vieja Habana, the Connecticut Shade wrapper is a bit more mild than the slightly spicy Corojo wrapper of the original. The ash is a medium-grey, seems to me to be a bit firmer and hold a little longer than the originals which I’m attributing to the wrapper difference. I’ve also had one of the Maduros and I think it was even more firm than this one.

The flavor stayed the same for most of the cigar, getting a little harsh only when it was down to the last inch. The Connecticut Shade wrapper is a little more mild and brings the occasional nutty flavor. If you enjoy the original LVH I think you should try all of the new wrappers, if you didn’t enjoy the original then I doubt that the new wrappers are going to bring enough new to the table to change your opinion. I do think this line now gives a great opportunity to enjoy the subtle but definitely noticable flavor differences the wrappers provide.