Smoked: Caldwell Eastern Standard Silk Road Lancero

Smoked at: West Chester, Ohio

I first experienced the Caldwell Eastern Standard Corretto several years ago. I was a little disappointed. I have since become a big fan of Caldwell’s Eastern Standard. Today’s stick is the Eastern Standard Silk Road Limited Release – the usual Dominican binder and Dominican-Nicaraguan filler AND supposedly made with a Connecticut hybrid wrapper. Hybrid of what? Some sources say it’s a Connecticut. Others identify it as Ecuadoran Connecticut. My palate tells me it’s a Connecticut and we’ll leave it that.

The flavor profile ia cedar, cream, peppery, kitchen cabinet spice, walnuts, cocoa, and a dash of leather, caramel and coffee. The coffee taste ratchets up by the second third. The taste and aroma remind me of ordering from a barista. I have paired this with coffee as well as single malt scotch. Both work well with the Caldwell Eastern Standard. The cigar has a nutty, peppery retrohale. Terrific open draw, a good amount of thick smoke and a fairly even burn throughout.

It’s another medium bodied achievement by Robert Caldwell. He seems to have much success with mediums. The flavors really jump out in the Lancero vitola. I like this version of the Eastern Standard very much.