Smoked: Esteban Carreras Cashmere Connecticut

Smoked at: West Chester, Ohio

I’ve been a fan of the Esteban Carreras Chupacabra ‘lo these many years dating back to when the Latin American legendary creature and the world were young. Today we’re doing a 180. We’ll try the Esteban Carreras Cashmere Connecticut. Why not?

The cigar has Nicaraguan filler and a Nicaraguan binder enveloped in a smooth typical yellow tan Connecticut wrapper of Ecuadoran descent. The torcedor must have run out of 10 W 40 – not an oily wrapper. Veins are there – just sealed up to be almost inconspicuous. Two bands including a footer although they appear to be three with the lower white section looking like a middle band. I figured this out while removing the band(s) and tore part of the primary. Optical illusion or operator error? You make the call.

The cold draw was a portend of things to come. It was tight and when lit, there was the dreaded tight draw, opened up with the handy cigar tool. The draw was never quite to my satisfaction, but I made due. The burn line was pretty even – one touchup. The ash held firm for about an inch but fell off several times before I could ash the stick. Smoke output was adequate at best.

Wood, vegetal and earth combine flavors – taste is like wet cedar, a bit mossy and a lot of pepper. Cream, nuts – walnuts & peanuts, toast and butter seep in during the first third with background notes of leather, hay, nutmeg spice and fruit. I’m waiting for even fleeting notes of chocolate and coffee, but I’m not feelin’ it, dawg…not tasting those components. The wood, earth and pepper are the dominant flavors. It’s medium bodied and medium strength in my book.

I found it too peppery, especially for a Connecticut…especially with morning coffee. There’s a reason you’re never asked if you take cream and pepper with your coffee. Please. Less pepper! More cowbell! The Esteban Carreras Cashmere Connecticut is a decent cigar – just nothing special.

BTW: My humidor contains an Esteban Carreras Chupacabra Anniversary edition, which I should clip and ignite soon. Film at 11. (For those of you who remember television news from the 1970s)