Smoked: Macanudo Café Hyde Park

Smoked at: West Chester, Ohio

Short of going to Luckenbach, Texas with Waylon, Willie and The Boys, it’s time we get back to the basics firing up a Macanudo Café Hyde Park - a reliable medium-mild morning coffee cigar. It has all the trademark flavors of a Connecticut Shade draped over a San Andres binder and Dominican & Mexican filler.

Cedar, a creamy almost vanilla note, butter, cashews, a slight note of grass, faint citrus and mild pepper/spice The only improvement I could suggest to the folks at Macanudo is a reduction in a few sour, bitter notes while putting a little more pedal-to-the-metal with the usual Connecticut flavors. It’s a mild to medium-mild bodied, mild strength stick that pairs with any variety of coffee. The retrohale is light on the pepper and includes a grassy, earthy leathery aroma.

The construction is good - a fair amount of smoke production, the ash holds well, and a draw that’s just a tad tight but loosens up with a toothpick poke.

This cigar is often defined as a perfect stick for newbies. I can’t disagree, but I have enjoyed them for many years. Yes, there are plenty of mild to medium-milds I rank ahead of the Café. Still, I find it an enjoyable morning coffee cigar.