Living in New England the weather isn’t exactly cigar friendly. So this time of year we look for a shorter smoke to enjoy before frostbite sets in. Some people call them Dog Walkers, I prefer to call them Don’t Freeze Your Balls Off cigars. Granted, it’s not as catchy, but I don’t own a dog.
Since I moved to New Hampshire one of those cigars that I reach for the La Gianna Havana. In looking back over the years of this website, I have never reviewed the Connecticut version of the cigar, so today we rectify that.
Cigar Review: La Gianna Havana
Country of Origin: Honduras
Wrapper: USA Connecticut
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras
Length: 4″
Ring Gauge: 44
Size: Bambino
The Look: The La Gianna Havana comes packaged in a red dress box, with an old school feel to it. The inside and outside lid features a cliché of a cherub angel that matches the band of the cigar. Inside, the cigars are packaged in 3 rows. The USA Connecticut shade wrapper has some visible oils and a couple of veins present. For a small cigar, this 4 x 44 has a nice weight to it with no soft spots or voids.
The Notes: With a cigar as petit as the La Gianna Bambino, I will break the cigar down into two halves, instead of the thirds we normally do here at The Cigar Authority. But first, lets take a look at the cigar through the pre-light ritual in which we take the aromas in through the foot and on the draw before lighting.
The cold draw of the cigar and the foot are pretty much in sync. There are notes of butter, raisin and earth. They all are fairly balanced without one note standing out above the rest.
Once the cigar is properly cut and lit, the notes from the cold draw cross over on this La Gianna Havana. There is a buttery richness mixed in with hints of raisins and earth. As the first half begins to close, some nuttiness is introduced.
In the second half of this petit smoke, nutty notes become the focal point of flavor profile. The buttery richness of the first third becomes more honey like and a touch of raisins remain.
The Finish: Just because a cigar is smaller in stature doesn’t mean it should be smaller in flavor or enjoyment. In fact I would argue a smaller cigar should have much more flavor if it is properly constructed such as the La Gianna Havana. It’s available in many sizes, but for those cold winter nights that you don’t want to freeze your balls off, this is cigar you should be enjoying.
Score: 90
Price: $4.59 / $89.99
La Gianna Havana Bambino
La Gianna Havana Bambino Foot
La Gianna Havana Bambino Burn
