The Wise Man Maduro has been getting a lot of accolades across the blogsphere and in social media. It was the follow up to the El Gueguense, but there is one cigar that I think is unduly being ignored and that is the Charter Oak specifically the CT Broadleaf wrapper. It’s a cigar with a phenomenal price point, and today we offer up that review.
Cigar Review: Charter Oak CT Broadleaf
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Nicaragua (Esteli, Jalapa)
Length: 6
Ring Gauge: 52
Size: Toro
The Look: The cigars come packaged in a slide top box of cedar with the Charter Oak logo front and center. If the tree looks familiar to you, it is the same tree on the back of the Connecticut quarter and a landmark in Nick Melillo’s home state. Inside, the cigars sit in two rows of 10. The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper is dark and oily with some tooth. The cigar is well rolled and features a closed foot.
The Notes: The cold draw of the Charter Oak Connecticut Broadleaf serves up some cedar and roasted peanuts with the slightest hint of cocoa. The sweetness off the cocoa appears on the aroma of the closed foot and wrapper. After we light the cigar the first note is nutty, that quickly defines as roasted peanuts.
Moving into the first third the peanuts remain dominant as a dark chocolate begins to emerge as the first third comes to a close. The retrohale serves notes of leather and subtle spices that last on the long finish.
In the second third of the cigar the leather notes remain as an espresso note becomes dominant by the half way point. As the second third comes to a close a subtle liquors begins to develop while the retrohale becomes nutty.
The last third sees the cigar come together with subtle notes of dark chocolate, nuts, leather and espresso. None of them stand out, but take turns appearing as some pepper develops on the retrohale of the cigar and the long finish remains.
The Finish: Make no mistakes about it, The Wiseman Maduro is the best cigar in the Foundation Cigar Company portfolio, but for the price the Charter Oak Maduro is mighty fine stick. It’s dark flavor profile is what I expect when I light up a Connecticut Broadleaf cigar and this stick did not disappoint. It’s often overlooked in the humidor and it shouldn’t be.
Score: 91
Price: $5.69 / $98.99
Charter Oak CT Broadleaf
Charter Oak CT Broadleaf Foot
Charter Oak CT Broadleaf Burn
