On August 7, 2016 we released The Contenders pack with Two Guys Smoke Shop. Seven cigars deemed the finalists for the 2016 Cigar of the Year and only one would emerge victorious. Our cigar of the year is conducted differently than most. While we all get together to put the contenders together, we open up voting to customers of Two Guys Smoke Shop who purchased the contenders pack.
Early voting was close, but as the votes began piling in one cigar pulled away from the rest. That cigar is La Galera Connecticut, specifically the El Lector size. La Galera is the heart of any cigar factory. For La Galera maker Jochy Blanco, it is the space where their experienced master rollers concentrate to express their art in creating exquisite and refined cigars; using premium aged tobaccos from the best tobacco fields in the Cibao Valley, Dominican Republic.
Cigar Review: La Galera Connecticut
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Piloto Cubano, Criollo ’98, Dominican T-112
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 50
Vitola: Toro
Strength: Mild-Medium`
The Look: Packaged in white and red boxes of 20 cigars the La Galera Connecticut is available in seven different sizes. The cigar features an exquisite looking band on wine stock paper with a red ribbon on the foot. The wrapper which is a tad darker than your average Connecticut Shade cigar has a few thin veins visible. The cigar made by Jochy Blanco has a nice weight to and is firm to the touch with no voids.
The Notes: The cold draw over the cigar has a subtle maple note with hints of hay, earth and cedar. The aroma off the foot mimics that of the cold draw. One could says there are similarities to Davidoff in the pre-light ritual, and I will go ahead and say just that.
Once the cigar is lit there are traces of honey and a touch of wheat, along with a slightly floral component. As we move into the first third of the cigar some blackberry notes begin to emerge. The cigar is smooth and balanced while the retrohale has some honey like sweetness.
Moving on to the second third of the cigar, honey notes remain dominant with some fruitiness and spice that I think would pair well with a nice spiced rum such as Kraken. There are some underlying base notes of earth, cedar and a touch of hay, but the sweetness of the cigar really shines.
The last third is buttery smooth with continued notes of wheat and earth. The honey that was dominant in the first two-thirds is more noticeable on the finish as the cigar comes to a close while the retrohale of the cigar and aroma are intoxicatingly delicious.
The Finish: There were some great cigars that came out in 2016, but one cigar stood above the rest. That cigar was La Galera Connecticut which has a profile that is distinct and feels like new. I know a lot of my fellow bloggers will reach for trendy cigars that fit the definition of a cigar geeks stick. However, they seem like cigars that I have visited before. The La Galera doesn’t have that been there done that feel to it and for me that has been the reason I smoke it time and time again.
Score: 95
Price: $5.99 / $103.99
La Galera CT El Lector 2016 Cigar of the Year
La Galera CT El Lector 2016 Cigar of the Year Foot
La Galera CT El Lector 2016 Cigar of the Year Burn
