As we start to do more reviews here at Smokin Tabacco, I wanted one of my first reviews to be something outside my normal smoking routine. I randomly decided to grab an Acid 20 Connecticut Toro, and while I have nothing against Acid, or any infused or flavored cigars in general, they just aren’t in my regular rotation.
The Acid 20 Connecticut was introduced early in 2022 and was featured at the 2022 Tobacco Plus Expo (now the Total Product Expo, and often referred to as just TPE). It is an extension to the existing Acid 20 which uses a Mexican San Andreas wrapper over Indonesian binder and Nicaraguan fillers. This cigar uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper with the same Indonesian binder and Nicaraguan fillers as its maduro counterpart.
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Country: Nicaragua
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Factory: La Gran Fábrica Drew Estate
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Size: 6″ x 54 – Toro Extra
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Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut
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Binder: Indonesia
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Filler: Nicaragua
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Price: MSRP $10.75/$258 for a Twenty-count Box
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Released: January 2022
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Cigars Smoked: Three
On the cold draw, the aroma and the tip is very sweet; almost too sweet for me, and much sweeter than something you would find on a Baccarat or a Soberness Brûlée. I liken it to licking the inside of a sugary candy wrapper and tasting the candy dust that’s left behind. The wrapper appears to be tight, smooth and veiny. Overall, the veins aren’t too pronounced except for on one cigar which has a small spot in the middle where some thick veins do emerge giving it a much toothier appearance than the rest. The wrapper does not appear too oily. The aroma coming from the wrapper is similar to artificial sweetener and processed sugar.
After lighting the cigar I immediately get an inrush of cool smoke that has a nice subtle flavor. The cigar is not very strong at all and due to the sweetness on the tip of the cigar, the sweetness takes over the forefront of my palate. As I continue to smoke, I can pinpoint the sweet flavor on the tip further; it reminds me of those round Smarties candies you got as a kid. It was as if someone grounded them all up into dust and dipped the cigar in it. If I were to separate the flavor the cigar it self from the flavor of the sweetened tip, I would say the cigar has a dry taste to it with hints of cashew, cinnamon, and vanilla whey protein powder.
All three cigars burnt well and I only had to do one or two minor touchups. The draw was pretty average, not too tight, nor too loose. The sweet tip on the cigar does provide a nice balance with the soft, creaminess of the smoke thus far. One thing to note is about halfway into the first third the strong sweetness on the tip begins to really diminish, but not completely disappear.
Almond, cream, and nutmeg begin to emerge halfway into the second third. So far through the entire smoking experience, there has been a lot of smoke production, but not the same as you would get off Drew Estate’s other cigars, such as the Liga Privada or Undercrown lines, but more than an average cigar. Even as the flavor slowly ramps up, it remains overall mild and consistent.
A minor burn flaw came into play in one of the cigars, specifically the one I mentioned with a toothier appearance due to the cluster of veins that were thicker on one section. As I begin to burn through them the burn line is off, the ash doesn’t hold as well, and I have to touch it up here and there as I continue to get through it. While I can’t say that the burn was perfect due to this issue, overall it has been solid so far. Flavor wise, this is where it starts to get more depth and has more char and bitterness. It is still not too overpowering but is certainly not as light and smooth as it once was. Notes of cocoa powder and frothed cappuccino milk emerge with a small hints of nutmeg and soy on the backend.
Overall, I enjoyed this cigar. I would describe this cigar as mild-medium, with plenty of sweetness as you would find in most sweetened tip cigars. At the same time I would also say it has dry earthier tones that help to round it out. It exceeded my expectations, and I would smoke it again. If you typically smoke infused or mild cigars, my recommendation is to buy the box. If you aren’t, but like to toy with sweetened tips, buy a few and check them out. I should also mention the sweetness comes across slightly little different than most infused cigars I have smoked. It is different than an Acid Blondie or a Kuba Kuba, so don’t go into it expecting that kind of experience. I would say that it has much less of that infused effect, but still holds sweetness. While the draw and burn was on the average side, the ash was soft and broke very easily toward the beginning of the cigar, but became slightly firmer as the cigar burned further. I don’t typically smoke infused or flavored cigars, but this is one that in the right mood I could get into and enjoy.
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Cigars Smoked for Review: Three
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Cigars were purchased by Smokin Tabacco
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Drew Estate is a sponsor of Smokin Tabacco
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Average Burn Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
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FINAL SCORE: 88
Matthew Tabacco
Born and raised in New England, Matthew Tabacco began smoking cigars and living up to his unique namesake in 2017. What began as just a social indulgence became a world of everything premium cigars- learning from some of the biggest and best in the business. From casual smoking to lighting up on the hit podcast The Smokin Tabacco Show, Matthew can usually be found in some of the largest smoke shops in the country enjoying a cigar, talking business, or preparing for a show.
