Cigar Review: Nestor Miranda Collection Connecticut

Vitola: Robusto
Size: 4.5” x 50 ring gauge
MSRP ~$7.25
Sample provided by Miami Cigar & Company

Background

It’s been a little over a year now since the project really started to take shape. Jason Wood from Miami Cigar & Company told me that early in 2014, he finished prototyping a special revamping of the Nestor Miranda Collection, including new blends, new packaging and new marketing—then presented the entire thing to Nestor (Jason’s father-in-law) as a surprise at a company meeting. Nestor was pleased with the work and gave his approval for the re-branding to move forward. By summer, the new 3-blend collection was hitting shelves across the country.

I reviewed the Maduro last year (Keith did too) and had intended to come back for the Connecticut and Habano, but they just slipped my mind in the rush of new blends that came out of the summer’s IPCPR show. Late in 2014, I was contacted by the marketing people for MCC about reviewing some other cigars and they threw in some NMC (Nestor Miranda Collection) smokes as well. So…it’s time to circle back and get take a closer look.

The NMC Connecticut, like the rest of the line, is made by My Father Cigars in Estelí, Nicaragua. It is the same blend that was previously used in the Nestor Miranda Special Selection Connecticut…just with new bands, boxes and vitolas. It features fillers from the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua, a Nicaraguan binder, and an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper leaf. I’ve had at least 3 or 4 of this blend in different sizes before sitting down to smoke this review sample.

Prelight

I probably said this before, but I like the way the re-branded Nestor Miranda Collection looks. It’s a good mix of modern and art deco influences with a color-code scheme that tells you exactly what blend you have before you without even turning it over to look for the obvious (this one says “CONNECTICUT” on the right side of the band). It’s a fairly simple design executed well. The look of the cigar is just as nice, with its golden-hued Shade wrapper expertly applied. I picked up a scent of sweet grassiness from the wrapper leaf along with some earth and wood on the foot.

After slipping the cap, the prelight draw was just slightly tight, but it didn’t seem like it would actually be too snug during smoking. The cold draw had classic mild cigar flavors of cream and hay.

Flavor

The NMC Connecticut lit evenly and quickly, starting off with an even creamy coffee note, with notes of molasses, hay and cedar coming up behind. The retrohale was the only place I experienced the “Pepin Pepper” at the beginning, with just a dash of brown pepper resonating through my nose. This Shade-wrapped stick started off in the upper end of the mild range, maybe even mild-to-medium.

As I got into the second third, I noticed more grassy and cedar notes with just a touch of molasses, as the coffee receded a bit and the pepper built on the back of the palate.

The cigar finished off about the same, with the addition of a bit of citrus in the mix.

Construction

All the NMCs I’ve smoked have shown very good build quality; solid ash, even burn lines, and good to great draw. This was no exception.

Value

One hallmark of the Nestor Miranda lines has always been their affordability. These new NMC blends continue that tradition.

Conclusions

The Nestor Miranda Collection Connecticut is a good starting place for newer smokers, delivering a classic mild flavor profile that edged up into the mild-to-medium range before it finished. To me it isn’t the most flavorful Connecticut Shade cigar that My Father has done—the My Father Connecticut wins that prize—but it is a good cigar for the money and a definite step up over other, more popular milder cigars like Macanudo or Romeo y Julieta. If you know someone that sticks with those brands, do them a favor and give them one of these.

By-The-Numbers

Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8.5/10