The Caldwell | Blind Man’s Bluff Connecticut is a followup to Caldwell’s 2015 release the Blind Man’s Bluff. Two years ago Caldwell Cigar Co. released a new line called Blind Man’s Bluff at the 2015 IPCPR Convention and Trade Show. Like the original, this cigar is rolled at Agroindustrias Laepe S.A. in Danli, Honduras, the old Camacho factory.
This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.
The blend uses the same binder and filler as the original, but the Ecuadorian habano wrapper is replaced with an Ecuadorian Connecticut. This version comes in two more vitolas than the original for a total of 5 vitolas: Corona (5 3/4 x 44) — $6.90, Churchill (7 x 48) — $9.90, Magnum (6 x 60) — $9.90, Robusto (5 x 50) — $7.90, and Toro (6 x 52) — $8.90.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Corona
Length: 5.75″
Ring Gauge: 44
Country of Origin: Honduras
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Dominican Republic & Honduras
Factory: Agroindustrias LAEPE S.A.
Blender: Robert Caldwell
Number of reviewers: 4 – Ryan H. (Ryan H.) Alan(Eulogy) John A. (Bostoneo) Mickey T. (irratebass)
Price: $6.90
Age: 3 Months
Release Date: March 2017
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 90
“Nice light brown wrapper, kinda reminds me of coffee with a lot of cream in it. There’s a few imperfections in the wrapper but it’s smooth to the touch, has very tight seams, and it surprisingly hefty for its size.” –Alan (Eulogy)
Aroma: 88
“A cold draw reveals sweet red fruit flavors alongside leather, cream and spices. On the nose, hay, tobacco, and chocolate are detected.” –John A. (Bostoneo)
Flavor: 89
Strength: Mild-Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“Cigar has some white pepper spice a nice leather and earth profile emerges. Draw is a little tighter than I would like. Strength is light medium. Post draw leave a really clean palette. Cigar is also developing some cream.” –Ryan H. (Ryan H.)
“Cold draw greets me with salt and a hint of sweet tobacco. Sweet tobacco right out the gate. Quite mild starting out. There is some cream and peanut flavors seeping out in the final bit of this third. ” –Mickey T. (irratebass)
Flavor: 90
Strength: Mild-Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“Burn is performing well even with some sitting its holding up. Profile is doing some shifting to peanuts and wood a stranger and surprising transition. Definitely keeping things interesting.” –Ryan H. (Ryan H.)
“Sweet grassy notes with noticeable balanced black pepper ease things in this third. The profile remains quite consistent throughout this third, which I enjoy very much!” –John A. (Bostoneo)
Final Third
Flavor: 89
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“The growing strength from the previous third continues till the end. The pepper increased to the level at the first third. Black tea was really the first and only new flavor since the start of the cigar. It was certainly welcome. The nuttiness and brown sugar were still there but the slightly bitter note of the tea and aggressive level of the pepper tamped the sweetness down from the previous two thirds. ” –Alan (Eulogy)
“Big strong peppery notes kick off the last third alongside sweet hay like notes; this is a spicy meatball mama. Mellow leathery flavors round out the back end.” –John A. (Bostoneo)
“Just the right amount of resistance I look for in a cigar.” –Alan (Eulogy)
Burn: 96
“No corrections and pretty razor throughout the whole experience.” –Ryan H. (Ryan H.)
Construction: 93
“Tight seams, no soft spots, great smoke output and burn all score high for this cigar. There were some blemishes and a few small cracks on the wrapper developed but didn’t effect the smoking experience.” –Alan (Eulogy)
Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium
Experience Overall: 92
“This could be a solid cigar for the start of the day. I think it would pair well with coffee and it wouldn’t destroy your palate if you wanted another later on. I probably would have enjoyed it more if there was a bit more evolution of flavors throughout, but this is going to be a cigar you’re going to know if you like early on because the beginning is what you’re basically getting to the end.” –Alan (Eulogy)
“Something sweet, something spicy, mama this was a tasty cigar. Abet nothing terribly complex, this was a cigar I’d keep on hand for days I feel like something to punch me in the face with flavor. Sweet hay like aroma with a red and black peppery finish had me drooling over this one.” –John A. (Bostoneo)
“This cigar was just ok for me. There were enough flavors I guess, but not enough to make me jump around the room or write to my mother about them. Honey, cedar, peanuts and some cream. Would be a nice 1st cigar of the day with coffee. Not going to seek them out.” –Mickey T. (irratebass)
"Something sweet, something spicy, mama this was a tasty cigar. Abet nothing terribly complex, this was a cigar I’d keep on hand for days I feel like something to punch me in the face with flavor. Sweet hay like aroma with a red and black peppery finish had me drooling over this one." -John A. (Bostoneo)
