Jose Dominguez Signature Connecticut Gordito (5x50)

I decided since the Connecticut wrapped sticks have been such a hit with me lately to keep the momentum going. Up for review is the Jose Dominguez Signature Connecticut, offered by T.L. Johnson. I picked up four of these in a sampler awhile back. The presentation on this smoke is very nice, with a simple yet elegant band and a a cedar sleeve adorned body. Upon removing the cedar sleeve I was greeted by a shiny Connecticut wrapper with minimal veins, smooth seems, and a nice oily shine. The binder is a Dominican Olor and the filler is a blend of Dominican Olor and Dominican Habano seed. The wrapper smelled of hay and the foot offered notes of hay and sweet tobacco. The body is firm to the pinch with a little give and no flaws to be found on any of the samples smoked for the review. I clipped the double cap with my Xikar MTX and found the cold draw to be perfect with notes of hay and sweet field grass. I used my handy single flame torch to get things started with no problems. The initial third opens up with notes toasted nuts and cedar. As I progressed farther into the first third notes of leather and a few floral notes emerged. The finish is long and has a creamy nuttiness. There is a fair amount of spice on the retrohale. As I start the second third there are some coffee notes that join the cedar, leather, and nut flavors. Most of the floral notes have faded as the spice calms and the smoke becomes more creamy on the palate. About half way through the second third there is a salty component that makes itself known. As I near the final third there is a note that pops in and out on occasion, I cannot place exactly what it is but it is mildly sweet. It closely resembles a guava-like flavor but is faint enough that I cannot really tell. As I go into the final third the spice makes a bit of a comeback and leaves a notable tingle on the palate. The coffee, leather, and cedar are still present and in full swing through to the end of the burn. The construction on this stick was excellent, requiring no burn corrections or re-lights and holding ash to around an inch at a time. The body remained on the medium side of mild-medium throughout the burn and the smoke was creamy and full flavor. This stick was more complex than I had originally expected, but who would complain about that? If you haven't tried this stick and you like a flavorful and mild smoke, you should give this one a shot. The price point on these is 7-9 bucks and is not very easy to find online. I can tell you though that i know cigarstix.com has them HERE. You can find more information on Jose Dominguez Signature cigars at www.tljohnsoncigars.com/jose-dominguez-cigars.shtml and can find them on twitter at http://twitter.com/JoseDguezCigars