It seems you folks enjoyed my previous vertical tastings for Nub, and many have asked when I’d be reviewing the Connecticut. That’ good to know, since they took an awfully long time to write, and resulted in me feeling lightheaded for hours. All in a day’s work, right?

Today, I will be completing the Nub Vertical Trifecta. Before we start, here’s everything you need to know about Nub....

After tasting countless cigars and working hands on in the Oliva factory, Sam Leccia concluded that a cigar normally hits its ‘sweet spot’ within 3 to 4 inches of the burn. Therefore, one must invest a good amount of time with a cigar prior to being rewarded with its true character. So, Sam worked with the Oliva Cigar Family (maker’s of Serie ‘V’ and Serie ‘O’) and developed the Nub line: a variety of blends and sizes within the 4 inch range, with ring gauges ranging from 56 to 66. These cigars were engineered - using three wrapper varieties - to capture the essence of the blend from the get-go, rewarding you with the cigar’s sweet spot throughout the entire burn. Packaged in boxes of 24, each box contains the weight and burn time of the cigar, so you know exactly what’s in store.

Nub offers three blends. Cameroon, Connecticut, and Habano. Each blend offers four sizes - three are shared among all three blends, then a fourth that is specific to each blend. Clear as mud? Good. I’ve burned them all and can say each size in each blend offers an entirely unique bouquet and body. For that reason, I decided to do a vertical tasting of each blend...finally, it’s time for Nub Connecticut.

Nub 354 Connecticut: Compared to every other Nub I’ve burned over the past few months, this thing looks tiny! However, it burned surprisingly long....about 35 minutes, if not longer. The dry, but smooth wrapper is tawny in appearance with tiny veins. Some ligero is noticed at the foot. The pre-light aroma is tranquil and sweet with cedar. The opening is buttery and smooth, with a toast that lingers long on the finish. Soon after the initial few puffs, sweet black pepper smacks the back of the throat. Spicy, tingling sensations are noticed. The aroma is pleasant with a cedary influence. After an inch and a half, the smoke mellows and remains buttery and creamy to the end. Medium-bodied. My favorite size in the line.

Rating: 90

Nub 358 Connecticut: Slightly larger, the 358 offered the same pre-light aroma as the 354. The opening was very creamy, almost milky in character. I insantly noticed how silky this cigar is through the nose in the beginning. However, keep exhaling in this fashion and you will pick up some pepper after the first half-inch. Solid tobacco flavor throughout, with a dry, crisp, and short aftertaste. This vitola seems to be a touch smoother than the 354. No real complexity, but a good, consistent cigar.

Rating: 87

Nub 460 Connecticut: Now we’re talking. It’s amazing how big the ‘60’ looks....even after burning the ‘58’. Looking at the foot, I noticed a little more ligero....or, at least, what looks to be ligero. The pre-light aroma is sweet with a faint spice. Upon sparking, I was instantly greeted with a series of zesty flavors, followed by a sweet tobacco aftertaste. Sweet spices are left on the lips and the tip of my tongue after each puff....making my palate tingle. The zest subsides to present a rich, toasty core of tobacco complemented by an interesting element reminiscent of damp wood. Odd, but enjoyable. The aroma is smokey with a somewhat charcoal-like character. Nicely balanced, medium-bodied, hour-long cigar....

Rating: 89

Nub 464 Torpedo Connecticut: Finally, the biggun. This sucker looks like a bullet. The pre-light aroma is rich with a trace of cedar. The cigar was creamy, smooth, and mellow to start. Sweet tobacco flavors with a crisp finish. Damp wood and a subtle touch of white pepper soon came into play. The cigar gradually became medium in body as I approached the midway point. At several points throughout the hour or so long burn I noticed a hint of paper. Despite the size, this cigar was not overly complex. The smoke was smooth, cool, and velvety....filling the room above my head with each exhale. I like that.

Rating: 88

By now, just about everybody with a pulse has heard of Nub. And based on sales, it’s easy to see that a good number of you have tried it. That’s good to see....it lets me know that our customers have an open mind and want to try new things, rather than burning the same Fuente cigar every dang day.

Like the Habano and Cameroon, the Nub Connecticut is a nice blend available in four sizes, each of which offers a unique flavor and strength profile. While the Connecticut is the least robust member of the Nub family, I easily see myself burning more in the near future.

Since it may be difficult to choose a size or blend, I created a nifty chart to quickly break down the entire line:

If you’re a fan of Connecticut-wrapped cigars, or smooth to medium-bodied blends, I recommend this cigar with confidence.