The La Palina Classic Connecticut has been around for a while now. Originally created in the Congress Cigar Factory which was opened by Samuel Paley in Chicago, 1896. He named their first cigar La Palina in honor of his wife. Unfortunately three decades later in 1926 the Congress Factory closed when Samuel retired and the line went from luxury to a mass marketed brand. Fast forward to 2010 and in walks his grandson Bill Paley (Son of William Paley Cofounder of CBS) who revived the line back to its previous luxury status. The first modern La Palinas were produced in the Bahamas in limited quantities with the least expensive being $18. Even with the higher price they gained a following and now La Palinas are produced in all the major non-Cuban cigarmaking countries.

The Classic is covered in a light golden brown Ecuadorian wrapper. The seams are tight, there is some light veining and a slight oil shimmer. It is dense to the touch with no dead spots found. The smell from the body reminds me of gram crackers and cedar, from the foot there is a bit of pepper and soft tobacco.The

The first third starts off mellow and creamy with a bit of charred wood. The draw is open and easy with a burn that is sharp and a fair amount of smoke to fill the room.

Moving into the second third the flavor remains mild as expected from a cigar of this blend. The gram cracker noticed in the smell comes through now along with a light pepper and cream finish. The burn stays consistent and the smoke billows out from it nicely.

In the final third I did not notice a great deal of flavor change, maybe a touch more pepper on the retrohale but that’s about it. Throughout the cigar there were no construction or burn issues. The burn line was always stable and even and the ash held until I wanted to knock it free.

If you’re looking for something light to start your day or end it the La Palina Classic Connecticut is the way forward. Great for a relaxing smoke that will pair with just about anything you can think of. It also has a price that won’t break the bank. When you see these in the shop make sure to pick up a fistful to stock your humidor with.

Wrapper –  Ecuadorian Connecticut

Binder – Dominican

Filler – Dominican & Nicaraguan

Price: Around $6.00

Website: https://www.lapalinacigars.com

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 pints