Powstanie Connecticut Justice

Hello spring! I will be spending much, much more time out back. Keeping my company this week is the upcoming release of the Powstanie Connecticut Justice.

The Good Stuff:

Powstanie will be showcasing a new addition to their Connecticut line with the upcoming release of the “Justice” at this year’s PCA trade show in April. This 5 1/2 x 46 corona gorda format is created to celebrate the middle child of Powstanie’s owner Mike Szczepankiewicz. While the original blend was created 10 years ago, Powstanie recreated the Connecticut line 9 years later, releasing it at the 2023 PCA trade show.

Created at the Fabrica de Tabacos Nica Sueño in Nicaragua the blend features an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper over a Pennsylvanian Broadleaf binder and fillers from Nicaragua. The 5 1/2 x 46 “Justice” corona gorda vitola joins 4 other sizes in the line: Robusto (5 x 50), Short Perfecto (5 x 50), Bellicoso (5 1/2 x 52) and the Toro (6 x 52). The Justice will come packaged in boxes of 21 running $13.50 per cigar. Big thanks to the Powstanie folks for sending these our way for review.

• Size: 5 1/2 x 46
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
• Binder: Pennsylvanian Broadleaf
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Body: Mild/Medium
• Strength: Medium
• Price: $13.50

Prelight:

The Powstanie Connecticut Justice starts off with an extremely consistent light brown wrapper which gives off a slight orange sheen when the sun hits it. The wrapper’s texture is very silk and smooth with a decent amount of oils coating it. The wrapper feels a bit thin and delicate as is the case with most Connecticut shade leaves. There are almost no veins as the wrapper is laid seamlessly over itself leading up to the cigar’s round, double-wrapped cap. The cigar is polished off with the same black and gold band with the Postanie logo embossed on the front as we see on the rest of the Connecticut line, however the secondary band on this one states “Justice” instead of “Connecticut”.

The wrapper on the Justice gives off some sweet honey aromas over natural tobacco while the foot of the cigar is much more earthy with notes of tobacco, spice, and cashew. The cap cut clean and easily allowing the cold draw to produce notes of pecan, tobacco, and earthiness.

First Third:

The Powstanie Connecticut Justice kicks off with a very light black pepper punch which completely fades out after the first few draws allowing the cigar to release notes of cashew, honey, deep woodsy flavors and a dash of spice with a very interesting, faint spearmint aftertaste. I wasn’t expecting the cigar to start off with as much flavor as it did. The draw is absolutely perfect kicking out massive clouds of thick, white smoke with every puff which really stick around for a while before dissipating while the cigar releases only a small amount of stationary smoke while it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is super thin and dead even leaving behind a trail of tightly compacted white and light gray ash which held on for almost an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Powstanie Connecticut Justice and the flavors are still bangin’. The cashew and woodsy flavors are leading the charge. Under the more dominant flavors are more fine notes of vanilla, honey, and some light floral flavors. That spearmint is now gone. The retrohale REALLY pumps up the spice that I don’t necessarily pick up during the standard smoking experience. I close out the second third with nothing in terms of nicotine.

Finish:

In the final third of the Powstanie Connecticut Justice the cigar is still pumping out the flavors. While the flavors haven’t changed up much, they haven’t needed to as I really enjoyed the profile which leads with some great cashew and wood backed backed by honey and vanilla. The floral flavor kind of just comes in and goes. It took me an hour and forty five minutes to take this cigar down to the nub. I experienced no harshness, nor any extended heat. I never once had to reach for my torch to touchup or relight the cigar as it burned perfectly all the way through. I close out with only a very, very light nicotine kick.

Overview:

I will be the first to admit that I am not the biggest fan of Connecticut shade wrappers, but when they hit, they HIT! The Powstanie Connecticut Justice is the perfect example of how to do Connecticut right. The balance of nuanced flavors with an extra wave of body and more pronounced flavors created such a rounded flavor profile and excellent experience. The construction was flawless and burn went on without a hitch. This is absolutely a box-worthy release when it drops and one that I will keep on hand for those times when I am craving something that is more nuanced without the want for a cigar that will knock me on my ass.