Costa Rica / Mild-Medium

Ecuadorian Elegantes 21st

Byron

By Benjamin Charles Brown

A pristine Connecticut-wrapped Elegantes with immaculate construction and a classic creamy profile that opens into honey, latte, and bready sweetness before finishing woody and cedar-forward. Promising flavor, but held back by a tight draw and thin smoke at nearly $50.

In the Cigar Database

82.0Captaincy Score

Published: June 26, 2026
Vitola: Elegantes, 6 1/8 x 55
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Price: $46-$50 single
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican and undisclosed

Cross-section of the Byron Elegantes foot showing dense filler packing — A dense, tightly packed foot before lighting.

Lit Byron Elegantes with V-cut and creamy Connecticut wrapper — First light on the porch, with the Reserva band and pristine wrapper on display.

Byron Elegantes mid-smoke with stacked coin ash against a street backdrop — Mid-smoke ash stacking cleanly, a sign of immaculate construction.

Byron Elegantes with long even ash on a metal table — An even burn line and firm ash holding through the second third.

Byron Elegantes held vertically with long ash mid-smoke — Ash still holding firm well into the smoke.

Close-up of Byron Reserva bands with flaky mid-smoke ash — The Byron and Reserva bands against a creamy Connecticut wrapper.

Final nub of the Byron Elegantes on a sunny porch — The final nub, smoked down on a bright afternoon.

Tasting progression

First third

Very mild opening draws with typical creamy Connecticut character. Halfway through the third, real flavor developed: honey, honeysuckle, cream, vanilla, cafe latte, and milk chocolate. A deep bready note emerged occasionally and was delicious, but slightly underwhelming due to thin smoke. The burn line evened out while smoke volume remained lower than expected.

Second third

Smoke density improved enough to appreciate the profile more fully. Butterscotch and caramel joined chamomile and nectar, with gentle white pepper on the retrohale. Construction remained immaculate and the ash still had not fallen. Draw stayed tight, but smoke volume was noticeably better.

Final third

The profile shifted significantly, becoming less sweet and creamy and much more woody. Western red cedar dominated, reminiscent of a sauna.

Final Verdict

A classic Connecticut profile cigar with a lot of potential, but not worth the nearly $50 price tag in its current condition. Immaculate construction and hints of more interesting flavors suggest it likely needs drier storage plus a couple of years of age to show its best.