C & C Corojo

A few weeks ago we assessed the C & C Connecticut and found it to be a very solid cigar experience.  This was a mild strength, mild to medium-bodied cigar.   In this assessment, we turn our attention to the C & C Corojo.   Like the Connecticut, the C & C Corojo also provides a solid smoking experience, but with some more strength and body.  In addition, it provides this smoking experience at a value priced point.

In our assessment, we provided some high level background on C & C Cigars.   It is being included here for completeness:

C & C Cigars was founded by Joe Chuisano.  Many people know Chuisano from his days as president of Cusano Cigars. Back in 2009, Davidoff purchased Cusano Cigars. Chuisano would stay on with Davidoff until February of 2011, when he would resign.  Shortly after that he would form a new company called C & C Cigars.  The company currently offers three premium cigar blends and two blends sold as handmade bundles. 

As mentioned above, the C & C Corojo is a value priced cigar.   This is consistent with the other two cigars currently available from C & C – the C & C Connecticut, and the C & C LRMD (Maduro). The interesting thing is the price point on these cigars.  The SRP for all three of these cigars is between $4.00 and $5.00.  As cigar enthusiasts know, this represents an incredible value-point for a premium cigar.  Our assessments on this web-site do not factor price into our final ratings, but with an aggressive price point such as what C & C is offering – this cannot be overlooked.

Let’s break down the C & C Corojo and see what this cigar brings to the table:

Blend Profile

The blend is highlighted by the C & C Corojo’s Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper:

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Corojo
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Corojo and Cuban seed blend

Vitolas Available

The C & C Corojo is offered in three classic vitola sizes. 
These three sizes are consistent with the C & C Connecticut and C & C LRMD.

Robusto: 5 x 50
Toro: 6 x 52
Churchill: 7 x 50

Appearance

For this cigar experience, I sampled the Robusto vitola.  The C & C Corojo Robusto features a brown-bag colored wrapper.   There are some visible veins on the cigar as well as a few visible wrapper seams. The wrapper did not have much oil on it.  The cigar also features a triple cap.

The band has a orange background with the company name ” C & C” in silver font prominently front and center.  Over that text is a black colored crown, and under it is the text “Corojo” also in black font.  The front of the band has an appearance of a shield.   Flanking the shield going around the band, it has ivory and silver design.  There is also black and silver trim across the top and bottom of the band

Preparation for the Cigar Experience

For my cigar experience with the C & C Corojo, I went with a straight cut into the triple cap.  When I commenced with the pre-light experience, the dry draw flavors were a combination of wood, cedar, and some butter.  Overall, I considered this a satisfactory pre-light draw experience.  It was now time to light my C & C Corojo and see what the cigar experience would bring to the table.

Flavor Profile

The start to the C & C Corojo provided a mix of wood and pepper notes in the forefront.  I also detected a feint natural tobacco sweetness early on.  The pepper notes soon became the primary flavor in the early stages.

Later in the first third, the natural tobacco sweetness emerged.  It eventually became the primary flavor relegating the pepper and wood notes to the background temporarily.   As the smoke of the C & C Corojo progressed into the second half, the wood and pepper notes once again join the natural tobacco sweetness in the forefront.   This flavor profile would hold until the end.  There was no harshness as the cigar experience came to a close.   The nub finished cool in temperature and firm to the touch.

Burn and Draw

Overall, the C & C Corojo scores well when it comes to burn and draw.  The burn line did require some touch-ups to keep the burn straight, but my butane lighter did the trick when needed.  The burn rate and burn temperature were ideal from start to finish.   The draw was excellent on this cigar providing an enjoyable smoking experience.  

Strength and Body

It is safe to say that the C & C Corojo is primarily a “medium” offering in terms of strength and body.  The C & C Corojo will not provide an overpowering cigar in terms of strength, and is a classic medium strength cigar.  As for the depth of the flavor notes, the C & C Corojo starts out medium-bodied, but progresses enough to move into medium to full-bodied range by the midway point.  Throughout the smoking experience, the strength and body are well-balanced with neither attribute overshadowing the other.


Final Thoughts

I mentioned above that we do not factor price into our assessment ratings or scores, but for a cigar that is priced under $5.00, it is hard to ignore this.   The C & C Corojo provides a very good cigar experience for the price.  When take price out of the occasion, you still get a cigar that provides a positive experience.  The C & C Corojo isn’t going to be the most complex cigar you will smoke – and it is not going to re-invent the wheel when it comes to the cigar experience it delivers. It is a cigar that still will deliver some good flavor.  In the end, this makes a good smoke for a novice enthusiast looking to move into an offering more medium in terms of strength and body.   Experienced cigar enthusiasts might expect more in complexity from this cigar, so I would factor that in before making a recommendation.  As for myself, I would smoke this cigar again.

Summary

Burn: Good
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Low
Strength: Medium
Body: Medium (1st half), Medium to Full (2nd half)
Finish: Excellent
Assessment: Nice to Have
Score: 88

Source: The cigars for this assessment were provided by C
& C Cigars. The request was initiated by C & C Cigars to myself
(Cigar Coop) to provide an assessment.  Cigar Coop is appreciative for
the sample, but in no way does this influence this review.