Staff Review: Room101 FARCE Connecticut Short Corona
Introduction:
With today’s review, we will take a deep dive into Room101’s FARCE Connecticut Short Corona. Matt Booth and Room101 are giants on the boutique side of the industry with blends that have taken the market by storm.
Feel free to skim the quick hits for an overview or jump into any section below to find the full details of FARCE Connecticut. And away we go!
The Quick Hits:
- Released in 2018 as the follow-up to FARCE
- Main tasting notes of cashews, cedar, and cream
- Recommended for: fans of Cohiba Connecticut, Ashton Cabinet Selection, Drew Estate Undercrown Shade
- Priced in the premium category at around $11 per cigar, but is more affordable in comparison to products of similar quality
The Story:
After Matt Booth parted ways with Davidoff in 2017, there was definitely some concern about what was next for Booth and Room101. Both consumers and industry veterans had an idea that Booth would return to the industry in one form or another, but there were questions about what his return would look like, and when it would come.
Matt Booth’s return came just a few months later when Room101 launched two projects in collaboration with Robert Caldwell and AJ Fernandez – “The T.” and “Hit & Run.” Shortly after, and to the delight of cigar fans everywhere, Booth then announced that Room101 would be launching their first non-collaborative cigar which turned out to be FARCE.
FARCE turned heads almost immediately and became a favorite of both critics and consumers alike. Room101 made a strong return to the industry as most people expected, and with Matt Booth’s creative mind and cigar expertise, the brand was set up for success for years to come.
Following this success, Room101 added a new extension of the FARCE line in the form of FARCE Connecticut – the perfect complement to stand alongside of FARCE.
The Build:
Although FARCE and FARCE Connecticut share the same name, that is really where their similarities end. FARCE Connecticut starts of with a silky, golden-brown Ecuador Connecticut wrapper that sits atop Dominican and Nicaraguan long fillers. The binder of FARCE Connecticut has not been disclosed, but I will tell you that the combination of the Ecuador Connecticut wrapper, and Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers, is something truly special.
The Look:
One thing I have always loved about Room101 (aside from the cigars) is the clean aesthetic of their designs. FARCE Connecticut follows suit with this and in all honesty, might be my overall favorite design from Room101.
The standard yet recognizable Room101 flower emblazons the primary band and, in my opinion, stands out more than any of the other FARCE lines. With FARCE Connecticut, the foiled leaves of the flower contrast really nicely with the secondary, reddish colors, and this combination of colors sits nicely on top of the golden color of the wrapper leaf. The secondary band follows the same color scheme, with the gold as the background color with the peachy-red font that spells out F|A|R|C|E.
The box does a good job of standing out with the primary maroon background and gold flower as the focal point - the only difference being the white accents instead of the peach color used on the bands. Although this may be a minor detail, I think the red ribbon that lays across the cigars inside of the box adds a nice, elevating touch.
All in all, I love the simplicity and modern feel of FARCE’s branding, especially FARCE Connecticut - I think the Connecticut version stands out the most in comparison to the other two FARCE lines by adding a bit more color and flare to the aesthetic.
The Experience:
I am not a person who puts too much stock in pre-light draws. Before I smoke a cigar, I will do the full inspection (smelling the foot, cold drawing before lighting), but I don’t expect the cigar, once lit, to express these same flavors or aromas - I merely do this as a formality in most cases. With FARCE Connecticut though, everything I experienced on the cold draw, translated into the same flavors once I was actually smoking the cigar (which I find to be pretty uncommon).
The first third of FARCE Connecticut started out just as I had expected - pretty mellow in body and strength, and medium in flavor. Apparent notes of cashews, and cream, with an ever so slight amount of white pepper on the retrohale, are what really dominated the first third. Light, background notes of leather made their entrance towards the end of the first third, but were still noticeable, nonetheless.
Cashews and cream were still the stars of the show in the second third, and in addition to the white pepper on the retrohale, notes of cedar began to become increasingly more noticeable. The leather notes fell even further into the background where they became almost unnoticeable, and a honey-like sweetness took their place.
The final third is really where everything began to intertwine in a way that made this blend rather complex for a Connecticut wrapped cigar. Cashews and cream were complemented well by rich flavors of cedar and muted notes of leather that were all brought together and rounded out by a sweet and spicy finish.
I really liked the combination of all these flavors, so I am excited to smoke this blend in a larger vitola, considering the short corona didn’t give me ample time to really enjoy the strong finish here. All things considered; I was generally impressed with FARCE Connecticut. Although I enjoy Connecticut wrappers, I don’t typically smoke them as regularly as others do (my preference lies in the medium to full range), but after my initial experience with FARCE Connecticut, I think this blend is going to make its way into my regular rotation.
The Value:
FARCE Connecticut is a winner in my book – you’ll get top notch construction, a really complex flavor profile, and eye-catching packaging all at a relatively affordable price. I think FARCE Connecticut can hold its own against cigars that are twice as expensive, and I don’t think anyone will be disappointed after smoking this blend for the first time.
Final Thoughts:
I smoked the other two FARCE blends before I was able to smoke this one, so I can now confidently say that FARCE Connecticut is my favorite of the three. This blend is really approachable and versatile and perfect for any occasion or time of the day – it’s a great complement to your morning coffee, and it’s flavorful enough to stand alongside a glass bourbon without being overly strong. Room101 hit a homerun (as they do in most cases) with FARCE Connecticut and I strongly recommend giving it a shot if you haven’t already – I am confident you will be as impressed as I was.
