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Boutique Wednesday Cigar Review: Boris 11 Connecticut

Size: 5.25×50, Perfecto

Wrapper: Connecticut

Filler: Dominican Olor, Cubano, and San Vicente

Strength: Mild-Medium

Price: Box of 20, $199.99

Grade: 8.5

The Boris 11 is available exclusively at Corona Cigar Company and is available in several sizes and in a Connecticut and Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. Today we’ll take on the Connecticut, which was gifted to us by Corona. The filler is mixed and the ratio is kept a secret by Corona. Noted online as being complex and bold, yet medium in body, we’ll see if the stick matches the description.

So, thanks go out to Jeff for the sticks. And now, on to the toasting…

Pre-light, 1.8:
The perfecto on this Boris 11 is very nice with a few raised veins, but nothing that causes a distraction. There are no soft spots and the band is a very simple crème color with gold and black lettering. The lettering is very narrow, as is the band, and is a little gimmicky in my opinion as each letter jags. The pre-light aroma and taste on the cold draw are similar—sweet hay, aged tobacco, and fig. The cold draw reveals a nice pull.

Burn, 1.7:
The burn was a bit uneven through the perfecto foot but corrected itself within an inch or so. The tight draw opens up into the second inch and remains consistent until the second third, when it tightened for a few inches. The ash layered very well and stacked into a tight, though discolored, sheet of ash.

Flavor, 2.5:
The flavor had a very pleasant sweetness through the nose but was a bit harsh in the back of the throat through the first third. The dominant notes were of barnyard with creamy undertones. For the most part, the Boris 11 was a bit bland and uneventful, though the sweetness through the nose was very pleasant and helped lengthen the otherwise short and boring finish.

Overall, 2.5:
First of all, this is not a $10 cigar, not even close. I’d happily pay half the price, around $5-6, but at $13 a single or $10 each when bought in a box, this is an overpriced cigar. The perfecto is very well rolled and the ash stacked well, though the draw was inconsistent throughout the burn. Overall, this is not a cigar that I would buy again at MSRP, especially as a box. Some cigars are worth the box purchase just to pull the per stick price down a bit, but this is not the case for the Boris 11. This is at most a good value at around $5-6 per stick. You’re likely not going to find these in your B&M, but if you are already purchasing something from Corona and the Boris 11 is on sale, it might be worth picking up. This one takes a big hit in the overall category for the high price and the lack of flavor complexity.

(Total: 8.5)