Caldwell Eastern Standard Silk Road

Notes: Darker than most Ecuadoran Connecticut shade, eighth of an inch short and slightly thinner than 40 rg, and draw is a bit tight. Flavors of coffee with cream, walnut and cashew, cumin and nutmeg, a caramel sweetness, and faint red and black pepper at times. Very flavorful and complex, but the restricted draw made the flavors bitter by the last third.

Smoking time: One hour, thirteen minutes

Rating: Four stars