The Foundation of the Connecticut River Valley

Photos Courtesy of Foundation Cigar Co.

When most people think of the state of Connecticut, they rarely think of it as producing some of the best and most respected cigar tobacco in the world. If you are a cigar smoker, you might have seen the word CT Shade or CT Broadleaf on cigar bands, boxes, or tobacco shops.

Still, most don’t realize the deep and rich history of the Connecticut River Valley that rivals that of Cuba. Before 1959, Cuba and Connecticut had a long history of trading cigar tobacco.

Cigars produced in Cuba would use Connecticut seeds, and cigars manufactured in Connecticut would use Cuban filler tobaccos. To this day, Havana Seed is grown in the CT River Valley and Cubans use hybridized varieties of seed called US Type 61, aka CT Shade. Most cigar tobacco-growing regions are volcanic, but Connecticut’s sandy loam soil created by the Laurentide Ice Sheet left very few rocks than in other areas of New England.

On average, the CT River Valley has 33 inches of this topsoil. As a result, perfect amounts of silt and clay permit excellent drainage and air circulation around the roots of the plants, causing them to run deep before hitting clay. Stable roots make for a strong and healthy plant and cause the tobacco to be naturally sweet and earthy, with flavors unlike any other growing region in the world. In the early 1600s, a Dutch explorer, famed Adrian Block, was the first European to travel up the Connecticut River and began trading tobacco with local tribes. Then, in 1640, the English arrived in Windsor, Connecticut, and started growing tobacco in more significant quantities after recognizing the fertile locks of the river valley.

Due to trade among sailors and early merchants, many settlers brought Cuban, West Indian, and Virginia seeds. These varieties started to hybridize with local varieties, known as Poke or Ottomauch, because they were not as strong or bitter, making them more favorable amongst colonists.

Over the next 100-plus years, the cash crop of tobacco began to grow significantly. Cigars were peddled via wagons and produced mainly on homesteads and farms throughout the valley. Then, in 1810, the first factory was established in Suffield. By 1833, the Connecticut Broadleaf variety emerged and changed the world of cigars to this day. Broadleaf is known for its substantial-sized silky leaves, incredibly earthy, and naturally sweet flavor. It is also one of the most complex and challenging tobaccos to grow and ferment.

Many sources state a Maryland seed was brought to Connecticut and hybridized with local strains. However, different books say a Bahamian origin. Regardless, it is now considered one of the five main varieties from which all the other seed varieties come. The five are: Mata Fina Brazil, Sumatra, San Andres Negro from Mexico, Habanesis or Cuba, and CT Broadleaf. The growing season in the CT River Valley takes place between April and September. It then is hung in unique curing barns for another two to three months until the tobacco is packed in farmer’s bales and shipped in refrigerated containers to the Caribbean and Central America. As weather challenges all farmers, Connecticut is no different.

Connecticut’s summer weather can bring hailstorms, micro tornadoes, insects, mold, and other diseases. If it passes through these obstacles, it faces even more challenges in curing barns and then years in fermentation. The CT River Valley is as vital as the Napa Valley or any other major growing area in the world. I hope you will help me with this effort to educate more people and preserve this national treasure.