Standing as a clear contender in the race for "Most Badass Multicolored Cigars of All Time Competition," comes Appendix II by Jake Wyatt Cigar Co. A uniquely styled, and very unique boutique blend, from a cigar manufacturer that continues to see an increase in both popularity and praise from the cigar smoking community.

And while there are numerous other cigars within the Jake Wyatt catalog that contain equally creative two-toned aesthetics, it's the Connecticut Shade version that we shall be assessing today. And the reason for this is very basic in nature. 

Daytime summer highs mean milder smoking is in store for the vast majority of us. And for a strict Connecticut Shade snob like myself, that means finding a stick with loads of attitude, but very little bite. 

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Unlit Impressions 

Memorable and instantly recognizable, Jake Wyatt's lineup of cigars comes filled with creative approach to wrapping, and the result is both impressive and eye-catching. I personally feel that the toro vitola looks like those little mind-eraser sticks used in the Men in Black movies. It's also got these nifty contrasting colored band lines on the foot and shoulder/cap, the latter of which makes for an excellent reference point for cutting the cigar. Additionally, you will discover a dot in the center of the cap that is like a bullseye for those looking to punch the cigar. Now as for whether that was the intended purpose behind these two-tone touches, I honestly have no idea. But it sure does make sense from a reference standpoint.

The band is also snazzy, with its rich gold accents, matte, and gloss black banding, and J/W accented QR code on the back, which takes you to a brief YouTube video describing what one can expect from the smoke.

Firmly filled, and bursting at the seams with aromas of nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, wildflower honey, and cedar, the barrel feels and smells superb. The foot replicates these nutmeg notes but adds a sticky cherry cordial aroma that makes me think of a summertime bowl of punch at a birthday party. It's sweet, clean, and slightly tart smelling, with a bit of pepper spice to close out. Cold draws are nearly identical in nature but have more light leather and cedar, with a sweet honey taste that urges your hand to reach for that Klaro torch lighter.  

Initial Smoke 

Nary is a sign of spice, heat, or strength to be seen at first light. Instead, you will likely find a sizable serving of cashew milk that's been infused with honey and served in a mug that's been spiked with a bit of eggnog. A wonderful intro to a very unique premium cigar blend. 

1st Half   

Cedar makes its first appearance after a dozen minutes or so, but it's almost exclusively an oral experience. Sweet and sappy, with a shake or two of pepper too, there is not a touch of sharpness or harshness to be had and encourages excessive amounts of retrohale action.

This side of smoke production is creamy, nutty, and vanilla milk-like in base flavors when blown through the nose. The more that you do, the greater the sweetness, along with some of those cinnamon and sugar-coated graham cracker flavors we cherish. Medium-minus in every way, including body and strength, these sorts of flavors are precisely what I like to find in a cigar of this stature and make for a splendid start.

2nd Half    

Cedar and citrus, with more milk, vanilla bean, and mixed baking spices show up toward the end of the second third. Keeping them company is a considerable scoop of soil upstairs as you retrohale, backed by a big ol' bunch of black peppercorns. 

Nutty aromatics are your main retrohale characteristic and hold true to the cashew tastes from the first half of the stick. Nutmeg sticks around as well, and with the spiciness of the cigar increasing, creates a blanket of culinary coverage for parting puffs to play upon. 

Parting Puffs    

Before things inevitably get too charry and bitter on you, and the shoulder starts to smolder, the conclusion to Appendix II must be measured. And for the most part, it is pretty damn delicious and deeper than any other part of the cigar. 

Soil-filled, yet far from dirty, the darker filler ingredients within the blend break loose and bounce around the palate for a quick game of tonsil hockey. Sweeter and stickier, the body of this smoke sits square at medium, as too does flavor, with strength remaining a bit behind in medium-minus mode. Unfortunately, it's almost all cedar the further in you go, which by this point feels a bit overplayed. 

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

I cannot recall a cigar that has burned this well or built an ash this impressive in quite some time. The first half in particular was quite impressive, with the entirety of it producing a single, solid, ultra-straight polar white ash. 

Burn lines were beautiful, the smoke formation was phenomenal, and the draw, while a bit loose by some standards, seemed ideal for forming smoke rings and other smoky shenanigans. The cigar did run a touch hot at times, but nothing worth marking as an issue.

Final Thoughts  

It's official: Appendix II by Jake Wyatt Cigar Co. has taken the top spot as the best Connecticut Shade cigar I have reviewed this year. Rich enough to be labeled as "complex" and clean to the point of being considered "pristine" this blend checks all of the boxes and a few bonus ones that most cigars in this category cannot even touch. 

I did struggle to find any major differences between the first and second third in both sticks I smoked, but since the flavors and aromas were so spot-on I didn't mind so much. White pepper levels of heat and spice felt a bit unrefined at times too, resulting in certain puffs tasting a tad off at times. The final third also didn't wow me with depth and caramelized sugars as I had hoped, and I was forced to wait until parting puffs arrived to experience these flavors.

The cigar does gradually get richer as it goes, but without getting funky or charry on you. It just gets a little darker and sweeter, making for a marvelous closure to an already impressive 2-hour smoke. If those cinnamon and sugar graham cracker notes could have been maintained throughout, instead of fizzling in the first third, this very well could become one of the greatest Connecticut Shade cigars of all time in my Bucksaw leather cigar journal. 

Flavor, Aroma & Transitions

Depth & Complexity

Construction, Burn & Physical Appeal

Backstory & Branding

Overall Balance & Repeatability

Stogie Specs

Cigar	Jake Wyatt "Appendix II"
Wrapper	Connecticut Shade (Ecuador)
Binder	Dominican Republic
Filler	Dominican Republic
Factory	Dominican Republic
Size	6" x 54 "Toro"
Strength	Mild-Medium
Pairing Drink	Homemade Iced Mocha
Rating	4.5/5