San Cristobal Elegancia Imperial Review

Early morning cigars are one of my favorite ways to start the day. There’s something about that quiet window before the world starts buzzing, before the noise of responsibility and to-do lists kicks in. Finding the right cigar for that moment is key. This morning, that cigar is the San Cristobal Elegancia Imperial.

Wrapped in a golden-blond Ecuador Connecticut leaf and blended by Don Pepin Garcia at the My Father factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, the Elegancia was released in 2011 as a smoother expression of the San Cristobal line. A collaboration between Ashton Cigars and the Garcia family, this blend was created for smokers who appreciate nuance over intensity.

But Connecticut cigars are everywhere. Every brand has one. So, the real question for this San Cristobal Elegancia Imperial cigar review is simple: Does it still stand out?

I gave it about 50 uninterrupted minutes. No rushing it. No distractions. Just time to see whether this approachable blend still delivers the way people remember.

Cigar Details & Blend Breakdown

Profile: Mild to Medium

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut (golden-blond Connecticut seed wrapper)

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Factory: My Father factory: Estelí, Nicaragua

Sizes Available: Corona (5.5 x 46), Robusto (5 x 50), Imperial (Toro 6 x 52), Churchill (7 x 50), & Grandioso (Gordo 6 x 60)

Notable Feature: Collaboration between Ashton Cigars and Don Pepin Garcia

Flavor Highlights: Cedar, toasted almond, cashew, cream, white pepper, coffee, subtle citrus

Price Point: Typically, around $9 per cigar, with box pricing often bringing it slightly lower.

The Legacy Behind San Cristobal Elegancia

Before the Elegancia line entered the picture, San Cristobal Cigars had already built its reputation on richer, more full-bodied blends coming out of the My Father Cigars factory.

Ashton Cigars partnered with Don Pepin Garcia and the Garcia family to produce San Cristobal in Nicaragua, and those early releases leaned bold, earthy, and unapologetically Nicaraguan. The Elegancia shifted that lane.

Introduced in 2011, the San Cristobal Elegancia was created for cigar lovers who enjoy milder cigars but still want real character. The golden Ecuador Connecticut wrapper envelops Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos, and the result is a smooth, creamy profile layered with nutty sweetness and controlled spice.

Over time, that move paid off. The Elegancia quietly earned strong ratings, including a 91 rating from Cigar Aficionado, and settled in as the refined counterbalance within the San Cristobal portfolio.

Cold Draw & First Impressions

Before lighting, the golden-blond Connecticut seed wrapper gives off a clean, slightly sweet aroma. There’s a soft sheen to it, tight seams, and a neatly finished cap. Nothing flashy. Just well made.

On the cold draw, I picked up toasted almond and cashew right away, along with a light coffee bean note. There was a creamy texture even before ignition, with a hint of white pepper sitting quietly in the background.

In hand, the Imperial 6 x 52 feels balanced. Substantial enough to know it’s there, but not heavy. The draw had a touch of resistance, just enough to feel controlled, but nothing that raised a red flag.

First Third: Cream, Cedar, and Silky Spices

Once lit, the San Cristobal Elegancia Imperial opens the way a well-built Ecuador Connecticut should. Cedar leads the way, followed by toasted almond and a buttery smoothness that settles in quickly. The smoke is creamy and steady without feeling overly heavy or thick. There’s mild strength here, but the body stays balanced and complete.

White pepper shows up ever so softly on the retrohale. I wouldn’t call it sharp or aggressive. Just enough spice to keep things interesting. This is where the Elegancia shows who it’s built for: anyone who enjoys a smooth, controlled, easy-going cigar.

Second Third: Coffee and Nutty Depth Build

As the cigar moves into the second third, the profile deepens slightly. Coffee moves forward, more like a medium roast coffee bean layered over cedar and toasted nuts. The cashew and almond stay consistent, and that soft spice is still there, just a touch more noticeable on the retrohale.

The body edges up slightly, but it never leaves that true mild to medium lane. The spice lifts a bit, but it stays smooth and controlled. This is where it really confirms what it is for me, a relaxed early morning cigar that has enough flavor to stay interesting without ever feeling heavy.

Final Third: Structure and Subtle Strength

In the final third, the spice lifts a notch. White pepper becomes a little more noticeable, and the earlier sweetness shifts toward a faint citrus and light dried fruit character. Just a subtle change that keeps it interesting.

The smoke stays creamy and smooth all the way through. The burn line had a little waviness here and there, but nothing that needed attention. The ash held tight for long stretches, which always says something about construction.

Strength-wise, it never strays from that mild to medium profile. Still no sudden spike or harshness. The Imperial 6 x 52 format gives the blend enough space and time to evolve and show its complexity.

Construction, Burn, and Draw Performance

Construction on my Imperial 6 x 52 was excellent. The Connecticut seed wrapper stayed firm and intact the entire time, with tight seams and a clean cap. The burn line had a little waviness here and there, but it never needed attention and never turned into a frustration.

The ash held longer than I expected and stacked neatly before dropping, which usually tells you the filler tobaccos were rolled with care. Smoke production was steady, and the draw had just enough resistance to feel controlled without being tight. For a mild to medium cigar, performance really matters. This one stayed consistent from first light to the final third.

Price & Value

The San Cristobal Elegancia sits comfortably in the mid-premium range, usually around that $9 mark, and even better when bought by the box. For a cigar made at the My Father factory using tobaccos grown on select Garcia family estates and finished with a golden Ecuador Connecticut wrapper, that feels fair.

It’s not a budget stick, but it’s also not trying to be ultra-premium. For what you get, smooth smoke, balanced flavor, and reliable construction, it lands in that sweet spot of good value without cutting corners.

How It Compares to Other Connecticut Cigars

Compared to the Montecristo White Series, the Elegancia doesn’t hit quite the same ultra-polished, silky notes right off the bat. The White feels refined from the first draw, while the Elegancia shows more personality as it settles in, with a soft spice and nuttier notes that emerge through the middle.

Next to the San Cristobal Quintessence, the difference is mostly strength. The Quintessence pushes into medium-bodied territory with more presence on the palate. The Elegancia carries some similar complexity, but without that strength push, lighter, smoother, and easier to hand off to someone newer to cigars.

And when you line it up against something like the Macanudo Cafe Hyde Park, the contrast becomes even clearer. Hyde Park brings a richer, creamier profile with more depth and polish throughout the smoke. The Elegancia sits in a more approachable lane to me, milder, cleaner, and more relaxed.

Put simply: if your goal is smooth with character, the Elegancia is worth your time. If you’re after richer creaminess or deeper complexity that stays bold from start to finish, Cafe Hyde Park, or other fuller Connecticut-style sticks, will fit that bill better.

Is the San Cristobal Elegancia Imperial Worth It?

If you tend to gravitate toward milder cigars with creamy texture, nutty sweetness, and controlled spice, the San Cristobal Elegancia makes a lot of sense.

It’s an easy cigar to recommend to newer smokers because it doesn’t overwhelm. But there’s still enough nuance here, cedar, almond, white pepper, that soft buttery note, to keep experienced smokers interested.

This isn’t going to blow you away in the strength department. What it does show is how an Ecuador Connecticut wrapper can deliver real character when it’s paired with properly fermented Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos.

Pairing Suggestions

The creamy texture and nutty sweetness pair extremely well with black coffee. A simple medium roast lets the coffee bean notes in the cigar come forward while the silky spice stays balanced. To me, that’s the perfect pairing for this cigar.

If you prefer pairing your cigars with something with a little more weight, a light rum or even a creamy cocktail would probably work nicely. I’d just avoid anything too sweet or heavy. This blend shines when the drink supports it, not competes with it.

Ratings Breakdown

(Comparable to roughly a 90–91 on the traditional 100-point cigar rating scale.)

The San Cristobal Elegancia Imperial earns its score through smooth consistency, tight ash, and balanced flavor from start to finish. It’s not overpowering, but it performs exactly the way a well-priced, refined mild-to-medium cigar should.

Final Thoughts on the San Cristobal Elegancia Imperial

The San Cristobal Elegancia Imperial isn’t going to dominate your palate, and that’s exactly the point. That’s what makes it such a strong mild morning cigar. It doesn’t spike early and fade late. It just stays steady for the full 50 minutes.

Cream, cedar, almond, white pepper, coffee, and subtle citrus move in and out without ever overwhelming the experience. The mild strength keeps it approachable, while the layered flavor profile keeps it from feeling flat.

This is a cigar I’d recommend to newer smokers without hesitation. It’s also one worth keeping on hand for mornings and coffee pairings when you want something smooth and dependable.

If you’d like to experience the San Cristobal Elegancia Imperial (6 x 52) for yourself, you can grab it here at After Action Cigars. You can browse our full San Cristobal cigars for sale or pick up a San Cristobal sampler, an easy way to explore other blends in the portfolio.