Ecuadorian Sumatra vs. Ecuadorian Habano Tobacco

Ecuador is one of the best places in the world to grow tobacco. With its warm climate, volcanic soil, and unique cloud coverage, Ecuador offers cigar manufacturers a unique set of favorable conditions to explore. Ecuadorian tobacco often makes for exceptional cigar wrapper leaves, and as a result, a number of sub-varieties of Ecuadorian tobacco exist. Today, we’ll take a deep dive into a few of them and explore Ecuadorian Sumatra, Ecuadorian Habano, and Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade tobacco — along with a few cigar recommendations to keep things interesting. 

What is Ecuadorian Tobacco Like?

Ecuador has four distinct regions: the Costa Region, La Sierra, Oriente, and the Galápagos Islands. La Sierra — located in the mountainous center of the country, produces most of the country’s premium tobacco. It’s here that the unique conditions of rich volcanic soil and perpetual cloud coverage brought on by the forested Andes mountains come together to allow tobacconists to develop exceptionally flavorful and diverse tobacco. While Ecuadorian tobacco is typically nuanced and spicy, it is also noted for its smoothness, and its high quality is perfect for wrappers and binders on premium cigars. 

Ecuadorian Sumatra Vs. Ecuadorian Habano Vs. Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade

If you’ve ever seen a cigar advertised with “Ecuadorian Sumatra” or “Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade” tobacco, you may be understandably confused. After all, what does “Ecuadorian Sumatra” even mean? Is the tobacco from Ecuador or Sumatra? Well, the truth is both, really.  

Here’s a quick explanation. Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, and it’s here that tobacco growers created Sumatra tobacco. However, growing conditions in Sumatra aren’t as favorable as they are in Ecuador, so in the late 1960s, tobacco manufacturers brought Sumatra seeds to Ecuador and convinced the farmers there to mix Sumatra and a local variety (called “Cubano”) together to create a new strain of tobacco: Ecuadorian Sumatra. Ecuadorian Sumatra is revered for its silky appearance and rich flavor profile. 

Ecuadorian Habano, on the other hand, is a tobacco variety that is a hybrid of the legendary Corojo strain. Ecuadorian Habanos took off in the 1990s but remain popular today. They are often associated with spicy and diverse tasting notes. 

Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade developed in a similar fashion. Tobacco experts took Connecticut Shade seeds from the USA and planted them in Ecuador. Ecuador’s volcanic soil and consistent cloud coverage were ideally suited for growing this tobacco variety, and many modern “Connecticuts” are from Ecuador. Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade tobacco tends to be a bit darker and spicier than tobacco grown in the Connecticut River Valley. 

The Best Ecuadorian Sumatra Cigars

• La Gloria Cubana Serie R

• Oliva Serie V Melanio

• Oscar 2012 Sumatra

The Best Ecuadorian Habano Cigars

• Crowned Heads Mil Días

• La Gloria Cubana Los Gloriosos

• Diesel Vintage Series Natural

The Best Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade Cigars

• E.P. Carrillo New Wave Reserva

• Macanudo Inspirado White

• San Cristobal Elegancia

What’s your favorite cigar with an Ecuadorian wrapper? Sign up for Cigar World and let us know here!