The Connecticut Valley is a major source of some of the world's finest wrapper leaves. This golden colored wrapper tobacco is highly regarded and praised by many cigar makers and connoisseurs. Connecticut Shade, which emanated from the Hazelwood strain of Cuban seed, is shade-grown under huge tents to protect the delicate leaf. Also from this area is Connecticut Broad Leaf. Grown in the sun, this wrapper tobacco is coarser, darker and produces a sweeter taste.

The Brown Family has been growing tobacco in Windsor, Connecticut since 1874. The Brown family's success is due to Hubbell Brown who in 1938 became interested in a new technique developed by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Under Hubbell's supervision, he and his crews followed the instructions of the agronimist and planted a strain of Cuban-seed tobacco beneath a gauze covering. The plant had produced a very delicate, thinly veined leaves - perfect for wrapping cigars. Unfortunately, a mid-September storm, known as the Great Hurricane of 1938 and the Long Island Express (hurricanes weren't given names in those days) swept into New England with winds gusting greater than 180 mph. The crop was destroyed but the knowledge learned that year planted the seeds for success in the future.

Tobacco plants are started in flats inside the greenhouses and transplanted in early May. Before transplanting can take place, the netting is put up in the fields. In July and August the plants are harvested and brought to the sheds for curing.

While the hey-day for shade-grown tobacco was in the 1940s and 1950s, the Brown family continues to produce more Connecticut Shade Tobacco than they have at any other time in the past.

The Brown Family is proud to be a part of the history of the Connecticut Valley and will continue to to be a part as long as there is a demand for Connecticut shade wrapper from cigar aficionados who appreciate the best.