
Was actually a bit surprised at this one, I'm not normally a fan of
most Cohibas and find them to be a bit overrated (and overpriced) for
what they are. This one was
purchased in Puerto Rico and allowed to rest in the humidor awhile
before enjoying. With its dark maduro wrapper and pungent filler, I was
expecting this big stick to be the legal equivalant of
"wheelchair weed" like the LFD Double Ligero 700, it was actually quite
smooth and didn't make my head or stomach woozy.
First impressions.....difficult to light with a match, there's a
lot of filler rolled up fairly tight, definitely need a torch to roast
this stick properly. Burn was
a bit uneven for the first inch, looked like there may have been some
slight voids causing issues near the end. After that first inch, the
burn improved dramatically and the smoke and draw was
smooth and consistent. As the session progressed, I found that the
smoke stayed very consistent, and definitely letting you know there was
plenty of dark leaf filler in there, full flavored yet
not sour or tarry. At the last bit of the session, the cigar quickly
developed tar build-up which could not be flashed off for long. About
the time it got near where the band would be,
the cigar let me know in no uncertain terms that the session was over.
The most surprising thing was how short the session was, total time was
around 45-50 minutes. For a cigar of that
size, density, and darkness, I was really expecting closer to 90 minutes
of smoking enjoyment. Overall, it was a great cigar. Not too strong and very
consistent. Was really surprised at how tame it was, the flavor was
lighter than the Cohiba XV even
though this cigar was larger and darker.
Pricing: (7/10)
Like all Cohibas, they tend to be a bit pricey compared to similar
quality cigars.
I would definitely buy these by the box, at an average of $15/ea on a
single stick basis, the $11/ea box price makes the pocketbook cringe a
little less at the prospect of buying Cohibas.
Still, at $11/ea there is plenty of other cigars out there that are
comparable and damn near half the cost.
Flavor: (9/10)
Unlike most Cohibas, this had a distinctly wonderful flavor without
much
buildup on the palate. Could have easy paired this cigar with a
Newcastle Ale or Boddingtons and been in no danger of either one
overpowering the other. A truly heavy cigar that doesn't
require single-malt to scrub the palate.
Construction: (9/10) Very well rolled, as stated previously there seemed to be some mild voids near the end, but overall it seemed top
notch. The density and shape were damn-near perfect.
"Wheelchair Weed" Factor: (7.5/10)
As stated previously, I was really expecting this one
to be a "wrecking ball". After 15+ years of smoking cigars I still
occasionally find one that knocks me in the dirt, but this one was not
in that category. Smooth smoke that didn't make
my head or stomach feel amiss. Left me with a smile on my face and
feeling sharp.