Today, I’m reviewing what I consider to be the current flagship of Cohiba. It’s part of the celebration marking 55 years of the brand (the other commemorative cigar being the Maduro-looking Cohiba 55 Aniversario Edición Limitada).
This is a 56 × 175 mm (6⅞″) cigar that comes in a “book”-style box containing 20 cigars. Only 3,000 boxes will be produced.
Thanks to smoke.ch for giving me one straight from the box!
It’s the Saturday before Easter Sunday, and I’m in a very relaxed mood.
The location is Kazba, a nice bar/café/restaurant in Porto Rafti, Greece.
It’s about 12:30. I had some strawberries and a banana for breakfast, so my palate is pretty neutral. As usual, I’ll have a double espresso and sparkling water. The cigar is quite large, with a nice color and a very aromatic smell. The presentation is elegant, although I’m not a big fan of having to remove multiple stickers. The construction is flawless.
Cold Draw
I start with a punch cut. The draw is okay, but a bit tight for my taste. I switch to a straight cut. Not sure if it’s better, but I decide not to poke it—it’s still within my operational range 🙂 The cold draw is sweet and spicy. I get hay and hints of clove. Time to fire up this baby.
First Third
From the first draws, I can tell this will be a great cigar. The flavor is very complex—I pick up clove, nutmeg, floral notes, and hay. The retrohale is quite important with this one; it reveals many additional layers. It reminds me a bit of the Novedosos.
There’s an earthy, grassy, spicy flavor that numbs the tongue in a very pleasant way.
That said, it still needs time. The Novedosos I’ve smoked had at least five years of age, while this one has two. That extra time gave the Novedosos a sweeter, more harmonized profile. One thing I always wondered with the Novedosos was how it would taste with a thicker ring gauge. I think the Ideales answers that question: with every draw, all parts of the mouth receive a more uniform influx of flavor. Smooth.
Second Third
The burn is uniform—and wow! The flavor intensifies. It’s stronger and sweeter now. You never know with Cuban cigars, but this might actually be better than the Novedosos.
My coffee is slightly acidic and pairs very well with the cigar. One thing about big cigars is they can get boring if the flavor profile isn’t complex or evolving. Not this one!
Final Third
At the start of the final third, I taste a bit more nutmeg—and also a touch of ammonia. Only at the very end do I notice a bit more ammonia and some bitterness.
Conclusion
This cigar is already amazing for the palate. It will really spoil you. But if you give it three more years to age and then light it up, you’ll likely experience greater balance, reduced ammonia, a smoother retrohale, and a more integrated flavor profile.
Side note: In my opinion, this is a much tastier cigar than the Cohiba 55 Aniversario Edición Limitada.