smoking_north_45°

Review: Cohiba Esplendidos

This cigar, that had suffered dryness and darkness for a long time,
yielded a good experience after the long recovery.

Now the epic version.

Name: Cohiba Esplendidos
Brand: Cohiba
Length: 7 inches
Ring: 47
Origin: Cuban
Wrapper Type: Cuban
Binder: Cuban
Filler: Cuban
Age: Gifted in oct. 2004
Price: It’s a gift
Smoke time: 1:30

Last October I was in Montreal with friends and after diner while
driving back to my hotel, my friend knowing I like cigar (yes I have
friend outside ASC) take out this thing from is glove compartment and
hand it to me, saying that it is to large and too long for is taste. It
was gifted to him on a special occasion: his retirement. I exchange it
with a few of my smallest vitolas, but nothing ever comparable to this
Cohiba Esplendidos.

No need to say this one had suffered; it’s been in that glove
compartment for how long, I don’t know. The wrapper was dry and mottled,
dark brown with a few veins showing. I took it and put it in the humidor
inside a tube to protect the fragile wrapper. When I got it out of the
tube, the band slipped off it with no problem; that band was stained,
dark and oily.

Atmosphere: Last night was the our National Holiday in Quebec, so the
wife and I decided to mixed a few mojitos and smoke one on the patio
before supper. She had a Punch Margaritas and me this generous Cohiba.

I cut the head and tested the draw it was easy but not too much.
Prelight aroma was of good earth and cocoa. I gently light it with my
torch, it was quite windy and matches were not working in that
environment. First puffs yielded a lot of smoke, creamy and smooth.
Flavours were very subtle, woods, cocoa and earth. The classic Cuban
profile; it started almost blend, but power build up fast and in the end
it was spicy and very flavourful, never bitter nor harsh. It also packed
a nice nicotine punch; I did a little dance to get up the step to the
house after finishing it, that is my story and I’ll stick to it. :-) I
must admit, for a cigar that had suffer as this one did, I was sceptic
of getting a good experience from it; I was pleasantly surprise, very
pleasantly surprise.

The mojito was great with this one. It is rather refreshing as a drink,
sugar, lime and mint do make a good combination, and the flavour from
the drink kept me refresh while not masking the flavours from the
Cohiba, even making them more present and discernable.

Burn was problematic, mostly because of the wind which was gusting at
more than 20mph and the relative humidity in the air (thunderstorms on
the horizon). Although I corrected it only twice; most of the time,
patience and a regular rotation in my hand would correct the problem by
itself. Ashes were firm and dark, but flaky; again the wind might not
have help in that department either.

Did I like it, you bet I did, I can just imagine what it would be to
smoke one that was kept in premium condition. Would I buy one, not at
those price, there are many out there that are has pleasant and way
cheaper. But as a gift, I wouldn’t complaint, not a bit. ;-)

Thank you for your time and patience.

Hope to read you soon,

Denis
http://www.uqtr.ca/~lamyd

Veni, vidi, visa (I came, I saw, I paid)

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