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In a different post I sought advice on a good smoke for my 40th birthday. Long story short, i had a couple of aged options at my finger tips that through accident of stopping smoking, I had over looked. I was rightly brought back 'home' to my humidor rather than my friendly cigar store. Thanks for the wisdom folks 
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So, the Siglo VI (purchased in '98) was one of the small bunch of sticks i've chosen to celebrate my birthday with. I smoked it this evening... Its not quite made it to my actual birthday! i smoked it outdoors in a sheltered alcove of a cornish hotel terrace over looking the sea, wrapped in a warm coat and accompanied by a decent glass of XO.
Trying a nice wide cut, over a bullet or sliver cut, its pre-lighting flavours were suprisingly clean. I didnt know what to expect from such an aged cigar, so i was pleasantly suprised that it was such a clean and fresh taste, albeit very even tempered. When i say fresh, l mean distinct and 'in focus'. I expected it might be a bit duller, blunted by time... Very glad to be wrong!
It lit up easily, and had a very gentle burn through out, not requiring relighting at all. The draw was steady, consistent, and easy going. The ash held form well, dropping three times in all, the first was nearly at the half way mark and i suspect helped by a stiff off shore breeze! Overall time had treated this cigar well. The usual Cohiba flavours were there, but with a calmness and poise i can only guess was due to the age.
At first i was a little concerned it was too flat- had i left it too long in the humi? But hints of fresh green apple and mint came out amongst the cedar notes. I've never really understood the 'cream' flavours that people talk about in cigars. But now i do. As this smoke hit its stride, the middle section of the smoke had a gentle creamyness, underpinned with subtle spice, fresh apples/ peardrops, and soft leathery notes. Certainly not a big flavour, but not lacking interest / complexity at all.
The final third of the smoke brought some extra ummph. Coffee, cedar, and hints of a fruity dark chocolate replaced the fresh edge of the green apple. And in the final 5 centimetres of the smoke it gave out a really pleasant burst of flavours which were a solid undertone of old leather and oak, combined with a hint of soft and subtle dark caramel.
this smoke wont be for everyone. If you like them bolder and stronger then it might underwhelm you. For me, the charm of this smoke is that there are plenty of well adjusted flavours in there to keep your taste buds engaged, without either being bold n brassy or thin and wishy washy.
I think that time has served this smoke well. I would bet that it might be even better if it were just a little younger, but then i've always favoured a fuller smoke. That said, I have another in the humii and i am not likely to pass it to anyone else!!!
.So, the Siglo VI (purchased in '98) was one of the small bunch of sticks i've chosen to celebrate my birthday with. I smoked it this evening... Its not quite made it to my actual birthday! i smoked it outdoors in a sheltered alcove of a cornish hotel terrace over looking the sea, wrapped in a warm coat and accompanied by a decent glass of XO.
Trying a nice wide cut, over a bullet or sliver cut, its pre-lighting flavours were suprisingly clean. I didnt know what to expect from such an aged cigar, so i was pleasantly suprised that it was such a clean and fresh taste, albeit very even tempered. When i say fresh, l mean distinct and 'in focus'. I expected it might be a bit duller, blunted by time... Very glad to be wrong!
It lit up easily, and had a very gentle burn through out, not requiring relighting at all. The draw was steady, consistent, and easy going. The ash held form well, dropping three times in all, the first was nearly at the half way mark and i suspect helped by a stiff off shore breeze! Overall time had treated this cigar well. The usual Cohiba flavours were there, but with a calmness and poise i can only guess was due to the age.
At first i was a little concerned it was too flat- had i left it too long in the humi? But hints of fresh green apple and mint came out amongst the cedar notes. I've never really understood the 'cream' flavours that people talk about in cigars. But now i do. As this smoke hit its stride, the middle section of the smoke had a gentle creamyness, underpinned with subtle spice, fresh apples/ peardrops, and soft leathery notes. Certainly not a big flavour, but not lacking interest / complexity at all.
The final third of the smoke brought some extra ummph. Coffee, cedar, and hints of a fruity dark chocolate replaced the fresh edge of the green apple. And in the final 5 centimetres of the smoke it gave out a really pleasant burst of flavours which were a solid undertone of old leather and oak, combined with a hint of soft and subtle dark caramel.
this smoke wont be for everyone. If you like them bolder and stronger then it might underwhelm you. For me, the charm of this smoke is that there are plenty of well adjusted flavours in there to keep your taste buds engaged, without either being bold n brassy or thin and wishy washy.
I think that time has served this smoke well. I would bet that it might be even better if it were just a little younger, but then i've always favoured a fuller smoke. That said, I have another in the humii and i am not likely to pass it to anyone else!!!
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