Cohiba Secretos
Size: 110 mm x 40 ? Reyes
Smoke time: 55 mins.
Cigar box date: MOS NOV 09
Appearance: Aesthetically pleasing. Perfectly cylindrical with a smooth, clean, chocolate brown Maduro wrapper showing just the barest of surface veins and finished with a neatly applied triple cap. Something about the size of the cigar and Standard Maduro band just works, and together creates an attractive visual balance.
Construction: I knew, I just knew. The cigar felt (over) solidly filled and had only the slightest give along the entire length. The pre-draw ? though coating my lips in delicious sweetness from the Maduro wrapper ? was tight and the smoking draw unfortunately followed suit. The burn, give it its due, was absolutely straight, and the mid grey ash, (no surprise here) stayed dense and highly compacted throughout the smoke. Two tap offs (only), no re-lights, no corrections (see pics).
Flavour: The pre-light aroma was gorgeous, musky hay and rich tobacco. After which, there isn?t really much I can say by way of review due to the poor draw, I simply wasn?t drawing sufficient smoke in correct tempo to make a properly subjective judgement. There were tastes and flavours in the Secretos. The usual Cuban citrus twang is very much in the basement, beneath chocolatey/mocha, cedar, bean and warm pepper and then, towards the end, building in depth to woods and leather. But all the flavours in the smoke were to some considerable degree being overwhelmed by the sweetness from the Maduro, which OK, is meant to be the icing on the cake, but in this instance had become most of the the substance. On the plus side, I was left with a really pleasant taste in my mouth ? which lasts for ages.
Overall: Disappointing and expensive, and even more so when you can?t fully enjoy one. This was a cigar that ?should have been? but the almost impossible draw resulted in a lackluster performance from what really should have been a top drawer smoke. I?ve still nine of these left in my box, hopefully the one I smoked today is a ?rogue? and/or another year of ageing might help ease the draw a bit.
Note: Not heavy in tobacco strength so should be an easy smoke for Newbees.
Size: 110 mm x 40 ? Reyes
Smoke time: 55 mins.
Cigar box date: MOS NOV 09
Appearance: Aesthetically pleasing. Perfectly cylindrical with a smooth, clean, chocolate brown Maduro wrapper showing just the barest of surface veins and finished with a neatly applied triple cap. Something about the size of the cigar and Standard Maduro band just works, and together creates an attractive visual balance.
Construction: I knew, I just knew. The cigar felt (over) solidly filled and had only the slightest give along the entire length. The pre-draw ? though coating my lips in delicious sweetness from the Maduro wrapper ? was tight and the smoking draw unfortunately followed suit. The burn, give it its due, was absolutely straight, and the mid grey ash, (no surprise here) stayed dense and highly compacted throughout the smoke. Two tap offs (only), no re-lights, no corrections (see pics).
Flavour: The pre-light aroma was gorgeous, musky hay and rich tobacco. After which, there isn?t really much I can say by way of review due to the poor draw, I simply wasn?t drawing sufficient smoke in correct tempo to make a properly subjective judgement. There were tastes and flavours in the Secretos. The usual Cuban citrus twang is very much in the basement, beneath chocolatey/mocha, cedar, bean and warm pepper and then, towards the end, building in depth to woods and leather. But all the flavours in the smoke were to some considerable degree being overwhelmed by the sweetness from the Maduro, which OK, is meant to be the icing on the cake, but in this instance had become most of the the substance. On the plus side, I was left with a really pleasant taste in my mouth ? which lasts for ages.
Overall: Disappointing and expensive, and even more so when you can?t fully enjoy one. This was a cigar that ?should have been? but the almost impossible draw resulted in a lackluster performance from what really should have been a top drawer smoke. I?ve still nine of these left in my box, hopefully the one I smoked today is a ?rogue? and/or another year of ageing might help ease the draw a bit.
Note: Not heavy in tobacco strength so should be an easy smoke for Newbees.
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