Cohiba Recommendations

[MountMandolin]

Hi good folks,

At the risk of sounding overly romanticized (or perhaps just outright ridiculous), I have had a transcendent cigar experience recently. A friend gifted me a Cohiba Lancero, box code MEL SEP 08, and it was absolutely stunning, one of the top five cigars I've ever smoked for sure. I had hoped I would hate it, since Cohibas are staggeringly expensive, but alas, it was pure bliss. It was my first Cohiba, and I'm afraid that it won't be my last since it was so good. So I have a few questions for the experts about Cohiba. Inquiring minds want to know.

1) Is the Lancero pretty well representative of the marca, or are there massive differences between the different vitolas? I ask this mostly because a box of the Lanceros is quite expensive, otherwise I would have already bought a box of them.

2) What are the major differences between the Siglo series and the standard Cohiba line? Some of the Siglos seem quite affordable, especially compared to the standard line Cohibas, so I'm wondering if that's where I'll find my best bang for the buck. Still, I assume that there are some significant differences, and I'd like to know what those are.

3) If you were to buy a box of Cohibas right now, what's the best cigar for your money? My budget is far from unlimited, so you won't be finding any Behikes in my humidor unless someone gives me one, but my usual box purchases are usually in the $200-$300 range, $300 being the upper limit, generally speaking. I do have a friend with whom I do splits quite often, but for the sake of simplicity, let's assume I'm buying a whole box. I can break my $300 limit sometimes for a really outstanding cigar, so don't hold back on the recommendations.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, folks. If it helps, my favorites are Partagas (Lusi, 898, D4, P2, Shorts, pretty much all of them), RASS, and Bolivar (especially the BBF). Thanks in advance!

[Lotusguy]

Somewhat within your budget, I'd try to get some CoRo with a few years on them - they really shine after 5+

[MountMandolin]

Somewhat within your budget, I'd try to get some CoRo with a few years on them - they really shine after 5+

This seems to be a theme, that Cohibas really need time to develop and become great. Unfortunately, the only source I know of is our lovely hosts, and I wouldn't begin to know where to find already aged cigars. The only way I know to get some aged Cohibas is to do it the hard way: buy them and then settle in for a long, torturous wait. That has been the hardest part about getting into Cuban cigars for me, always being told that I need to lay my cigars down for several years or more in order to get the most out of them. I have limited humidor space (only room for about 200 cigars) and even more limited self-control, so it can be hard to do the thing properly, if indeed aging them is the proper way of enjoy Habanos. I've no doubt that aging is hugely important (as I said, the Lancero that blew me away and prompted this thread was five years old), but I'm starting to think I either need to win the lottery or sell my car if I'm going to get the most out of Cuban cigars.

For what it's worth, I have some RASS and some Partagas that are only about eight months old that I think are wonderful cigars, so sometimes I wonder how much aging each particular cigar needs. As you can see, I'm quite new at all this, but that is why I like this forum: people like me can get help with this stuff from people like you guys.

[Cohiba Stevie]

Siglo ii all the way!

[lostsoulcamero]

Smoking some coro with about 2 years on them and sig iv with around 18 months both good smokes

[Styler]

I do agree that Cohiba have some fine cigars in their line-up, if they were priced a little more like other Cuban brands then they would probably make up a large part of my collection! My problem is that whenever I'm about to pull the trigger on a box I always end up thinking "what other sticks could I get for this amount of money?", but then I think "smoke less, smoke better" and I end up in a cyclical, internal monologue for the next couple of hours.

I would certainly recommend the Siglo II though, easily my favourite PC with a few years age. Age is a must in my book though, what's the point in paying top dollar for premium cigars and then smoking them before they reach their full potential? Sure, they may still be good smokes, but there are a lot of good smokes out there for a lot less.

[khomeinist]

Siglo III, IV, and the CCE are my recommendations.

[ewipper]

Hi good folks,

At the risk of sounding overly romanticized (or perhaps just outright ridiculous), I have had a transcendent cigar experience recently. A friend gifted me a Cohiba Lancero, box code MEL SEP 08, and it was absolutely stunning, one of the top five cigars I've ever smoked for sure. I had hoped I would hate it, since Cohibas are staggeringly expensive, but alas, it was pure bliss. It was my first Cohiba, and I'm afraid that it won't be my last since it was so good. So I have a few questions for the experts about Cohiba. Inquiring minds want to know.

1) Is the Lancero pretty well representative of the marca, or are there massive differences between the different vitolas? I ask this mostly because a box of the Lanceros is quite expensive, otherwise I would have already bought a box of them.

2) What are the major differences between the Siglo series and the standard Cohiba line? Some of the Siglos seem quite affordable, especially compared to the standard line Cohibas, so I'm wondering if that's where I'll find my best bang for the buck. Still, I assume that there are some significant differences, and I'd like to know what those are.

3) If you were to buy a box of Cohibas right now, what's the best cigar for your money? My budget is far from unlimited, so you won't be finding any Behikes in my humidor unless someone gives me one, but my usual box purchases are usually in the $200-$300 range, $300 being the upper limit, generally speaking. I do have a friend with whom I do splits quite often, but for the sake of simplicity, let's assume I'm buying a whole box. I can break my $300 limit sometimes for a really outstanding cigar, so don't hold back on the recommendations.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, folks. If it helps, my favorites are Partagas (Lusi, 898, D4, P2, Shorts, pretty much all of them), RASS, and Bolivar (especially the BBF). Thanks in advance!

While I understand the need to shop on a budget, if you enjoyed a Cohiba Lancero, you should smoke Cohiba Lancero and kick in the 4-500 a box for a special smoke. When you are on a budget, consistency is as important as price. As Cuban cigars are notoriously inconsistent, you want as much predictability as you can get. The last thing you want is to buy an expensive box of Cohiba Robustos and have it be disgusting.

Anyone can tell you whatever they want but for a variety of reasons, Lanceros are the most consistent Cohibas. Leaving aside the big RG small RG debate, Lanceros in boxes (not paper packs) are rolled almost entirely at El Laguito and vary very little in taste. On a budget, do not worry about the age your cigars talk. You enjoyed a Cohiba with 5 years of age on it and that age or less is perfect for Lanceros. There are plenty of 09s and 10s floating around so you should be fine.

A word of caution about buying Robustos blind, they roll them everywhere in Cuba, and they are not consistent cigars.

Also, except the Panatelas, every other Cohiba is another animal from the Lancero. I love the exquisitos and the Esplendidos, but I am extremely picky because of how inconsistent they are.

Good luck.

[cottierm]

I second Eddy on that point.

Best,

Michel

[dangolf18]

In your price range, I'd say go for a box of Siglo I or Siglo II or go for a 15ct box of Cohiba Robusto or 2 5 packs of Esplendido,

[mk05]

Cohiba's need a very long time to mature.

These three are very good with only a few years on them:

Exquisito

Siglo I

Panatela (I have recently been advised on this, but have never tried)

[dangolf18]

Panetelas are great but they are so damn expensive. I'd get a box of SCDLH Oficios before I ever got a box of them again.

Cohiba's need a very long time to mature.

These three are very good with only a few years on them:

Exquisito

Siglo I

Panatela (I have recently been advised on this, but have never tried)

[joeypots]

This seems to be a theme, that Cohibas really need time to develop and become great. Unfortunately, the only source I know of is our lovely hosts, and I wouldn't begin to know where to find already aged cigars. The only way I know to get some aged Cohibas is to do it the hard way: buy them and then settle in for a long, torturous wait. That has been the hardest part about getting into Cuban cigars for me, always being told that I need to lay my cigars down for several years or more in order to get the most out of them. I have limited humidor space (only room for about 200 cigars) and even more limited self-control, so it can be hard to do the thing properly, if indeed aging them is the proper way of enjoy Habanos. .

That's why people refer to the connoseurship of Havana cigars as the slippery slope. People have thousands and thousands of $$$ in cigars stored in a variety of ways. Be selective. Get a cooler. Buy twice what you will smoke and develop that patience you claim not to have. Loads of cigars need time, if only to acclimate and get to a good RH for smoking. A properly stored and matured Cohiba or any Havana cigar is a thing of beauty but patience is a necessity. What happens to a Cohiba, Ramon Allones, Bolivar or H Upman after a few years is amazing. For my .02$, '08 Cohibas are just coming around. Looking for cigars that don't need the time? EPI#1or 2, Mag 46, Hoyo DC, come to mind. Don't blow a bunch of $$$ and smoke cigars too young if you want the benefit of age, It just isn't worth it.

[canadianbeaver]

Ok I have a 10 minute old revelation to reveal to you all. Matthew and just smoked Siglo VI's and I can tell you this was a first because

A) we are to cheap to buy them

B.) they are so big I thought they should vibrate

Tom tmac was very generous to gift them to us so we fired them up. They were so incredible for smoke volume, taste and just hanging out together enjoyment.

No way I can afford a box so we are probably going to buy them in pairs or in fivers.

Five stars!!!!

[ewipper]

Incorrect. The Coronas Especiales are virtually the same animal as the Lancero, same blend...1" shorter is the only difference. Both were vitola in the original Classic Linea.

To the OP...if you liked the Lanceros, the Coronas Especiales will fit your bill at a much more approachable price.

A few things. Coronas Especiales are more than 1 inch shorter than Lanceros, they are 1 1/2 inches or 4 cm, which is a tremendous step down in length. This makes a big difference in the blend of a cigar. 192 mm is the ideal length for a cigar, giving it a chance to develop and build in flavor.

While the blends may be proportionate, blends are done by weight, so to say that a cigar that has much less tobacco can be the same blend doesn't do justice to the Lancero.

I'd rather see someone buy 15 Lanceros in paper packs and put them in a box to decontaminate the paper than to spring for Coronas Especiales when they are expecting a Lancero.

[Jnaube]

Siglo,VI are probably one of the best cigars around. Pretty consistent.

[1fastmach1]

I smoked a coro last weekend that was around 2 years old and it was stunning. I'd love to have an entire box. Coro gets my pick.

[Smallclub]

I would never recommend the Siglo series to someone who felt in love with the Lanceros.

[Smallclub]

My source for the statement that Lanceros and Coronas Especiales are the same blend was Rudy Toboada. Your source ?

"Rudy" for Rodolfo, "Toboada" for Taboada. You must have been a close friend!

[ewipper]

1. Length has no bearing on blend...diameter can, but they are the same diameter.

2. 192mm being the ideal length for a cigar is nothing more than your opinion.

3. Blends are not done by weight, they are rolled with leaves and portions of leaves.

My source for the statement that Lanceros and Coronas Especiales are the same blend was Rudy Toboada. Your source ?

This logic is funny. By this logic, the blend for Hoyo Du Dauphin and Hoyo Du Depute should be identical. Are they?

You are right about my opinion. It happened to have been Zino Davidoff's opinion, which is why his favorite cigar was a Delicado and he blended his signature cigar after. Ever wonder why those Fundadores in your avatar were so tasty?

As for the blend, not being by weight, I suppose that Rudy Taboada, may he rest in peace, told you that the gramos in this chart, posted by a fellow brother, was the reward in crackers if this factory size was rolled without being plugged.

[ewipper]

I would never recommend the Siglo series to someone who felt in love with the Lanceros.

This could not be more on target.

[mk05]

mmmm GdE...*gurgle sound*

[MountMandolin]

Despite the large variations in opinion, I very much appreciate everyone's responses. Have not reached a decision yet, but I am sure that there will be some Cohibas in my humidor before too long. Waiting on my most recent order to come in before I order any more CC's, but Cohiba is on my short list for sure. Might have to just spring for the Lancero's, but I will bookmark this thread and refer back to it when I get around to ordering some Cohibas.

This may be outright blasphemy on this forum, but I do not exclusively smoke Cuban cigars. Non-Cubans are what got me into cigars in the first place, and there are plenty of very good ones out there. So, if nothing else, I can always rely on non-Cubans for more frequent smokes while I allow my Cubans to rest and improve. I have definitely seen what age can do for Cubans (and I believe aging is more important with Cubans than non-Cubans), so I will just have to suck it up and wait to really reap the full benefits of Cuban cigars. As I have experienced first hand, it is well worth the wait.

Thanks again folks! I appreciate your advice.