Review: Cohiba Esplendidos (2010)

[Cigar Surgeon]

Full post with gallery: http://cigarfederation.com/profiles/blogs/review-cohiba-esplendidos-2010

This Cohiba Esplendidos from 2010 came by way of a good friend who set me up with a Cuban taster pack of sorts. He asked to remain anonymous.

Nose:

That Cuban sweetness couple with undertones of cedar. Careful examination and I pick up some hay but very faintly. The nose is quite light, very subtle.

Construction:

This Cohiba Esplendidos is from 2010, comes in a Churchill vitola and measures 7” by 47 ring gauge. The Esplendidos was originally released in 1989 and is a current production cigar. It has gone through 3 band revisions, Standard B, C and now D.

Flavor: First Third

This Cohiba has a bit of a peppery start. There are nutty notes with a sharp finish on the tongue. As the first third progresses the pepper declines from a medium intensity down to a very low intensity.

I would describe the first third is quite savory, very smooth. After approximately 45 minutes to an hour the pepper comes back at the back of my throat.

Middle Third

The second third is still nutty and I start to taste the hay that I nosed. The hay lingers and as the middle continues it goes from light to medium intensity. The profile takes an abrupt change at the middle towards earthy and dry with some bitterness. The hay mixes in with some grassiness that sticks around post draw with the hay.

The bitterness becomes a sort of caramelized toffee as this third winds down.

Last Third

The toffee bitterness falls off to a background flavor and the nuttiness picks up strength to medium intensity.

Burn/Draw:

I did an initial v-cut and the draw was a bit tight on an unlit draw so I made a cross cut. The draw with a cross cut was great. The Cohiba Esplendidos produced significant smoke with each draw. Unfortunately the wrapper cracked in the cold weather. Total smoking time was about 2 hours and 10 minutes.

Value:

This Cohiba Esplendidos is available in singles for $33. A cardboard box of 3 cigars is approximately $76. It is also available in boxes of 25 cigars for over $600. While I’m sure they are less expensive in Cuba than in external markets, I find the pricing quite high. There are LE or Regional releases from other brands that I feel would be superior in flavor profile for less money.

Final Word:

The first third of the Cohiba Esplendidos started out really promising but I didn’t enjoy the progression through the thirds. I found the bitterness at the end of the second third that carried into the last third not to me liking. I did enjoy the Esplendidos much more than the Robusto but as I continue to review cigars I think the Esplendidos will slowly fall down the Top Cubans of 2014 list.

[PapaDisco]

Informative review, I still want to stock up on these. Sounds like with that little bite that perhaps they need to age a bit longer? Maybe 5-7 years rather than 4? I get used to thinking Cohiba's come throughly aged, assembled with aged tobacco and all that, but just last month I got a box of Behike 56's and surprise, surprise a couple of them elicited the tiniest touch of ammonia from the foot cold. Just goes to show you that time is on your side . . . (except for when it's making you old and fat )

[markmurase]

Avrus, thanks for posting your review. I enjoyed it - and I especially like your cigar stand

I agree wth PapaDisco - the Esplendidos would benefit from a few more years aging. I have a HQ box with code NOV 09. I've smoked a few and they've been OK: very good in places, but a bit harsh in others. I've pushed mine to the back of the humidor and won't try another until sometime in 2016. I'm hopefull they will then be starting to show how good Esplendidios can be.

[bradbrennan]

I love that list you started of 2014 smokes be awesome to see that from some other members on here if anybody has them?

[paulF]

Thanks for the review.

Had similar experience with Esplendidos and in specific the last third when tanins and Bitterness picks up. Definitely needs a bit longer to rest i think.

Cheers