A la carte Review: Cohiba Secretos TEO ABR 18

[slowsmoke]

Picked up a PSP box of these rather impulsively, having never tried one.  That shiny Cohiba Maduro label just got to me ?‍♂️.  I let the box rest a few months before transferring a couple to the “on-deck” humidor.  In that time, I found that the Maduro 5 line doesn't get much love on the forum here.  So I didn’t have the highest expectations.  But these Secretos are tasty little buggers!

The first one, about a week ago, was too tight, required a perfecdraw.  But it burned fine, and delivered excellent mineral maduro flavors, and lots of cream, before life intervened and I had to abandon before the halfway point.

This second one was excellent down to the nub.  Draw was perfect.  Burn was even, though it did randomly go out a couple times.  Relights did not seem affect the flavors at all.  It produced thick, rich smoke, whether I puffed lightly or hit it with purpose.

No real transitions or complexity.  Just tons of dark rye bread, minerals, walnuts, earth, and lots of cream.  All the flavors I love in my favorite NC maduros, but without any of the Nicaraguan pepper.  Add in a healthy dose of Cuban “sweet truffle” as @Nekhyludov aptly calls it, and this is an excellent cigar for my palate.  Long lasting finish with all of those same flavors.

I didn’t get any big cocoa.  Maybe a touch of bitter dark chocolate, but I would be reaching, compared to how prominent all the other flavors were.  Perhaps that would change with more age.  No complaints here.

I took it slow, total smoking time was about 50 minutes.  Really looking forward to working through the rest of this box.

[joshhooper7]

One of my favorite cigars! Unfortunately 1 in every 5 or 6 is insanely overfilled and impossible to smoke. I do have a PerfecDraw now, just never had the opportunity to use it.

[Whisky91]

My first Cuban Cohiba that I ever had was the secretos and is one of my favorites. I’m hoping a box will show up on 24:24 at some point. 

[HopeUgood]

5 hours ago, Whisky91 said:

My first Cuban Cohiba that I ever had was the secretos and is one of my favorites. I’m hoping a box will show up on 24:24 at some point. 

The Cohiba Secreto was my second cuban ever after smoking a RyJ exhibicion no. 4 earlier the same day. I had the RyJ strolling around and the Cohiba later that night solo on a balcony in Mexico. 

[HopeUgood]

Really great review!

[SwissPEP]

Nice review here 

 

[unclepauly25]

I had one several years ago when they first came out, not sure what year that was, but got it at lcdh in Mexico, I really enjoyed it!

[ac031898]

Look at that wrapper! Awesome

[Guantanamera]

18 hours ago, slowsmoke said:

The first one, about a week ago, was too tight, required a perfecdraw.

I agree with the way too tight. I have a box from 2007 and while really tasty they have all tended to be tight, even at 10+ years. Haven't noticed this with similar sized cigars such as Principes or RASCCs.

[slowsmoke]

Yeah the Perfecdraw has become a necessary companion with many of these habanos.  For the most part it works great.  Sometimes you need to watch out for tunneling... because that's literally what the darn thing does ?