Thoughts about behike

[Jauwels]

Which regular Cuban cigar comes closest to the behike series??

[Puros Y Vino]

Good question.  Very difficult to answer as the BHK lineup flavour profiles are all somewhat different. As are people's palates. My guesses would be:

BHK52 - Not a huge fan.  Haven't had one in years.  The only thing I found close to it or better is now gone. The Trinidad Robusto T.  I venture a good PSD4 might get close?

BHK54 - A few years back,people were chasing a Partagas E2 El Laguito factory code.  Rumor was that since there wasn't much medio tiempo leaf to make the 54's, they rolled the E2's with the wrapper and filler (IIRC).  I managed to source a box. While they are excellent E2's I really didn't get any BHK nuances from it.  One stick I did find that reminds of the BHK54 and 56 a little is the Cohiba Piramides Extra.  The 54 is probably the one closest to being full bodied. An aged RyJ Cazadores shares some tasting notes.

BHK56 - The CPE as mentioned above comes close.  A nicely aged HU Mag 50 has some similarities.  The 56 is the smoothest of the line. I call it my "Champagne" cigar.  To my palate it has some of the tasting notes of a good bubbly. A bit dry, some slight fruit, honey and smooth overall. 

I'm curious as to what others might suggest.

[Fosgate]

Which one? I had a box of the 56. Construction was superb in uniformity, smooth wrapper, perfect draw. Flavor mild earth, slight cedar wood, nutty and mild spice, nothing overpowering but really smooth. Closest Regular production? My vote is the Siglo VI, IMHO is the closest. 

[Chibearsv]

25 minutes ago, bundwallah said:

Good question.  Very difficult to answer as the BHK lineup flavour profiles are all somewhat different. As are people's palates. My guesses would be:

BHK56 - The CPE as mentioned above comes close.  A nicely aged HU Mag 50 has some similarities.  The 56 is the smoothest of the line. I call it my "Champagne" cigar.  To my palate it has some of the tasting notes of a good bubbly. A bit dry, some slight fruit, honey and smooth overall. 

I'm curious as to what others might suggest.

I've only had the BHK56 and agree that CPE is the only one that comes very close.  The Siglo VI for me has more citrus and is closer to Esplendidos than BHK

[Tstew75]

Piramides ?

[PuroDiario]

Pirámides Extra imho no question about it.
I think with a different flavor profile and 3 years on em (talking based on 207) the Leyendas and Maltés of Montecristo 1935 are coming in that level of “delivery/grandioseness” within their marca too.

[PuroDan]

trinidad robusto t

[SigmundChurchill]

All three sizes used to taste like overpriced Siglo VI's to me.

But ever since going to the EL factory and smelling the strong, sweet smell coming from the Medio Tiempo leaves, I have a new appreciation for the Behikes.

Now they taste like overpriced Siglo VI's with Medio Tiempo leaves mixed in.

And it sounds like I'm joking, but I am. not.  I taste the distinct Siglo VI profile, and now that my brain knows what to look for, the sweet flavors coming from the Medio Tiempo are mingled in with it.  I truly appreciate them more now.  

That said, at the price point, Siglo VI's are a bargain.  I don't think the Medio Tiempo is worth the extra $60 per cigar.  I will still buy them once in a while, but I do so knowing that I may not be getting my money's worth.  If I could get them at Cuba prices, I would smoke them every day.  Unfortunately for me, everybody else wants them too.

[Fosgate]

1 hour ago, SigmundChurchill said:

All three sizes used to taste like overpriced Siglo VI's to me.

But ever since going to the EL factory and smelling the strong, sweet smell coming from the Medio Tiempo leaves, I have a new appreciation for the Behikes.

Now they taste like overpriced Siglo VI's with Medio Tiempo leaves mixed in.

And it sounds like I'm joking, but I am. not.  I taste the distinct Siglo VI profile, and now that my brain knows what to look for, the sweet flavors coming from the Medio Tiempo are mingled in with it.  I truly appreciate them more now.  

That said, at the price point, Siglo VI's are a bargain.  I don't think the Medio Tiempo is worth the extra $60 per cigar.  I will still buy them once in a while, but I do so knowing that I may not be getting my money's worth.  If I could get them at Cuba prices, I would smoke them every day.  Unfortunately for me, everybody else wants them too.

I would mnd buying another box.....If they were still anywhere close to when I bought my last one in 2014 or 15  on a 24:24 for $300. Seeing the price now? Fuggetaboutit.

[El Presidente]

Upmann Connie B  

Good Siglo VI

 

[TTP21]

3 hours ago, SigmundChurchill said:

All three sizes used to taste like overpriced Siglo VI's to me.

But ever since going to the EL factory and smelling the strong, sweet smell coming from the Medio Tiempo leaves, I have a new appreciation for the Behikes.

Now they taste like overpriced Siglo VI's with Medio Tiempo leaves mixed in.

And it sounds like I'm joking, but I am. not.  I taste the distinct Siglo VI profile, and now that my brain knows what to look for, the sweet flavors coming from the Medio Tiempo are mingled in with it.  I truly appreciate them more now.  

That said, at the price point, Siglo VI's are a bargain.  I don't think the Medio Tiempo is worth the extra $60 per cigar.  I will still buy them once in a while, but I do so knowing that I may not be getting my money's worth.  If I could get them at Cuba prices, I would smoke them every day.  Unfortunately for me, everybody else wants them too.

Any thoughts on the CPE vs Sig 6?  It seems like multiple folks think the CPE is close and I'd like to know what a seasoned Cohiba expert like yourself thinks.  

[SigmundChurchill]

1 hour ago, TTP21 said:

Any thoughts on the CPE vs Sig 6?  It seems like multiple folks think the CPE is close and I'd like to know what a seasoned Cohiba expert like yourself thinks.  

Thank you, but the only thing I really consider myself to be an expert in is my profession.  I'm just a guy that smokes a lot of Cohibas.  In my opinion, the CPE is bolder in flavor while the Siglo VI is more refined and subtle. Personally, I think the blend of the Behike is more like the blend of the Siglo VI plus the Medio Tiempo.  It doesn't have the same in-your-face boldness that a CPE has after a couple of years of age on them.  The Medio Tiempo adds some boldness to the Behike that the Siglo VI lacks, but to me, it is a different flavor of boldness than you find in the CPE.  The subtle flavors and the bolder, sweeter flavor of the Behike creates a contrast, almost like eating salted caramel (the contrast, not the flavor profile) while in the CPE the flavors are more blended together and more difficult to separate.  

Years ago, people used to say that the CPE had the Medio Tiempo in the blend, and maybe it did back then, but if so, I don't think it still does.  One of the questions I asked at the factory was "Do you use the medio tiempo for any cigars other than the Behike?" and the answer they gave me was "No".  So there is that.  Perhaps it was replaced with ligero when Behike production ramped up and medio tiempo became more scarce?  That is a question for someone with a lot more inside information than I have.

[Sandman]

4 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Upmann Connie B  

 

Totally agree, and I’ve smoked lots of both. I see the similarities to Sig VI, but I have on more than one occasion thought that the BHK blend and Connie B share similarities. 

[MrBirdman]

If they somehow figure out how to blend and produce a BHK 46 or even 48, I’ll give them a go. But I can’t justify paying such a lofty premium for sizes I don’t care for (especially considering the consensus from most seems to be that the 54 and 56 are better than the 52). 

[SGD316]

I have a BHK52 box and frankly wasn't that impressed. 

[Carrie Nation]

After the first 2010 release, Behikes became f**k-all. Nothing more than pigtailed versions of the siglo series with an extra half-leaf of ligero for the 52, another full leaf for the 54, and another leaf and a half for the 56. 

 

And don’t even get me started on “medio tiempo.” There was no medio tiempo grown in all of Remedios y Partidos last year. Zero. Nothing. The strains weren’t cultivated to produce it. Robaina didn’t grow any either…not what he gave to the state…and Prieto will tell you himself that he’s “strongly encouraged” by Tabacuba to classify smaller ligero leaf as medio tiempo. 

 

Behike has become a bouillon-cube blend. A bait-and-switch. So for these reasons I second all nominations here for siglo 6. It’s nearly the same blend and a heck of a lot easier to find. 

 

[Hammer Smokin']

Best cigar I smoked in 2020 was a Behike 52. 

I know that isn't worth anything, but I sure enjoyed it....

[mprach024]

Tastes just like a Monte Open.  In fact all of you should pass next time come up on 24:24.

[SGD316]

If you enjoyed it thats what matters! My fav in 2020 was a diplo 2.