Deep Dive: Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos

[El Presidente]

Deep Dive: Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos 

Pete is a mate of mine who smokes his Secretos as the last cigar of any big cigar smoking day. He always accompanies it with a PX or Rutherglen Tokay. 

Secretos has the body to hold its own in any company. However they can be wildly inconsistent. Beautiful chocolate sticks one box, acrid bitter cocoa the next. Thin wrappers with light sheen are key on these. What is your experience? 

Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos 

• Do you like  Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos 
• Where does it stand compared to other similar cigars. 
• Have you noticed a blend/flavour/body change over the years? If so, approximately when?
• How long does it take you to smoke a  Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos 
• Do the poll!

Let's talk  Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos   

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[JohnS]

As referenced from Cuban Cigar Website, the Linea Maduro series, introduced in 2007, uses maduro wrapper aged 5 years, and binder & filler aged 3 years.

Of the three cigars in this line, the diminutive Secretos, the Robusto Extra Genios and the Petit Robusto Magicos, I would think the Secretos is by far the most popular amongst cigar enthusiasts followed by the Genios. The Magicos is the baby brother of the family that barely rates a mention.

In regard to the Secretos, they're very different to your usual Cohiba Linea 1492 (i.e. Siglo series) and Clasica series cigars. The initial 2007 run needed quite a long time to peak, in my opinion (something like 8 years). Nowadays, current versions don't need quite as much time but they do benefit from time down.

If you compare blends amongst smaller cigars, the cocoa notes in a Secretos is different (much fuller) to that found in San Cristobal de La Habana El Principes, Rafael Gonzalez Perlas and Montecristo No.5s.

[KCCubano]

I recall we were all anxiously awaiting this release and Tampa (Chuck) broke his must rest for 30 days minimum rule. The original release were as JohnS described. Very inconsistent. Within same box one may get a extremely dissapointing stick and the next two were mind blowing. Still have full 08 box sourced from Spanish stock I purchased from Czar a couple of yrs ago. 

[gormag38]

My first example of these with only a year down was very underwhelming. Acrid cocoa is the perfect word for it. After waiting 18 months or so I decided to give em another go. Needless to say I was very pleased with the difference I experienced. Still cocoa bombs but the bitterness had left. Hoping that the remaining ones I have perform the same as the latter. 

[PuroDiario]

I find Genios to be a superior cigar across all dimensions. That said, Secretos when good deliver in size. Can’t neglect them. 

[BettyHumpder]

genios all day. secretos were terrible.

[NSXCIGAR]

I've only ever liked the Secretos. Been let down by the other two constantly. 

It's a punchy little bugger that's just earth and dark chocolate with that Cohiba vanilla bean. 

I can't say I would choose it over the Siglo I as I really enjoyed Siglo I but as a cigar if they were priced better I would have certainly put them in my rotation along with RASCC, Monte 5 and El Principe. 

[westg]

Give them a year max for me . Secretos flatten out terribly with five or more . I have some as far back as 2007 15   to 20 boxes easily , and you may as well smoke something non Cuban in a similar format. A little dirty with too many miles on them 

The more we deep dive the more I think from my own standpoint that Cohiba and Hoyo and maybeee some Punch formats are worth aging . Montecristo do not age well...finding that out terribly 

[NSXCIGAR]

On 11/22/2022 at 9:46 PM, westg said:

Give them a year max for me . Secretos flatten out terribly with five or more . I have some as far back as 2007 15   to 20 boxes easily , and you may as well smoke something non Cuban in a similar format. A little dirty with too many miles on them 

The more we deep dive the more I think from my own standpoint that Cohiba and Hoyo and maybeee some Punch formats are worth aging . Montecristo do not age well...finding that out terribly 

I've had some 10+ year old Cohiba Maduros and I would agree. Fairly bland and papery to be honest. 

As far as Monte I've found they peak at about 10 years. That tanginess really starts to come out. At about 15 years they can get pretty dirty.