TX Duo Review - Cohiba Siglo IV PSM Oct 2013

[Çnote]

Generously supplied by @Capn_Jackson

I dryboxed this overnight after yesterday's Casdagli experience.

Very subtle opening, smooth as silk, warm honey and lemongrass. I hope this is going somewhere, but I have faith in Cohiba.

Honey shifts more into honeycomb candy, and then into a nutty brittle. Lemons become intense orange twang and suddenly we're definitely smoking Cohiba. Some green tea joins the party. We are rocking surely. It's a struggle to smoke this slow and it's showing it's age with some brittleness, knocking around in Duo for 6+ months and then a hard drybox is unkind to a 10 year old uncelloed. 

Getting to the band, this explodes with flavor, rich creme, treacle, apricots, all around a core of twangy tobacco. It's on all cylinders in the home stretch. Intensity continues to ratchet up, flamed citrus becomes the predominant note over creme and dry sherry.  The nub shows the uneven humidity as the wrapper cracks, leading into espresso with lemon, burnt caramel, fig reduction.

It's an amazing cigar. 93? 94? Who cares at this price, just enjoy what you have.

[Capn_Jackson]

PSM OCT ‘13

Had these sitting around for a long time, and excited to give them a fiery funeral. Cold draw is a lovely mild hay and cinnamon, faint traces of berry. After carefully toasting and lighting up, undeniable flavor and mouthfeel of aged Cohiba tobacco takes me back to the before times, before the massive hikes, before the tobac-opalypse, when these could be had for a somewhat reasonable tag. Exquisite opening. Honeyed graham cracker, mild espresso, cream, nutmeg. Once it gets rolling, the first third is bliss. Everything is well-rounded, no jagged edges, no elbows. Pecan cream, dark honey. Faints hints at salted caramel notes around the edges. Lemongrass. Absolutely creamy mouthfeel. 

Going into the second third, burn gets just a little bit wonky, but corrects itself. Flavors become more desert-like, cheesecake with salted caramel and berry compote. Much more cedar here than coffee. At the halfway point, gingerbread dominates. Cointreau sneaks around the corner. A little sweet molasses. 

Last third turns to delicious bright hazelnut, cocoa under the tongue, lots of cedar, and very bright floral honey. Great tobacco notes. The nub turns to anise and coffee. A great finish, to a great smoke.

Giving this one a solid 94.