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Cohiba (Dominican)

Blind Cigar Review: Weller by Cohiba

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In the cigar world, collaborations are not uncommon. There are blenders working with other blenders, celebrity projects, even Chef’s having their palates challenged to create a cigar accenting the flavors they create at their restaurants (Davidoff Chef’s Edition comes to mind). Of course, cigars created to pair with spirits seems to be the biggest “no brainer”. With this in mind, General Cigar teamed up with Weller bourbon and their non-Cuban brand Cohiba to create Weller by Cohiba. This robusto was designed to work with their wheated bourbon, allowing the smoker and bourbon fan to enjoy both pleasures in harmony. It should be noted, however, that Weller doesn’t feature any barrel aging of the tobaccos like other spirits-associated blends.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Weller by Cohiba
  • Wrapper: Honduran
  • Binder: Connecticut Habano
  • Filler: Nicaraguan
  • Size: 5” ½ (Robusto)

Blind Review: Cohiba Weller

Appearance and Construction

This robusto has a dark toothy, wrapper that appears almost near black. There are a few soft spots in the middle of the cigar as I squeeze it. The foot smells damp and earthy.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

I decide to use my Xikar scissors, clipping just enough off the head. The draw dry has the right amount of resistance and offers a damp and earthy profile. I’m getting a tanginess on my lips from the wrapper and striking a long match, I begin toasting the cigar. With my first draw, there’s a grittiness along with earth and fresh tobacco. While the smoke wafts through my mouth, I’m picking up coffee with a slight minerality on the finish. Taking a retrohale there are floral notes combined with cedar on the exhale. The cigar is billowing with smoke and is medium bodied at present.

At midway, the ash is gray and quite flaky. The burn line is askew, and the smoke production is quite dense. There’s milk chocolate and oats as I take another draw, while the finish is on the medium side. The retrohale delivers roasted peanuts with buttery notes on the back end. As a few minutes go by, I’m picking up cereal and wheat as I slowly puff. The body continues to lean towards more medium with leather drying out my mouth. There’s some pronounced cedar and vanilla as more smoke coats my tongue and comes on rather strong. I’m getting some noticeable sweetness from the wrapper at this point.

As I reach the final third of the cigar, the smoke continues to become overabundant although it never runs hot. The lengthy draw I take delivers spice upfront with mustard seed on the finish. The intensity of flavors is picking up with oak, leather and peppery notes coming through.  As I take a retrohale, wheat and spice are dominate followed by a sharp minerality. With a last puff the robusto ends with earth, leather, and cocoa on the mid palate.

Conclusion

This robusto started off gritty which had me concerned. But it transitioned nicely to earth, wood and wheat notes. The sweetness that gave way during the middle of the smoke accented the nuttiness and cocoa flavors that developed as it burned on. At the last third spice, mustard seed followed by minerals ended with a medium finish.

When I found out this was Weller by Cohiba, my first thought was that the wheat notes would certainly bode well with a wheated bourbon. Although not the most complex cigar, the Weller by Cohiba was enjoyable and delivered different tastes that I haven’t had in a while. If I had another, I would certainly be sipping Weller alongside it although at an MSRP of $19.99 I caution the quality/value ratio. If you don’t’ mind its price, then I’d say it’s worth a try.

Final Rating: 89

Blind Review: Cohiba Royale Gran Royale

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From General Cigars—the makers of the non-Cuban Cohiba brand and others like Macanudo—comes another high end premium cigar in the Cohiba Royale Gran Royale. This Cohiba is covered in a wonderful Nicaraguan Broadleaf wrapper and is said to have extra-aged filler tobaccos. I’ve smoked some of the more ultra-premium lines lines such as the Comador, Macassar and both Spectre blends with some of the blends being better than others, though all enjoyable smokes. I’m a fan of quality broadleaf—when it is done right it can bring great flavor and balance to a cigar.  

As you’ll ready below, with this being a blind review I was pleasantly surprised with the results.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Cohiba Royale Gran Royale
  • Wrapper: Nicaraguan Broadleaf
  • Binder: Dominican
  • Filler: Dominican, Honduara, Nicaraguan
  • Size: 4.5 x 52 robusto
  • Price: ~$24

Appearance and Construction

The Cohiba Royale is draped in a dark, reddish, veiny wrapper with a nice oily sheen to it. The cigar is rolled solidly full of tobacco and dense to the touch. From the foot there are aromas of cocoa and earth. A fine looking robusto at first sight.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

Utilizing my Xikar cutter, I clip a straight cut. The dry draw has just the right amount of resistance, with espresso and balsa wood coming through. As I draw with flame the first few puffs deliver rich tobacco notes along with cherries and leather. The additional spice that comes through is balanced by a creaminess left on the palate. The cigar transitions from spice to leather while remaining nuanced and composed, and the ash that develops with the straight burn is light gray and rather firm attesting to the packed tobacco in the filler.

Through the Cohiba Royale’s progression into the second third, the espresso returns along with dried fruits on the retrohale. Additional notes of graphite and almond emerge while the smoke delivers a long creamy finish. The Cohiba Royale continues with a medium to full flavor without overwhelming and hitting just the right amounts of strength and flavor.

As the Cohiba Royale reaches its last third, there is a swath of chocolate and cream in the smoke with some citrus hitting the tip of the tongue. The Cohiba Royale’s complexities continue, with coffee coming through on the sides of the mouth while floral notes play on the retrohale. These are intriguing sensory flavors that round out the cigars profile well. A thoroughly enjoyable robusto.

Conclusion

This cigar in no way compares to the flavors of a Cuban Cohiba. They are, after all, completely different tobaccos and taste, and I do not believe that was ever General Cigars intention.

In General’s ultra-premium lines the Cohiba Royale Gran Royale easily justifies the high price point for me. The wrapper and filler blend work together in generating a fuller flavored smoke without overpowering the palate. The combination of rich tobacco, earth, cherries, spice and a creamy finish gives this cigar a complexity I enjoyed throughout the entire smoking experience.

I believe that when you pay a higher price for a cigar—especially when it’s highly touted—you should walk away satisfied. In the case of the Cohiba Royale Gran Royale, it delivered that level of flavor for me and I would absolutely recommend picking a few up.

Final Rating: 93

Cigar Review: Cohiba Red Dot

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The Cohiba Red Dot is the first and standard offering by the Dominican-based and General Cigars headed Cohiba brand. Utilizing top shelf leaves and fine fermentation processes, it’s considered one of the company’s most luxurious lines. The Red Dot is rolled in the Dominican Republic and Famous Smoke Shop, based out of Pennsylvania, generously sent in samples for this review.

Blend Specifics

Vitola: Corona 5”x42

Wrapper: Cameroon

Binder: Indonesian Jember

Filler: Dominican Piloto Cubano

CRD_2

Appearance and Construction

The Cohiba Red dot has a light brown, almost tan coloured wrapper that also has a slight green tint. Minimal veins, tight though visible seams. An almost velvety feel with a slight tooth, and a slightly mottled appearance. Dense, even packing and this corona sports a decently applied triple cap.

Smoke and Flavor Characteristics

Cold Aromas: The wrapper shows wet manure, a little grass / hay and a buttery nut. The foot presents cedar / sweet wood and hay. The cold draw opens to a day wood with a bit of pine and a faint fresh mint. It also has a fairly easy and open draw.

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First Third: The first notes are a dry and sweet grain cereal, some black pepper, cedar, a refreshing mint wash and a bit of manure-earth. The aroma is thick with cedar and a touch of leather. Near razor sharp burn, and the ash formation is tight, white, with distinct rings. A very spicy start. The spice calmed a bit. The ash was tapped at one inch due to the small ring gauge of this cigar. The body is medium to full, the flavor is medium to full as well, while the strength is just shy of medium to full.

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Second Third: The second third is still brimming with spice. The fresh mint is still hanging around, as well as the cedar, but there’s also a deeper leather note that’s come in. the sweet cereal is here and there in faint accentuations. The aroma is still pleasantly pungent. The spice has come down way down and the cigar has eased into a mellow burn and profile. The profile is till holding at medium to full in body, medium to full in flavor and medium to medium to full in strength.

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Final Third: The final third is still teaming with flavor and an increased level of balance. The spice is still present and lasts long on the finish but isn’t quite as overwhelming as it was earlier in the session. The cedar and leather with a slight sweetness are still the main components of this smoke. Performance has been great throughout and even up to this point. Removing the band happens pretty easily as the band is held with self-adhesive glue. The cigar ends up as it started and as it has been throughout, with the body at medium to full, the flavor at medium to full and the strength just shy of medium to full.

Final Thoughts

The Cohiba Red Dot is what one would come to expect of an ultra premium offering from large company. Thoroughly consistent, fine grade leaves and fermentation process, and consistent flavor profile and construction. At times it can feel a bit one-dimensional but with all the spice packed into this little vitola, it stays fairly interesting. This cigar makes for a good breakfast or after lunch smoke, in this vitola.

Smoking time was 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Grade: A