Cigar Review Competition. COHIBA ESPLENDIDO

[Puros Y Vino]

COHIBA ESPLENDIDO

I'm going to transcribe the text as it might be hard to read on the artwork. I drew this about two weeks ago while in Cancun, Mexico. I hope you enjoy it.

Aroma at cold. Woodsy, spice, cedar. Good draw as well.

Firm, no soft spots. Chocolate brown wrapper. Fine construction.

Now on to the review.

First Third:

Tanniny, cedar notes. Good draw. Generous smoke, malty taste on the lips. Rich toasty tobacco, almost RyJ "cherry wood" notes. Slight white pepper. Burn askey (windy), crisp pepper, creamy coffee hits, leather and pepper. Great draw. toasted walnut, slight sweet finish, honey notes, toasted tobacco, caramel! getting powerful pepper hits, bitter notes, creamy notes, ashed out into a concave burn, rich, toasty, peppery tobacco, floral note, wood and early, loads of smoke.

END

Second Third:

Toasty tobacco, still peppery, strong cigar overall, nutty finish on the palate, tobacco buzz forming, 45 degree angle burn, slight touch up, strong coffee grounds, toffee and vanilla? Toast, bittersweet followed by honey, toasted nut, power subsides, gives way to toasty tobacco, walnut, anise, floral notes, lighter flavours, but buzz persists, peppery notes, walnuts, loads of smoke, sweet finish returns, floral, honey notes, nougat, burnt molasses, toasty tobacco, toffee.

END

Third Third:

Pepper returns, rich toasty tobacco, draw still good, few relights needed, , big pepper hits, bittersweet returns, rich tobacco (Partagas like) power returns big time! Small honey notes, burnt molasses, still strong

END

Final Thoughts.

An Alpha Dog cigar with puppy dog eyes. While complex, this cigar was a "powerhouse"! NC smokers would love it. 2.5 hours to smoke. Probably won't smoke another for 2-5 years.

SCORE 91

I believe it will age well. A cigar this strong will most likely become a bit more complex over time.

[CanuckSARTech]

Very cool, Frank. Thanks for sharing.

....Art's gonna love this one....

[maverickdrinker]

Nice Review Frank!!!!

[MoneyPit]

What was the box code (I'm viewing from an iPhone and can't see the second subject line)? I have a box from 2008 but I don't think I've ever had any as strong as you described.

[Rushman]

I really dig the mixed media!

---

I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=20.631765,-87.070672

[isa]

Yeah, very cool review with a draw to draw account, excellent