6 years since Cohiba Maduro 5 launch. Success or failure?

[El Presidente]

If my memory serves me correct it is six years now since the launch of the Cohiba Maduro 5 line at the Habanos Festival in 2007.

It was contentious a the time...the first maduro in the HSA line. I remember there was plenty of hype and anticipation (as there should be with the launch of something new).

Sales exploded. Stocks were out but within a year things quietened down as demand was met and the market (aka...you and I) made up its mind as to where this new release sat in the pantheon of Cuban cigars.

knowing the member base and what they purchase I can say this line divides people into "lovers and haters"

I enjoy the Genios as a change of pace cigar. When they are great they are magnificent. Quality control has always been an issue with too many rough dark (sometimes dark "ish) cigars making their way through. A well rolled Genios with a glistening "thinner" wrapper is a joy. Much can be said about the Secretos.....glorious one box...average the next and then a few too many crap ones thrown into the mix.

Can't quite come to terms with the Magicos. Too light for most part for my palate. Yet there are plenty to disagree.

Overall, my impression....that I have never been able to shake... is that they are not true Cohiba.

Separating that from my thought's they are a decent cigar. At their best outstanding but too rarely at their best due mainly to the inconsistency of the wrappers.

Success or failure? Commercially I suspect a pass mark....just. The release of the Behike has (again I suspect) bled many of the maduro Genios/Magicos sales. The success of the Behike puts pause to the cost being an issue solely.

I am intrigued to see what they do to this line

[polarbear]

I've had the pleasure of smoking the entire Maduro line on a couple of occasions.

While they are not a bad cigar, I find they leave me wanting. It seems (to me at least) that they are constantly on the verge of becomimg something great but never seem to get there, regardless of their age or how they are smoked.

For my money, I go with a CoRo or Siglo 2. If I want a spicy maduro sweetness, I tend to look at my NC's

[PigFish]

If Tabacuba loves the marketing ideas of the expats so well, why don't they hire them back instead of trying to copy them, and then failing? No born leadership at Tabacuba.

I think these are yet another demonstrated failure from this connoisseurs perspective. Got some of these when they were cheap, not even worth the coin I spent on them. They don't even come close to a Bolivar Coronas! More unproven cigars designed to tempt the novice trend smoker...

Court the novice, show contempt for the connoisseur! Way to go Tabacuba!!!

Cheers. -Piggy

[Blakes]

I'm not keep myself, I've had the odd 1 or 2 Genios that i enjoyed. My friend though loves them.. although he does enjoy quite a lot of non-cubans too.

What i always thought was it was a cheap trick to release them under the Cohiba name just to bring the higher Cohiba price, when they could and should have so easily introduced a "maduro" marca.. in the same sence Cuaba is for figurados. Then they could stand alone, from Cohiba, which i dont see any connection. Also they then could have added more sizes which may be more favorable, like a laguito, corona gorde or something..

[OZCUBAN]

Whilst I have had some of all three ,which were not to bad ,overall I would say over hyped and over priced and as you said Rob ,not a true Cohiba .

I would rather spend my money on some regular production Cigar that are much better at half the price .thats if they have not deleted them

Steve

[markmurase]

I have to say I enjoy the Genios. The ones I've had are all from the same box, code OPM DIC 09. The wrappers in that box are not as oily and dark as some I've seen, but every stick I've smoked has burned well with an excellent grey ash and been really tasty. I gave the last one 92 points.

I agree they don't have a true Cohiba profile, but my experience of the Genios has been good.

[tydra]

In one word, I'd say a failure.

I feel frustrated with the couple of Genios boxes I bought when they first came out. I tend to tier my cigars by both price and quality, so I have my special cigars like the Siglo VI, Sir Winston, some LEs or REs, for when I'm looking for sheer enjoyment and escape in a cigar, and my day to day cigars that offer me a comforting and relaxing moment, like the Boli PCs, Regios etc...

The Genios simply don't fit either classification, they're supposed to belong to the former, but I can't make myself to look forward to smoking them for a special occasion, and then again, they're too expensive to treat as a day to day cigar.

[anacostiakat]

What Piggy said!

Remember acquiring some of the Genios and Secretos early on. Have not gone back to the well since.

[bassman]

Bought a box of 10 Genios when first released. Still have a couple. Gave most away. Never bought any more Maduros. Blah!

[Puros Y Vino]

I really enjoy the Genios now and then. The Secretos and Magicos were just too bland. This past summer I smoked an OR Genios from 2007 and found the flavours to be waning. Mind you, that could have been the bad one of the bunch. Yet I found it disappointing. The 09's I have are still tasty though but I hope that time isn't going to sap their flavour away too.

[IcedCanuck]

I am not a huge fan of the Maduro 5 line. I would take a Siglo VI over a Genios any day of the year. I have a box from MAY 2011. First stick I smoked out of it when the box had about six months on it was horrible. I smoked another one from it last fall and it was much better. I am hoping these things come alive with a few more years on them.

[Vetteman]

I don't buy them

[beamer]

Never had one that was worth the money.

Blasphemy? I can think of a few NC Maduros I'd reach for first.

[finecigar]

I agree that they dont deserve or fit under the Cohiba name, and yes the wrappers are typically a disaster. I've purchases boxes of all three and really don't smoke them too often. I think the prices are way too much, and the quality doesn't reflect that hefty price you pay for a full box.

Overall, I have had a few stellar genios, but others that weren't even close.

And the Secretos I enjoy from time to time, but for $11 a piece for that small size, it's depressing to think about how much of a waste it is!

I'd much rather have a different Cohiba or regular production, and I think the maduro line should end soon. I don't know what the statistics are, but I am assuming they arent hot items that sell out all the time anymore since their first release. Because every vendor always has them in stock it seems.

[stargazer14]

Have a box of Genios, smoked 5, and the box is at the back of my humidor,

and not because they were so good I want to age them more.

I don't get 'Cohiba' out them or even much enjoyment at all.

I think it's the closest Cuba has come to a NonCuban.

[Diamondog]

Success for me. Genios are one of my faves. I really enjoy smoking a Sig VI and a Genios back to back.

[khomeinist]

The Secretos would be nice at half the price. Not a fan of this line. Similar to my feelings about most LEs. Generic flavor profile. Overrated. Overpriced.

[mkz]

Cohiba comes in maduro?

Seriously speaking: They fail to impress me.

[CaptainQuintero]

The Secretos would be nice at half the price. Not a fan of this line. Similar to my feelings about most LEs. Generic flavor profile. Overrated. Overpriced.

x2 sums up my feelings exactly

Secretos can be a great tangent cigar with a coffee but the price makes them hard to enjoy as much as a Party Short / PLPC, genios and magicos simply don't come anywhere near what I expect from a good cigar never mind a good cuban, add the yellow band price factor onto them and I'll never reach for them even as singles.

Overall I'd say they pass purely because they bring in money from the cohiba association. If they had their own brand eg 'Havana Maduros' without the black boxes and yellow lable I think they would have probably been cut by now

[Bahnofstrasse]

I had this Magicos yesterday from the original 07 release. Delicious cigar that lasted 85 minutes down to the nub!

This was my first one in about 2 years and I am pleased with how they are coming along. As mentioned, dark chocolate, leather, spice, prevalent. Glimpses of a roasted nut component in the final third. Plenty of smoke with no need for relight or correction. The cigar was by no means one dimensional.

I also have some 07 Genios that I need to see how they are coming along. Secretos have never been worth the price of admission IMO. Overall, I like the 2 mentioned and am pleased with my investment.

[CanuckSARTech]

I do agree with you fairly much from your original post, Rob.

My preference though is for the Secretos. Every 3 out of 4 has been pretty much a hit for me. Genios has been a shade under 50/50, and the Magicos has just been "blah".

I agree that they are not a "true" Cohiba (too much chocolate and expresso in there for me to liken it to a Cohiba's lemongrass and honeyed-leather tones). Also, yes, a bare commercial pass.

For my money though....

When the product / idea was first launched, I couldn't help wondering that if they made a slight revision, this could have been a knockout:

They called it the "Maduro 5" line, due to the 5-years of aging to the madurro-leaf wrappers. Well, I think they could've done one better if they actually had two more vitolas, to make it 5-years aged on 5 different cigars. They should have added a dalia or a panetela, and a double-corona. Then, to pull some of the flavour base from a distinct marca, these should have been Montecristo Maduro 5, rather than Cohiba. They should have scratched the Monte Open fiasco, and made these a Montecristo add-on instead.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. H S.A. - I'll be waiting for the cheque in the mail.

Please tip your waitress.

[BMack]

I'd say success, not because I like them but because they're doing what they want them to do. Many guys/gals that smoke NCs enjoy this line as a transition to other Habanos. It's not a line for everyone but a "Maduro" strikes a cord with NC smokers.

[LLC]

I'll stick with the regular Cohiba line or the BHK's.

[Lotusguy]

I'm with Larry David on this one: "Meh"

[sw15825]

I tried the secretos and genios. Not a fan. I would take siglo I and CORO every time. I am not a darker wrapper fan either.