Cohiba BHK 54 MUO JUN 14 (CRW)

[Bucky McSwensen]

Dry draw coffee cinnamon and sweet tea. 

First light this thing is decadent.  Smooth sweet rich tobacco flavors right off the bat.  Transitions quickly into oak and cedar notes.  These are nicer than I normally get but not my favorite note.  Quickly moves to a subtle spice and vanilla coffee with cream.  I get little hints of lemon and other citrus but these are fleeting.  This has some flavors reminiscent of some aged trinidads I have had in the past.  Really enjoying the expedited evolution of each round of puffs.  Quickly turns to fresh cut grass and I get some slight tannic bitter coffee notes.  This already has some age but will clearly do well with more time down.  Maybe I should have dry boxed?  Maybe I should have rested longer?  I will never know since I can’t afford to do these often but I am fully enjoying this.

Retrohale kicks hard with a sour lemon and black pepper.  Flavors are those of the best young cohiba.  A bit more punch than the aged cohibas I have had in the past but are much smoother and flavorful than any young cohiba in my current rotation.  Second third is all smooth hay and grass with some peppery coffee and very light notes of vanilla and orange cream.  Almost no evolution here.  Just a fine smoke

Just towards the start of the final third I get a lot of tea notes.  This is going from a mild medium to a medium full bodied smoke in the last third.  Sweetness picks back get more coffee cream and honey notes.  Final end kicks in hard with bold cohiba flavors with heavy leather and coffee and a bit of pepper.  Canoes like crazy as I nub it.

So this was an experience.  Unfortunately I think I got some rough patches that could have been smoothed out by some dry boxing.  It's always tough with aged sticks for me because some need to be dried and some are hurt if they are.  

I won't say this is the best cohiba I have ever had but it is the best one with most potential. Iv le had aged cohiba that have peaked that were better.  This one was outstanding and still has plenty of room to grow.  Fun to try, not a waste but my other one will be napping a while longer.

Overpriced and overhyped?  Yes

Worth trying?  For sure

Worth chasing? Probably not

Value this at 60 bucks

Cuba ratio 2.05

Coat ratio 0.68

[Wookie]

I've smoked the original release 54 and 56, one of each. They were both as good as any cohiba I've smoked. Also smoked a 2011 which was good but not phenomenal. Almost reminded me of a good Nicaraguan. The 2017 Colorado wrapper LE was also superb. But I still find a good Espy rivals all of those. Also a Siglo VI and Pyramides when it is firing on all cylinders.