Cohiba Siglo IV 2017? CLvROWAS

[RDB]

Sig IV from a bunch of cardboard  five packs at duty free, bought at the end of 2017. The outer box was missing, so no code or date. Likely 2017? My last from that stash.

Loose draw and light in the hand. It’s been in desktop humidor for years, which I run a bit dry. Lights up very well, and then burns like a champion: even, not too hot, regular as you like and not a single touch up required.

Now, the flavours are a very particular and distinctive aspect of Cohiba: the refined grassy one. It’s light bodied and easy to retrohale. Hay, a little bit of that lemon grass / bay leaf herbal nature, very mild. But no candied peel or citrus cake richness, no coffee or spice. I suspect @99call would hate it! I found myself grudgingly enjoying it, and smoked it down to a nub, which is very unusual for me. It came across as much older than five years, more like ten plus.

Now, Cohiba’s Corona Gorda vs the rest! The Mag 46 is a totally different creature, big young but with a lot of age can be a refined smoke. Punch Punch is a great classic, and I had one a few nights later for the same series (review to come). JL1 a fine and complex smoke, much fuller amd more rustic. Epicure 1 the forgotten Hoyo, not something I want a box of but I’ve had one or two magical ones. All less than half the price of the Sig IV. Money and supply no object? Easy, I’d smoke a lot of Sig IVs, mixing dark and light wrappers, young and old for a variety of tastes. As it is, I’ll smoke all of them, probably most Punch Punch.

By the way the book… A Small Town In Germany is Le Carré’s least heralded masterpiece. A self contained novel, written in 1969 and relevant today. Dripping with self loathing and disgust at the state of the world. Acidic, searing writing about betrayal, lies and ideals, all intimately human and grand politics at the same time. Fun to read it in Cologne, just down the road from Bonn, the eponymous small town.

[99call]

Yup.      Great review