Deep Dive: Cohiba Siglo V

[El Presidente]

Cohiba Siglo V 

 

The Cohiba Siglo V is one of my favourite cigars. So damn rare, so damn good. Class personified. 

Once upon a time in a land far far away, these were expensive but still within reach of ardent Cohiba lovers. Today they are largely the domain of the wealthy. 

Still, if you have never smoked one and ge the chance to do so.....go the extra yard 

 

Cohiba Siglo V 

• Do you like Cohiba Siglo V 
• Where does it stand compared to other similar cigars. 
• Have you noticed a blend/flavour/body change over the years? If so, approximately when?
• How long does it take you to smoke a Cohiba Siglo V 
• Do the poll!

Cohiba Siglo V  

CLICK HERE FOR OTHER DEEP DIVE

 

[Chibearsv]

These seem to be unicorns and one of the best Cohibas made. Candied orange peel, cream, and barnyard twang. Solid 90 minutes of delicious.  The best I’ve had were about 7 years old. A favorite for sure. 

[Fugu]

For me the best, or let’s say, my preferred Siglo. Now, go and find some.... the III often is a good / the closest “makeshift”. 

[NSXCIGAR]

Ah, the rare bird. They're usually quite good and I just love the vitola. Can't say it's better than the Siglo VI but I might enjoy it more. 

Thinking back to better times when a Dalias was considered a large cigar and the largest of a line. 

[gustavehenne]

My favourite Cohiba. I'd swap Lanceros, Esplendidos and dare I say, even the Siglo VI, for a box of V. This cigar was the one that made me fall in love with Cohiba and I will always remember sitting upstairs and just focusing in on the V. A magical, mystical cigar that is - ironically - as elusive as a puff of smoke.

[Chucko8]

Contains all the trappings which dreams are made of....

[KCCubano]

Excellent stick when aged for several years. Have a box of 20s that wont touch until retirement. They can be found today but at a very steep price. 

[Ford2112]

Like sasquatch,we believe they may exist...

[Bijan]

Based on vitola size the Siglo III and Siglo V should be my favourite Siglo series cigars. But I've always had better luck with the Siglo II and IV. 🤷‍♂️

[Tstew75]

Love the vitola, but not on par with Linea Clasica greatness...especially for the coin now.

Outside of El-Laguito-rolled Sig2s the Siglo range is dead to me 💀

 

[JohnS]

9 hours ago, Fugu said:

For me the best, or let’s say, my preferred Siglo. Now, go and find some.... the III often is a good / the closest “makeshift”. 

I'm with you on this one. I've had enough excellent Siglo IIIs not to mind the fact that despite managing to acquire a box of Montecristo Especial, things have never quite aligned for me to get a box of Siglo V in recent times. 'C'est la vie', I guess, but I consider myself fortunate. For instance, imagine being new to this hobby now and deciding you like Cohiba?

So, in summary, The Siglo III is my favourite Linea 1492 cigar but if I had access to more Siglo V it might be the latter cigar.

[Fugu]

27 minutes ago, JohnS said:

'C'est la vie', I guess, but I consider myself fortunate. For instance, imagine being new to this hobby now and deciding you like Cohiba?

Very true. A matter of perspective. Always count your blessings!

[NSXCIGAR]

29 minutes ago, JohnS said:

For instance, imagine being new to this hobby now and deciding you like Cohiba?

That brings up an interesting question and one that perhaps deserves its own thread. How will new smokers feel about Cohiba? They don't have the experience with it many of us do. Coming into it now will Cohiba (and Trinidad) be judged more harshly and directly against other brands because of its price? Will it come to be seen as just not worth the price by the new generation? 

[El Presidente]

3 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

Will it come to be seen as just not worth the price by the new generation? 

I am not sure that there is one defining "new generation" of Cuban cigar smoker. 

Looking at it from a traditional stand point, it wouldn't take much to break that down into 6-8 subgroups. 

What Habanos have done is largely  eliminate (brutally) 4-5 of those subgroups. 

They are only chasing the remaining 2-3 and they are certainly there. The question is whether Habanos can find that point of equillibrium between depth of market at price point and supply. 

I think it wil be a hard ask. 

 

[joeypots]

I can count on one hand the # of Vs I’ve had. Cohiba? Dalia? What’s not to like. 

[MrBirdman]

Simply put, this is my desert island cigar. If I could only smoke one cigar for the rest of my life, this would be it. May the lord forgive me for not buying even more when I had the chance. What I once had to ration due to scarcity I will now have to ration indefinitely, though this is the sole Cohiba I would even entertain buying at the today's insane prices. Actually, I still wouldn’t. But I can live with one or two a year until my doctor or family force me to give up smoking.

[RDB]

Never managed to get hold of one. Therefore delighted to see 13% not getting it.

[Nevrknow]

2 minutes ago, RDB said:

Never managed to get hold of one. Therefore delighted to see 13% not getting it.

You're not alone my friend. Another on my " never see" list. Oh well. There are plenty of others I love! 👍

[NSXCIGAR]

18 hours ago, El Presidente said:

I am not sure that there is one defining "new generation" of Cuban cigar smoker

I'm taking about those new to the hobby whether young or old. I would guess new smokers would tend to be on the younger side generally but not necessarily. 

The distinction is really between those who have had Cohiba and Trini in their lives for many years and those who haven't. 

Not really thinking about how HSA is going to manage their customer subgroups. That's an entirely different topic. Just thinking about how the individual smoker starting out will feel. 

[El Presidente]

47 minutes ago, NSXCIGAR said:

Just thinking about how the individual smoker starting out will feel. 

Even that category has subgroups. 

Between financially well heeled and the  traditional 2nd rung of the ladder. Both can be new to the Cohiba/Trini and broader Cuban cigar game. 

Again, the question is whether Habanos can find that point of equillibrium between depth of market at price point and supply. Have they called it right?

I doubt it. Few marketing strategies survive first contact with the consumer. However the interesting question will be.....how far will they have to tweak? 

 

 

[Fugu]

12 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

The distinction is really between those who have had Cohiba and Trini in their lives for many years and those who haven't. 

I fully get the idea, but I think Rob is bringing up a valid point. Translated into my own words: For a decent assessment, you’d first have to tell the smokers from the “performers“. 😂

[Groucho.]

I consider the siglo V to be the best of the Cohiba regular line. So many overlook this cigar because of the small skinny ring gauge but they don't know what they are missing. I will take a Siglo V over a CoRo or Siglo IV or Esplandido any day.

 

• Love the Siglo V
• As far as Dalias/Lonsdales go it's in a class all by itself.
• I have not noticed any change in blend but I've only started smoking these about 2018 and only tubos. Before that, as far as Cohiba goes I was mainly a Siglo II and IV smoker. Not that I smoke Cohibas all that often, just a few every year.
• The Siglo V probably takes me about an hour and a half despite the small ring gauge as I find these are usually on the tighter draw side(a good thing), but I'll never know for sure as I only smoke when time is not a factor and not really looking at my watch.

Is anyone really smoking these on a regular basis? Even when they were at the pre pandemic price point?

[NSXCIGAR]

6 hours ago, Groucho. said:

Is anyone really smoking these on a regular basis?

You'd have to have quite a stock built up to do so as they've been very limited production since at least 2002 when the VI replaced it as the flagship Siglo. If I was looking hard and had my finger on the trigger I could maybe have scored only one or two 25 boxes a year pre-pandemic. The Tubos are quite a bit easier to find but still a hunt. 

 

9 hours ago, Fugu said:

I fully get the idea, but I think Rob is bringing up a valid point. Translated into my own words: For a decent assessment, you’d first have to tell the smokers from the “performers“. 😂

I think the "performers" are a small segment of any group. Obviously there are people for whom money is no object. But for the other 90% there is some degree of price consciousness. Even if someone can easily afford Cohiba will they, coming to it today, be able to justify it at 3 x the cost of regular production? Will Cohiba appeal to new smokers so much that the cost is justified? Is it a Kobe beef or Johnnie Walker Blue situation?

[El Presidente]

4 minutes ago, NSXCIGAR said:

I think the "performers" are a small segment of any group. Obviously there are people for whom money is no object. But for the other 90% there is some degree of price consciousness. Even if someone can easily afford Cohiba will they, coming to it today, be able to justify it at 3 x the cost of regular production? Will Cohiba appeal to new smokers so much that the cost is justified? Is it a Kobe beef or Johnnie Walker Blue situation?

I think you partly answered your own question. 

4 minutes ago, NSXCIGAR said:

Obviously there are people for whom money is no object.

 

I think it is important to keep in mind that Cohiba V/VI/Esplendidos have gone up in price very little in key retail markets such as UK/ME/Asia. 

People were buying them before. People are buying them now. 

[Nevrknow]

43 minutes ago, NSXCIGAR said:

Even if someone can easily afford Cohiba will they, coming to it today, be able to justify it at 3 x the cost of regular production? Will Cohiba appeal to new smokers so much that the cost is justified? Is it a Kobe beef or Johnnie Walker Blue situation?

Nailed it on that point I believe. Many CAN afford whatever they want. Will they? That’s the stickler. For me anyway. Just because I can does not mean I will.

( Oh look, a new turbo! Be right back! ) 😂