early bird get's the worm..aka cohiba gran reserva

[smll2]

My box has been resting since just before Thanksgiving. I've thought about lighting one up every day since.

We have been advised by El Presidente to leave them alone till March. Since I'm new to CC's and definitely the top tier smokes....I could not wait. I really wanted to know what these were about...rock star cigars.

This is not a review...so I'm not posting in that section. One year with CC's in my opinion doesn't allow me to go there.

However....this was the most intense and flavorful cigar I have ever enjoyed. I'm not talking strong in the way of nicotine...I'm referring to a flavors It was different and absolutely seperated itself from any cigar I have smoked. It was an experience...and with my limited experience I can say...that in 6 months this cigar will be killer...provided it follows the road of CoRo's, Sig 3's. and 5's..I've had resting in my humidor that I really enjoy.

What a treat...I enjoyed this cigar with coffee this afternoon.

[Ellery]

By the title of the post, I thought the first to reply would get one. I'll PM you my address. Thanks in advance

[Bartolomeo]

This is not a review...so I'm not posting in that section. One year with CC's in my opinion doesn't allow me to go there.

I think everyone from newbies like myself to old crusty veterans should post reviews, allows everyone to see their opinions on cigars and to take each review with a grain of salt

I think 12 months under your belt would make you a wise contributor

JAT

Bart

[samb]

Congrats smll2!! If I sidecar, do I get one? Congrats on the purchase!! I hope they are as outstanding for you with some age on them as they are predicted to be.

[Ken Gargett]

I think everyone from newbies like myself to old crusty veterans should post reviews, allows everyone to see their opinions on cigars and to take each review with a grain of salt

I think 12 months under your belt would make you a wise contributor

JAT

Bart

good comment. i agree.

though having said that, i used to post far more reviews than i do these days. good reminder to get back into it. rob, i'll take the sarcastic retort as read.

[Colt45]

It's going to be very interesting to see what people think of these as they begin to smoke them - thanks for posting.

And by all means, next cigar post a review.

[Van55]

I'm planning to try one of these with tugboat tomorrow. I'll try to take at least mental notes for posting here.

[PigFish]

I'm planning to try one of these with tugboat tomorrow. I'll try to take at least mental notes for posting here.

Van,

Did you have and do you remember the original release S-6? I am curious just how they compare, being roughly the same age. -P

[Colt45]

I'm planning to try one of these with tugboat tomorrow. I'll try to take at least mental notes for posting here.

Van, general impressions would be great.

[Van55]

Van,

Did you have and do you remember the original release S-6? I am curious just how they compare, being roughly the same age. -P

I did have OR Siglo VI, but I went through them way fast. Not sure that my memory is sufficiently vivid to make a valid comparison/contrast. That said, I had a Siglo VI from my singles drawer just the other evening. Unfortunately, I don't know its provenance, but it was a damned good cigar. I gave it 5 smoke rings.

[Stalebread]

Looking forward to reading your "mental notes," Van.

As an aside, I'm surprised to see these still available at several vendors.

After all the hoopla, I figured they'd be gone in a week or two.

[Yoruba Hacker]

Van,

Did you have and do you remember the original release S-6? I am curious just how they compare, being roughly the same age. -P

They taste totally different in my humble opinion.

In fact, to me, the CGR don't taste very Siglo at all. One of my strong impressions was that it tasted much more Linea Classica.

The striking thing about the CGR is the smoothness of the cigar in youth, as has been said by several others. At the same time

it still retains a youthful body. Very flavorsome (after the first quarter or so - it took a while to get going).

A five year old Siglo VI, on the other hand, just tastes like a well-behaved Siglo VI. I recently had an MKO MAY04, and, like Van,

thought it was a great cigar. But it wasn't as bold as the CGR, in my experience.

One guy's opinion.

[mash]

Looking forward to reading your "mental notes," Van.

As an aside, I'm surprised to see these still available at several vendors.

After all the hoopla, I figured they'd be gone in a week or two.

I've been following these on half a dozen sites over the last 6 weeks or so, and none have sold out. Have they all even been released yet? Suspect not.

Thanks for the review.

[Van55]

I joined tugboat at the local cigar shop today for an afternoon of conversation, football and smoking a Cohiba Grand Reserva.

Where to begin....

Well at the beginning, I suppose.

The cigar was very well constructed. Wrapper color was on the dark side, and the leaf had no apparent flaws. Looking at the foot, I was afraid that it was too tightly rolled. I clipped it and took a couple of pre-light pulls and found that the draw was flawless.

I toasted the foot over a soft flame. The first toke was, to me, astonishingly potent and dark roasted coffee beans was the predominant flavor. "No shrinking violet," was my first utterance. Within a few minutes the smoke smoothed out nicely.

Overall, the smoke was smooth and flavorsome. Flavors were perfectly balanced. If one defines "complexity" as each puff differing some from the last, this was not a complex cigar. Coffee notes came and went, but the utterly consistent flavor is something I referred to as "briary" if there's such a thing. It's that distinctive and delightful Cuban flavor that is hard for me to describe in any other word, but it absolutely stood out in spades in the mouth and through the nose. "Toasted tobacco" also came to mind. "Strength" was just south of full, to me, and the fullness of body and flavor increased gradually from the half way point to the nub.

I smoked the cigar in about an hour and forty-five minutes, while tugboat enjoyed his for probably thirty minutes more than I.

tugboat asked me to rate it. I had to give it 5 smoke rings, but it was close to 6 smoke ring level for me. While I have no doubt it will improve some with age, it is entirely smokeable now. To translate my 5 smoke ring rating to a 100 point scale -- it's not a 100 for my taste. I'd give it a 92-93.

I followed this great cigar with a regular production Siglo VI, and the contrast was remarkable. The 2005 or 2006 Siglo VI was a very nice cigar, but it paled measurably in fullness and flavors from the GR.

I am absolutely delighted that I decided to buy a box of the GR, even at the price.

Kevin, I thank you again for sharing one of my best cigar smoking experiences.

And Yoruba Hacker, I agree with you 100%.

[Stalebread]

Thanks, Van. And YH.

[PigFish]

Thanks for the reviews and comments guys. It is nice to see that people think that they are worth the money, it is a lot of dough for a box of cigars. I am glad for those who purchased the cigars that they have been delivered the performance that they were looking for.

Cheers Mates!

[thechenman]

Thanks for the review. I'm looking forward to lighting one up in the spring.

[Bunker1028]

Nice review Van. Sounds like a classic in the making.