Cohiba Nicaragua Staff Review
Cohiba Nicaragua cigars bring together a complex recipe of premium Nicaraguan tobaccos under the banner of one of the most famous Cuban-legacy brands in the world. Today, I’m smoking Cohiba Nicaragua in a 5.25-by-54 Toro to give you a full appraisal of its flavor, performance, and price.
General Cigar is the parent company of Cohiba and several other Cuban-heritage brands, including Punch, Partagas, and La Gloria Cubana. Cuban Cohiba cigars are an entirely separate entity owned and operated by the Cuban government. Most non-Cuban Cohiba cigars are made in the Dominican Republic, where the brand’s well-known Cohiba Red Dot is produced. General Cigar has introduced Nicaraguan versions of many of its brands to satisfy the huge demand for Nicaraguan cigars in recent years.
Cohiba Nicaragua is blended from an oily, brown Nicaraguan Oscuro wrapper, a binder from Jalapa, and premium long-fillers cultivated in Jalapa and Estelí. The cigars come in gray 16-count boxes, and they’re dressed in matching gray-and-gold cigar bands with the Cohiba logo on the front. The Cohiba portfolio reflects a strong degree of uniformity across all its product lines, including the original Cohiba blend, Cohiba Black, Cohiba Blue, and Cohiba Nicaragua.
Once I shed the cellophane from a fresh Cohiba Nicaragua Toro, a savory aroma of cedar, oak, and leather permeates my nasal cavity when I hold the cigar close to my nose. Its cinnamon-brown wrapper shows a gentle vein structure, and the cigar exhibits a consistent density from head to foot when I lightly pinch it.
After snipping the cap between the blades of my Xikar Xi1 cutter, the Toro resonates with earthy notes of cocoa powder, wood, and white pepper in the cold draw. I also detect subtle flavors of plum or raisin, but the cigar is predominantly woody at first. The draw is open, and the cigar lights up effortlessly after toasting the foot for a few moments with my torch lighter.
Cohiba Nicaragua reveals a chalky texture in the first ten minutes. Tasting notes of dried grass, peanut, leather, and pepper weave an approachable tapestry that gradually intensifies over the palate. Wood, cocoa, and white pepper develop. The Toro is smooth and possesses more nicotine than you might expect. Its spicy tendencies settle after thirty minutes of smoking, and the cigar’s firm, white ash insulates the foot with impressive stability.
Straightforward notes of fresh tobacco, baking spices, and wood characterize the final third of the Toro. Its peppery aroma stings my nostrils intermittently in the retrohale but stops short of becoming offensive. Cohiba Nicaragua would benefit from an oilier blend of tobaccos to offset its dry finish. Subtle hints of Ghirardelli Cocoa Powder linger with chalky notes of wood and white pepper once the band is off. By the time the nub expires in my ashtray, an hour and five minutes have passed.
Competition from today’s best Nicaraguan brands is tough, but the folks at Cohiba have assembled a balanced specimen with their Nicaraguan blend. The biggest drawback is the price. I’m docking a few points off my final score for the overall value. Cohiba is a staple in most premium shops, but they are cost-prohibitive for many cigar lovers. When you’re spending over $20 apiece, comparisons to the best Padrón and My Father cigars are inevitable. Cohiba Nicaragua merits a try, but it’s a matter of personal taste whether going back for seconds is worth your money.
