Christmas Corona Gordas, Day 12: Cohiba Siglo IV

Saturday, January 7th, 2012

For day 12, the last day of this series of reviews I have left one of my favourite cigars, the Cohiba Siglo IV. I was meant to smoke this cigar yesterday, however I decided to postpone this review for a day, as I was late sitting down and I didn’t want sunrise to find me in front of my PC. This is a special cigar and it deserves to be smoked without time restrictions. The Siglo IV is possibly the Corona Gorda I have smoked the most and it has always been great to me. But I will try not to be partial to it and compare it to some great cigars I have had over the last couple of weeks. The bar has been raised pretty high and I am not so sure if this Cohiba will claim the top spot!

The Siglo IV was released in 1992 and along with the other four vitolas (I to V) were the cigars consisted in the newly -then- introduced Siglo range, or Linea 1492. The Siglo Range was released to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Colombus discovery of the new world, but was not commercially available until 1994. According to Min Ron Nee and Adriano Martinez, the line was released “in order to fill the gap left by the discontinued Davidoff cigars”. Since their release, the Siglo vitolas seem to have a slightly milder blend to the Classic Linea, with the exception of the Siglo VI which is medium to full bodied. So, lets get down to business with this beauty!

Although the appearance of this siglo IV isn’t striking, it is still a well constructed cigar. The wrapper has a cocoa brown shade and is smooth and oily to touch. The leaf has very few veins and no blotches or wrinkles. The cap rounded and well applied and the bunch is normal, with a couple of softer spots. Soft aromas of chocolate and fruits are present on the foot of the cigar and the cold draw is perfect and a little spicy.

The initial flavours are those of cedar and earth, while the trademark creamy and peppery finish is there from the very first draw. It only takes a minute or two for the Siglo IV to unfold its assets and show off its Cohiba heritage; a burst of sweet earthy and spicy flavours start to develop, all in a rich and balanced mixture. Vanilla, coffee, grass, earth, wood, white pepper are some of the dominant flavours. There is so much going on that my taste buds are trying to cope on with the flavour overload! The burn is a little uneven, but this doesn’t prevent the siglo IV to produce clouds of thick, creamy smoke.

In the second third the cigar settles down. It is not as complex as on the first third and the body is now medium. The sweet flavours are now more pronounced, with vanilla, honey and plums, and notes of earth, cedar and leather on the background. The finish is still long, with flavours of white pepper. Although this is a young cigar, there is not even a hint of any ammonia or harshness to it. The burn has corrected itself and the Siglo IV burns away almost unassisted. The ash is firm and holds onto the cigar tightly, reaching about an inch in length.

In the last third the body jumps back up again to medium/full. The flavours has changed again; cedar, leather and earth are now on the foreground having surpassed the sweet ones. However, notes of vanilla and cherries are backing them up but are fading away. The intensity of the main flavours remind you not to rush in it. Unlike the first and second third, the cigar can now get hot if smoked too quick. Strong flavours of tobacco also appear towards the end and almost take over, while the white pepper has vanished completely from the finish, giving way to strong leather. The Siglo IV remains smooth and enjoyable until your lips and fingers start to burn and that is when you have to put it down, although you don’t want to…

There are very few exceptions of Cohibas that haven’t lived up to the hype and mysticism that is built around the brand. Habanos have done a great job in keeping that small factory in Marianao creating some magic. All the love, skill and heritage of Cuban cigar making is injected into a small bundle of leaves. You will have to pay the premium in order to have a taste of it, but it is cigars like this Siglo IV that makes you think its all worth it. It is smooth, mellow and rich, with complex flavours that send your taste buds into a mardi gras and your soul in the Malecon. 5 stars and 95 points for the Siglo IV.

Score:

Not surprisingly, the highest scoring vitola has once again the yellow black and gold Cohiba label around it. But there is another cigar that I need to smoke, one that represents the “old school” havanas, that has 40 years in its back and is one of the most sought for vintage Cuban cigars; the Punch Nectares No.2. Stay tuned…