Cigars.ie

Review: Cohiba Behike BHK 56

The main attraction of Habanos 2010 new releases has to be the new Cohiba Behike line. The new line shares its name with the original Cohiba Behike, a cigar that was released to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Cohiba brand. The new Behikes come in three sizes: the BHK 52 (Laguito No4, Petit Robusto, 4.7″ x 54), the BHK 54 (Laguito No.5, Robusto Extra, 5.7″ x 54) and the BHK 56 (Laguito No.6, Double Robusto, 6.5″ x 56). The cigar will be presented in a boxes of 10, with a design similar to the gift box shown in the pictures on the Gallery section . Their price is expected to be higher than the regular Cohiba lines, with more details not yet known.

A new feature in the BHK line is the incorporation of a new leaf in the blend, the Medio Tiempo leaf. The Medio Tiempo leaves are the top two leaves of the tobacco plant and therefore they are exposed to more sunlight than the leaves on the bottom of the plant. The result of the addition of the new leaf is said to add more flavour and strength.

The BHK 56 is a large cigar with a mouthful 56 ring gauge, one of the largest ring gauges ever in regular production by Habanos. The label in the BHK line is brand new, specially designed for the line. Each label has three sides, two of which bear a security hologram. The hologram is also a new security addition a cigar label, intended to make the life of counterfeiters difficult. The labels are not generic for all three sizes, but are made to fit the size of each of the three cigars. After a close inspection of the cigars and the box itself, it is time to light them up and see what the hype is all about.

Appearance & Construction 15 / 15

A cigar bearing the Cohiba label, rolled in El Laguito and presented in the Habano’s Festival Gala Dinner is guaranteed to be looking great, and the BHK 56 is as good looking as a cigar can be! The cigar has an oily brown wrapper, with hardly any visible veins. The pigtail cap is perfectly applied and there is no wrinkles or imperfections on the wrapper. It is very well packed, making the cigar feel heavy, and the bunch is solid, without any soft spots. However, the prelight draw is on the looser side.

The size and girth of the cigar make lighting it quite tricky. After bringing it close to the flame the cigar lights up quickly, but slightly unevenly. The combustion is good, not affected by the uneven burn, and the cigar requires no touch ups until the end. The ash is solid, dark grey in colour, with a yellow hue. The draw is perfect all the way through and the cigar delivers plenty smoke with a thick and creamy texture.

Flavour & Body 23 / 25

From the very first draw, the cigar reveals its Cohiba profile; strong earthy flavours and a thick creamy texture. The finish is long and sweet, with a slight tingle of spice. Plenty of flavour throught the first third, and a medium to full body.

On the second third the cigar gets more complex. Along with the earthy flavours, sweet caramel, cocoa and black pepper are also present. The cigar is now leaning towards a fuller body, reminding of an aged Siglo VI.

The last third is the most complex of all parts. Sweet and bitter, dark chocolate-like flavours take the stage, closely followed by hard wood, moist earth, leather and black pepper. The body is full and the finish is long and spicy. The cigar gets hot and spicy towards the end, which makes the last inch not as enjoyable to smoke.

The new Cohiba Behike  BHK 56 is has more in common than in difference with the Cohibas we have loved. It combines the  flavours of the LíneaClásica with the strength of the Línea 1492. I am not sure whether I could taste a difference in the blend with the addition of the Medio Tiempo leaf; the flavours were the typical you would expect in a Cohiba. Complex, well balanced and full flavoured, the BHK 56 is a great cigar with huge aging potential. If you are a fan of large ring gauges then the BHK 56 is for you. If not, be prepared to suffer from a sore jawbone, after smoking the cigar for almost 2 hours. For now, all we can hope is that they will not be overpriced and that the regular production will be as tasty as this ones!

TOTAL 95 / 100