Cigars.ie

The Lonsdales of Christmas, Day 2 - Cohiba Siglo V

The Christmas-y part of the day is over. Presents are exchanged, dinner is over, kitchen is clean, visitors are gone and everyone else is snoring on the couch. Time for the fun part! I said yesterday I was unsure of what cigar to smoke today, but on the back of my head I was almost sure that today’s smoke would be a Cohiba; the Siglo V.

The Siglo V is one of the 5 sizes of the Siglo line, that were released back in 1994. It is a Dalia, measuring 6.7″ in length by 43 ring gauge. I have had this cigar in  my humidor for a while, but I am not sure what year it is from. If I had to put an age on it I would say it is relatively young, ‘08 or ‘09, and it comes from a box, rather than a tube or carton. With a Cuba Libre in the one hand, the siglo V on the other and a merry spirit, I am retiring into my smoking attic to blaze it up.

Appearance 13 / 15

The Siglo V has a tan wrapper that has some smooth veins and wrinkles, as well as some green spots. A usual shade and quality of wrapper for the Siglo line, that does not look as inviting as the one in the Cohiba limitadas or the Behikes, but has not much to fault either. It is well packed and consistent from top to bottom. The cap is rounded and well applied and floral scents are present on the foot of the cigar. Prelight draw is good, with just the right amount of resistance.

Flavour & Body 24 / 25

The first draw is flavourful and creamy, with sweet spices and earth. Vanilla, coffee, wood and earth are some of the flavours I could identify on the first third, deep and well balanced, with a long and lingering sweet and spicy finish. The body is medium to full and the smoke has a creamy texture that you can almost chew on! On the second third, the body gets medium to full and the flavours even more complex and mellow. Earth, wood and coffee dominate, with a lot of spices dancing on the background; cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and paprika are also there, tickling my palate. Beautiful! The last third of the cigar is as enjoyable as previously. The body gets fuller and the cigar has a strong nicotine kick; I have to resist the temptation of smoking it too quick and let it rest for a minute between puffs. Doing that, I stopped the cigar from getting overpowering or too hot. The flavours of spices are reeding, and the sweet and earthy flavours become stronger. The finish is still long and lingering. It gets stronger and stronger as I am smoking towards the butt, without getting hotter and I eventually have to put it down to prevent my whiskers from getting burned!

Draw & Burn 24 / 25

The cigar draws and burns beautifully from top to bottom. Hefty amounts of thick, white smoke are delivered with every draw, and it does not get hot even in the last half inch! The burn is razor sharp throughout; I only used my lighter to light it up. The ash is dark grey, with good texture and falls off every inch, to reveal a healthy, conical coal. I couldn’t have asked for anything more…

Overall 34 / 35

I would be one of these people saying that Cohibas can sometimes be overpriced and over evaluated. Sometimes it’s true, some cigars are not as consistent as you would expect. However, the strike rate for a jackpot with a Cohiba is a lot higher than the rest of the brands. Well in this one, I hit the jackpot! What a great cigar… I am not sure what age it has on it, but it is delicious… I have smoked some siglo V’s, most of them have been great, but this one is memorable. It could be the Christmas spirit, the heavy meal, or the state of mind after a few glasses of Faustino that have opened up my tastebuds, but either way, the Siglo V already looks like a clear favourite. Happy Christmas everyone, have a good one!

TOTAL 95 / 100