Cohiba Siglo I Cigar - 1 Single

Date Added: Friday 03 June, 2016 by Staff

Reviewed by Joe Gellman

I was about to grab a Pilsner Urquell from the fridge when I was reminded by my little mind-imp who always tells me when I have screwed up something, that I had promised to do a tasting on a Cohiba. Not my favorite brand due to the inability to get them at a decent price and, if I try to get them from an unknown source, most likely to get a fake. Of course, the fact that the real love of my life, the Lancero, always seems to be an iffy buy, does not help the situation.

I went to my study for a Siglo I and had to smile at the fact that these came by way of an unexpected gift. Bloom was evident on every cigar. As with most of the Siglo line, it ain't the prettiest skin in the lot. The robe always reminds me of an aged ingenue, too long in the sun and starlight. [Notice the double entendre'? The wrapper is also known as the robe, and that is what an ingenue would wear, n'est pas?]

The cigar is firm, a tad too venous looking for a beauty contest, and made to the perfection required by Cohiba. I cut the perilla with my handy chavetta and get the cedar matches ready. Quickly, I open the Pilsner, take a seat on my deck, and light the cigar. To much dramatic stuff? OK.

The cigar has a salty taste before lighting, and smells of sweet, old, wood. The cigar lights well and burns slowly. The first draw emits woodsy aromas with a hint of burning leaves. The ash is deep gray and is rather solid. Since the cigar is a Tres Petit Corona (Perla), I expect there to be little change in the flavors and aromas as I get to the first half of the cigar. Wrong, again, G-Man! Just a few minutes into the cigar I noticed a peppery flavor that melded well with the wood notes. The ash remained on the cigar for the first half, and after breaking it off, was brittle to the touch yet fully consumed.

The lightness begins to fade to medium strength just after the halfway marker. By now, I have finished the bottle of Czech beer and need another. I laid the cigar down and rushed to the kitchen for my second bottle, returning in time not to have lost the momentum of the smoke and not having to re-light the cigar. The bitterness of the original Pilsner brew blends well with this cigar. It is long enough for a slow beer or two 10 oz bottles. Either way, I think this beverage is the best compliment for the Siglo I.

The Cubans have a name for the way the cigar burns, it is "arder." The combustibility of the cigar is an essential quality which the Cohiba brand guarantees, as long as you buy from a legitimate source.

I am getting near the cabo and I notice the cigar has begun to release it's flavors, giving me an explosive (well, in the manner of a firecracker versus a stick of TNT) finish.

I suspect the age and bloom have added to the joy of the cigar. I never drink coffee or port with this cigar, preferring the crisp intertwining of the Pilsner and the tang of the spice to add to the event.