Cigar Review: Cohiba Nicaragua N50
Cohiba, easily one of the most recognizable brands in the cigar industry, has ventured out of its usual Dominican stomping grounds to give aficionados everywhere something truly unique. Synonymous with quality, luxury and approachable flavors for novices and connoisseurs alike, the classic Dominican Cohiba, affectionately referred to as ‘Red Dot’, is known for its sweet subtle Cameroon wrapper, exceptional quality and one of a kind flavor. Combining their hallmarks of quality and luxury with the opulently robust notes of Nicaraguan tobacco, the company has created the new Cohiba Nicaragua, the first Nicaraguan cigar graced with the prestigious Cohiba name.
Prelight: Even before lighting the cigar, its appearance highlights all of its distinct Nicaraguan characteristics. The wrapper is quintessential Nicaraguan, light brown with an oily sheen and toothy feel. The seamless wrapper is banded with a black and dark gold Cohiba band, paying homage to the cigar’s renowned brand lineage as well as the robust elite Nicaraguan tobacco contained in its confines. The routinely performed draw test reveals a nice open draw with notes of earth with a little pepper tinge.
1/3: Cohiba’s foray into Nicaraguan tobacco starts off like every great Nicaraguan cigar should, with oodles and boodles of spice and earth notes. The only discernible note to be found right after lighting is a robust earth note mixed with a healthy helping of pepper spice. The initial impression is quickly filled in with more sumptuous notes of coffee bean and dark chocolate. The first third of Cohiba Nicaragua’s profile is further enhanced by a retrohale filled with rich spice elements.
2/3: The second third of the cigar continues to build upon the solid foundation of the first third’s notes. Earth notes, which were prevalent in the beginning, have begun to give way to the sweeter elements of dark chocolate and ground coffee bean. The strength of the cigar has remained relatively full bodied with pepper notes mixed with spiced wood moving to the forefront of the cigar by the end of the second third.
3/3: Cohiba Nicaragua’s flavor repertoire ends with many of the same notes found in the second third. In this portion of the cigar’s profile, I notice more robust aspects of pepper and woody spice dominating the remaining third. The Cohiba Nicaragua is a great example of the plethora of delectable flavors available from the rich soils of Nicaragua; and is an excellent addition to the Cohiba brand providing diversity to a line already known the world over. Look for Cohiba Nicaragua in four sizes in all five of our Hampton Roads locations as well as online at emersonscigars.com.
