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Stogie Reviews: Cohiba Pirámides Edición Limitada 2006 (Cuban)

7 Apr 2008

I thought long and hard before I lit two of these sticks up for this review. For one, I’ve read that the Edición Limitada 2006 may need two to three years of aging before maturity (we’re currently at the low end of that range). Second, the $33 price tag is quite daunting.

Cohiba Pirámides Edición Limitada 2006 (Cuban)But I took the plunge into this update of the Edición Limitada 2001 nonetheless. What I found was slightly disappointing for the price: a well-balanced cigar with some complex flavors and a few construction issues.

It is said that this Cuban puro line is inspired by the cocoa plants of the island’s Baracoa region. I suppose I’d buy that. These 6.1 inch by 52 ring gauge Pirámides are darker (and a bit more rugged-looking) than most Cuban Cohibas, and they exude a savory aroma of chocolate, spice, and vanilla.

After taking great care to establish an even light, the first pull through the firm draw reveals balance and complexity with notes of pepper, burnt marshmallow, and dark chocolate. This s’more-like flavor opens up after the first inch with the addition of toffee and nuts. Earthy toast, pepper, and spice pick up halfway, and the end is powerful with more pepper and black coffee. I give this high marks for taste.

Sadly, the physical properties are less than spectacular – especially for the price. The burn requires several touch-ups to stay even, the ash is surprisingly flaky and unreliable, and the draw varies greatly throughout. The latter might have something to do with the fact that these cigars feel firm in some areas and doughy in others.

When it’s all said and done, I can’t say I’m terribly excited about this smoke. I really enjoyed the flavor, but I expect so much more construction-wise from a cigar that runs $314 per box (of 10, not 20, mind you). I think the high price is driven more by the limited production and the Cohiba name than the quality of the tobacco.

Maybe more aging will do this cigar good. I’ll wait another year or so before trying the other three Pirámides I have in my humi. Until then, I give the Cohiba Pirámides Edición Limitada 2006 four out of five stogies.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

14 Responses to “Stogie Reviews: Cohiba Pirámides Edición Limitada 2006 (Cuban)”

  1. furious Monday, April 7, 2008 at 2:19 am #

    I have yet to try this vitola, and my curiousity has been piqued by this review. Hopefully, I will be lucky and get one with a better burn. At that price point, one expects and should receive nothing short of perfection.

  2. Jon N. Monday, April 7, 2008 at 4:54 am #

    Habanos has been expanding operations on the island, and supposedly, there's been some concern about quality control among its more popular and widely produced brands (Cohiba being one of them). I have friends in Europe who smoke nothing but Cohibas, for instance, and they're always complaining about how "they don't make Cohibas like they used to," etc.

    I don't know whether I buy into that argument or not; the Siglo VIs and Esplendidos I smoked in recent years (and even months) have been nothing short of sublime. Still, it makes me wonder sometimes.

  3. Rick James Monday, April 7, 2008 at 7:36 am #

    where do you find these lovely embargo free cigars?

  4. Patrick A Monday, April 7, 2008 at 7:55 am #

    Super Freak,

    I'm not sure what led you to believe these are "embargo-free," but I assure you, as with all Cubans, they are not.

  5. Rick James Monday, April 7, 2008 at 11:56 am #

    Patrick A,

    "I'm Rick James *****"

    A quote from the Dave Chappel show..

    Anyway, I was being sarcastic in phrasing the cigar "embargo-free." I would like to know how someone like myself could be enjoying these in comfort of my home here in the good 'ole USA.

    Nice site by the way. You guys need another ambassador? =)

  6. Jon N. Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 4:32 am #

    Pretty much the only way to bring Cuban cigars into the US is over the internet or by yourself through a foreign country (i.e., Canada, UK, etc.). Know that it is illegal for a US citizen to purchase a Cuban product here or abroad, and importing Cuban products into the US carries some pretty stiff criminal penalties if you're caught.

    Which method is "safer?" It really depends. If you're travelling abroad, chances are you can enjoy Cuban cigars in those countries without the FBI or CIA suddenly popping out of a potted plant and arresting you on the spot. But trying to smuggle those cigars back into the US — via your luggage or…ugh…any other hiding places — is very risky. Chances are you won't get caught, and even if you do, the worst that'll happen is that your stash will be confiscated. But the real risk is that your precious puros will dry out and/or suffer serious damage during your trip.

    Now, the Internet method can be a bit easier, but it is expensive, and you run the risk of buying counterfeits (not having had the chance to inspect the merchandise yourself before making a purchase). By trial and error, you might be able to stumble across a reputable site with legitimate Habanos cigars. Once you discover such a site, keep it a closely guarded secret. If the word gets out that the site is selling and shipping Cubans to US customers, it can get shut down (or worse).

  7. Kez Wednesday, April 9, 2008 at 3:31 pm #

    Being non-US, this site has always interested me in 2 ways.

    Firstly I usually always smoke Cubans, which I can buy freely and easily where I live so the all these Latin-American-non-Cuban cigars ( which I have never seen for sale) are quite interesting to read about and seem a damn side cheaper. Here in HK these cigars cost about $46 each, so I would love the opportunity to try some of the other Latin-American cigars ( e.g. Hondurans ). So maybe you are lucky in some regards as Cubans do tend to be very expensive in comparison, but here Cubans and Dutch varieties tend to dominate.

    Secondly, why can't you just pull off the labels when going back into the US, or rebox/rebadge them? If pulled up you could claim they another countries. How can they know??

  8. Patrick A Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 3:37 am #

    Kez,

    If you're only smoking Cubans you're missing out on many of today's best cigars. I would highly suggest you expand your horizon to Dominicans, Nicaraguans, Hondurans, etc. Check out our Stogie Reviews Archive for some suggestions.

    As you ask, many Americans do "just pull off the labels when going back into the U.S.," and that often works. But most of us do not travel overseas frequently enough to have a steady stream of Cubans. So Americans who want Cubans end up relying on foreign companies who sell them on the web and guarantee delivery.

  9. Kez Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 2:52 pm #

    Patick, Hi. Yes I would love to try these Dominicans, Nicaraguans, Hondurans that are reviewed here. Rest assured if I ever see some of the recommended ones I will get them. I agree- you are right, I am missing out on trying some good cigars which are considerably cheaper.

    But, you know, as I say the problem is I have never seen them for sale in Hong Kong. They seem , to me, to be cigars that are targeted to the US which 'fill the Cuban void'; no embargo here- no void! Combined also with a small market, luxury item, supply and demand thing etc. I checked at the cigar shop and all they had ( non-Cuban) were Davidoff's. I tried one of those, it was OK- Almost like smoking a White Owl ( Dutch )IMHO, tried some alcohol shops a while back and found some Belvedere's and Hollanders?

    Most Cubans here would start at about US$10 a pop…

    I guess neither of us can have the best of both worlds 😉

    P.S. I agree with the other comments about Cohiba's decline in quality and premium price. I recommend the HP Upman's, Juan Lopez and Robianans highly.

  10. Alex - Cigar Bunch Friday, April 25, 2008 at 10:06 pm #

    Cohiba cigars and Cuban cigars in general have gone up in quality in the last couple of years. I have tried over 200 non Cuban cigar brands and I still beleive Cuban cigars are the best and most complex cigars in the world specially current production. I think the problem is that there are not that many Cuban cigar choices and the good thing is there great non cuban cigar like Don Pepin, Tatuaje or Padron to enjoy.

  11. CPP Friday, November 13, 2009 at 8:41 am #

    First, love the site guys. I'm sitting at the Lanesborough having just smoked this cigar and have to say the review is right on. Great tasting but fiarly mild smoke to my palate. You are absolutely right about construction issues; constant touch-ups and unreliable ash were a real pain unfortunately. Keep up the good work.

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