Cigar Review: Cohiba Nicaragua N50
14 Oct 2014
Two things stand out immediately about the new Cohiba Nicaragua from General Cigar. The first is, despite the name, this is not a Nicaraguan puro. The second is it’s expensive.
The line extension should be showing up now on retailer shelves. I smoked samples provided by the manufacturer, a 5-pack of the “N50” robusto size (5 x 50) that is sold in tubes with an MSRP of $12.99. Online prices appear to be roughly 20 percent cheaper for the box of 8.
The name is intended to signify that this is General’s first Cohiba blended and rolled in Nicaragua, the country that continues its red-hot status in the cigar world. While the filler and binder are from Nicaragua, the wrapper is a Colorado Oscuro from Honduras. That may account for another prominent feature: The Cohiba Nicaragua doesn’t really exhibit any pepper, an often defining taste of stronger Nicaraguan cigars. It’s a darker, deeper smoke with the earthy tone common with Honduran tobacco. Other flavors like coffee bean, dry cocoa, and an occasional sweetness are also present, though not always well-balanced.
The cigars are beautiful, with wrappers that are clean and smooth. Unfortunately, I experienced construction problems in two of the three I sampled, though they were major in only one. The second one I smoked needed several relights, probably exacerbated by my conscious effort to smoke slowly.
The third Cohiba Nicaragua was plagued by tunnels severe enough to cause significant difficulties with the burn and smoke production. In all honestly, though, I’m more inclined to attribute these problems to the pre-release timing of the smokes than flaws in General’s quality control.
I would put the strength in the medium category, not near the level of powerhouses from, say, My Father Cigars or Joya de Nicaragua.
I have a feeling this cigar will improve with age, marrying more of that earthy Honduran wrapper with the Nicaraguan filler. I’ll hang on to the remaining pair and smoke one about six months from now, and the other in a year or so. I’ll let you know what I find via Quick Smokes.
If you try this cigar and agree with my aging assessment, here’s a tip: Consider letting your B&M age them for you. Keep an eye on them when they arrive. They may not sell out quickly, and may linger on the shelves long enough for you to pick up aged smokes.
I think the Cohiba Nicaragua will appeal to a limited number of smokers, partly because of the price and partly because of the flavor profile. I’d recommend picking one up if it sounds like it’s up your alley. I give the Cohiba Nicaragua N50 three and a half stogies out of five.
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photo credit: Stogie Guys
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I'm inclined to give this cigar a shot.
However, why do I always feel that — when it comes to General Cigar's Cohiba — I'm paying more for the name and less for the tobacco? This is especially disconcerting since these Cohibas have nothing to do with the Cubans they're trying to emulate. Anybody else feel this way?
I wouldn't say that GC's Cohiba brand is trying to "emulate" the Cubans. When did they ever release copies of the Behike or Esplendido? As far as I know, the Dominican Cohiba brand was started by the old Cohiba owners after they and the other bourgeoisie were kicked out by the communist revolution and cigar industry was nationalized. I am smoking a Cohiba Nicaragua at this moment. It is burning very evenly so far. I would say it is more of a medium-full. I've only been smoking cigars for three years so I still have difficulty describing them. It is similar to other Nicaraguans I've smoked though of course not as good as the JDN Gran Consul. It never went out and produced pleasant, thick smoke. It's worth a try, though I will not likely buy it again since there are better, cheaper Nicaraguans out there.