Cohiba Cigars Serie M Reserva Plata 2026 in Review

BRAND: Cohiba
BLEND: Serie M Reserva Plata

WRAPPER: Mexican San Andres
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Dominican, Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Toro (652) fan-tail cap.
ORIGIN: USA
INTENSITY: Medium
SPICE: 1.5/5

NOTES:
Chocolate | Wood | Sauce au poivre*

When I was a kid, Dad would make me hot cocoa using just one packet. It always tasted watery. When I got old enough, I would make my own, only occasionally throwing in two packets. Occasionally, because he was still buying. If Dad had used a wet wooden spoon as a stirrer, I'd be reliving that, smoking this.

Very much a lulling profile. A bit like meditating side-by-side with another person. We ain't interacting, it's very quiet, and try as I might--my mind wanders. *Beef stock, brandy, black pepper creaminess. A snug damp draw. Brilliant Ash, though. Muted aroma. Nice, rich mouthfeel--but not so much a taste attached.

TASTE: B
DRAW: B-
BURN: B+
BUILD: B+

FINAL GRADE: B
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79

::: very ::: 

Room101 Cigars The Big Payback Extra Fuerte 70s in Review

BRAND: Room101
BLEND: The Big Payback Extra Fuerte 70s

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Honduran, Nicaraguan, Dominican

FORMAT: 770
ORIGIN: Honduras
INTENSITY: Medium-full
SPICE: 2/5

NOTES:
Scorched Woods | Seared Meats | Raisin Wine

A kicky harmony. Simple black pepper. Weird that the Maillard Effect isn't more seen in smokes; it is here. Dark, darkly toasted grains. Plurals run rampant. Anise. A certain starchiness on the mouth feel brings a pot of cholent to mind. Broiled grapefruit. Weighty. Sometimes mushy.

An at-once open and less than responsive draw. Solid though un-pretty ash growth off a fairly quirky perhaps too cooled burn. Requires a lot of puffs, still though, avoids feelings of labor. Uneven smoke out-put from petering to plethora. Well-built. Chocolate bread hits olfactory, misses mouth.

TASTE: B+
DRAW: B
BURN: B
BUILD: B+

FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79

::: very ::: 

Macanudo Cigars Ecuadorian Shade & Sumatra in Review

Macanudo Cigars Ecuadorian Shade & Sumatra in Review

BRAND: Macanudo
BLEND: Ecuadorian Shade

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Shade
BINDER: American Broadleaf
FILLER: Dominican, Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Robusto box-press
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Mild-medium
SPICE: 1/5

NOTES:
Cocoa butter | Vanilla bean | Lemon tart

TASTE: B
DRAW: B+
BURN: B
BUILD:B+

FINAL GRADE: B
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79

::: | :::

BRAND: Macanudo
BLEND: Sumatra

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Sumatra
BINDER: American Broadleaf
FILLER: Dominican, Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Robusto
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Medium
SPICE: 2/5

NOTES:
Dark chocolate | Cumin | Leather

TASTE: B
DRAW: B+
BURN: B
BUILD: B+

FINAL GRADE: B
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79

::: very ::: 

Powstanie Cigars Sumatra in Review

BRAND: Powstanie
BLEND: Sumatra

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed
BINDER: Mexican, Pennsylvanian (dual)
FILLER: Dominican, Honduran

FORMAT: Gran Toro (6.25x52) box-press
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Medium-full
SPICE: 2.75/5

NOTES:
Chocolate sponge cake | Cherry Dr. Pepper | Spices

Clove and sweet paprika lead the orange-reddish feeling spices. Cake and soda are very huddled together. The whole profile is a bit hard to pull apart throughout the 1/3. A toasted-scorched pine wood vegetality comes in at the 2/3 to lend delineation. Wide line coasts from there-out, smoothly-so.

Draw's a tick-toward open, and could be rather easily over-smoked. Big smoke out-put with a chocolaty, herbaceous olfactory. Ash is a hair airy. Press rounds some. Lips get salted, coated in light oils. Body builds nicely, uncloyingly. Well-rounded, nuanced blend. I'd recommend a Tawny Port pairing.

TASTE: A-
DRAW: B+
BURN: B+
BUILD: B+

FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79

::: very :::