Please see both the title of this post and its subsequent (mainly) repetitive subtitle for any bearing you may need as to expectations here. Also please note that the cigar names listed below are links to their full reviews here on KM. Thank you and have a wonderful read.
Cohiba Serie M
(Primary band)
I have a small confession, I don't really ever like Cohiba's packaging designs. From checkered cabs (a neat-enough look in the right place/time) to signs over payday loan stores trying to look super bank-ish, somewhere between is where these designs tend to fall into my mind's eye. This incorporates green, the color of sick or envy. Also money. In this particular shade, of a racing green Jaguar, I (and I daresay most) can't afford. The cigar is not inexpensive--how much more must a smoker afford in order to belong?
Of interest is the UPC code printed right on the band. I don't recall seeing that elsewhere but I also know I never so closely scrutinized as now. My question is why this is necessary as the cigar came in cellophane. Smack the sticker on that? Who knows. A red-centered 'O' is also a bright full-stop achievement of being on-brand. Straight gold lines rigidly and unimaginatively lift and separate like a good brassiere. A nice flair is an art-deco type flourishing around 'Limited Edition.' although that font is too small.
'SERIE M' More gold, better-sized font. I appreciate that smaller font because I believe they squeezed it in there to be visible when looking head-on at the thing. Black backdrops the white Cohiba and there is sneakily much going on in the subtle mod band. also, it's embossed and too, a bit thinner-feeling than the other three--or perhaps more supple. It delivers the message and maintains the company vibe, and I really don't like it anyway. It is cold and unlovely. Bronze medal.
El Rey Del Mundo Naturals En Vidrio
In case anyone is wondering, this is the size and shape a cigar band should be. The size is modest. The shape is a boxing world championship belt. Marvelous. The back-drop is gold and all is heavily embossed and we are cooking on gas, baby! Shields, coins, some drapey fabric, or some ribbons are missing from the holy trinity but STILL GAS. You know what? There seems to be bunting of a sort atop the shield with a cross emblazoned on it. Over that, a crown. Wait... is this what the kids call 'fan service?'
Some clean outlines are colored red and yellow-orange and oh, behind the gold and white shield emblem is that same yellow-orange. Red letters on that, and easily read. White on the same red "HAND" and "MADE" boldly flank the sides. I count three crosses. "IMPORTED" is stressed and seems so deliciously classic. I sit here and look at the thing. The edges of its widest top-to-bottom spot give me the impression of wings. The WWE 'Winged Eagle' belt. Yeah. The excellence of execution.
As I look at it the red and yellow-orange are sort of beginning to meld. To hazily bleed. What's on those coins? Dunno. Resting bitchface has taken over. Candy stripes? Are those edges too pin-striping in appearance and incongruent? My eyes start to lazily fixate in a manner with which you'd look at a magic eye poster. I could never do those. There is suddenly so much it's bland. Or made bland. The irritable old man, turning off his hearing aid so as to zone out from the bombardment of young voices. Gold medal.
Why are the brass knuckles silver? I can't even. The palm part of the knucks is crown-shaped and the whole thing sorta sits crown-like atop. The whole silver-danged thing. Silver brass knuckles. My head hurts. There are bold gold straight framing lines. Gold coins. White "KNUCKLE BUSTER" in an apropos font. "MADURO" is printed in silver on the stark-vacant black bottom-half. The top is curved and the bottom is flat and the asymmetricalness of this doesn't bother me much.
I like this shape more than the straight-edged Cohiba.
There is a modest amount of embossing but so much unused space. I cannot tell if this offends me. The message is stated, delivered, and clearly-so. It shouldn't bother me. There's not a whole lot else happening here. Nice quality paper. Even a more bit of info on its reverse-side. That's a nifty touch. A classic bit of Punch iconography and URL. It's all well thought out and delivered. The middle of three rated objects always, in my experience, warrants the least being said of it. Silver knuckles medal.
::: very :::