Review - Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos - 96/100

Welcome to the dark side.

The Cohiba's Maduro 5 line has basically been created to reach the growing market for maduro smokes. They are nothing like any of the previous Cohiba cigars, but succeed in being at the same level of quality. At least the Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos does that, and simultaniously proves right the myth "size doesn't matter, it is what you do with it that counts".

The Secretos is a small cigar, but delivers more flavor and aroma than most of the bigger cigars out there. It is a perfectly balanced cigar with a great flavor profile. In its intense palette of flavours, you are offered sweet, strong tobacco, cocoa, chocolate and cedar. And as you reach the second thrid of the cigar, all the flavours remain as they just become even more intense! The finish is woody and creamy.

I have to say, that the Secretos fits my palate perfectly. I have never enjoyed a cigar as much as i did with this little cigar.

The Cuban grown maduro wrapper has been aged for 5 years (hence the name) and is brobably one of the most beautiful wrappers i have ever seen on a cigar. The structure is also perfect as are the draw and the burn too.

Overall, The Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos is a born legend, that despite its small size creates tons of pleasure. I do not even dare to guess what a little ageing would do to this full bodied cigar.

As the reviewed cigar was one of five singles received, the next purchase for me is definitely a full box of Secretos.

Origin: Cuba

Construction 19/20
Appearance 19/20
Smoke/Ash 9/10
Burn 20/20
Draw 19/20
Aroma 10/10 (9,10,10)

TOTAL POINTS 96/100

Review - Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Churchill - 90/100

The Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Churchill also lives up to its name. From its 3 18-year-old wrapper leafs two are maduros. The appearance is very dark and very oily. The cold aroma is very earthy with the deep scent of the maduro tobacco leaves.

This medium bodied cigar is quite easy going with its great strong flavor of sweet tobacco and quite obvious taste of a dark, strong italian espresso. The finish is cedary with hints of black pepper. The over all profile is well balanced with rich and delicious character.

As, said, the wrapper is dark and oily, but has some larger veins to stand in the way of being absolutely beautiful. Rolling is again done perfectly and the structure is great. The draw is somewhat too easy and the burn is a little off, but nothing to affect too greatly to the overall experience.

The rich smoke and the aroma floating around you are really pleasant being a combination of dark roasted coffee and sweet tobacco. I really enjoy this kind of a cigar after a good dinner, as long as you have an hour or more to use on this huge cigar...

I recommend you add this cigar to your collection as soon as possible, for example from Paul Bugge with an affordable price.

Origin: Dominican Republic

Construction 19/20
Appearance 18/20
Smoke/Ash 10/10
Burn 17/20
Draw 18/20
Aroma 8/10 (7,8,8)

TOTAL POINTS 90/100

Review - Cusano 18 Double Conneticut Robusto - 89/100

The Cusano 18 Double Conneticut Robusto is a robust cigar in many ways. It is a medium bodied smoke with a great balance between strenght and subtle nuances. It has a rich taste of tobacco and very thick smoke.

The unlit aroma is that of a chocolate. The start was a little off in my opinion, but it quickly stepped up and developed into a great smoke. The taste profile of the Conneticut Robusto is mainly built on a sweet leathery flavor with woody notes on the finish. It is also a creamy smoke with some vague hints of berries at the mid section of the cigar.

The outer wrapper of the two 18-years-old Conneticut wrappers - from which the name 18 Double Conneticut - has a really shiny golden honey color to it. No major veins either to ruins its beautiful appearance. The rolling has been done with extreme care and the cigar feels perfect n your hand. The draw is great and the burn is even.

In its total, the Cusano 18 Double Conneticut Robusto is a great smoke, which reminded me of some Partagas cigar. It has the same strenght and charasteristics as the Partagas Milles Fleurs or the Petit Coronas Especiales, although, it also has an unique profile, that separates it from all other cigars.

This cigar is indeed worth trying... And it can be bought from Paul Bugge with an affordable price.

Origin: Dominican Republic

Construction 18/20
Appearance 19/20
Smoke/Ash 9/10
Burn 18/20
Draw 18/20
Aroma 7/10 (6,8,7)

TOTAL POINTS 89/100

Review - Cuvée Blanc Robusto - 89/100

The Cuvée Blanc is another new cigar from Cuvée Cigars, produced by the Chiusano family - probably better known from their Dominican Cusano Cigars.

The Cigar has a beautiful brown shade grown wrapper with a reddish and honey like tint to it. The rolling is flawless with a perfect cap and great structure. The unlit aroma is somewhat grassy.

From the beginning, the cigar offers mild and creamy flavors with pleasant hints of earthiness and some leathery tones. Closing down the half way, all the same flavor and aroma are there, and the round creamy profile is still in the lead role.

The Draw stays perfect and the cigar burns evenly from the first puff to the finish.

The last third of the cigar gives you a change towards a more complex experience. The character builds up and presents you with some elements of fruit - maybe lime or apple - in the smoke. This makes the end of the cigar the best part. Maybe a longer cigar would hold this profile a little longer than the robusto.

Nevertheless, The Cuvée Blanc Robusto is an easy, pleasant smoke for a day time enjoyment. The cigar really has no highs or lows to significally differ from its round and creamy character, that hangs on your palate long after...

As said, this is a great smoke for beginners or at an earlier moment of the day.

I truly recommend the Cuvée Blanc along with the Rouge. Together they create an excellent variety of flavor and aroma to be anjoyed thourghout the day.

The Cuvée Blanc can also be bought from Paul Bugge online.

Origin: Dominican Republic

Construction 18/20
Appearance 19/20
Smoke/Ash 8/10
Burn 18/20
Draw 19/20
Aroma 7/10 (7,7,8)

TOTAL POINTS 89/100

Review - Cuvée Rouge Churchill - 90/100

The Cuvée Rouge is a fairly new cigar on the market. It comes from Cuvée Cigars, produced by the Chiusano family - probably better known from their Dominican Cusano Cigars. And just like the Cusano Cigars, the Cuvée Cigars are great smokes!

The Cuvée Rouge Churchill is a beautiful cigar. Its Sun Grown wrapper has a smooth and oily surface with gorgeous chocolaty brown tone. The rolling is flawless and the cap is near to perfect.
The cold scent makes a strong statement of sturdy tobacco and when tasted unlit, no mistake about the taste of fine dark chocolate can be made. What a flavor!

After the great cold flavor the start of the lit cigar is somewhat dissapointing. No traces of chocolate can be found and the taste is somewhat papery and blunt. FORTUNATELY, this does not last more than a few moments. After the start the cigar opens up and creates a mellowed down stucture of flavors built on a lovely deep roundness and a balanced profile of woody and leathery notes and perhaps something ... sweet and fruity.

The flavor is consistent throughout the cigar, but it could be a little more complex, as the profile does not develope much at any point. If you really try, maybe vague hints of cocoa and almond can be detected towards the end of the cigar. On the other hand, the cigar does not turn harsh and bitter towards the end either, which can happen no matter how complex a cigar you might have.

The draw of the Cuvée Rouge Churchill is perfect and the burn is even. The grey ash is firm and beautiful and the smoke arising from the cigar is very pleasant.

All in all, the Cuvée Rouge Churchill is a great medium bodied cigar that i recommend with pleasure! It is well made with a great balance created in the blending, but it might need a little more complexity. I trust, that a few months in my humidor will do wonders to this cigar.

The Cuvée Cigars can be bought from Paul Bugge with an affordable price. Check it out!

Origin: Dominican Republic

Construction 18/20
Appearance 19/20
Smoke/Ash 8/10
Burn 18/20
Draw 19/20
Aroma 8/10 (7,9,8)

TOTAL POINTS 90/100