Had this one last week sitting on the balcony in the sun and looking out on the mediterranean, and it blew me away.
Construction was perfect, I had the pick of an entire box so this one was excellent, perfectly filled with oils dripping from the wrapper. Colour was on the lighter side of those I've seen. It burnt like a dream.
These new maduros really are like no other cuban cigar. Throughout it was very strong and rich, with quite unbelievably intense flavours. Being this strong it was still very definitely showing its youth, with some ragged moments in the first third and bursts of white pepper through the nose. But more often than not these were masked by the other flavours. Hints of sweetness, but not as much as I was expecting- bitrersweet dark chocolate (if you will) built up through the first third of the cigar. At the halfway note an underlying coffee note came explosively to the fore...
I have had many cigars that have had light coffee flavours sometimes milky, sometimes dark, but this was another example of this stick not doing things by halves. For much of the rest of the stick in between puffs I could have sworn that I was chain munching those little dark chocolate covered coffee beans- the flavour was that vivid and intense.
In summary then the Secretos was like nothing I've ever had before (just as it should be), with time it will lose the wildness of youth, and if it manages to retain the insensity of flavour it will be a superb smoke. Right now though its strength is a little untamed for my liking. A difficult smoke to score because of this discrepancy, but I give it 74 ex 100.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: did64,
"You want WHAT on the fu<king ceiling?" - Michelangelo, 1566
Great Review! These are excellent cigars, I've got about 2/3 of a box left myself. Kinda pricey for the small size, but so are most Cohibas, and every one I've had was worth it.
Its the only cohiba (along with siglo 2) that is somewhat worth its money. I think in those small vitolas cohiba's offer a lot of flavour, and I agree that the secreto seems to be the best of the maduro line.
I think most Cohibas are worth the money. For the price of an Esplendido, you've got to remember, you're getting 3x the smoke one of these little guys.
Originally posted by D-Mud: Its the only cohiba (along with siglo 2) that is somewhat worth its money.
wow... now there's quite a statement...
have you actually had an esplendido ?? piramide 2006 ?? sublimes 2004 ?? and you're telling me none of these stellar smokes are worth the money ??
I'm sorry buddy, but I TOTALLY disagree with you on that one....
Fair enough my friend. I have tried quite a lot of esplendidos and piramide 2006, not a sublime 2004. I prefer the RyJ Churchill more than the Esplendido, but only after years 2006 and 2007. I also prefer the Partagas P2 more than the piramide 2006. I know, it is weird, and not compatible with most people's opinions, but these cigars sit much better with my palate and what flavours I want from a cigar.
I've just put in my first order for the Secretos from my supplier. I'm only getting a couple in, and I'm itching to try one right away. Is this worth trying as soon as it comes in, or should I let her age?
"Here, have a cigar. Light it up and be somebody."
Is this worth trying as soon as it comes in, or should I let her age?
Always difficult to tell. They are certainly interesting and good cigars now. But if they go the right way they have the potential to be really stellar IMHO, I've only had two but they strike me as ideal candidates for a bit of ageing.
"You want WHAT on the fu<king ceiling?" - Michelangelo, 1566
I've just put in my first order for the Secretos from my supplier. I'm only getting a couple in, and I'm itching to try one right away. Is this worth trying as soon as it comes in, or should I let her age?
I have seen boxes of ten as low as $100.
"Resistance to tyranny is obedience to God" -Thomas Jefferson
"All that it takes for evil to triumph is that good men and women do nothing"-Edmund Burke
"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so" -- Ronald Reagan
Or you started to like them? 
