Cohiba Siglo V

[jazznut]

"An Ideal Interlude"

Cohiba Siglo V

Country of fabrication: Cuba
Dimensions of cigar: 6.75 inches by 43-ring gauge
Name of vitola: Dalias
Packaging: Individual cardboard container
Date of issue: Unknown

Date smoked: Saturday June 24th, 2006

This particular sample had been gifted to me, and obviously had some age on it.

The Dalias came wrapped in a typically Cohiba reddish cocoa brown outer leaf sporting raw sienna highlights, and was liberally streaked with darker Indian red markings. The colour of the underlying binder melded cocoa and Van Dyke brown tones, while the filler ranged in hue from sandalwood through burnt sienna to Van Dyke brown.

Texturally, mild to moderate veining and profuse tooth combined with developing plume and fine crystalline oil deposits to lend the wrapper a somewhat less than silky, semi-gloss appearance. All seams lay perfectly flush, and the excellent triple-seam cap, which, in fact, bordered on a four-seam affair, culminated in a flattened head. The finger-feel lay between medium-firm and firm, and showed a consistent degree of resilience from end to end.

The pre-light fragrance comprised that alluring and unmistakable Cohiba tobacco characteristic, and was heavily imbued with scents of mocha cream and nut purée. Very faint cedar and leather undertones lurked beneath. Drawing on the unlit cigar elicited rich cedar and spice notes gently tinged with tobacco. Once underway, the Siglo V released bluish-grey smoke filled with profound aromas of mochaccino, embering tobacco and leather.

Combustion occurred with nary an intervention, although the burn edge did angle and scallop a tad during the early moments. The solidly constituted shale grey to ruddy charcoal ash routinely held past the 1¼-inch mark.

On the palate, the Dalias opened with a medley of cedar-cured sage, vanilla pod and peppermint layered over notions of toasted caraway seeds and tobacco. As the herbal elements receded ever so slightly, a more amalgamated presentation of vanilla and cocoa-dusted tobacco emerged, though this still came underpinned by a refreshing cedar component. The textural weight fell within the medium-bodied spectrum.

Within a short time, denser toasted tobacco took the lead, with the vanilla slowly outdistancing the cocoa. Subtle notes of Jalapeño appeared alongside.

By mid stage, the overall timbre grew very focused and quite strong, yet with not one iota of abrasiveness - very Cohiba! The sensation of ripeness positively shone, practically to the point of acquiring a fruit-like quality. At this juncture, the age of the tobacco made for a fantastically homogeneous and pleasurable interlude, and I became enthralled not with the various flavour aspects, but rather with the sheer harmonious elegance of the Dalias.

As the Siglo V wound its way toward inevitable extinction, a supplementary nuance of white pepper added an additional spark to the proceedings.

I lit this beautiful cigar up while relaxing on the back porch, and chose to accompany it with Macallan Cask-Strength rendered to around 53% alcohol by volume through the addition of a splash of water. The Macallan, a rich raisin and clove concoction if ever there was one, accentuated the various tastes of the Cohiba with considerable panache.

It was a GOOD 1½ hours!