Cohiba Robusto

Overall Score

1 review for Cohiba Robusto

  1. D**** C***

    Cohiba Robusto

    Origin : Cuba
    Format : RobustoCohiba
    Size : 124 x 19.84 mm (4.8 x 50)
    Ring Gauge : 50
    Wrapper : Cuba
    Filler : Cuba
    Binder : Cuba
    Weight : 11.66 g
    Box Code : LPA MAY 08
    Hecho Totalmente a Mano (Hand-Made)
    Price : $15.59USD (single), $44.58USD (3-pack), $379.64USD (25-box)
    Note : The Cohiba Robusto prices are reflective of the full retail price of this cigar from my ISOM source.

    This great review comes courtesy of David Chen – and we hope to see more in future! Enjoy.

    I will not bore you with the history of the Cohiba marca as it is already so well known. In addition, a lot has already been written about this particular vitola from Cohiba which is among one of its most popular. It is viewed by many as one of the best Robustos in the world, and has gone a long way towards popularizing this format. I recently purchased a box, and upon their arrival I noticed they were already over a year old. After about a month’s time, to allow them to settle in my humidor, I opened the SLB to sample this Cuban gem. Here are my thoughts…

    Appearance : [rating:4.5/5]
    The Cohiba Robusto (a.k.a. CoRo) tends to always be a very good looking cigar, as it should be given that this marca is considered to be one of best, if not the best in Cuban cigars. Generally, I was pleased with its appearance, but there were two exceptions. While the CoRo’s wrapper was of a beautiful natural shade which I would liken to my morning latte, there was a somewhat greenish splotch (reminiscent of quite a few Montecristo No. 4s that I have smoked) at the foot of the cigar. I hate seeing this in a cigar at this price point. I mean the least they could have done was turned the splotch to the back. There was some slight veining, but other than that, the wrapper appeared smooth and slightly oily. The other detractor in terms of appearance was the slight hole in the cap. If I were to really pick at this cigar, I might also complain about the band not being fully glued together in back, but hey, I actually like that as it makes the band easier to remove.

    Cohiba Robusto

    Construction : [rating:5/5]
    My experience in terms of construction when it comes to the CoRo is for the most part exceptional. This cigar was no exception. It was rolled well (not overly packed, but not loose), and the draw was perfect. The triple cap was nicely applied despite the hole (albeit tiny) in the cap. It felt good in my hand, nice and round (I dislike box pressing) and had a good weight to it. The wrapper felt almost velvety to the touch. From the foot you could see that the bunching was good, though nothing to write home about. Just a personal observation, but I tend to find the bunching on Dominican, Nicaraguan and Honduran cigars to have a better appearance. Finally, the ash on this Cohiba Robusto was black to dark gray and was extremely flaky. In other words, it did not hold well. It tended to break off on its own about every inch or so. The burn was slightly off, but did not need any touch ups. I did however, need to relight this cigar twice, but I attribute that to me getting to involved in the conversation at hand during my smoke.

    Flavor : [rating:4/5]
    From the pre-light draw, the classic Cohiba flavors tantalize your palate right away. That grassy flavor is very pronounced, and sets you up for exactly what you would expect from this cigar. In the first-third the cigar started with a medium profile right away with the taste of sweet grass, some tobacco and leather. In a word… awesome. The second-third offered the same grassy aroma, but the sweetness disappeared to be replaced with a hint of black pepper. I personally like the pepper and expect it in a CoRo. In the final-third, the cigar was picking up to a medium-full in terms of body. The grassy aroma went away, but the pepper remained along with the flavor of tobacco. At this point it was not evolving as I expected it to. The cigar also began to get a bit harsh and the bitterness was steadily developing. As I was no longer enjoying the cigar I let it go out with an inch remaining. I would have to say that the most enjoyable portion of this cigar was the first-third.

    Value : [rating:4/5]
    What can I say? Is it an expensive cigar? Yes. Is it worth the price of admission? Well, there are some who would say “No,” but I on the other hand would answer with a resounding “Yes.” While I am a fan of the Cohiba marca…no one I know would call me a Cohiba whore. I would have rated the CoRo higher in value if the cigars were not so young. So, if they were what I would consider to be a good smoke now, not just smokeable, the CoRo would have received a better rating in this category.

    Overall Rating : [rating:4/5]
    As I mentioned before… this was a classic Cohiba Robusto, but was a bit young. My personal opinion is that this cigar should be laid down to rest for another 12 months. In that time it will make a much better smoke. There is no denying that the first two-thirds of this cigar were great, but the youthfulness of this cigar got the best of it in the end. I fully expect this to evolve into a phenomenal cigar and would certainly make it a staple in my humidor, as should you.

    Helpful?
    0 0
    • R** P

      Sadly my Friday afternoon pint of real ale with, today, Cohiba Robusto was affected by a strong wind giving me difficulties on lighting to get an even burn. Great flavours and plumes of smoke. Construction looked good. A nice looking cigar, of course. But price point Vs Wow factor – not sure…….

    • Y*

      I love this cigar. No matter what some say about this cigar it is a king of smoke. It has very clean clear taste with leathery and spicy Cuban trade mark. You can find a similar taste in H. Upman in a small sized petty coronas Major without spending as much. More complex version would be the D4?

    • p************

      I think it’s a better smoke than the D4 and I really like that too.
      INSPECTOR, YOU ROCK! thanks for all the work you put into this site. Like I always say, so many great cigars, so little time…

    • R**

      Overpriced and overrated? Perhaps. It’s still a great cigar, but Cohibas frustrate me – they’re very good, but they have this cachet that supposedly sets them above others. Imo, the Cohiba Robusto is not better than the Ramon Allones Special Select, the Partagas Serie D and the Trinidad Robusto T – all of which cost less.

    • G******

      Probably the best introduction to Cuban smokes after the Montecristo No. 4. Okay, so not for the complete beginner but hard to go wrong with these. Even non-smokers can cope with the aroma, which is a good thing. A joy for the amateur or seasoned smoker alike.

    • p************

      great review, thanks very much.
      My thoughts on this stick are similar and I hade some younger ones and some aged ones. Truth is, I prefer the Partagas D4 for flavor, but the this Cohiba sure seems to be better rolled than most Cubans. It was also a bit on the medium side and I prefer strong cigars. I would buy it again though regardless of the price, this is a great smoke in every way.

    • D****

      This is my all-time fave Cuban. Usually I can smoke these to the nub with no harshness. Maybe yours was a bit young ? One of the main flavours for me is beans.

    • H******

      It is an excellent mild to medium bodied cigar, incredible construction and perfect balance between power and flavor, a harmony in a smoke.
      Ask an expert merchant and find a box from a good year with at least 3 years age on them 😉

    • t*********

      I hear you on the price, but you can’t go wrong with the RASS. Have yet to try the JL2, but I hear they’ve gotten stronger…

    • Avatar photo

      I********

      I love this cigar. It is not my go-to robusto however, due to the price. Nice change from RASS / JL2.

    • M*** M**

      Great Review! I will definately recommend this to a friend!

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Cigar Region Cuba
Filler Cuban
Wrapper Cuba
Binder Cuba
Length 4 7/8
Ring Gauge 50
Vitola Robusto
Construction Hand Made