Each year, Gran Habano comes out with a limited edition of one of it’s lines and gives it the name Gran Reserva. The Corojo #5 Gran Reserva 2012, released in 2018, uses the Coroja #5 blend but using the top 10% of the crop leaf from the year then aged 7-8 years. The cigar is then aged another 4-6 years after being rolled. The 2012 release was three extra years on top of that, making it the most aged Gran Reserva release to date.
This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.
The blend uses a Nicaraguan wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and Nicaraguan and Costa Rican fillers. The Corojo #5 Gran Reserva 2012 comes in 5 sizes, each in boxes of 20: Corona Gorda (5 5/8 x 46) — $8.10, Gran Robusto (6 x 54) — $8.60, Imperial (6 x 60) — $9.40, Czar (6 x 66) — $11.10, and Grandioso (7 x 70) — $11.50. Production numbers were not disclosed but the company said about 200,000 cigars were rolled in all the viotlas total. The cigar is rolled like all other Gran Habano cigars at G.R. Tabacaleras Unidas S.A. factory in Honduras.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Corona Gorda Length: 5 5/8″ Ring Gauge: 46 Country of Origin: Honduras Wrapper: Nicaragua Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua & Costa Rica Factory: G. R. Tabacaleras Unidas, S.A. Blender: George Rico Number of reviewers: 4 – Kevin A.(Kevin A.) Allison T.(The Yoga Ash) Jake P.(Jake P.) Estevan Z.(TheRealBanzi) Price: $8.10 Age: 5 Months Release Date: November 2018 Contributed by: Grab Habano
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 89
“This is a beautiful Corona Gorda. Several veins run the length of the oily wrapper. Colorado Maduro in color with invisible seams and a triple cap.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
Aroma: 89
“The aroma coming from the foot has a distinct earthiness to it. It reminds me of a freshly plowed field on the farm. The wrapper itself has more of a espresso aroma too it.” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
First Third
Blind Cigar Review: Gran Habano | Corojo #5 Gran Reserva 2012 Corona Gorda
Flavor: 90 Strength: Medium Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“Pepper opens this third with a cedar that dances between very dry and sweet on the palate. A pine needle effervescent greets the sinuses with a lovely pepper tingle that extends the finish of this cigar.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
“First light and retrohale gives a nice blast of pepper. Right away I am getting a slightly bitter smoky oak note, with a touch of dry toast and cinnamon. There seems to be alot going on in the first third of this cigar!. It is sweet and salty, hitting both the tip and sides of my tongue. The strength is on the upper side of medium, and the body is definitely medium-full. Burn is wavy getting past the first inch, and the ash looks to be dark grey and flaky.” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
“The cigar almost went out after the ash fell @ 1 1/2” in, but a few puffs and it started burning well again. Pepper is still there on
Blind Cigar Review: Gran Habano | Corojo #5 Gran Reserva 2012 Corona Gorda
the retrohale, and I am picking up a fresh pastry note that reminds me of banana bread. The cigar has turned very sweet and almost all of the flavor is hitting the tip of my tongue. The finish on the cigar is medium. It sits on my palate long enough to pull out some unique flavors. The draw is a little on the loose side for me and the ash is still dark grey and flaky. Surprisingly the cigar has remained cool and is burning well with the loose draw. The strength has stayed medium and the body is not quite as full as the first third. Odd to me to have a cigar become more mellow as it burns. It has been enjoyable to this point.” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
“The cigar shifts in this third to more of bakers chocolate with some clove undertones and a doughy bread body. The effervescent note, found in the first third, has carried over to this third but the pepper tingle has fallen off completely. The finish has shorten a touch.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
“The cigar is now firing on all cylinders. Sweet tobacco, cedar, herbal tea, and mint all in perfect balance. The pine needle
Blind Cigar Review: Gran Habano | Corojo #5 Gran Reserva 2012 Corona Gorda
effervescent notes have turned to more of a medicinal note. Finish had gone back to a medium-long finish” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
“Getting into the final third, the sweetness abruptly departs and is replaced with a full on dark roast coffee. The oak note from the first third makes a return as well, but it is more of a charred oak with a pretty notable bitterness to it. As quickly as the stronger flavors took over, they are gone, and the sweetness is back. Now there is a creaminess to it, mixed with dark chocolate and cinnamon. There is no hint of bitterness remaining either. Burn has gone a little wonky in the final third, and there is a slight canoeing starting to happen. Not sure if there is enough cigar left for it to correct itself.” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 94
“There is a perfect amount of resistance when you draw on the cigar. This creates a lot of smoke that covers the palate.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
Burn: 88
“The burn was a fast but even burn .” –Allison T. (The Yoga Ash)
Construction: 89
“I think this cigar could have used another leaf in it to tighten up the draw a little bit. Other than that, it was very flavorful. The few puffs of bitterness and charred wood early in the final third was a surprise but it did not make for an unpleasant experience” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
“This cigar was the tale of two cigars. If you are a smoker that only keeps the smoke on your palate, you would classify this cigar as one dimensional. Blowing some of the smoke out of your nose bring a delightful pine needle effervescent that makes this a well rounded cigar. I had to take points away do to the burn issues but overall it would be a good cigar that would be enjoyed by most people and would make a good everyday cigar.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
“This was time well spent. The complexity kept you on a slight edge. As soon as I would start to feel comfortable and dialed in to what my experience was going to be, the cigar would side step and jostle you back in with something new like citrus.” –Jake P. (Jake P.)
“Overall this was a medium strength, medium bodied cigar with a relatively complex flavor profile. The flavors kept it interesting without being overly strong. This would pair well with a nice dark rum, or a rootbeer for those that don’t drink alcohol” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
“As I was smoking the 1st 3rd it felt as if I swallowed sand & couldn’t stop coughing, so I couldn’t finish this cigar” –Allison T. (The Yoga Ash)
Blind Cigar Review: Gran Habano | Corojo #5 Gran Reserva 2012 Corona Gorda
Overall Score – 90 – Very Good
Blind Cigar Review: Gran Habano | Corojo #5 Gran Reserva 2012 Corona Gorda
Summary
"This cigar was the tale of two cigars. If you are a smoker that only keeps the smoke on your palate, you would classify this cigar as one dimensional. Blowing some of the smoke out of your nose bring a delightful pine needle effervescent that makes this a well rounded cigar. I had to take points away do to the burn issues but overall it would be a good cigar that would be enjoyed by most people and would make a good everyday cigar." -Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
