"This cigar was a tale of two halves. The first half had complexity while the second half was on the darker side with little change. I'm not sure if it was me or the blend but by the end, I was left with more questions about how good this cigar could really be. I will definitely revisit this cigar once I know what it is. " -Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
"This was definitely on the milder side for someone like me who likes a stronger cigar, but the flavors really shined. Citrus, lemon zest, orange peel, leather, and Graham cracker all melded together to create a very enjoyable cigar. I would definitely try this again, especially when the weather warms up. Thanks for the experience!" -Kevin J. (maninblack77)
"I enjoyed the transition from a light sweet cedar start to more medium earth and leather to the slightly fuller smokey pepper ending. To me, this would be a great mid-morning cigar to get your taste buds kicked into gear. I couldn't ask for much more from the burn or the construction and will absolutely revisit this blend in the future." -Lauren S. (Lauren S.)"
"Plenty of joy was had smoking this wonderful cigar. You can be assured that a box purchase would definitely be worth the coin. If you don't mind a little firm draw." -Ryan H. (Ryan H.)
"I was a little unsure when I started smoking this since it was so grassy at the beginning. That quickly dropped to the wayside and I was left with a rich creamy cigar. If you like smoking something an old-timey villain would pick some of these up. It is a classic tobacco-forward profile that performs great. " -Alan (Eulogy)
"I enjoyed this cigar it kept giving me notes of sweet tobacco, coffee, German chocolate cake, and even some cream soda at the end. This cigar started out nice with the sweetness then let up and brought in the wood and earthy notes, but the sweetness never left and even returned at the end. I will let you know dear readers that this does require some time commitment. I wouldn't suggest you smoke this cigar in the elements unless it's a nice spring or fall day." -Mickey T. (irratebass)
I have always enjoyed the idea/premise of the chef's editions. Everyone loves a good cigar pairing be it a pairing with bourbon, whiskey, beer, or even my favorite. Coffee. One thing we do not get a chance to do is pair cigars with food as it's not easily done in today's world. I was excited to see the chef's for this year's edition as it has Masa Takayama on the panel who by all rights is very much a true cigar smoker. You can't google his name without stumbling across him with a cigar. I have had the pleasure of smoking the chef's editions the last few years and this hands down is the best yet.
"An awesome cigar! Nice notes of sweet and salty mixed with notes of woodiness. Makes me want another. Great late afternoon stick." -Sean F. (fullermaine)
"Shockingly to me, I loved this cigar. I'm not a huge box-pressed cigar fan and this one is so thin worried me but it smoked wonderfully and the mouthfeel was not as harsh as expected. The flavors were complex and kept me interested the entire time. Starting with a red pepper blast that then settles into a smoky cedar and leather flavor. Complex baking spice and some surprise floral notes make this cigar stand out. I will absolutely seek out more of this stick in the future." -Lauren S. (Lauren S.)
General Cigar has announced that they are bringing back the Cohiba Spectre for a third release. The Spectre is one of the most expensive cigars ever released by General Cigar and uses four varietals of tobacco, each paying homage to the growing regions, soils and microclimates from which they were harvested.