One of the first names in Cuban tobacco also has a Dominican alter ego making cigars for us to enjoy in America. Did you know? Of course, you did. Well, the Cohiba that Uncle Sam allows us to associate with is taking some exploratory new steps with the Cohiba Riviera cigar.
As many will tell you, this blend represents a few surprising firsts for the company.
One is that the cigar itself is box-pressed. Box pressing is actually a fairly old tradition. While it has some benefits for the actual smoking experience (cooler smoke, more even burn, changes in flavor?), it may have been pioneered for simpler reasons. A box-pressed cigar won’t roll off your table if you don’t have an ashtray to place it in. It also is easier to pack and ship. Perhaps that’s all there is to it.
Whatever the reason, Cohiba is now gently compressing Rivieras to see what all the fuss is about.
You’re also getting Cohiba’s first blend with a Mexican San Andrés wrapper. This tobacco is often deeply fermented to produce an earthy, spicy leaf that adds a number of dimensions to a blend. It has been used to great effect on top-rated blends like the Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro, E.P. Carrillo La Historia, and Casa Turrent Serie 1973. The peppery and yet sweet notes of the tobacco are often quite easy to recognize, even if you’re smoking a blend that you didn’t know contained any San Andrés leaf.
With this wrapper, you’ll also get a Honduran Connecticut seed binder and a carefully curated collection of long-fillers from Honduras (Jamastran and La Entrada) and Nicaragua (Condega and Estelí). Cohiba calls the Riviera cigar “bold, yet balanced,” and cites a number of notes that you probably won’t find surprising. They call out “dark chocolate and coffee bean” as well as “a hint of leather.” There’s also “subtle cream on the finish.”
Sounds absolutely lovely, like the Mexican Riviera. Perhaps that was the inspiration for the name? Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco… here we come!
Please browse our selection of Cohiba Riviera cigars at your leisure.
