Cohiba Coronas Especiales

Produced: 2001
Made by: Laguito No. 2
Size: Parejo
Ring Gauge: 38
Length: 6 inches
Purchased: Baranows Lounge, Melbourne, 2006.


Date: July 21st, 2006
Time: 5:00 pm Pacific
Location: Huntington Park, San Francisco, California
Conditions: Clear sunny skies, 80 degrees, light ocean breeze


The Purchase
This cigar was purchased at Baranows Lounge in Hawthorn, Melbourne, Australia. To learn more about Baranows and my buying experience, please refer to this post.


The Location
Finally had some time overcome the jet lag from Sydney. This is my first cigar since getting back stateside. Summer has finally come to the city. The rest of the US is baking under a heat wave…. Today in the city it reaches all of 80! I catch the cable car up California Street straight from my office to Huntington Park.

The park is jammed!! I manage to find a shady spot near the kids’ playground to setup shop. I get some side glances from some nervous parents. Don’t worry I tell one of them, I’m a regular smoker here…. The comment made them even more nervous….. must be my blackberry, briefcase and Wall Street Journal that is spooking them.

There are all sorts of people (and characters) out today. The homeless guy in the trench coat, a very old dude with no shirt on, the middle-aged woman wearing the thong bikini, the pit-bull devouring the shitzu by the fountain… yep, should make for good people watching as I smoke my cigar.


The Smoke!
Created in 1969 and marketed internationally in 1982, the Coronas Especiales is a shorter version of the Lanceros and tastes roughly the same.

This is a very elegant and rich cigar. The size is much more civilized and gentile to the monsters I have been trying lately. One should almost be wearing formal wear in lighting up this smoke.

The cigar does feel awfully soft, especially at the tip, almost loose. I have heard about problems with the draw and mixed quality and wonder if this will be questionable experience. It has no blemishes or veins and has some plume.

This cigar has been aged only 5 years, and I understand that very young ligero and seco leaves are used, which can be porous. If this is the case, the cigar should be aged for at least 8 – 10 years in order to get an acceptable draw.

I cut the cigar and I am very careful in my lighting. Judging the size and the length, I anticipate it will take some skill not to draw too hard or too frequently. I don’t want this to overheat and ruin the taste.

The taste is strong, spicy and has touches of cedar and chocolate. There is also a “grassy” herbal taste that has a strong finish. After about 30 minutes I realize that this is an extremely pleasant and calming smoke. Subtle tobacco flavors are emerging and my fears on the condition have evaporated.

I have some surprise visitors join me….. Leslie and Amber decide to come by. Amber runs off to protect the Shitzu from the pit-bull. The smoke is almost over and I decide to head home and then onto to dinner to Garibaldi’s a local, intimate restaurant. Looks like the weekend is going to start great!

Score: 90