Cohiba Siglo III

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Cohiba Siglo III Review – A Find in Miami
I was in a corner of an unpretentious little lounge in Miami, lounging back on a leather chair that had long since seen better decades. Outside, the humidity was chewable and the neon lights of Calle Ocho were beginning to flicker to life. I’d spent the afternoon maneuvering elbow-to-elbow with tourists, seeking something specific — not just any smoke, but what seemed right for my mood at the time. I felt grateful, honestly.

Product Specifications

Thanks that we’re out of the sun, thanks for the hum of AC; thanks for the old guy behind the counter who looked at me and nodded and went to one shelf off where cedar cabinets apparently aren’t displayed. He didn’t say much. He just tapped the lid. Inside was a fistful of Cohiba Siglo IIIs.

So when you know the state of affairs in today’s market, you realize finding a legitimate Siglo III that happens to have age on it no less is akin to pulling up at your doorstep and getting a parking spot right out front on a Friday night. It just doesn’t happen. I bought two. One to take on the walk, and one to sit with directly sideways.

I snapped the cap, felt its weight in my hand and knew that sometimes the universe aligns things on your behalf. You ever feel like the world just slows down a bit because you found that perfect stick? That was me in Miami. That smoke?

The
Cohiba Siglo III
. It’s a size that I think regularly plays third fiddle to its more gregarious brothers, the IV and VI, yet this is where you’ll find the true spirit of the Linea 1492 as far as I’m concerned. It has that perfect length — not significant but substantial, if you think about having to make plans around it today. It’s sophisticated, and it’s somewhat particular about how you imbibe, and that happened to be perfect for what I needed in that moment.

The Specs
Construction: The El Laguito Touch
I have to tell you, there is something abut the way they roll at El Laguito that simply can’t be copied.

The Siglo III is a type of Corona Grande, pretty much just an elongated corona. It’s 155mm of pure Cuban handiwork. The wrapper, held, felt like fine silk — not oily in a greasy sense but slick and smooth, as though it were a well-used leather jacket. It sat a solid Colorado Claro, golden-brown and healthy beneath the dim lights of the lounge.

There were no aggressive-looking veins nor soft spots to be spotted. It was pretty firm, but when I touched it there was that little bit of “give” that tells you the leaves are packed with a touch respect for some airflow. The pre-light was an experience. I tasted a bunch hay and some very nice honey sweetness.

It did not taste like chemicals or artificial flavorings; it tasted like a farm in the Pinar del Río region after a light rain. It was a little of that “barnyard” funk I personally love—it’s an indication the tobacco has been fermented correctly. The other thing to remember is that Cohiba uniquely does a second barrel fermentation on the filler leaves (the seco, ligero and rare medio tiempo). You can smell that effort before you get the match lit.

It’s a darker, more rounded fragrance than your typical Havana export. I spent a good 5 minutes just smelling the foot of this cigar before I even grabbed my lighter. If you’re in a hurry when you smoke this, then it necessarily cannot be a Cohiba. The First Third: Grass, Honey and New Beginnings
Crueltokes Lighting the thing up, the first few puffs were oddly delicate.

I’ve had some Cubans that punch you in the teeth from the first puff, but not this Siglo III- it’s more of a ”slow hello.” The first notes were a deep sweet cedar, and just a touch of fresh grass. That’s a very “green” flavor profile right out of the gate, something Siglo does better than most.

I also tasted a trace of citrus — lemon zest, not juice — that kept the palate feeling refreshed. At ten minutes, there was that honey I’d found before emerging in the smoke. It’s a creamy, buttery mouthfeel. Here I am slumped in Miami watching the smoke spiral up into the ceiling, and I’m thinking about how perfect this build is.

It’s not a powerhouse. It’s at best medium-bodied here, but it’s the complexity that keeps it interesting. There’s a bit of fresh fruit in there too—maybe some green apple? It may sound odd for a cigar, but it pays off.

It’s bright. It’s a “daytime” profile in that it feels sophisticated. The ash was a light grey, solidly holding for over an inch before I knocked it off. Solid build, for sure.

Botched The Transition To The Kitchen
And into the second third, and it seems the Siglo III has decided to step things up a bit.

The grassy notes began to disappear, replaced by what I think of as “kitchen” tastes. I mean, coffee beans, and toasted almonds, and a very specific creamy grilled nut flavor. If you’ve ever had roasted chestnuts from a street vendor, it’s got that same warm, savory-sweet thing going on. Here is where the extra fermentation really reveals itself.

There’s zero harshness. It’s smooth, in the way of a practiced jazz solo. I also began to detect some black pepper on the retrohale. It wasn’t overpowering, just enough to inform you that you’re smoking a quality product.

Then came the liquorice. It’s a whisper of a note but it’s there, providing a dark, herbal sweetness that balances the lightness of the cedar from earlier. My palate was busy. Each puff was revealing a little curve ball.

One minute it’s heavy with coffee, the next all about that new leather smell. A conversation, not a monologue crowd. I was taking even more time, pausing for minutes between draws to let the flavors settle. In a constantly racing world, this cigar asks you to take a seat and have a visit.
‘Final Third’: Depth and Earth
When I hit the final third, the strength ratcheted up a notch.

We were definitely finishing up on the medium-full end now. The cedar became a richer, toasted wood taste. The sweetness remained, but it turned from honey into a more mocha or vanilla bean. There was an earthy depth that began to ground the experience — loamy soil, wet wood and some of that leather.

What impressed me the most was how cool its smoke ran. Sometimes, with a 42 ring gauge things can get hot and bitter in the last part. Not here. I smoked this thing down so far I burnt my fingertips, and it never soured.

The spice held steady, and that almondy-nutty note lasted on the finish for minutes. It’s a long lingering aftertaste that makes you want to grab another one straight away, even though you suspect your palate should rest. It is symptomatic of the Vuelta Abajo tobacco. They don’t call it the “selection of the selection” for nothing.

You’re smoking the finest leaves from the top districts, and in those last inches of a Siglo III, boy can you feel that pedigree. Pairing: Keeping it Classic
At that Miami lounge, I ordered a no-frills espress

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