Cohiba Siglo IV

Description

I remember this one afternoon on a tiny, unnamed spit of sand off the coast of the Caribbean. It wasn’t one of those tourist-trap beaches with the neon umbrellas and the overpriced mojitos. No, this was the kind of place you only find if your boat captain has had a few too many or if you’ve got a really good map and a total disregard for your own safety. I was sitting there, toes buried in the cooling sand, watching the horizon turn a bruised shade of violet. The air was thick—so thick you could almost chew it. Then, the sky just gave up. The clouds opened, and a tropical downpour started hammering the ocean surface like a thousand drums.

I scrambled under a lean-to made of sun-bleached driftwood and some massive, waxy palm fronds I’d dragged together earlier. It wasn’t exactly a five-star hotel, but it was dry. The sound of the rain hitting those leaves was rhythmic, almost hypnotic. I was stuck there. I couldn’t go back to the boat, and I couldn’t go for a swim. I had nothing but time and the smell of salt spray. I reached into my travel humidor, fingers brushing past some smaller sticks before settling on something substantial. I needed something that could turn a “stuck in the rain” situation into a “front-row seat to the show” situation.

That smoke? The Cohiba Siglo IV. I’d been saving it for a moment that felt right, and sitting under a makeshift roof while the world turned into water felt like the definition of right.

The Specs

First Impressions & Construction

You ever look at a cigar and just know someone put their soul into it? The Siglo IV has that look. It’s a Corona Gorda, which, if you ask me, is one of the most comfortable sizes to hold. It’s got enough girth to feel significant in your hand but isn’t so chunky that you feel like you’re smoking a bratwurst. The wrapper on mine was a beautiful, honeyed tan—what the pros call Colorado Claro. It was smooth, with just a faint sheen of oil that caught the dim light under my palm-leaf canopy.

I felt it up and down. No soft spots, no hard lumps. It had a nice, consistent “give” to it, like a well-aged leather glove. I nipped the cap with my straight cutter, and the pre-light draw was exactly what I was hoping for: a little bit of resistance, like drinking a thick milkshake through a straw. I got hits of dry hay, a bit of cedar, and that distinct “barnyard” aroma that tells you you’re dealing with real-deal Vuelta Abajo leaf. I didn’t even have a torch on me—just some cedar spills and a steady hand. I took my time lighting it, letting the foot toast slowly while the rain roared just a few feet away.

The First Third: The Awakening

The first few puffs are always the most telling. With the Siglo IV, it doesn’t slap you in the face. It’s more like a polite “hello.” I gotta say, the smoke volume right out of the gate was impressive. Big, white, pillowy clouds that hung in the humid air. The initial flavors were all about that classic Cohiba profile: bright cedar, a bit of grassy hay, and a very distinct honey sweetness on the finish.

There’s a certain “twang” you get with Cuban tobacco—a mineral-rich, slightly salty acidity—and it was front and center here. But it was balanced. About ten minutes in, a little bit of vanilla started creeping in, mixing with a baking spice that reminded me of my grandmother’s kitchen, but way more sophisticated. It was medium-bodied, easy-going, and perfectly suited for watching the rain turn the beach into a misty dreamscape. The burn was straight as a razor, and the ash was a solid, light gray that didn’t want to let go.

The Second Third: The Sweet Spot

As I moved into the middle of the stick, the flavors started to get a bit more “serious.” The hay and grass notes took a backseat, and this rich, roasted nuttiness started to take over. I’m talking toasted almonds and maybe a bit of cashew. There was a chocolatey undertone too, but not like a candy bar—more like a high-end cocoa powder that’s been dusted over something creamy.

This is where that triple fermentation really shows its face. You see, Cohiba takes their seco and ligero leaves and gives them an extra round of fermentation in barrels. To me, that translates to a “roundness” in the smoke. There’s no harshness, no jagged edges. Even when I puffed a little too fast because I was getting excited, it stayed cool. The spice shifted from baking spices to a slightly sharper white pepper, but only on the retrohale. If you aren’t retrohaling this thing, you’re missing half the story. It opens up a whole world of earth and aged wood that you just don’t get on the tongue alone.

The Final Third: The Crescendo

By the time I got down to the last couple of inches, the rain had started to let up, leaving that fresh, ozone smell in the air. The Siglo IV decided to finish strong. The creaminess stayed, but the flavors darkened significantly. I started getting heavy hits of roasted coffee beans—like a dark Italian roast—and a deeper, damp earthiness.

Usually, this is where a lot of cigars start to get bitter or hot. Not this one. It stayed silky. The honey sweetness from the beginning made a brief comeback, clashing beautifully with the dark coffee notes. I smoked it right down to the point where my fingers were starting to feel the heat. I didn’t want to put it down. It felt like the cigar was evolving with the weather—moving from the bright, chaotic start of the storm into the deep, calm, and slightly moody aftermath. It was a solid hour and change of pure distraction from the fact that I was soaking wet and miles from a proper bed.

Pairing Recommendations

Now, because I was on a beach, I was sipping on some local rum that probably hadn’t seen a tax stamp in its life. It worked, but if I were sitting in my library at home, I’d go a different route.

• The Spirit: A well-aged Cuban rum is the obvious choice (think Havana Club 7), but a Highland Scotch with a bit of heather and honey would be incredible. You want something that complements the sweetness without overpowering the delicate cedar.
• The Non-Alcoholic: A double espresso. The bitterness of the coffee plays perfectly against the creaminess of the Siglo IV. It’s a classic for a reason.
• The Vibe: Honestly? This is a “me time” cigar. Don’t smoke this at a loud party where you’re distracted. Smoke it when the world slows down—whether that’s on a rainy beach or a quiet porch at 2:00 AM.

The Verdict

I’ve smoked a lot of cigars in a lot of weird places, and I’ve learned that price and prestige don’t always equal a good time. But the Cohiba Siglo IV? It earns its keep. It’s not about being the strongest or the boldest; it’s about that specific, refined balance that only comes from that extra barrel aging and the Coronas Gordas vitola.

Is it a daily smoke? Probably not, unless you’ve got a much bigger bank account than I do. But for those moments when you need to turn a minor disaster—like getting rained out on a secluded beach—into a memory you’ll actually want to keep? It’s perfect. It’s smooth, it’s complex, and it’s got enough transitions to keep you interested from the first light to the final, finger-burning puff.

If you’ve got one in your humidor, let it sit for a few years. Mine had about four years on it, and it felt like it was right in its prime. It’s a sophisticated, creamy, and deeply satisfying experience. Solid. Just plain solid.