Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is light brown with some slightly darker marbling. There is a network of fine veins visible and the seams are also visible due to the wrapper color variations. The head has a double cap that is finished off with a man bun. There is a single band that is primarily white with black artwork and lettering. There is also a yellow bird hatching from an egg. The aroma from the wrapper is a full leather while the foot brings a mix of earth and hay. The pre-light draw brings a white pepper hit to my tongue, but also an airy, sweet tobacco.

Pre-light Experience

The Chogüí Papa Chogüí Corona Extra has a leathery, medium brown, Colorado Claro shade wrapper. Veins appear well pressed and seams are tight but visible. The cigar feels well rolled and bunched with a uniformed even give. The man bun head is capped off with a thick triple cap. Nosing the wrapper gives flowery perfume and cedar. Nosing the foot tells sweet cedar, white pepper and dry nuts. Cold draw reveals cardboard and hay.

First Third

The cigar starts out with a mix of mellow baking spice and cedar. The retrohale carries the mellow baking spice which gives a nice slight tingle to my nose. At a half inch in, the baking spice and cedar are mixing together very nicely. At three quarters of an inch in, the baking spice transitions to black pepper while some cream joins the profile as well. At an inch and a quarter, the cream leaves and the profile is a peppery cedar. As the third comes to a close, the pepper increases a bit, slightly leading the cedar. The strength in this third was right at medium.

First Third

Initial flavors bring a mixture of cream, dry wood and hay. Roughly an inch in, the cigar all of a sudden went out, so a complete re-light and purge was needed. After a few draws of clearing out the bitterness and harshness, a nice plum-like stone fruit quality and coffee notes joined the profile. The retrohale shows richness in black pepper and nuttiness. The finish has a combination of dry wood and tongue layering, well mannered harshness. In terms of body and strength, medium.

Second Third

As this third begins, the pepper evens back out with the cedar. The retrohale is primarily cedar with a slight bit of pepper in the background. At three quarters of an inch in, the cream comes back in a good dose to mix with the peppery cedar. At an inch and a quarter, some mintiness joins in on the profile as the cigar heats up a bit. As the third comes to a close, the pepper leaves the profile and it is creamy cedar with some mintiness. The retrohale is cedar with a little mintiness as well. The strength in this third is right at medium.

Second Third

The second third’s complexities die down. Dry wood, plum like stone fruit and wood bitterness are the primary notes tasted. The retrohale is still full of flavors, giving the same rich black pepper and nuttiness. The finish remains unchanged, still giving dry wood and tongue layering harshness. Body and strength remains, for the most part, at the medium mark.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the mintiness increases while there is still a good dose of cream with cedar in the background. The cigar is pretty hot at this point as well. At three quarters of an inch, the heat settles down as does the mintiness. At an inch and a quarter, the profile is creamy cedar with some mintiness in the background. This is how the cigar finishes. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Final Third

The last third is all over the map in the flavor category. The consistent notes are dry wood and plum-like stone characteristics. At various points, the profile becomes a bit too harsh, over-shadowing the above mentioned notes. Also, some metallic notes are tasted halfway through, perhaps a function of the cigar’s youth. The retrohale loses a good amount of it’s richness, now mainly providing sharp black pepper. The finish is a lasting dry wood with soft bitterness weighing especially on the tongue. Body and strength is still, for the most part, medium.

Burn

The burn was razor sharp through the first third and then after that things went downhill. It got wavy and the cigar went out multiple times and required relights.

Burn

The burn was less than average. A heavy re-light was required in the first third as mentioned within my first third’s notes. Further, the leaves had a difficult time burning in unison within the last third, with some portions of the wrapper leaf being playing catch up. The cigar was also became quite hot around the beginning of the last third.

Draw

This is one of the rare instances where I got a loose draw. It may have partly been the cause of the cigar going out so many times.

Overall

This is a case of construction really letting a cigar down. The flavor in the first third was good, and then after that I battled the draw and burn. The cigar got pretty hot due to the loose draw and constant relights. I’m hoping other samples are better. I’d like to revisit this one, and with better performance, hope to really get to see what the flavors are like. At this point, I couldn’t recommend this cigar.

Draw

The draw on the other hand was absolutely perfect. Just the right amount of resistance to draw in all the flavors.

Overall

The combination of a subpar burn and a dwindling flavor profile creates an average overall experience. The cigar took off well within the first third and I enjoyed the plum-like stone fruits quite a bit. But that flavor alone cannot make up for the re-light and last third’s hot burn. I’d like to sit on some of these cigars and revisit down the road in the hopes of the profile closer matching the first third’s flavors.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

4.60

Cost/Point

$1.96

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.47

Cost/Point

$1.65

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Chogüí Papa Chogüí Corona Extra