Aaron Loomis

 John McTavish

Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the box pressed Cohiba Riviera Lancero is medium brown with some darker marbling, lightly raised veins and some fine tooth. The seams are smooth and the caps are well applied. The band is purple, holographic silver and white and denotes the brand and line. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of rich earth, cocoa powder, cedar and hay while the foot brings cedar, hay and light earth. The pre-light draw brings cedar, stone fruit sweetness and light earth.
John: The Cohiba Riviera Lancero came in cellophane and did not have a UPC sticker. The cigar has a firm box press shape to it. I weighed the cigar at 9.9 grams and measured the humidity at 60.4% with the HumidiMeter Pro. Aromas from the wrapper included barnyard and a sweet, fresh wood. Out of the foot, there was earthy tobacco and aged wood.

Cohiba Riviera Lancero

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with a profile of dark earth, black pepper and some toasted oak. At a half inch in, the black pepper mellows a bit. The retrohale is earth and toasted oak with some mild black pepper. At an inch and a quarter, the black pepper ramps back up and the toasted oak increases in fullness as well. At an inch and a half in, some light cocoa powder becomes present. As the third comes to a close, the rich earth is up front, with the black pepper not far behind, the toasted oak a bit further back and then some cocoa powder in the background. The strength was slightly above medium.
John: The first third opens with creamy tobacco and finishes with medium minus strength spices and earth. Sweet tobacco moves into the center of the profile as the Cohiba settles in. Some pepper joins the finish as the first third progresses. Sweet wood joins the finish in the bottom half with wood and pepper on the post draw.

Cohiba Riviera Lancero

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the black pepper mellows once again. At a half inch in, the earth gains a bit of minerality. The retrohale remains earth and toasted oak with some mild black pepper. At an inch and a half in, the toasted oak is right behind the earth. As the third comes to a close, the earth with minerality is up front, with the toasted oak right behind, black pepper in the middle of the profile and light cocoa powder in the background. The strength remained at slightly above medium.
John: Creamy spices start the second third at medium-full intensity as spicy tobacco finishes and wood moves into the post draw. Sweet tobacco and wood team up in the center of the retrohale as it settles in. Light plus strength pepper joins the post draw as the second third continues. Earth and chocolate move into the center of the retrohale as the cigar approaches the halfway point. By the halfway point, earth is lingering on the post draw and sweet tobacco has joined the finish.

Cohiba Riviera Lancero

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the overall profile becomes a bit dry. At half inch in, the toasted oak is now even with the earth up front. The retrohale remains earth and toasted oak with some mild black pepper. As the cigar wraps up, the rich earth with minerality and toasted oak are even up front, with black pepper in the middle of the profile and some cocoa powder in the background. The strength remained at slightly above medium.
John: Creamy spices and tobacco greet me in the last third at medium minus strength. Stone fruit sweetness joins the finish as the last third settles in and it mixes with earth to linger into the post draw. The cigar takes on a woody center by the halfway point and the wood joins the earth on the post draw.

Cohiba Riviera Lancero

Burn

Aaron: The burn line was straight throughout, and the ash held on in one inch increments.
John: The burn was straight through the first third with minor waviness through the second and last thirds.

Cohiba Riviera Lancero

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
John: The draw was at most one notch towards the resistant spectrum which puts it in the ideal range between open and resistant for an amazing draw score.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with a profile of dark earth, black pepper and some toasted oak. Some light cocoa powder joined in a bit later. The second third saw the earth gain some minerality. The final third saw the oak become even with the earth up front. Construction was absolutely perfect. The Cohiba Riviera Lancero had an average flavor profile throughout, focused around rich earth, toasted oak and black pepper. The overall profile became a bit dry in the second third. I found the flavor profile to be on par with the Robusto, but with this being a fair bit cheaper than that vitola, this is the one I would go for, but it’s not high on my list of something I’d return to.
John: The Cohiba Riviera Lancero was an enjoyable cigar to review with engaging flavor combinations and complexity through the first and second thirds. Both the draw and burn were excellent, earning amazing scores for each. I enjoyed the Cohiba Riviera Lancero and I would seek it out again. The price point is pretty average for the 2024 market, and I think the flavor profile is well served by the Lancero vitola. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 9 minutes.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$2.61

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$2.20

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Cohiba Riviera Lancero