Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is mostly medium brown with some lighter sections. There are a few medium sized veins present with a network of finer veins branching off and all are slightly raised. The seams are smooth although easy to see due to the color variation of the wrapper. The head is finished off with two smooth caps that have a thick, short tail. There are two bands with the primary being the standard company band but in a gold on orange design. The foot band is the same color combination and denotes the line and year. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of wood and barnyard while the foot brings wood, a light stone fruit sweetness and a faint white pepper. The pre-light draw is a mix of wood, a light floral note and a mild spice on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Mombacho Cosecha 2013 has the definition of Colorado wrapper and it is showing beautiful red clay notes with some marbling of dark brown throughout. The veins present are medium in size and they are scarce throughout the cigar. The cigar is finished with a little “stump tail,” and the gold and orange bands pop off of the cigar. It is firm throughout and the wrapper has a lovely silky texture. The foot is giving off an aroma of raisins, cinnamon, bread and pepper, while the wrapper is showing qualities of aged and dry wood.

Pre-light Experience

The Mombacho Cosecha 2013 has a gold and orange primary band along with a secondary band indicating Cosecha 2013. The cigar itself is a parejo shape with a pigtail cap. Nosing the wrapper I’m able to smell baked bread, light aged wood, baking spices and barnyard. In the foot, I’m only able to detect sweet tobacco like I would pick up from a large pilon.

Pre-light Experience

The Mombacho Cosecha 2013 sports a Colorado Claro wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll very tight and even and the man bun style head is well wrapped. Aromas from the wrapper give cedar, barnyard and aged cheese funk. Aromas from the foot give white pepper and mixed nuts. Cold draw gives a mixture of cedar and hay.

First Third

The cigar begins with heavily charred wood and light cream and baking spice. At a half inch in, the char mellows as the cream gains some sweetness and the light baking spice remains. The retrohale carries a slightly fuller charred wood. At an inch and a quarter, the baking spice picks up, so now the profile is a little better balanced between the spice and charred wood with the slightly sweet cream adding a nice supporting component. As the third comes to a close, the char has lightened a bit more while the baking spice is not far behind and the cream is very faint in the background. The strength in this third was right at medium.

First Third

The first third begins by showing a nice balance between sweetness and spice. There is some cinnamon present and it is pairing with some red pepper notes. I am getting some anise as well and it is on top of this musty wood profile. I am picking up some dry wood that has some saltiness to it and there is a finish of meat and leather. It is a very filling flavor profile and tons of smoke is being produced with each draw. I would classify the cigar as being medium-full in terms of body and strength and the flavors are right up there as well.

First Third

The first third begins with aged cedar, rich baking spices, and finishes with sweetness and cinnamon. The retrohale is more complex with some barbeque like savoriness adding onto the flavor list. On the post draw, the sweet cedar begins to linger, and as the cigar progresses, the spices on the retrohale move up to a medium plus intensity. Some time later, a light musty earth is detectable. Not long after, the signature slightly sour citrus note, that is the Mombacho trademark flavor, starts to come through. Once the first third has established itself, a light-medium powdered cocoa is present for the remainder.

First Third

The initial handful of draws has a great creamy milk candy quality. Soon, baking spices and cedar joins the profile. The retrohale is where it’s at with this cigar, providing cherry cordials, baking spices and cedar. The finish is fairly long with a lingering cedar and baking spices. Strength and body is medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the profile of charred wood and baking spice becomes fuller while the cream retreats from the profile. At three quarters of an inch in, a slight cream rejoins the profile. The retrohale is now a slightly creamy charred wood note with faint baking spice. At an inch and a half, the char picks up a bit giving the charred wood the lead in the profile. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly above medium.

Second Third

I am in the second third of the cigar now and there has been some transitioning in the flavors being delivered. The cinnamon and sweet spice notes have faded and it is left with a nice peppery spice that is paired with some smokiness to it. I’m getting charred meat qualities, and on top of that is some dry earth and leather. There are some dry sharp wooden notes as well and it has gotten fuller and darker. It is a strong medium-full in this third for strength and body, and the flavors are right there as well.

Second Third

Cocoa carries the Cosecha 2013 into the middle third. The post draw cedar has evolved into a dry cedar on the palate. The retrohale continues to consist of sweetness with complex baking spices, with the intensity of the baking spices falling to medium strength. The musty earth increases to a medium strength as well.

Second Third

Smoking through the second third, the profile is still the same but all the flavors become deeper. Deeper notes of creamy milk candy, baking spices and cedar. The retrohale is still great with the cherry cordials, baking spices and cedar. Strength bumps up to medium-full while body remains medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the cream increases, smoothing out the charred wood. The baking spice is still just behind the wood. At a quarter inch in, the baking spice drops out of the profile as the charred wood and mellow creaminess remain. The retrohale provides a similar profile. As the cigar comes to a close, it begins to heat up which brings some mintiness to the profile and the retrohale. The strength in this third remained at slightly above medium.

Final Third

When I get into the final third of the cigar, I find it to be heating up quite a bit and not delivering those great flavors that were present in the first and second third. There are some charred meat, wood and pepper notes, but for the most part it is really hot on the draw. The draw is really tight as well and it is struggling in staying lit. I would classify the final third as being medium-full in all categories, but at the same time missing so much in terms of flavors that it is a disappointing finish.

Final Third

Progressing into the final third, the baking spices fall off the flavor map entirely. There’s some momentary mild char for the first few minutes. A quick purge and the char fades away, with the spices returning at a light level.

Final Third

The last third sort of out of nowhere creates a dominating amount of minerals. The other notes are still there but it is definitely in the backdrop. The strength has also ramped, almost full. Body finishes medium.

Burn

The burn was slightly wavy at times and razor sharp at others. The ash held on in inch and a half increments.

Burn

The burn on the Cosecha 2013 was solid throughout the cigar. It never had this perfect burn line, but it was one of the better Mombacho releases that I have had in terms of burn. It really smoked slow, packed full of tobacco and it is a cigar you have to take your time with. The ash on the end had this dark charcoal gray coloring to it which was present throughout.

Burn

Slight touch-up in the first third, with a slightly wavy burn. Ash holds on in 2+ inch increments throughout.

Burn

Smoking through three examples, the burn does have it’s issues. The main pain point was the wrapper refusing to burn causing 2-3 fairly major touch-ups. Other than that, the burn was cool, ashes tight averaging 1.5 inch increments.

Draw

The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

The flavor profile was centered around charred wood, baking spice and some cream. Construction was very good and required no attention. While the strength level was medium and slightly above, I wouldn’t see it causing problems for smokers like maybe the darker flavor profile would to those that prefer lighter cigars. This is a good iteration of the Cosecha line and one I wouldn’t mind returning to. With the concept of this project, and the performance of this years offering, it has me looking forward to following vintage years.

Draw

I really liked the draw on this cigar for the first two thirds. I thought it had a nice snug draw, which is what I prefer throughout, but in the final third it went downhill with the cigar heating up.

Overall

If the final third had been better on this cigar, I would have been a big fan. I really enjoyed the flavor profile present in the first two thirds and I also liked how the cigar smoked. It had a snug draw, smoked cool and you had to take your time with it. The transitioning, depth and complexity present in the first two thirds was great, but followed by a terrible finish in the final third. The flavors show a lot of those complex and dark profiles that you can get with Nicaraguan tobacco while not being overpowering in terms of strength and body. I would probably dry box these cigars or store them at a much lower humidity level to see how they smoke in the future. Perhaps that would benefit the final third. Perhaps more time aging would benefit the final third. But, with that being said, the cigar went downhill in the final third and killed the smoking experience from the first two thirds. I believe these cigars have been ready though and sitting in the aging rooms in Nicaragua, so I don’t think age is an issue with this final third.

Draw

The draw is perfect, with just the right amount of resistance.

Overall

The Mombacho Cosecha 2013 is without a doubt Mombacho’s finest cigar release to date. I’m sure that the Cosecha 2013 will see inclusion in many Top 25 of 2018 lists. While I thoroughly enjoyed the Cosecha 2012, I believe the 2013 has elevated levels of flavor complexity. I had the great fortune to try these in previous years on visits to Mombacho, and I’m very happy to now have the opportunity to formally review a finished product. You need to run, not walk, to your local B&M and buy these before they’re gone.

Draw

The tightness felt within the pre-light experience didn’t cause that much of an issue. Just slightly tight.

Overall

I’ve been looking forward to the second iteration of Mombacho’s Cosecha. In the case of the 2013 Cosecha, it still wins my vote for a stand out cigar of the year. At this point, not quite at the level of when the 2012 Cosecha was reviewed. Reflecting back on my original 2012 Cosecha review, I used words such as balance and finesse. For the 2013 version, there is no doubt balance, but not as much finesse as the 2012. Further, the range of flavors were greater in the 2012. With all this said, the 2013 is still every bit as tasty and I especially look forward to how this cigar will evolve.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.92

Cost/Point

$3.17

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$3.82

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

7.42

Cost/Point

$2.96

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.17

Cost/Point

$3.06

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Mombacho Cosecha 2013