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Review of Cohiba Royale Cigar

By: Gary Manelski

Cohiba Royale cigars became available at retailers during April 2020. These are super-premium cigars available in three sizes, including a Toro (6 x 50) priced at $28.99 and the subject of this review. Cohiba Royale cigars are made with sun-grown Nicaraguan wrappers, Dominican binders, and a blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. All of the leaves in the blend have been aged for at least five years. Royale is the first Cohiba cigar made in Honduras, and was blended to be the fullest bodied Cohiba outside of Cuba. For more information about the cigars, please see the press release.

The sample Cohiba Royale Toro cigar began with a deep, rich and full flavor with just a hint of natural tobacco sweetness. The cigar was bold but very well balanced. It was not extra bold nor too strong for most cigar connoisseurs, but this is not a cigar for beginners nor most mainstream cigar smokers. The predominate flavors were earth and leather, with a bit of cedar mixing in after a few minutes. Not much spice, and the boldness of the blend made it more difficult to detect subtle flavor nuances, resulting in a somewhat consistent but enjoyable flavor from start to finish.

During the first 40 minutes, I puffed on the Cohiba Royale at a normal pace, but then I slowed down a bit during second half. It took me a total of 80 minutes to smoke the cigar down to 2½ inches remaining, when it went out for the second time. The Royale required a relight at the half-way point, and a couple of minor touch-up/booster lights both before and after midpoint. The burn was mostly even, and the draw was good-to-average.

Although I prefer medium-to-full cigars, I also occasionally enjoy full bodied cigars as long as they are well balanced and not overpowering. Cohiba Royale is such a cigar, and is deserving of a superior rating of 4.25 points on a 5-point scale. Not an everyday cigar for the masses by any means (especially at the price), but designed for aficionados who occasionally enjoy a bold and full-bodied super premium cigar that is not overpowering.


Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer.

Cohiba Royale Cigar
Cohiba Royale Cigar

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