For Cuban cigars, a limited edition is always a big deal.  When it’s a limited edition Cohiba, its an even bigger deal.  So when Habanos S.A. first announced a 2017 EL from Cohiba the world waited with tremendous excitement.  That cigar turned out to be one of the finest Cuban cigars in recent memory.  The Cuban Cohiba Talisman Edicion Limitada 2017 cigar was the first EL from Cohiba in almost 4 years, and expectations were high.  As many Cuban cigar smokers know, Cohibas are never a disappointment.

This delicious cigar is hand rolled in very limited batches in the famed El Laguito factory in Havana, Cuba.  The tobacco is aged for a minimum of two years, which is the case for all limited edition Cuban cigars.  The Cuban Cohiba Talisman Edicion Limitada 2017 cigar is rolled into a surprisingly bigger size, coming in with a 54 ring gauge and a length of about 6 ½ inches.  It is heavier than your typical Cuban cigar and seems rolled very tight but in a good way.

Upon first lighting the cigar, you are immersed in a complex flavor profile.  Notes of sweet spice along with hints of almonds, leather, and cinnamon.  The burn seems pretty solid and the draw is nice and open, offering a good amount of smoke output.  Like many Cuban cigars I have tried in the past, the strength begins to grow from when you first light it to the last puff, but in a subtle way that shows it was deliberate.  After a solid two hours, I was only disappointed that I didn’t have another one to smoke.

If you buy cigars online here in the US, there are a few different options that will give you a similar profile and size.  The My Father toro boasts a similar size and a terrific sweet and spicy profile that ranks right up there with the best Cuban cigars as does the Cranium from the RoMa Craft Aquitaine line.

Now if you have the opportunity, traveling overseas, to stop into a Cuban cigar store and are looking for a robust toro sized smoke, you’re first choice should be the Cuban Cohiba Talisman Edicion Limitada 2017 cigar.