While most of the attention at the Festival del Habano XVIII was on the Cohiba 50 Aniversario, a limited edition and massive 7 x 60 cigar that will come in highly-limited humidors featuring a 24-karat gold-plated tobacco leaf on the outside, there was another limited edition, large Cohiba that will come in a humidor: the Cohiba Majestuosos 1966.Cohiba Majestuosos 1966 Box 1
Cohiba Majestuosos 1966 Box 2
Unlike the 50 Aniversario, attendees of the gala dinner were actually given a chance to smoke the Majestuosos. The cigar shares at least part of its name with the Cohiba 1966, an Edición Limitada released in late 2011. That cigar measured 166mm (6 1/2 inches) x 52, whereas the Majestuosos is a totally new vitola that continues both Habanos S.A.’s and its Cohiba brand’s continued expansion into the larger ring gauge segment. It measures 150mm (5 9/10 inches) x 58.

Cohiba Majestuosos 1966 Box 3

Cohiba Majestuosos 1966 Box 4

It carries the standard Cohiba main band along with a fairly large 50th anniversary secondary band. Production is limited to 1,966 humidors of 20 cigars.

Cohiba Majestuosos 1966 1

  • Cigar Reviewed: Cohiba Majestuosos 1966
  • Country of Origin: Cuba
  • Factory: n/a
  • Wrapper: Cuba
  • Binder: Cuba
  • Filler: Cuba
  • Length: 5 9/10 Inches
  • Ring Gauge: 58
  • Vitola: Majestuosos
  • MSRP: n/a
  • Release Date: n/a
  • Number of Cigars Released: 1,966 Humidors of 20 Cigars (39,320 Total Cigars)
  • Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 2

At nearly six inches the Majestuosos is not short, but the proliferation of gigantic cigar bands has most certainly made it to Cuba and a good portion of this fairly large cigar is covered by paper. The cigars are pretty with wrappers that definitely have a bit more caramel color than I normally find in the Cohiba Siglo series, though not as dark as many of the Edición Limitadas from Cohiba and other brands. As for the aroma, it’s sweet with a Hersey’s syrup-like chocolate overtop some barnyard and leather. The fit smells like a frozen adult beverage with pears, mango, pineapple and some faint booziness. I cannot say I’ve ever found that on a cigar before, but both samples of the Majestuosos fit this description to a tee. The cold draw is fruity, though not as spring break in Mexico as the foot. There’s some peach and mango, but also some dry raisin. I also manage to pick up a cherry liqueur flavor. The tightness on draws is quite distinct with one sample having a tight draw and the other having a much friendlier amount of resistance.

Cohiba Majestuosos 1966 2

I should probably get it out of the way, I’m not a huge fan of the vitola itself. That being said, the Majestuosos starts off pleasant with some cedar, leather, creaminess and roasted flavors. The first sample is relatively sweet, but not particularly intense, while the second sample is similar, but adds some sweeter rum-like notes and graham crackers, which makes for a bit more advanced profile. As for the first third, there’s some creaminess, lemon, coffee bean and cedar. Through the nose, there’s a perfume-floral sensation and a lot of woody flavors. One sample has a harshness, while the other one features a more distinct paprika note; but the most noticeable difference between the two samples  isn’t the flavor, but rather, the draw. On one cigar, things were dramatically tighter, while the other had a much better experience.

Cohiba Majestuosos 1966 3

The coffee bean becomes much more prominent in the second third of the Cohiba Majestuosos 1966, now joined by some nuttiness and coffee underneath. There’s also a meaty sensation along with some lemon flavors that increase when retrohaling. They are joined by some herbal flavors, but it’s really all about the finish. A big espresso flavor and nutmeg battle to take control of the tongue for a good 30 seconds after the smoke leaves my mouth. While one sample sees the draw tighten a bit, the other remains great. The Cohiba has picked up in flavor from medium-full to full, while the strength has reduced a bit now medium from medium-plus earlier on.

Cohiba Majestuosos 1966 4

Both samples add some harshness in the final two inches. The paprika returns on one cigar, now surrounded by a profile that is much more grainy. There are some reprieves: creaminess, orange zest and nuttiness on the finish, but there’s no real sweetness, which doesn’t make things particularly appetizing. With less than an inch left, the Cohiba turns a bit earthier, but I’ve had enough of the harshness and decided to call it quits.

Final Notes

  • Given that the first Cohiba 50 Aniversario humidor–number 01/50–sold for nearly $360,000, I’m interested to see how much the other 49 sell for. There won’t be a fixed price, as the remaining units are being auctioned off to distributors during an event this June in Havana. You’d have to think the humidor numbered 50/50 could also fetch a fairly good premium.
  • Personally, I’d like to have humidor number 12; I was born on the 12th, it was the number I always wore playing sports, and it’s the number my created player in MLB: The Show wears.
  • The Majestuosos 1966 will also be interesting. I could see a scenario in which they end up trying to sell the cigars for north of $100 simply because when comparing the cost to the 50 Aniversario, $100 per cigar is going to seem like a bargain.
  • For the first time in a while, I don’t mind the new Cohiba band. That might have to do with just how great the secondary band looks. There’s a lot of complaints one can lodge against Habanos S.A., but there’s no one that comes close to the packaging. With very little exceptions, Habanos S.A. continues to put out high-quality, timeless packaging.
  • Cigars for this review were gifted to halfwheel by Nelson Alfonso, who designs some of Habanos S.A.’s specialized packaging, and Dave Garofalo of Two Guys Smoke Shop.
  • Final smoking time was two hours and 15 minutes on average.

Editor’s Note: As with every cigar given out during the Festival del Habano, there should be some disclaimers made. Samples of upcoming cigars given out at previous Festivals were almost certainly rolled at a different time than the production versions given the large gap in between the Festival and when the cigars shipped. Even if the cigars were rolled at the same time, the difference in time between when they were smoked for review and when they appear in the market will almost certainly show a distinct difference.

These reviews have been labeled as “preproduction” because there is likely to be a significant gap between when the cigars are reviewed and when they shipped. For reference, the two cigars we reviewed from last year’s Festival del Habano have not shipped as of late March, over one year after the Festival. — CM.

90 Overall Score

I really liked the original Cohiba 1966, but I’m not really sure that matters much for the sake of this review. My first experience with large ring gauge Cohibas was not promising, but the Majestuosos 1966 restored a bit of faith. Sure, I still would prefer Habanos S.A. avoid these gigantic sizes, but I enjoyed the Majestuosos. It’s a bit fresh, most certainly not the most nuanced Cohiba I’ve ever had, and I’m not sure it told a particularly sensible story as far as flavors, but it was smokeable and that’s unfortunately where the bar is at the moment for me and large ring gauge cigars from Habanos S.A.

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Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.