There still aren’t many pictures of the Cohiba Spectre 2021 on the internet and it’s a shame. But then again, I’m not sure pictures or even video, or maybe even the metaverse could really explain why this box is so special. You really need to feel it, you need to feel the cold, hard steel.
“I honestly can’t imagine any other box coming close,” wrote Brooks Whittington of these packaging awards. That was after Brooks photographed the box, after Brooks physically picked up the box. I bring up the latter because it weighs 38 pounds. Yes, 38 pounds.
The box itself is unlike anything else I’ve seen used as a retail container for cigars, it’s made of steel. And not partially made of steel, there’s enough steel that piano hinges are used to affix the two wings—which open to reveal the cigars in their plastic tubes—to the rest of the box. It’s not simply heavy-duty, it’s also executed with a sort of precision that might be impossible for a base material such as wood.
This is the third Spectre release and the third time a Spectre has finished at the top of our packaging list. Because of its construction, the box feels different than the previous two felt and I’m pretty convinced that anyone who gets to experience the box in person will quickly understand why it’s earned a spot on the top of this list. — Charlie Minato.
