Let's cut to the chase - the Cohiba Riviera Perfecto isn't here to play subtle. This box-pressed figurado hits your humidor with its 6"x60 frame and San Andres Maduro wrapper daring you to light up. At $21.59 per stick, it's positioned as an "entry-level luxury" in Cohiba's lineup. The tapered foot draws attention, but does that Mexican wrapper deliver? We'll get to that.
The pre-light taste gives raisin sweetness with that signature San Andres barnyard funk. The cap punches clean - no wrapper cracks despite the box press.
Initial puffs deliver espresso bitterness that's somehow creamy. The 60-ring gauge feels massive but burns evenly. Black pepper creeps in the nose around the ½" mark. Watch the ash - mine held firm past 1.5 inches.
Here's where the Honduran/Nicaraguan blend shines. Leather notes emerge, mixing with dark chocolate. Retrohale stings slightly - this ain't your grandfather's mild Cohiba. The burn stays razor-sharp despite the size.
Strength ramps up with charred oak and mineral tones. Some might ditch it here, but pepper lovers, hold on. The nicotine kick arrives subtly at the 45-minute mark. Surprisingly, that Mexican wrapper keeps bitterness in check till the nub.
