Yep...that's laquer.
You unpack the box from it's "Get Smart"-style multiple layers of security (and opulence) and the occasional buyer might see a box of fat cigars that don't look any better-wrapped than any other havana....like mine. Some reviewers report flawless wrappers with angel music and radiant beams. The cigars are pretty normal-looking in THIS box, with a few surprising factory nicks out of the thin wrappers, and while there will be no mistaking here in a minute that they are SUPREMELY well-fabricated, I was under-whelmed by the final vista of the mighty cigars in all their glory.
I did a quick check of all of the sticks to find the one who would have to die, like a ruthless drill sergeant looking for any tiny reason to throw your footlocker into the air and create an unruly pile of toiletry items, towels and underwear. And I spotted it. A cracked foot on one of the cigars that signed it's death warrant.
The cigar lit very unevenly on the front porch of the house in the dark of a hot Friday evening at 9:30 pm. The heat was on, and the frogs were calling up a storm in the trees, begging for rain or sex or both. I had a triple torch in my pocket and a Wild-Turkey shot-and-a-half over ice in the other hand. I sat down in a folding chair in the dark and began to smoke the Cohiba BHK 52. I will not lie, it impressed quickly. No need to get warmed up, it seems the Behike creative committee had stolen the secret formula for the NUB, getting to the sweet spot from first light and puff. It was VERY round and creamy with a sweet milky quality, like the last puddle of milk you save in your Cocoa Pebbles. The cigar burned like crap for that first inch while the crack sorted itself out. But in terms of flavor, I was amazed at how the cigar managed to taste great with little sippy puffs and fantastic with big, bold, burn- enhancing puffs. There is literally no describing the mixture of undefined flavor characteristics. The whole experience, while a great treat, is a bit muddled at this point in the cigars age. The sweet, milk chocolate sensation remains throughout the entire length of the cigar I found, and there is no development to speak of in this two-week old new US citizen. I am sure that will change over the years I will be smoking these. For now it is a powerful blend of GREAT LOADS OF TEA, twang, chocolate and herbs, with Vanilla in there, too. And a nice looking band besides.
The construction needs to be mentioned here. I don't usually dwell on that aspect of cigars, it would do havanas a great disservice if I had to always discuss their problems with consistency here. But the BHK 52 is an enigma of sorts. HARD AS A ROCK, yet a PERFECT draw. Robusto-sized cigars often suffer an airy draw which I do not prefer. I like to give a nice pull on the cigar to get smoke and then after that puff, spend my next 3-4 puffs barely breathing through it, sipping the smoke. An airy cigar only allows the latter. This cigar draws at just a bit past medium and occasionally closes up to give a medium-firm draw, both well inside my range of enjoyment. I clipped only the pigtail initially, leaving a 3/16 hole in the end and the draw was fine for me, but I realized I might ruin the flavor with such a cut and apprehensively re-cut the smoke before heading outside, and the draw was identical with a 1/2 inch hole. Outside of the uneven burn from the split foot, the cigar was a marvel of perfect construction, which I do not consider too much to ask on a $35 cigar. Worth that?? Ehh, not so sure. But for the readers of the blog, sure, I am glad I spent the money and would do it again. Another box of these? Not likely.
A cigar like this might be a tale of three inches, as that's about all the smokeable length you get here. I know some nubbers, but I am not one. I do not get more of my money's worth by smoking it to a roach. The first inch was uneven owing to the crack, but light and delicious. The second inch was a model of perfection in every aspect. Increasing power, an increase also in the richness of flavors, although still quite confusing and muddled. Not like muddled is a BAD THING. The flavors were sweet and nutty and rich, so if I had to be a little confused by just what the hell they WERE, that's just too bad, I guess. I'll take it. The last inch turned into a longer and longer inch. As you can see in the last photo, I pushed the band up to near the head on this one, not wanting to let it end. I rammed the band underneath the wrapper accidentally, hell it was dark. Sue me. But the flavor just kept coming, albeit in a much more stout form. I think this cigar is designed to reveal the poseurs in all of us. It is a freaking phenomenal cigar, but it has a surprise waiting for the nancy-boy that decides he has what it takes to pop a roach clip on the BHK 52. It turned my stomach something fierce at the end. The sweat started rolling, my stomach got queasy and I couldn't put it down fast enough. No bad light cast on the 52, though. I prepared with a very large meal, and it sure wasn't the Wild Turkey what done it, lol. No, this cigar comes with a surprise inside, and ought to also have a warning sticker, although I am fed up with warning labels on cigar boxes. If you consider that I also got lit up by the little tiny Cohiba Panatela, maybe this shouldn't surprise anyone. But this does not happen often to me. This reminds me of a beer that covers it's 16% ABV so cleverly that you barely taste the burn going down. Then you walk into the door jamb on your way to the bathroom. This was a chocolate cake with a FILE in it. If only I were in prison. HIGH MARKS on the Behike BHK 52. I will give two scores...93 points on taste and quality, and minus 5 points for the ridiculous price. What's crazy is, when you smoke this cigar you can taste the 98-99 in there waiting to define itself, The materials are IN THE CIGAR to do it, maybe 100 too.
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