For those of you who have had bad experiences with Cohiba cigars I have a suggestion. Don't smoke them when you first buy them. I have found them to be harsh and acrid straight from the vendor.

Instead, let them age in a good humidor for a few months, eg I buy them in the winter and smoke them in the summer. They change character dramatically - smoother, cooler (not hot and acrid), milder, and much more flavorful. They are worth the wait.

By the way, a good humidor does not have to be an expensive one. I use a circa 1970, plastic, Thermos dual-walled ice chest. It makes the best humidor I have ever owned. The "downside" is that it is so air tight that I have to remove the lid a couple of times a week and fan fresh air in. Cigars are a big responsibility.

My only complaint with Cohibas is that they generally are too expensive for my taste. I much prefer the far cheaper Villar y Villar from Nicaragua, or the more moderately-priced cigars from Casablanca, H. Upmann, Partagas, or Licenciados.

A story about Licenciados and cigar pricing: I was in the old mall in Las Vegas (not the City Center) and I approached a cigar kiosk. There were some Licenciados Toros displayed for $11 a piece. I truthfully told the purveyor, "I buy that same cigar from Mike's for $2." His reply, "Me too." It's easy to pay way too much for a cigar, especially in a tourist town.