Today, we are reviewing the Cohiba Serie M Reserva Plata. This is the 2026 installment of Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG)’s Cohiba M series. The “M” stands for the fact that this is a cigar made in Miami at the El Titan de Bronze factory in Little Havana. Serie M debuted in 2021, and since then, a new release has been introduced each year. When it launched in 2021, it marked the first time a Cohiba had been made in the United States. For Cohiba brand ambassador Sean Williams, this project was a “sort of homecoming.” During the years Williams ran his own company, El Primer Mundo, he worked on many projects with the El Titan de Bronze factory, so he was very familiar with the place.
Since 2021, Serie M has been an annual release from Cohiba by STG (2024). The first three installments all featured the same blend. With 2024’s Serie Roja, General Cigar began to change the blend year to year. One constant is that the cigars are still produced at El Titan de Bronce. The following are the five installments:
El Titan de Bronze is a factory that the Scandinavian Tobacco Group has collaborated with. Additionally, STG has released Partagas and La Gloria Cubana. From 2024 through July 2026, STG distributed El Titan de Bronze’s Redemption brand. Recently, STG moved the Cohiba brand from General Cigar Company to Forged Cigar Company.
Without further ado, let’s break down the Serie M Reserva Plata and see what this cigar brings to the table.
SPECIFICATIONS
Blend and Origin
The Reserva Plata marks only the second time Cohiba has used a Mexican San Andrés wrapper on a blend (joining the Cohiba Riviera). The remainder of the blend consists of all Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos.
- Wrapper: San Andrés Maduro
- Binder: Nicaraguan Estelí
- Filler: Nicaraguan Jalapa Viso & Ligero, Nicaraguan Estelí, Dominican Piloto Cubano
- Country of Origin: United States
- Factory: El Titan de Bronze
Vitolas Offered
Serie M Plata comes in one size – a 6 x 52 Toro. Production is limited to 3,000 ten-count boxes.
Appearance (*)
The San Andrés wrapper of the Serie M Reserva Plata had a slightly rugged look. The wrapper was a medium-to-dark coffee bean color. The wrapper had some light mottling. Upon closer examination, it is clear this wrapper also has some toothiness to it. The wrapper has a light coat of oil. There were some visible veins as well as some thin visible wrapper seams. The cigar is finished with a fan-tail cap.
One important point: the cigars used for this assessment were samples provided by STG. STG sent a five-pack for evaluation via mail service. Unfortunately, all five fan-tail caps came off during transit. This does not warrant a deduction unless the integrity of the full cigar is affected.
PERFORMANCE
Pre-Light Draw (*)
A straight cut removed the cap of the Serie M Reserva Plata (if the fan-tail was on it, the cut would have included the fan-tail). Once the cap was removed, it was time for the pre-light draw. The cold draw delivered notes of roasted coffee, damp earth dankness, and touches of cedar. In some ways, the damp earth was reminiscent of a DTT Mi Querida cigar. Overall, this was a very good pre-light draw. At this point it was time to toast up the footer of the Serie M Reserva Plata and see what this cigar brings to the table.
Tasting Notes
Once I lit up the Serie M Reserva Plata, it immediately brought back the rich flavors of roasted coffee, damp earth, and cedar. The coffee and damp earth notes quickly took center stage, while the cedar moved into the background, joined by hints of white pepper. The retrohale added another layer of spice, featuring both pepper and cedar notes.
The second third of the Serie M Reserva Plata opened up with the coffee and damp earth still primary. By the midway point, the coffee had receded into the background. Meanwhile, the cedar notes increased and moved to the forefront, joining the damp earth notes. I found the cedar delivered both spice and sweetness. Meanwhile, the pepper notes gradually increased.
The final third still saw the damp earth and cedar notes primary. Meanwhile, the pepper notes slowly closed in on the forefront, but didn’t quite make it there. There also were some roasted coffee notes. This is the way the Serie M Reserva Plata came to a close. The resulting nub was soft to the touch and cool in temperature.
Burn
While the Serie M Reserva Plata maintained a straight burn path and a relatively straight burn line, it required frequent touchups. While the touchups kept things on track, there still were more touch-ups than I preferred. This ash wasn’t overly firm, but it wasn’t loose either. The ash was silver-gray with some dark spots. Meanwhile, the burn rate and burn temperature were ideal.
Draw
Overall, the draw of the Serie M Reserva Plata was excellent. The draw had a touch of resistance. As I have said for many years, this is the sweet spot for a draw from me. At the same time, this was a low-maintenance cigar to derive flavor from.
Strength and Body
The Serie M Reserva Plata delivered a medium-strength, medium-bodied smoking experience from start to finish. Both increased, but in the end, the strength and body stayed in the medium range of their respective spectrums. In terms of strength versus body, both attributes balanced each other nicely with neither attribute overshadowing the other.
BANDING AND PACKAGING NOTES (*)
The Serie M Reserva Plata uses a box design similar to the previous iterations. The silver color looks quite nice. The cigars are slotted in the box, and this should minimize the fan-tail cap from coming off. The boxes include a shelf talker on the inside right panel that tells the cigar’s story. I wouldn’t say this is the most retailer-friendly
OVERALL ASSESSMENT
Final Thoughts
Among all the Serie M releases, my favorite is the Serie M Reserva Plata. It has a straightforward flavor profile, which works quite well. Interestingly, this isn’t the flavor profile I would typically expect from El Titan de Bronze, but that’s a positive, as it highlights the factory’s versatility. Ultimately, I wouldn’t hesitate to smoke this cigar again. However, while the Serie M Reserva Plata is certainly a good cigar, it doesn’t quite reach greatness. It scores a solid 89 points, which is respectable, but the $29.99 price tag feels steep for what you receive. I would recommend splurging on a cigar priced at $29.99 or more on occasion, but in this case, the Serie M Reserva Plata falls slightly short.
Summary
- Key Flavors: Coffee, Damp Earth, Cedar, Roasted Pepper
- Burn: Very Good
- Draw: Excellent
- Complexity: Medium Minus
- Strength: Medium
- Body: Medium
- Finish: Very Good
Rating
Value: Don’t Splurge
Score: 89
REFERENCES
Photo Credits: Cigar Coop, except where noted
(*) Indicates this is not factored into the score or value rating
