Fonseca Cosacos Vintage 1996
An excellent everyday cigar.
As we mentioned in our article dedicated to the brand, Fonseca is one of the few Habanos brands with such a high proportion of vitolas introduced at the launch of the brand and still in its catalogue today.
Indeed, out of six cigars, only two have been discontinued. The first, which disappeared in the late 1980s, is the Aromas. Its vitola, measuring (40 x 140 mm), does not seem to have a name but was also used until the 1970s by Romeo y Julieta for the Capulets.
The second is the Invictos, an Especiales (45 x 134 mm), a vitola that has now disappeared as it was exclusively produced by Fonseca.
The brand's regular catalogue now consists of four cigars, all of which were introduced at the brand's launch. Today we offer you the tasting of one of them in vintage from 1996: the Cosacos.
It belongs to the Corona family and was named after its vitola. Although the Cosacos vitola (42 x 135 mm) was relatively common until the 1980s, when most brands stopped producing it, it remains the only one still in regular production today.
As for special productions, the Cosacos vitola was used by H. Upmann for the Noellas produced exclusively for La Casa del Habano and sold in the "Cristales Jar" of 20 cigars.
The Cosacos is currently the second largest cigar in the Fonseca catalogue in terms of size. However, it was temporarily the largest size from 2012 to 2017, when the brand stopped producing the Fonseca No.1, a Cazadores (43 × 162 mm).
Like all the brand's cigars, the Fonseca Cosacos is no exception, elegantly dressed in a thin sheet of white Japanese paper.
Speaking of which, let's take it off and proceed to the tasting of this little-known cigar that has a long story to tell.
Once the tissue paper is removed, the wrapper, perfectly smooth and beautifully colorado, is revealed. We notice the presence of a few green spots but nothing dramatic. To the touch, the filling seems good and perfectly homogeneous.
The raw draw lets us enjoy the slight scent of wood, nothing more.
Immediately after lighting, the first puffs confirm the woody notes which remain light and blend perfectly with the sweet tobacco taste.
The end of the first third is underlined by a hint of hazelnut that comes with more vegetal, herbaceous notes. From then on, we can clearly notice a rise in power. If the whole remains soft, our Cosacos seems to assert itself.
These herbaceous flavours accompany us throughout the second third. Halfway through, a surprisingly sweet liquorice note enters the scene.
The smoke volume has also evolved and is more generous. As for the ash, perfectly hung and streaked, it shows a magnificent construction.
In the last third, the wood and hazelnut, slightly overpowered by the herbal flavours of the second third, make their appearance again, completed by some earthy and peppery notes. We also have subtle flavours of green tea and rosemary making the finish almost refreshing.
In conclusion, we could say that Fonseca Cosacos is a light cigar but that the years have not made it too mild either. The brand's cigars have this reputation of being mild to begin with and not necessarily needing a few years in the cellar before reaching their peak.
By now you know our fondness for vintage cigars but here it would be difficult to measure the effects of time on this cigar. This one, from 1996, is simply surprisingly smooth and light without being boring. If the first part seemed rather basic, it ended up, against all odds, revealing a hidden complexity.
The Fonseca Cosacos would make an excellent everyday cigar, to be enjoyed after lunch, especially with the heat we're experiencing at the moment.
After the 45 minutes of pleasure it offers you, you will not need to ask yourself why the brand, despite its lack of public awareness, is still around today. It produces cigars that are simply pleasant and enjoyable.
FONSECA Cosacos - Vintage 1996 - Box of 25
Vitola: Cosacos (42 x 135 mm)
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