Review: Trinidad Vigia Reserva Cosecha 2022: A depth that lingers
Review: Trinidad Vigia Reserva Cosecha 2022 / Right from the first puff, I’m met by a very dense cloud of smoke. It completely envelops me for a brief moment before dissipating into the air surprisingly quickly. On the tongue, a distinct, savoury umami note unfolds immediately, accompanied by a noticeable hint of bitterness and a slight peppery note. The acidity remains almost entirely in the background. For this tasting, I have a Trinidad Vigía Reserva Cosecha 22 in front of me, which I’ve cut with a wide bevel. The cigar draws attention through a deep, retronasal sensation and a changing ash structure.
In this review
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Observed during the tasting
- Smoke pattern: Very dense at the start, but it quickly dissipates.
- Balance: Initially lots of umami, hardly any acidity, a good dose of bitterness and a hint of pepper; very well-balanced in the first half.
- Development: A very long umami finish at the start. In the first half, the profile becomes deeper and more bitter, with very little acidity, slightly less umami and a fading peppery note.
- Strength: Increase from 3/5 to 4/5 over time.
- Design: Light body (broad profile). The ash is normal at first and not too compact, becoming flaky in the second half. Great depth on the finish.
- Burn-up: Almost straight at the start. Slightly wavy and smouldering in the first half, but corrects itself (smoulders for about 2 minutes when left undisturbed). In the second half, it goes out after about 1 cm when drawn on, then continues to smoulder steadily. The burn in the second half was wavy overall and needed to be corrected.
- Ageing potential: My personal recommendation: leave it to mature for two to three years after purchase.
At a glance
- Brand: Trinidad
- Edition: Vigía Reserva Vintage 2022
- Vitola (format): Torres
- Length and diameter: Ring size 54; length 111 mm
- Origin and tobacco: Cuba
- Box Date: Unknown
- Tasting on: 22.09.2026
- Estimated age: difficult; either fresh (approx. 2 months) or older (approx. 12 months)
- Strength: 3/5 → 4/5
- Price: Although this is known, it has not yet been made public, as the price could still change in 2027
- Available: A set of 3 – perhaps by the end of 2026, hopefully early 2027. The box of 20: date not yet known.
Smoke pattern – How does the smoke behave?
During the quiet period, wispy plumes of smoke rise into the air.
When I take the first puff, a surprisingly dense and heavy cloud of smoke floods into my mouth. It has a tangible quality that immediately fills the palate. Yet as intense as it seems at first, it dissipates just as quickly once exhaled: the white cloud disperses through the room exceptionally quickly, leaving no lingering plumes of smoke.
Why does the cigar behave like this?
How strong the smoke is perceived to be and how quickly it dissipates after exhaling depends on general factors such as the cut of the head, the density of the tobacco leaves, the moisture content and the ambient air.
Balance – How harmonious is the blend?
Immediately after lighting it, my palate is dominated by an intense umami flavour – a savoury undertone that lingers for a very long time in the aftertaste. This is accompanied by a distinct bitterness, whilst the acidity is barely perceptible. A light, peppery note sharpens the sensory experience.
As I plough through the first half, these impressions come together to form a very well-rounded whole. Nothing seems jarring or out of place; the elements blend together harmoniously. On the retronasal palate, there is a remarkable depth that accompanies the smoke intensely.
Why does the cigar behave like this?
The perceived balance between umami, bitterness and heat is shaped by the composition of the filler tobaccos, their degree of fermentation and the interplay between the binder and wrapper.
What is umami?
In ‘Tasting Notes’, the term Umami used to describe a subtle, savoury and mouth-watering depth in the smoke. Unlike distinct flavours such as spiciness or sweetness, umami creates a balanced, rich and long-lasting flavour sensation on the tongue and in the finish.
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Development – Is the cigar changing?
The transition from the opening bars into the first half is not abrupt, but rather a noticeable deepening. The umami finish, which is very long at first, recedes slightly but remains as a foundation.
The bitterness intensifies as the first half progresses, lending the profile greater darkness and depth. The acidity remains very low, whilst the peppery note subsides noticeably. The smoke loses some of its initial sharpness and, instead, gains depth of flavour.
Why does the cigar behave like this?
Changes in flavour whilst smoking are caused by the progression of the burn zone, the heating of the remaining tobacco, and the build-up of condensation in the rear third.
Strength – How does strength develop?
To begin with, I’d rate the perceived nicotine strength as being in the middle range, at around 3/5. As I continue to enjoy the cigar, the strength builds slowly but steadily. As it progresses, the perceived strength reaches a level of 4/5 and has a distinct, yet not overpowering, presence.
Why does the cigar behave like this?
The effects of nicotine depend on the types of tobacco used (such as the proportion of Ligero), their placement in the blend, as well as the smoker’s individual condition on the day and the frequency of puffs.
A thick plume of smoke rises from the embers.
Construction and burn – How clean is the cigar?
After cutting the cigar at a wide angle, it offers a slight resistance to the draw. To begin with, the ash is of the usual firmness and normal compactness. In the second half, its texture changes: it becomes noticeably flakier.
The burn exhibits erratic behaviour. After an almost straight start, the ember smoulders in a slightly wavy pattern during the first half, but occasionally corrects itself. I can leave the cigar to rest for about two minutes (which isn’t very long) without it going out. In the second half, however, it burns out completely – several times – over a length of about one centimetre whilst I’m smoking it, so I have to keep relighting it. After this problematic section, it continues to burn steadily as before. Overall, the burn remains uneven in the second half and requires manual corrections.
Why does the cigar behave like this?
If a cigar smoulders in places, needs to be relit constantly or produces flaky ash, this can generally be caused by localised pockets of moisture in the tobacco, unevenly processed leaves or air pockets in the filler. In this case, I suspect an uneven distribution of moisture within the tobacco. A period of ageing will do it good.
The effects of fermentation and ageing
I do not have any details regarding the exact box date, the year of manufacture or specific storage conditions. It is difficult to determine its estimated age: it appears either to be fairly new, at around 2 months old, or already older, at around 12 months.
Why does the cigar behave like this?
Ageing processes can reduce the sharpness of the smoke and harmonise the underlying flavours. Without information from the manufacturer, it is not possible to determine what specific effects ageing has had on the flavour of this particular specimen.
Conclusion
During my tasting, the Trinidad Vigía Reserva Cosecha 22 presented a multi-layered profile. It offered dense smoke that dissipated quickly, as well as an excellent balance of umami and bitterness, with the strength rising from 3/5 to 4/5. After I’d cut a wide slice off the cap, the draw was light, but the construction proved somewhat lacking, with crumbly ash and occasional smouldering whilst smoking. This is not a fault of the cigar! It’s difficult for me to estimate its age – it could be quite fresh, at around 2 months, or older, at around 12 months. My personal assessment of its ageing potential: I recommend allowing the cigar to age for two to three years after purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
How strong is the Trinidad Vigía Reserva Cosecha 22 in this tasting?
The perceived nicotine strength starts at an average of 3/5 and increases as you continue smoking to a more intense level of 4/5.
How does the Trinidad Vigía Reserva Cosecha 22 burn?
The burn started off almost perfectly straight, but developed a slightly wavy pattern in the first half, which initially corrected itself. In the second half, the cigar went out whilst being smoked over a distance of about one centimetre; it had to be relit constantly, after which it continued to smoulder normally. This isn’t a fault with the cigar; it’s simply because it still needs to mature.
Which basic flavours characterise the start of the tasting?
Initially, it was dominated by a strong umami flavour with a very long finish, accompanied by a good measure of bitterness and a hint of pepper. There was hardly any acidity.
Further reading
Sources and background information
This article is based on my tasting of the cigar described, drawing on my own experience as a cigar connoisseur since 1996, as well as on specialist literature on tobacco, fermentation, ageing and the physical processes that occur during smoking. In addition, recent scientific publications on tobacco fermentation and on heat and mass transfer in tobacco have been taken into account.
- Hu, W. et al. (2022): Study on the chemical compositions and microbial communities of cigar tobacco leaves fermented with an exogenous additive. Scientific Reports. → Fermentation, chemical changes and microbial processes in cigar tobacco.
- (2023) Study on the correlation between the dominant microflora and the main flavour compounds in the fermentation process of cigar tobacco leaves → Investigates the relationships between dominant microorganisms and key chemical indicators.
Photos
- Vasilij Ratej
Note regarding the photos: All the photos were taken by me and edited in Affinity Photo. To achieve the final cinematic look, I also carried out digital colour grading with the aid of AI. The subject, composition and image content remained unchanged.
- Artist: Oh Anna, the Photographer
- Vasily with his camera: Studio Harcourt
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