FINAL SMOKEOUT - SEMIFINAL 2
Winner: Cohiba Rubicon Box-Pressed Robusto
Match M62 closed the Final Smokeout between two 5-0 group champions. Cohiba Rubicon advanced through Group D, Joya de Nicaragua Clasico, and Charter Oak Habano Rothschild; New Cuba advanced through Group H, Nica Rustica Adobe Toro, and Partagas Sabroso.
Rubicon used an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, U.S. Broadleaf binder, and Dominican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan fillers in a 5.5 x 55 box-pressed Robusto. New Cuba used Nicaraguan Corojo over an Aganorsa-grown Nicaraguan core in a 5 x 50 Robusto. One represented accessible luxury; the other entered as one of the bracket's clearest pure-value discoveries.
Cohiba advanced by the approved score of 29.0 to 28.0. New Cuba delivered vivid pepper, earth, coffee, cream, nuts, cocoa, and brown-sugar sweetness, but Rubicon produced the more controlled draw, denser layered smoke, and more polished final transition. Cohiba moved to M63; New Cuba moved to the M64 Third Place match.
Matchup at a Glance
| Category | Cohiba Rubicon Box-Pressed Robusto | Aganorsa Leaf New Cuba Corojo Robusto |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Cohiba - General Cigar Company / Forged Cigar Company | Aganorsa Leaf - New Cuba |
| Origin | Honduras | Nicaragua |
| Wrapper | Ecuadorian Habano | Aganorsa Corojo |
| Binder | U.S. Broadleaf | Aganorsa, Nicaragua |
| Filler | Dominican Piloto, Honduran La Entrada and Jamastran, Nicaraguan Estelí | Aganorsa, Nicaragua |
| Factory | STG Danlí, Honduras | Aganorsa production in Nicaragua |
| Vitola | Box-Pressed Robusto, 5.5 x 55 | Robusto, 5 x 50 |
| Strength | Medium | Medium to medium-full in the approved tournament profile |
| Qualifying price | Current listed MSRP: $8.49 in the approved tournament profile | Approximately $2.50 in the approved tournament profile |
| Profile score | 29.5/30 - Legendary | 28.5/30 - Outstanding |
Official M62 score
29.0/30 - Advanced
28.0/30 - Third Place Match
Box-Pressed Polish vs. Corojo Value Power
Rubicon opened with cedar, cocoa, roasted coffee, and mild sweetness through controlled resistance. Toasted cedar, cocoa, espresso, and measured black pepper formed a rich but polished first third. Leather, earth, walnut, and natural sweetness deepened the center before dark coffee, seasoned oak, cocoa, and refined pepper intensified without becoming harsh.
New Cuba opened with cedar, barnyard earth, coffee bean, and mild brown-sugar sweetness through a comfortable draw. Black pepper, cedar, earth, and coffee created a lively first third. Cream, roasted nuts, cocoa, and brown sugar softened the middle before oak, espresso, earth, and pepper drove a long, spicy close.
New Cuba offered the brighter Corojo attack and maintained sweetness beneath its pepper and earth. Rubicon answered with greater layering, moving from toasted cedar, cocoa, and espresso into leather, earth, walnut, dark coffee, seasoned oak, and refined spice while its box-pressed construction kept the progression composed.
Where Match M62 Was Decided
The standing profiles rate Cohiba Rubicon Box-Pressed Robusto at 29.5/30 - Legendary. Construction, draw, flavor complexity, balance, and finish are 5.0; burn is 4.5. Aganorsa Leaf New Cuba Corojo Robusto is rated 28.5/30 - Outstanding. Flavor complexity, balance, and finish are 5.0; construction, draw, and burn are 4.5.
Official M62 score: Cohiba Rubicon Box-Pressed Robusto 29.0, Aganorsa Leaf New Cuba Corojo Robusto 28.0.
The approved M62 totals - Cohiba Rubicon 29.0 and New Cuba 28.0 - differ from the standing profiles used here. Because the approved archive has no separate Final Smokeout category card, verified round scores and standing category context remain distinct.
New Cuba's standing profile confirms exceptional complexity, balance, and finish at an extraordinary price. Rubicon matched that ambition with the more precise draw, denser smoke, and firmer transitions. The one-point margin reflects Cohiba's more complete integration of cedar, cocoa, coffee, leather, earth, walnut, sweetness, oak, and pepper.
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Official Result: Cohiba Rubicon Box-Pressed Robusto Wins M62
Cohiba Rubicon Box-Pressed Robusto defeated Aganorsa Leaf New Cuba Corojo Robusto 29.0 to 28.0 and advanced to the 2026 Value Cigar Championship match. Cohiba improved to 6-0 and earned Match M63 against Oliva Serie G Robusto.
New Cuba moved to 5-1 after its first loss of the championship. Its undefeated Group H run, Value 16 and Grand 8 victories, distinctive Corojo character, and exceptional affordability earned a place in the M64 Third Place match against Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente Natural.
Final Ashology Verdict
Aganorsa Leaf New Cuba Corojo Robusto delivered semifinal value power through cedar, black pepper, earth, coffee, cream, roasted nuts, cocoa, brown sugar, oak, espresso, and a long sweet-spicy finish.
Cohiba Rubicon Box-Pressed Robusto delivered the stronger M62 performance. Toasted cedar, cocoa, espresso, leather, earth, walnut, dark coffee, seasoned oak, sweetness, and refined pepper developed with greater control.
Tasting notes reflect the exact cigars and vitolas evaluated for the 2026 Value Cigar Championship. Current product specifications were checked against official manufacturer information. Flavor, strength, draw, and burn may vary with storage, age, production variation, and individual palate. Tobacco products are intended only for adults of legal smoking age.
Value Cigar of the Year
Where Quality Meets Affordability