Quick answer: Cohiba Behike is the premium tier of Cuban Cohiba, made with rare Medio Tiempo tobacco that grows on only 10 to 15 percent of plants. Three sizes: BHK 52, BHK 54, BHK 56. Prices abroad run $80 to $200 plus per cigar. Cohiba Behike is illegal to import to the US since September 2020. Closest US-legal alternatives include Padron Family Reserve and Davidoff Royal Release.
I smoked a Cohiba Behike BHK 56 at a wedding in London a few years ago. Sixty pounds at the lounge. I had heard about Behikes for years; this was the first one I had ever held. The construction was perfect. The wrapper had a slight oil sheen I had not seen on any other cigar. The first puff was creamy and smooth in a way that made me understand why Cuban purists pay what they pay. The second puff confirmed it. By the end of the cigar I understood that Cohiba Behike is genuinely different from every other premium cigar I had ever smoked. I also understood why most cigar smokers will never pay for one.
This guide covers what makes the Behike a $200 plus cigar, what Medio Tiempo tobacco actually is, how the Behike compares to standard Cohiba lines, and the closest US-legal alternatives. This article does not endorse circumventing the embargo.
What Is Cohiba Behike?
Cohiba Behike is the premium tier within the Cuban Cohiba lineup. The Behike name first appeared on an ultra-limited 2006 release for Cohiba's 40th anniversary; the regular Behike BHK line launched in 2010. The defining feature is the use of Medio Tiempo tobacco in the filler, a rare leaf that grows on only 10 to 15 percent of tobacco plants. The line has three sizes: BHK 52 (4.7 x 52), BHK 54 (5.7 x 54), and BHK 56 (6.5 x 56). All three use the same Medio Tiempo blend. Cigar Aficionado's tasting panel awarded the BHK 52 a 97-point rating and named it 2010 Cigar of the Year, calling it the most impressive cigar from Cuba or anywhere else they had reviewed. Cohiba is the only Cuban brand to use an additional barrel fermentation, which is what differentiates Cohiba from other Habanos S.A. brands; the Behike adds the Medio Tiempo on top of that. Pricing ranges $80 to $200 plus per cigar abroad; auction prices for limited releases reach $1,000 plus. Cohiba Behike is illegal to import to the United States since September 2020.
Medio Tiempo: The Rare Tobacco
Cigar Aficionado's reporting on the mystique of Medio Tiempo explains the leaf in detail. Most cigar tobacco comes from leaves at three primary positions on the plant: volado (bottom, mild), seco (middle, medium), and ligero (upper, full body and oily). On some plants (far from all) two additional leaves grow at the top, above the ligero. Those leaves are called Medio Tiempo.
Medio Tiempo grows on only 10 to 15 percent of tobacco plants. The leaves are the smallest, the oiliest, and the strongest in flavor. Most tobacco harvests do not include any Medio Tiempo because the leaves do not develop in most plants.
Cohiba Behike uses Medio Tiempo in the filler, which is what gives the cigar its concentrated flavor. The smoothness on top of that concentration comes from Cohiba's signature additional barrel fermentation.
Behike Sizes and Recommendations
The three sizes deliver different experiences:
BHK 52 (4.7 x 52). 60 to 75 minutes. Most concentrated flavor. The smallest format means the most intense experience per puff.
BHK 54 (5.7 x 54). 80 to 90 minutes. Most popular size among Behike collectors. Best balance of size, smoke time, and flavor concentration.
BHK 56 (6.5 x 56). 90 to 110 minutes. Largest format. Most flavor evolution through the smoke. Most expensive vitola.
Pricing
Cohiba Behike pricing varies dramatically by region and source:
- At cigar lounges in Cuba: $80 to $150 per cigar.
- Retail singles abroad: roughly $250 in mainland Europe to $750 in the UK per cigar since the May 2022 Habanos repricing.
- Lounge and duty-free pricing tracks those retail levels or higher; anything dramatically cheaper is a counterfeit flag.
- Auction prices for limited releases: $500 to $1,000 plus per cigar.
- Boxes of 10 (any BHK size): $2,500 to $7,000 plus at legitimate retail abroad, depending on market and size.
The wide price range reflects scarcity, regional demand, and the gray market for Cuban cigars.
US Legality
Cohiba Behike is a Cuban-origin cigar, which means it is illegal to import to the United States since September 2020. Personal possession of pre-September 2020 Behikes that entered the US legally at the time remains permitted. New imports are not, including travelers bringing them back from third countries. The full legality breakdown is in are Cuban cigars illegal in the US. The broader Cuban cigars complete guide covers the wider category.
US smokers who want the Behike experience must travel to Canada, the UK, Mexico, Cuba, or other countries where Cuban cigars are legal. Many international cigar lounges sell Behikes by the single cigar. This article does not endorse bringing Cuban cigars into the US.
Important: there are US-legal cigars labeled Cohiba.
These are made in the Dominican Republic by General Cigar (a different company than Habanos S.A. which makes the Cuban Cohiba). The US Cohiba is a completely different cigar from the Cuban Cohiba. The US Cohiba does not include any Behike-equivalent line.
Cohiba Behike vs Standard Cohiba
Within the Cuban Cohiba lineup, the Behike sits at the top:
- Cohiba Linea Clasica (Robusto, Esplendido, Lancero). The classic Cohiba lines. $30 to $80 per cigar abroad. Smooth, refined, complex.
- Cohiba Maduro 5. Maduro wrapper version. $50 to $90 per cigar.
- Cohiba 1492 Linea Siglo. Numbered limited line. $40 to $100 per cigar.
- Cohiba Behike. Premium tier. $80 to $200 plus per cigar. The only Cohiba line using Medio Tiempo.
If you have access to Cuban cigars and want to try Cohiba, the Robusto is the best entry point. The Behike is for special occasions or once-in-a-lifetime smokes.
US-Legal Alternatives
If you cannot legally buy Cohiba Behike, the closest US-legal alternatives:
Padron Family Reserve. Smooth Nicaraguan with refined character. $25 to $40 per cigar. Closest to the smooth refinement of Cohiba.
Davidoff Royal Release. Davidoff's most premium line. $60 to $90 per cigar. Refined Dominican character similar to Cohiba's smooth profile.
Opus X Angel's Share. Limited Dominican luxury. $75 to $150 per cigar. Allocated production gives Behike-like exclusivity.
Padron Family Reserve 50th Anniversary. Limited release. Box-pressed Maduro. $25 to $40 per cigar but boxes start at $400 plus.
For the full Cuban-vs-Nicaraguan comparison, see the Cuban vs Nicaraguan cigars guide. The cigarfinder Cohiba brand page covers both the Cuban Cohiba and the Dominican Cohiba sold in the US. We track active codes for premium tier alternatives at Famous Smoke.
The Counterfeit Problem
Here is a fact that should temper any Behike hunt: the Cohiba Behike is the single most-counterfeited cigar in the world. Habanos S.A. and industry estimates put the share of fakes in tourist markets at roughly 30 to 50 percent, and the Behike's price tag makes it the prime target. Street vendors, hotel gift shops, and deal
prices well under retail are where most of them turn up. So even a traveler who flies somewhere Cubans are legal and pays cash has a real chance of going home with a fake.
That is one more reason the US-legal alternatives are the smarter play. A Padron Family Reserve or Davidoff Royal Release is a known quantity from a named factory, sold by a retailer who stands behind it, with no box codes to decode and no border risk. You get a genuinely world-class cigar without the coin flip.
Trying to find the closest US-legal substitute for a Behike you tried abroad? Tap the chat bubble at the bottom right of any cigarfinder.com page and ask Cigar Finder AI; tell it which BHK size you smoked.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cohiba Behike?
The premium tier of Cuban Cohiba cigars, released in 2010. Made with rare Medio Tiempo tobacco. Three sizes: BHK 52, BHK 54, BHK 56.
Why is Cohiba Behike so expensive?
Medio Tiempo tobacco is rare (only 10 to 15 percent of plants produce usable Medio Tiempo leaves). Combined with limited production and strong global demand, prices range $80 to $200 plus per cigar.
Is Cohiba Behike legal in the US?
No. Cohiba Behike is a Cuban cigar and Cuban cigar imports are illegal in the US since September 2020. Personal possession of pre-2020 cigars that entered the US legally is legal.
What is Medio Tiempo tobacco?
The highest leaves on the tobacco plant, above the ligero leaves. Medio Tiempo grows on only 10 to 15 percent of plants and produces the most concentrated, oily, full-flavored tobacco.
What is the difference between Cohiba Behike and other Cohiba lines?
Behike uses Medio Tiempo tobacco in the filler, which other Cohiba lines do not. Behike is the only Cuban Cohiba line with this specific tobacco.
Is the Cohiba sold in the US the same as Cuban Cohiba?
No. The US-legal Cohiba is made in the Dominican Republic by General Cigar. The Cuban Cohiba is made in Cuba by Habanos S.A. They are completely different cigars sharing only the brand name.
What is the best Cohiba Behike size?
The BHK 54 is the most popular size among collectors. It offers the best balance of smoke time and flavor concentration.
Are Cohiba Behikes worth the price?
Subjective. Cigar Aficionado named the BHK 52 their 2010 Cigar of the Year at a 97-point rating. Many smokers consider the Behike the most refined cigar in production. Others find Padron Family Reserve or Davidoff Royal Release at half the price equally satisfying.
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