Cubans & Non Cubans

[CanuckSARTech]

Is it true NC makers can use 7% Cuban tobacco in their cigars? Hear that over the weekend.

Negative. NC makers, and their vendors, always try to use some sort of Cuba-related hype to peddle their wares though.

[perkinke]

Is it true NC makers can use 7% Cuban tobacco in their cigars? Hear that over the weekend.

The Camacho Pre-Embargo claims to have used cuban tobacco that was 50-years old; don't know if I believe it or not but it is one of their cigars that I like. But as has been covered on another thread, there are at least two trustworthy European retailers that I am aware of who sell blends with both Cuban and non-Cuban tobaccos.

[riazp]

Over priced hot dirt. I guess I'm a snob

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Make that two buddy!

[wade1979]

begrudgingly, both.....very begrudgingly

[earthson]

Let me put this out there:

Almost all I smoke is CC since I first worked up the cojones to start ordering them in '07. They've just got loads more complexity, balance, variety and value than NC. AND they won't turn into ashy-tasting wind tunnels if you throw some age at them. The one exception to that is Fuente. Time and time again, I return to that brand and crave some of their offerings (Anejo, Don Arturo, the Sungrown line, Don Carlos no 3) just as much as I crave my monthly RASS, HUPC or PLMC. And I recently had a Fuente-made Cuesta Rey from the 60s that not only had years of legs left, but was easily one of the best cigars I've had in a year. Point being, there are a few NC manufacturers who can hold a candle to the Cubans, but there are not many. Maybe just 2 or 3 more.

[ElLoboLoco]

this is a debate that goes on and on and on, apples and oranges.

[mygar]

CC only for me at this time. Im not against trying some higher end NC that i have not tried yet.

I smoked NC exclusively for a good period of time. But i found they increasingly became full bore power house nicotine bombs for my taste. Often big pepper bombs that would overwhelm my palate. But maybe that was just the brands i was accustom to.

I enjoy the complexity and nuances of a cuban cigar... and they offer me a more balanced enjoyable smoke.

Again, in the future i will try some higher end NC ... but as for right now... the price point and complexity you get with cubans seem hard to beat.

[2skinny]

I'm 100% Cubans. Price and quality make the difference to me. Take a $30 Opus X vs a $20 RA 898 or La Escepcion Don Jose. No question to me.

[creamypies]

A good cigar is a good cigar! Does not matter where it's from. There some exquisite tobacco grown all over this planet. Variety is the spice of life my friends. It's like marriage. You may be married to one because it's your all time favorite but you can't exclude beautiful, lovely mistresses who bring a different spice to your life or perhaps cereal if you're a monogamous. Frosted Flakes can still be your favorite but captain crunch sure tastes great too every once in a while. But purely subjective, if all you eat is Frosted Flakes because it's the "best" then enjoy it my friends.

[maxcjs0101]

There are times i like NCs and times for CCs. Recently it had been NCs, not sure why. I had a good BRC 2 weeks ago but i lighted up a Dominican puro and i enjoyed it more.

HORMONES!

[ky70]

To give my CC experience (or lack of) context, I haven't had more than 50 CCs in my 16 cigar smoking years. To data, I have yet to smoke a CC that I would regularly choose over my favorite NCs. Another contributor to me missing the CC magic is my dull palate which does not pick up nuanced flavors very well.

So I'm still looking for a magical CC to fully light my fire. Though I have not yet had CCs with more than a few years on em and also have not experienced the Cohiba marca and have only had a single Monte (which I did enjoy).

[PigFish]

To give my CC experience (or lack of) context, I haven't had more than 50 CCs in my 16 cigar smoking years. To data, I have yet to smoke a CC that I would regularly choose over my favorite NCs. Another contributor to me missing the CC magic is my dull palate which does not pick up nuanced flavors very well.

So I'm still looking for a magical CC to fully light my fire. Though I have not yet had CCs with more than a few years on em and also have not experienced the Cohiba marca and have only had a single Monte (which I did enjoy).

Mate, I am not here to define your smoking experience but NCC and CC are different animals.

Take a couple of your legitimate CC's, I suggest a couple of PC's. Cut them and store them until they really dry out. I mean, to the extent that you think that they are damaged dry... I mean DRY!!! You only have to gamble a couple of cigars here. I don't mean dry box them for two days!

Give them a smoke and tell me that you cannot taste the nuance! If this does not sway you perhaps you just don't like what CC's have to offer. For that, you are different than many of us here, but you don't get the firing squad. Maybe they are just not your thing...

Best of luck on your journey.. -Piggy

[ky70]

Thank you Piggy for the advice!! I appreciate the details. My CCs are kept between 62-66% humidity and I have not traditionally dry boxed (and definitely haven't let them get really dry) so I look forward to giving your suggestion a try.

Mate, I am not here to define your smoking experience but NCC and CC are different animals.

Take a couple of your legitimate CC's, I suggest a couple of PC's. Cut them and store them until they really dry out. I mean, to the extent that you think that they are damaged dry... I mean DRY!!! You only have to gamble a couple of cigars here. I don't mean dry box them for two days!

Give them a smoke and tell me that you cannot taste the nuance! If this does not sway you perhaps you just don't like what CC's have to offer. For that, you are different than many of us here, but you don't get the firing squad. Maybe they are just not your thing...

Best of luck on your journey.. -Piggy

[RickG]

I smoke both. I've had a lot of non Cubans ( and I'm probably gonna get flogged for saying this.) that are better than a lot of Cubans I've had.

Granted I'm just starting out on my CC journey and I've only thus far tried the more popular brands, and granted, without any age on them.

I've also had some CCs that where fantastic, and I'm really looking forward to my future CC experiences. But I've yet to have that magical CC that is going to make me throw all my NCs in the trash.

I would love to find that unicorn, but I am smart enough to know that there are too many great NC sticks out there these days. I've had awesome experiences on both sides . So for now I will stick to my obsession and smoke both CCs and NCs until I am no longer able to or I am swayed to one direction over the other.

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[Blazer]

I'm new to the whole CC side of things and have had a very limited sampling so far. My stash is probably 99.9% NC and 0.1% CC, which is why I joined here to learn more about this side of the hobby. From my small sample the ones I have smoked have been great. Were they better or worse than some of my favorite NC's? No, but they stood out on their own merit.

[El Presidente]

I would love to find that unicorn,

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The problem is that when you hit that "unicorn" ......nothing will be the same again

It will feel like that hole in one golf shot....... at a major.

[RickG]

The problem is that when you hit that "unicorn" ......nothing will be the same again

It will feel like that hole in one golf shot....... at a major.

I am so looking forward to it Pres.

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[Orion21]

I am so looking forward to it Pres.

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I have had plenty of Unicorn experiences with Cuban cigars:

Boli Petite Corona, multiple Cohiba Siglo VI, every OR BHK 52, Partagas D4, multiple Monte Grand Edmundo EL 2010, Monte Petite Edmundo, every Ramon Allones Celestiales Finos, every La Escpecion Selectos Finos RE Italy 2011, every SCDLH O'Reilly Book 2010, Bolivar Royal Corona Tubo 2009, 2004 Partagas 898, Punch Super Robusto RE Asia 2007, 2010 H Upmann No. 2, every Hamlet custom rolled cigar, QdO Corona, H Upmann Connie A, H Upmann Mag 50 2009 . . . I mean I could go on and on.

The point of the partial list above is I have sensory memories from those specific cigars that bring me back to when I was smoking them. They were true experiences I won't ever forget. I got things from all of those cigars that made me just go "WOW!" I smoked NC cigars for 5 years before I bought my first box of Monte Petite Edmundos and what seperates my Cubans from NC's are those "WOW" moments. I have smoked some really good Opus, Casa Fuente and Anejo cigars (my favorite of the NC's by far) but none has ever given me that moment of pause.

The other reason I buy 99.5% Cuban cigars is that the cigars that aren't "Unicorns" are just wonderful smokes. Yes, some of my Fuente stack up, but the after taste and other things about those cigars set them below my Cubans.

[Corylax18]

I smoke both. A good Padron can stand up to anything from anywhere on this planet. The craftsmanship and quality of their blends and rolls makes up for the higher quality raw materials that Cuba may have. If Habanos were run by or under the rules of those guys there would be absolutely no discussion. I also prefer the flavors of Nicaraguan tobacco to anywhere except Cuba.

Unfortunately the quality and consistency of the Cuban product is mixed, to be generous. The very best Cuban cigars are the best in the world, but you can get an unsmokable pile of garbage from the same box that contained that amazing cigar. For Cubans, the highs are certainly higher, but the lows to me are the lowest I have found from any country. The consistency found in Herrerra Esteli, Fuente, Padron, and maybe some others makes up for a big portion of the material gap in my opinion. Its hard to discern, but I think I can taste the pride.

[zeavran1]

I have about 400 nc's and 15 cc's in my humidors right now. Never really trusted ordering any cc's and have only done it once. That will probably change now that I'm on this forum. At this time I really enjoy them all.

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[creamypies]

One thing that I've noticed is that the fit and finish of premium NC is head shoulders above premium CC.

[ky70]

I've had the opposite experience (NC vs. CC) but am enjoying searching for the right Habanos that will wow me.

...I smoked NC cigars for 5 years before I bought my first box of Monte Petite Edmundos and what seperates my Cubans from NC's are those "WOW" moments. I have smoked some really good Opus, Casa Fuente and Anejo cigars (my favorite of the NC's by far) but none has ever given me that moment of pause.

[ChefBoyRG54]

One thing that I've noticed is that the fit and finish of premium NC is head shoulders above premium CC.

I'm interested in what you mean by this. Could you elaborate?

[creamypies]

I'm interested in what you mean by this. Could you elaborate?

Regular production premium NC are consistent in size, shape, and the feet look pristine with razor sharp parallel cuts. With CC consistency is lacking stick to stick and especially box to box. one of my favorites here which I've had many boxes of here. Not limited production and I will bet top dollar that you can blindly purchase a box and you will not be disappointed with a single stick. Where as with CC purchasing blind is a shot in the dark.

[ChefBoyRG54]

Regular production premium NC are consistent in size, shape, and the feet look pristine with razor sharp parallel cuts. With CC consistency is lacking stick to stick and especially box to box. one of my favorites here which I've had many boxes of here. Not limited production and I will bet top dollar that you can blindly purchase a box and you will not be disappointed with a single stick. Where as with CC purchasing blind is a shot in the dark.

I might be an exception to the rule, or just lucky, but I have had only 1 box buying blind that came in with less than exceptional wrappers, but still smoked well (Connie a). Probably be fair to say I've bought over 100 boxes in the past couple years.

So, to that point, aside from box to box color inconsistency due to sorting by shade, I haven't really seen an inconsistency in quality stick to stick or even box to box.

I have also bought many high end NC in years past and while I agree the presentation on most tatuaje, fuente, liga, padron, etc is very nice, it still comes down to the smoking imo:)

Some CC do have a rustic/toothy look, but you can easily find the same comparison when looking at boxes of padron 1926, for instance. And padron finds itself at the top tier of premium NC.

Thanks for the response.