Cubans & Non Cubans

[Alwayslit]

Each has their place. I wouldn't limit my wine selection to just one region, why cigars.

[thechenman]

Each has their place. I wouldn't limit my wine selection to just one region, why cigars.

Very well said...

[Jszeto]

I have mostly CCs and a couple of 5ers of NCs just to try. Only had one NC, the Casa Magna Colorado Robusto. It was an ok cigar, the draw was too tight for me to fully enjoy.

[nikesupremedunk]

I've just been to the NC world and came back after less than a month. Wanted to venture out from the CC world so gave some NC's a try and found some good brands such as Ligas, Tatuaje, and AF. In the end, I came back to CC's and appreciate them much more for the flavors and complexity.

Another issue is price. Yesterday my b&m told me that they got the new Tatuaje mummy's in so I go in to check it out. Box of 10 would have cost ~$170 after NY tax and probably dealer mark up. I just couldn't do it knowing for $170 I can get some good CC's.

[David67]

I enjoy both, Compared side by side, I think the Best of the Cubans always wins over the Best of the Non-Cubans, but there are a lot of great non-cubans that can stand up against alot of the Cubans now a days. One thing is for sure though, there is no mistaking that authentic Cuban taste ! Many have tried and some have come close, but that is one thing that has not and can not be replicated. But that doesn't mean other flavors can't be just as good. I think it's rediculous when some Non-Cuban makers spend so much time and marketing trying to get into the public's brain that the seed is of Cuban decent, the wrapper is form cuban decent, the recipe was smuggled out from cuba, the family is from cuban decent, and the roller was a famous cuban roller. That's all fine and dandy, but what's great about such products made from the earth is they are leaving out the MOST IMPORTANT KEY to the recipe- The soil and secondly the weather and ambient surroundings. That can't be replicated. The soil that the tobac is grown in in Cuba combined with the surroundings and the weather, is exactly what makes it stand apart. It's just like wine. Does California make some great wine - sure, of course they do, so does Australia, South Africa, South America, and many other places. Would anybody be happy drinking a good quality wine from one of those places - Absolutely, but any one of those regions that tried to produce what they call a "Bordeaux style wine" will fall short, simply because they lack the main ingredient, the soil and weather patterns in the Bordeaux region of France that lends the grapevines such a unique and decedent taste structure. It is the same with cigars. Good flavor is just good flavor and it can be unique to each individuals palate, but there is no mistaking that the Cuban flavor profile is different, unique and one of a kind!

A very good post! I can't for the life of me understand why non-Cuban cigars try to make out their cigars are "Cuban like". Better to promote their own qualities. Australian wines are promoted as "Australian wines" with all the qualities our soil and weather brings to it.

I often wonder if because shops in the USA cannot sell Cuban cigars that this silliness from non-Cuban cigars has started?

Anyway at the moment I'm smoking 70% Cuban and about 30% non-Cuban.

[ramon_cojones]

All cuban all day erryday.

[Rhett001]

I smoke both, in the non Cuban ranges i like davidoff, i still enjoy a nice Cohiba

[LGC]

I average 1 to 2 cigars per week. I see no point in spending more money on smoking something that might be "decent"... when I can smoke something that I'm sure is going to hit the spot. If I have to smoke "ok" cigars, drink "ok" beer and liquor... I might as well give it up. I'm not going to spend my time and money just to smoke a cigar for the heck of it... only to walk away without being fully satisfied.

[Justmi]

The main issues for me are:

1- NC are more expensive than Cuban in the UK

2- What I have tried are all power and stength at the expense of taste and enjoyment. Great if you want power and strength from your cigars but personally I love the other side of the spectrum.

I agree with both points. In the UK, NCs are so expensive. Shame as I do like a change of pace with Padrons and I admire their philosophy of intense quality.

[brazoseagle]

I agree with both points. In the UK, NCs are so expensive. Shame as I do like a change of pace with Padrons and I admire their philosophy of intense quality.

Padrons taste like a dry roof shingle wrapped in a Padron, dipped in taint!

[Guest rob]

I bought a few boxes of padrons here in Australia.... extremely, almost prohibitively expensive, for what was essentially a well constructed wind tunnel that created truck loads of dense smoke. I couldn't, and still cant see the attraction. No enjoyable flavours or experience (for me personally)

But, to each his own.

Personally, I regret having them in my humidor - as they are never going to get smoked. Lots of money that I should have spent elsewhere....

[David67]

I think with the Padrons, they are well made but are a bit one dimensional. I don't mind the 1964's and 1926's but they are so over priced that I would just buy a box of Havanas.

[Jnaube]

Both. Mostly Cuban though.

Same here... I really prefer cubans but when in need, I'll never say no to a NC!

[Tariacuri]

I smoke mostly CC's at home, nothing compares. Some of the Padrons, etc, are nice but for the $ would prefer a CC.

I have a hard time taking cigars into the field though, they just don't travel well and tend to get shocked. So for work I take NC's - mostly El Originals - I think these are great with a year or more on them and they are cheap.

But, in the end, I won't say no to a cigar.

[El Presidente]

I smoked some decent Don Benigno last week from Costa Rica. I am a patsy...if a maker wants to ship me something then I find myself duty bound not to say no. In the end I pay duties which make it prohibitive on small shipments (in this case $194 AUD for 5 cigars...duties, GST, Clearance costs as they were sent TNT...but that is another story).

They were good. Some very good. Medium to medium full. Still I didn't come to work this morning wanting one. I won't remember them in a fortnight.

[brazoseagle]

I smoked some decent Don Benigno last week from Costa Rica. I am a patsy...if a maker wants to ship me something then I find myself duty bound not to say no. In the end I pay duties which make it prohibitive on small shipments (in this case $194 AUD for 5 cigars...duties, GST, Clearance costs as they were sent TNT...but that is another story).

They were good. Some very good. Medium to medium full. Still I didn't come to work this morning wanting one. I won't remember them in a fortnight.

Just to clarify, is a fortnight 14 days?

[rckymtn22]

Just to clarify, is a fortnight 14 days?

yes

[kuzi16]

i smoke both Cuban and non-Cuban

as far as comparing the Cuban brands to their Non Cuban, Cuban name counterpart goes, i have only done a few. HdM, RyJ, Bolivar, and ERDM. All of the Cuban Versions were significantly better.

the one interesting thought that just went through my head is about Davidoff. I doubt that i will ever see a Cuban Davidoff in my life time. I would love to get one and they are on my bucketlist but i am not holding my breath. the reason why i find this an interesting thought is because I find that i enjoy several of the blends of the modern incarnation (non-Cuban) of Davidoff more than i do most Cuban cigars. Given my above history of Cuban vs non-Cuban of the same name i would tend to believe that i would like the Cuban Davidoff more than the non-Cuban.

HOWEVER

there is one problem. General and Altadis have very different standards on every level than Davidoff.

they also have very different back-stories, histories, concepts, and reasons for existence.

I tend to place General and Altadis in a different group than almost all other smaller companies. I look at those two like most look at Budweiser or Miller, where as i look at Davidoff, Fuente, Padron, Don Pepin Garcia, etc more like craft brew. I compare those "craft brew" Cigar companies more to Cuban cigars than the big companies

Davidoff LEFT Cuba to produce outside of the country because of problems dealing with quality and the Government.

General and Altadis just used the name. ... but again i dont have, and probably never will have, a Cuban Davidoff to make that comparison.

...but back to the topic at hand.

I do enjoy cigars from many regions of the world. I feel that there are qualities from each that i enjoy even though they are very different. I mean, you cant get the qualities you get from a Camacho Triple Maduro in any Cuban cigar. Much like you cant find the same flavor of a HdM Le Hoyo Des Dieux in any non-Cuban.

[Diamondog]

Just getting silly in the NC world!

New EPC Inch, starts at a 60 ring and goes up to a 64

I do prefer larger rings 50 - 56 but that is getting completely out of hand...these cigar manufacturers are soon going to have to worry about people needing permits to carry these weapons, worrying about smoking laws will be the least of our concerns soon...

This bad boy comes in at 6 1/8 X 64

[canadianbeaver]

Does it vibrate?

[nonameno]

Hi Fellow FOHers,

I think Canadianbeaver's comment sums it up nicely!

"Does it vibrate?"

Thank you all for sharing,

Curtiss

[semery74]

I wonder what that 64 ring dergible weighs? Probably has more tobacco than a gran corona.

[kevfi]

I enjoy both but have to admit that the depth of my CC stock is pretty shallow. I have only been able to try Partagas D4's (blind and HQ's) and Cohiba's in the CC arena. I want to try more, but with limited availability and the price of a whole box of the others, it is difficult to diversify. I will say that the flavor of the CC is unmistakable and I have enjoyed every one that I have smoked.

On the non Cuban side, I have begun to enjoy Padron #6 and AF Hemmingways and a few other high end sticks.

On the forums, is there any place where others like myself can trade a few sticks in order to avoid the cost of purchasing a large amount of something that you are not sure that you will like? I don't have a large variety to share, but I'm willing to share what I have in order to diversify my CC experience.

[almudawi]

When I started smoking cigars regularly, I used to actively seek NCs due to reading Cigar Aficionado and listening to podcasts targeting the US market. I fell for the extravagant creative PR and marketing hype. Then I saw the light and now smoke 0 NCs

[Bolismoker]

While I certainly have smoked NC cigars. I no longer do so on purpose. I don't buy NC, stock them, or think much about them. On average I smoke 5-6 cigars a week and probably 1-2 NC every few years. I have nothing against them I just prefer the flavor profiles of CC.