Top 5 NC's you would have in your rotation.

[El Presidente]

The J.C. Newman thread got me thinking.

We are "Friends of Habanos" but I do enjoy NC's from time to time and have had some crackers over the past 20 years.

The top 5 NC Cigars you have had?

Mine go back to the early/mid 90'...no doubt many blend changes ago.

1. Tony Borhani Trinidad 1996 (ish).

Still one of the most complex NC's I have tasted. I am not sure if my tastes changed or the blend post. Still, I remember the flavour of these....like an Australian Jaffa ..choc outside/ orange citrus within.

2. Padron Anniversario 1964 Maduro Principe.

Pure chocolate porn. The rest of the line is excellent but can bore me. The Principe just delivers/ed like a a couple of cubes of chocolate late at night.

3. Cuesta Rey Maduro No 7

This Robusto/petite Robusto never failed to deliver. Not overly complex but by God it always delivered sweet cocoa goodness.

4. La Gloria Cubana Wavell Maduro

I am talking about the originals here. Glorious cigars for the first couple of years. Later examples were a pale imitation.

5. Puros Indios.

The original Rolando Reyes cigars were a dream. Went to crap (in my opinion when they went to mass market).

3 of the above cigars were brilliant when independently controlled/or/ when boutique. They went to seed not long after. Shame.

let us know your top 5 if you have them.

[Skyfall]

If I was absolutely forced to add NC's into my rotation it would have to be any of the Paul Garmirian sticks, nothing else.

[ogus]

The top 5 NC Cigars you have had?

Mine go back to the early/mid 90'...no doubt many blend changes ago.

This statement is entirely true. Entirely different breed.

Partagas No 10 1993

Partagas Lusitania 1993

Opus X 1995

Double Chateau Fuente and Fuente Hemingway Signature, Fuente Hemingway Short Story all from 1993-94

Most recent decent would be Alec Bradley Black Market and some Padron and Aroma Di Cuba

[El Presidente]

Most recent decent would be Alec Bradley Black Market and some Padron and Aroma Di Cuba

Actually hat's off to Alec Bradley. He produced a Principe cigar ( I can't recall) that was pure butter and cream. I still remember it. Given it is 20.000 cigars later, no small feat. Great box.

[El Presidente]

Double Chateau Fuente and Fuente Hemingway Signature, Fuente Hemingway Short Story all from 1993-94

You jogged my memory. The Fuente Short Story from the mid 90's was a cracker.

[ogus]

You know what they say about great minds and the 90's. Hey just what do they say about great minds? Memory fails me.

[Maplepie]

-A Fuente Hemmingway Classic

-A Fuente Hemmingway Short Story Maduro

-Davidoff 2000 (perhaps culebras)

-La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel

-La Aurora Preferido Sapphire, Ruby, or Platinum

Runner ups: Oliva Melanio, Château Fuente, Opus X lost city, Paul Stulac Blinding Light

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[westg]

Opus x perfecxion No 2 ............still one of the best cigars I have had.

Oliva serie v double robusto

Ashton VSG Torpedo

Padron Family Reserve no 46

La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor belicoso

Hardly ever smoke non Cubans or purchase them at all of late .

[westg]

Actually thanks Maplepie the Davidoff 2000 I had were great as well ...gee been a while good thread , lets go digging shall we.

[Maplepie]

Actually thanks Maplepie the Davidoff 2000 I had were great as well ...

cheers mate.

They age splendidly. Last one I smoked, I got down to 2cm. very good.

Tubes are also gorgeous!

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[Lant63]

I always keep a couple padron Maduro on hand. Great chocolate cocoa flavors unlike bolivar or a monte 2 that a Cuban has yet to replicate. If you know of something please let me know.

Fuente opus x a lot of these remind me of super raw powerful partagas I enjoy the pepper from these sticks every once in a while.

Illusione holy lance. I like illusione in general but I always have couple of these lanceros on deck.

Nc lanceros. There are a lot of options out there. Don peppin blue, opus x, among others. I love the size and only wish there were more in the habanos line up a well. With that said I wish padron would add a lancero to their lineup too.

Sent by telepathic superpowers.

-Stogieboy

[Maplepie]

Great chocolate cocoa flavors unlike bolivar or a monte 2 that a Cuban has yet to replicate. If you know of something please let me know.

heard some people mention RG Perlas.

I found the RG Petit Piramides to be like that. very, VERY chocolaty. old Upmann Belvederes. A recent Bolivar Libertadores. Bolivar LE09. RyJ Duke.

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[Bostin]

1.Padron 1964 maduro principe allways in my humidor

2. Flor de Las Antillas

3. Perdomo double Maduro

4. My Father No 1

5. Flor de selva robusto

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[in0gravity]

When I smoke a non-cuban (and this is pretty rare) it is the L'Atelier de la Racine.

regards

Lars

[surly]

I probably smoke 75% cubans and 25% non-cubans. One good thing about Canada is that despite the taxes, you have easy access to both. Non cubans I like are the Oliva Serie V and the Flor de Gonzales 90 Miles. Also recently found a super cheap brand called Consuegra, that I swear are one of the best bangs for your buck I have found. Nevertheless, when I want to sit down and really enjoy a cigar, it has to be Cuban.

[Wil]

Big fan of the Padron principe maduro too, but it's just too expensive when you look at the competition (just about any cuban PC or minuto)

The tatuaje petit cazadores Reserva is a fav NC of mine.

Don't smoke much else.

[ogus]

I probably smoke 75% cubans and 25% non-cubans. One good thing about Canada is that despite the taxes, you have easy access to both. Non cubans I like are the Oliva Serie V and the Flor de Gonzales 90 Miles. Also recently found a super cheap brand called Consuegra, that I swear are one of the best bangs for your buck I have found. Nevertheless, when I want to sit down and really enjoy a cigar, it has to be Cuban.

Consuegra is the best cheapie right now

[LordAnubis]

Fuente Short Stories and God Of Fire Churchills are my favourites. Only non cubans i have really liked so far and have a box of. Others have been ok, some just plain terrible for my tastes. The thing that scares me off the most about NC is the sheer quantity of them out there. I always look at online shops see the millions of different brands and sizes and wrapper shades and then just buy a box of the 20 different types of cubans you can get (yes thats an exaggeration i know).

Also NC tend to be bigg sized cigars, not too many NC brands have PC sized cigars, all mainly Toros.

[LordAnubis]

Hardly ever smoke non Cubans or purchase them at all of late .

Really? You feeling ok mate?

[westg]

Really? You feeling ok mate?

Oh haha I will be seeing you soon ... be careful or I will bring a couple for you and make you smoke them

[LordAnubis]

Sure will be mate, and sure bring down a NC recommendation and i'll give it a shot. That reminds me, i'll post up on the Aussie section.

[partriar]

I have only recently moved into the wonderful world of buying CC's so my list is a little longer...

Paul G for sure! Amazing stuff!

NHC reserva lonsdale

Tat PCR

Padron natural and maduro in 2000 or londres size (excellent budget smoke)

EPC Cardinal Natural. Again excellent budget smoke.

Tat TAA '11 and '12

Any opus x with more than 7 years. My god!

El Triunfador in the original brown label.

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[Hafner32]

I have transitioned to mostly Cubans over the last year or two but I still enjoy a few NC cigars. Some of the ones I still enjoy are:

Fuente Hemingway WOAM and Short Story Maduro

Fuente Anejo 46

Regius LE Robusto

Illusione Rothschilds, Singulare Phantom 2010, Singulare Rose Croix 2013, Illusione Rex

Quesada Espana, 40th Anniversary Corona Clasica

Personally, I think Illusione and its owner Dion Giolito are putting out the best NC cigars. His last few releases have all been excellent. I also like that he puts a date on the bottom of his boxes so you know when they have been rolled and unlike many of the NC brands, his cigars seem to age very well and improve with a year or two of age on them.

[Cisco]

Most of my stash is CC but I do enjoy trying new flavours that NCs offer. I've recently come to the realization that I really enjoy most Nicaraguan tobacco, especially all Nic boutique sticks and dislike a lot of Dominican Republic tobacco, with the latter having a metalic taste I can pick up frequently.

Here's my list:

Regius Black Label Petit Lancero

Tatuaje Original El Triunfador Lancero and Tatuaje Black Label Petit Lancero

Cabaiguan Guapos RX Maduro (with age)

Illusione Rothschilds and Eperney La Ferme

San Lotano Maduro Lancero

[Magpie]

Whilst I'm not really into NC I have had and continue to sample them, sometimes by default ie when in Vegas. Most are enjoyable , some are outstanding and some are pretty bad.

Favourite NC brand is Padron, they are pricey just like Fuente, but you do get value for money.

Padron 1964 and 1926 anniversary series are top notch, but also the 6000 torpedo Maduro is excellent.

Fuente Chateau and double Chateau are not bad.

Camacho triple Maduro also gets a notable mention.

I just bought a sampler of L'Atelier LAT52, 54 & 56, based on the Cohiba Behike size range, don't bother with them.