At the risk of alienating most on FOH

[Leopolis Semper Fidelis]

You don't, and didn't, alienate me, Magpie.  I can count on the fingers of several hands the number of badly-constructed Havanas I've endured over the years, but I put it down to where they come from, and the conditions there.  It is an act of penance some times (especially when every cigar in a box is plugged); HOWEVER, when I've had the bliss of top-notch CCs, they are unrivalled.  I have smoked many NCs, and in terms of flavour, complexity, satisfaction, etc., even those of excellent quality in their own way don't even come close to the best Havana has to offer.  That is a personal judgment and opinion based on my experience and palate, and I wouldn't dare impose my views on others.  Having said that, I take strong exception to some Americans I know who claim that NCs are better and that I have trashed my taste buds!

[Dimmers]

15 hours ago, Magpie said:

all were stored identically and smoked in the same conditions

sorry dumb question, but what conditions were they stored in? If not a one off issue, storage conditions may not be ideal for your CCs (e.g. too wet for CCs).

Or it could just be that NCs are just better suited to your tastes.

FWIW, construction issues for me also quite rare.

[1LegLance]

I have traveled all over the world with my habanos and one thing I love is that they like to be dryer than NC's and therefore as time wears on they still smoke great even if they dry down to the 50% range.

Also the outside humidity and wind as others have mentioned really hit habanos harder I think.

 

[OZCUBAN]

3 hours ago, MIKA27 said:

@OZCUBAN Steve, how many plugged CC's have you endured 

More than average but don't get me started mate ???

[LLC]

of course, if the rest of the world had the sense to move to screwcaps, no corked wine, brilliant ageing, wine just as the winemaker intended and not influenced by a piece of dead tree.

Totally agree now. At first years ago I was against screw tops for the normal reasons a wine connoisseur thought were the right reason to be against it but as time has gone on and I've had and aged really good wines (many Australian) I am a convert. The majority of my wine from other regions still have corks and normally no problem but ever now and again you get a varying degree of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PapaDisco]

11 hours ago, canadianbeaver said:

If Cuban cigars "do not travel well", do you mean once you have received them, stored or packed them in some way?

I probably shouldn't say that as a comparison to anything, since I don't travel with non-cubans at all.  So that's my bad.  But the cigars that I own, all cubans, have a tough time when I take them to very hot an humid environments.  Besides my SE Asia travels, I had a similar experience to Zeedubya's, where a wonderful box of Sir Winstons tasted like crap when I took them to New York.  That was six months ago, so I expect when I visit my friend there next in June they will be back to their spectacular selves.  Meanwhile other CC's seem to make the trip with no ill effects at all!

The boxes I get from El Presidente are usually great ROTT or certainly within 30 days, so to me it's a bit of a mystery why they travel so poorly with me (I double ziplock and toss in a boveda), but as JohninCleveland said, I'd rather have a CC at it's worst than anything else at its best.

And to our esteemed colleague Ken, twist tops are idiocy.  I've had friends loose an entire production lot on failed twist tops, they are NOT infallible!  But I will concede the point if you post more pics of you with pretty blondes in bikinis on super yachts on the Riviera!   

[Steens]

15 hours ago, PapaDisco said:

My experience has been that my Cubans don't travel well to SE Asia.  In the Bay Area (typically 50%rH and 60F ambient) they are consistent and glorious.  Put one on a plane to Saigon and it can land tasting like something completely different.  And they don't settle down quickly either.  The tight draws are the most obvious expression of 'humidity shock' (yep, coined that one just now . . .  ), strange for a cigar that was constructed at 70%rH and 70-80F.  

I've tried 'dry boxing' in my hotel room with the AC on, or in the fridge, but the sticks quickly plug up again if I carry them outside for a smoke.  Fortunately Saigon has lots of indoor smoking bars and restaurants.

Ultimately, they just need acclimatization.  One of the most dramatic cases I experienced was a box of Upmann PC's from El Pres.  Off the plane in Saigon they were dog rockets. A month later they were 30-day-old dog rockets of indeterminate breeding.  6 months on?  Glorious!  Absolutely divine.  And I've seen similar performances from everything from PSD 4's to Punch DC's.  Makes it tough on those of us who travel (and I don't know how much of this effect is travel shock versus environmental shock) but there it is.

I don't travel with non-CC's, but my limited experience with NC's is that they're made deliberately stiffer (at Club Macanudo I've had Punch and Jay-Z's that were so hard they felt plugged, but drew like wind tunnels), and perhaps this soaking and coating of the leaves makes them more impervious to rapid humidity changes?

Hi I always take mine as carry on and they smoke fine how do yours travel ?

[Fugu]

10 hours ago, Dimmers said:

Or it could just be that NCs are just better suited to your tastes.

 

[cigaraholic]

13 hours ago, shlomo said:

So u cut and suck on a cigar, and if you don't like the resistance, it goes to a friend? Not a germaphobe I assume...lol

In seriousness, your post confuses me as it seems to say 2 different opinions w first and last sentences.

Sorry...I weigh every cigar, the ones that are way below the published weight I give away. Most boxes have around 5 that should have been thrown in the trash can, not put in a box. 

[cigaraholic]

13.9 gr.  I'm smoking this one...

 

[PapaDisco]

6 hours ago, Steens said:

Hi I always take mine as carry on and they smoke fine how do yours travel ?

Also in carryon, zip locked and with a boveda.  And I've had Punch Punch, Punch DC's, Sabrosos, and other sticks that have traveled just fine domestically, so it's not a sure thing that they will all suffer, just a significant percentage and with a randomness that makes it hard to predict.  With the travel to SE Asia it really seems like the local environment is the bigger culprit rather than the 18 hours of travel time, but I'm just guessing.

[mrsgucia]

14 hours ago, cigaraholic said:

Sorry...I weigh every cigar, the ones that are way below the published weight I give away. Most boxes have around 5 that should have been thrown in the trash can, not put in a box. 

so what r the correct weights for different cuban vitolas?

where do we find the "published weight" chart?

[Fugu]

4 hours ago, mrsgucia said:

so what r the correct weights for different cuban vitolas?

where do we find the "published weight" chart?

https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/cigar/officialweights

Caveat (from CCW):

"Weight

While there is a schedule of cigar weights issued by HSA, the weight of a cigar cannot be used to test authenticity.  Individual weights vary enormously due to hand roll variation and (to a lesser extent) their moisture content.

The official cigar weights tend to be on the low side of actual cigar weights."

[RijkdeGooier]

Like @Fugu indicated weight is a poor measure since the variance is rather large due to factors mentioned. 

A method I employ is to look at each cigar as an individual experience, including the construction. 

[hedgeybaby]

In my experience, NC's seem to always smoke very well but lack that certain something. Of course it is probably all in my head, but regardless, I now only buy Cuban. I do however get so annoyed when I get a dud, generally a tight draw as I did this afternoon with my first ever PLPC. 

I've had loads of duds of late but I still prefer my cigars communist.

 

Roy Bland: Well, Fitzgerald knew a thing or two. And I'm definitely functioning. As a good socialist, I'm going where the money is; as a good capitalist, I'm sticking with the revolution, because if you can't beat it, spy on it! Don't look like that, George. It's the name of the game these days. You scratch my conscience nce, I'll drive your Jag

[Leopolis Semper Fidelis]

9 hours ago, hedgeybaby said:

 

I've had loads of duds of late but I still prefer my cigars communist.

 

What a shame our cigars have to be Communist.  Imagine what they would be like if coming from a freer environment and one knowing about, and practising, control de calidad!  Being an optimist (in some respects), I can only hope it will happen and not just dream about it...  

[Ken Gargett]

On 12/05/2017 at 5:53 PM, PapaDisco said:

And to our esteemed colleague Ken, twist tops are idiocy.  I've had friends loose an entire production lot on failed twist tops, they are NOT infallible!  But I will concede the point if you post more pics of you with pretty blondes in bikinis on super yachts on the Riviera!   

i am way overdue to get back there but my mate sold his boat. i will try and comply.

nothing is infallible of course, but when you say lost their entire production, do you mean winemakers? if so, then they either had dodgy gear to install screwcaps etc etc, or there was a stuff-up by those doing it (and presumably, if an outside mob, they should be sued). that is simply not an issue here, nz, other places using screwcaps.

sure, they are not the perfect solution but they are so far ahead of dead tree bark, it is not funny. there can be a problem if someone whacks the top of the bottle with a screwcap, as that can break the seal, but then whacking a bottle at any time is not clever.

but assuming all things equal, and the screwcap is put on the bottle correctly (as happens umpteen squillion times a day here/nz/even a bit in france etc etc, now), it is the superior seal. without question and by every possible method of assessment.  no corked wines, other issues avoided, more consistent ageing - what is not to love?

i know some roll out an utterly absurd argument about romance and the ceremony of opening a bottle and so on. absolute crap, for me. what on earth is romantic about a smelly piece of ex-tree? or a ruined wine? and the romance/ceremony of opening a bottle? seriously, if that gives anyone a thrill (the possible exception of champagne excepted) then they need a long hard look at their lives or perhaps crank up their porn subscriptions.

[zeedubbya]

4 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

then they need a long hard look at their lives or perhaps crank up their porn subscriptions.

This is hilarious!  Instant classic.  

[Colt45]

11 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

i know some roll out an utterly absurd argument about romance and the ceremony of opening a bottle and so on. absolute crap, for me. what on earth is romantic about a smelly piece of ex-tree? or a ruined wine? and the romance/ceremony of opening a bottle?

True dat. I guess the same holds true for those who insist on lighting cigars with cedar spills, not using naphtha, not actually touching the foot with the flame, etc...

There are all kinds of traditions that some hold dear that others could look to find fault with. Some put cigars / wine on a pedestal.

I'd have no problem with someone popping a Grange or DRC on a Tuesday with pizza.

[Ken Gargett]

2 hours ago, Colt45 said:

I'd have no problem with someone popping a Grange or DRC on a Tuesday with pizza.

provided i'm there!

i mentioned elsewhere that a mate opened a magnum of grange 2004 the other night - it was with a bbq!

[Colt45]

1 hour ago, Ken Gargett said:

provided i'm there!

i mentioned elsewhere that a mate opened a magnum of grange 2004 the other night - it was with a bbq!

I'll bring the pizza and Q if you bring the Grange & DRC... 

[Ken Gargett]

18 minutes ago, Colt45 said:

I'll bring the pizza and Q if you bring the Grange & DRC... 

see you this evening?

[Magpie]

Hi one and all,

back home from Fiji now, had a great time. I appreciate all of the comments just goes to show that cigars like many things are a personal appreciation. I'm still very much open minded and happy to discover what the world of cigars has to offer, CC or NC.

Im not going to get into storage et al but all are stored exactly the same.

sometimes it like playing golf, and I'm crap, but you have that few good shots during a round and you keep coming back. I'll never give up on CC but I'm happy to play the field a bit.

in fact on Saturday I had 2 Cubans from my depleting stash. Another Monte Petit 2 and a Behike 52 ( only one left now) , the Monte was very good and the Behike absolutely sublime. Now if they were all like that.

It's my 60th in a few weeks , I've got a Monte 520 lined up for me and Cohiba pyramids extra for my sons in law, should be good. Will take a few NC for back up.

enjoy our mutual appreciated hobby, CC or NC I don't care.

cheers

Tony

 

 

 

 

 

[Colt45]

11 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

see you this evening?

It's a date! 

[Winchester21]

I have had more plugged HUP half coronas than any other CC. Has anyone else had this problem ?