None Cubans

[Ritch]

They say a change is as good as a rest. So what none Cubans do you chaps recommend I try?

[aphexafx]

"Non-Cuban" is an extremely broad spectrum.  You're just going to get a list of everyone's personal favorites.

I love strong, peppery Nicaraguan tobacco.  So I would recommend any Miami made Tatuaje.  They are strong, flavorful, and made to Cuban standards.  ?

http://www.tatuajecigars.com/cazador.html

http://www.tatuajecigars.com/miami-reserva.html

 

What do you like in a cigar?

[bpm32]

1 minute ago, aphexafx said:

That's an extremely broad spectrum.  You're just going to get a list of everyone's personal favorites.

I love strong, peppery Nicaraguan tobacco.  So I would recommend any Miami made Tatuaje.  They are strong, flavorful, and made to Cuban standards.  ?

http://www.tatuajecigars.com/cazador.html

http://www.tatuajecigars.com/miami-reserva.html

 

What do you like in a cigar?

+1 on Tatuaje. Also, NCs are somewhat a distant memory after I discovered CCs, but I recall liking Curivari.

[1fastmach1]

I’m a big fan of the Liga Prigvada line.  The #9 is one of my favorites all time.  Tatuaje is fantastic as well.  Padron Annie’s.  I like to visit the opus x line from time to time.  So many good ones out there.  

[Bri Fi]

depends on your flavor preference and budget. Some I know will be great every time are padron (I prefer the 1964 maduro torpedo), almost all Tatuaje except the monster series, perdomo has some good blends, Arturo Fuente, etc. many on here have recommended warped and illusione, although I haven’t tried them. 

Personally, I cannot stand non Cuban montecristo or red dot Cohibas. They are expensive and not worth the coin. Sometimes it’s better to know what to stay away from just as much as what to go for. That list is almost as long as the quality non Cubans.  

Hope this helps a little. 

[CaptainQuintero]

My go to change of pace NC are

Illusione CG:4 -utter cream and chocolate bombs

Liga privada-super rich almost EL like, dark chocolate, later and smoke-almost fire cured

Neither are pepper heavy, more dark, rich and creamy. I do love some padron but they can be hellishly nicotine heavy if you're not used to NC tobacco (like me!)

 

[Cayman17]

Spicy - Tatuaje Verocu 

unique - Tatuaje black (I like the petit lancero the best)

Not a huge fan of Fuente or Drew Estate

not a huge fan of Illusione either, but I do like the line he blended to smoke with champagne. It’s called Epernay

 

[aphexafx]

1 minute ago, Bri Fi said:

...

Personally, I cannot stand non Cuban montecristo or red dot Cohibas. They are expensive and not worth the coin. Sometimes it’s better to know what to stay away from just as much as what to go for. That list is almost as long as the quality non Cubans. 

...

I wholeheartedly agree and further recommend avoiding everything made by any of the giant cigar conglomerates.  They are why non-Cuban cigars get a bad reputation.  They are filling a gap in the US market and they just plain suck.  Just my opinion.  ?

[1fastmach1]

1 minute ago, Cayman17 said:

Spicy - Tatuaje Verocu 

unique - Tatuaje black (I like the petit lancero the best)

Not a huge fan of Fuente or Drew Estate

not a huge fan of Illusione either, but I do like the line he blended to smoke with champagne. It’s called Epernay

 

 Forgot about the eprnay.  Those are quite good too.  

[aphexafx]

8 minutes ago, CaptainQuintero said:

My go to change of pace NC are

Illusione CG:4 -utter cream and chocolate bombs

...

Gotta give those a go.  Everyone mentions them!  ?

[Outdoorguy84]

Here’s a good list to start with:

My Father, LFD, Arturo Fuente Don Carlos, Padron 

 

[FireMedic]

Tatuaje, Foundation, Dunbarton, I also like the Liga line either the 9 or 52. There is a fair amount boutique makers with high standard and quality 

[JoeyBones777]

Illusione epernay, Illusione Haut 10, Illusione Cruzado, Illusione Singulare Miserere, Illusione CG4!

Warped La Colmena

Padron 50 year natural

Opus X(needs a few years of age tho)

Tatuaje SW Reserva, Tatuaje Monster Michael

My Father #4

Davidoff Winston Churchill Churchill 

[CaptainQuintero]

If you can find some, see if you can get hold of a few Toscano Classicos. They're Italian fire cured Kentucky tobacco, don't need humidifying due to being cured. They're like syrupy date sticks, really great 'out there's experience. Cheap and come in 5ers too.

[Akela3rd]

I don't have much experience of NCs but the Davidoff Escurio range is very good IMHO. Some say the Davidoff Yasama range is close to Cuban but I didn't like the one I had a couple of years ago, stinky.

Sent from my ActionMan walkie-talkie

[FireMedic]

47 minutes ago, Akela3rd said:

I don't have much experience of NCs but the Davidoff Escurio range is very good IMHO. Some say the Davidoff Yasama range is close to Cuban but I didn't like the one I had a couple of years ago, stinky.

Sent from my ActionMan walkie-talkie
 

The Escurio range is pretty damn decent

[BarryVT]

All is subjective and varies based on personal taste. But these are some of my favorite go toos.

Liga #9 - awesome

Hirochi Robaina habano 2000- the name says it all when it comes to quality.

Opus x- with some age

Padron 1964- prefer to the more expensive 1926

Sobremesa- a blend from Steve saka of Dumbarton tobacco & trust, former President of Drew estates 

[WABOOM]

Series V Melanio is one of my very favorite NC's

[Çnote]

Warped 

[Shelby07]

I find myself going to Regis gran toro (when I can find them), Ashton aged maduro and stuff coming from Oscar. 

[Ritch]

I notice no one has suggested Rocky Patel. Are they any good?

[PrairieSmoke]

23 minutes ago, Ritch said:

I notice no one has suggested Rocky Patel. Are they any good?

RP has some OK cigars, but nothing to rave about or seek out.   RP’s reputation among aficionados in the non-Cuban realm isn’t very good. 

[FireMedic]

24 minutes ago, Ritch said:

I notice no one has suggested Rocky Patel. Are they any good?

Rocky Patel is usually contentious, they have a lot of lines, and some are ok some are not. However like with most cigars everything is very subjective 

[DaBoot]

The flavor range varies due to mood and drink pairing.  1) padron 1926= very full body.   2) fuente Casa Cuba= exotic citrus tang, unlike any other stick I’ve ever smoked, delicious medium body.  3) JSK red knight, temperamental sometimes, but smoke the 1st third slow, and the rest is magical.  

[slowsmoke]

Someone mentioned Dunbarton, I heartily second that, the Sobremesa, and the Mi Querida, are excellent. If you like Bolivar, you should try them  

Also, a friend recently turned me on to the Fratello Bianco, and I’m in love. I can honestly say it has raisin that rivals some of the best RASS I’ve had. And they are perfectly consistent, one after another after another. Medium bodied, not a typical Nicaraguan nicotine bomb.