EAR: Fullest bodied NC cigar that you find balanced and complex?

[El Presidente]

EAR: Fullest bodied NC cigar that you find balanced and complex? 

 

EAR - Email assistance required

 

"....I have a love of fuller bodied cigars Rob like the Magnum 46 and Partagas 898. Your Nudie Carlota also hits the mark well and are now an every other day cigar. I can't find the 898 let afford them in this new world. I can barely afford a box of Mag 46 but I will buy two a year. It has forced me to explore NC cigars but I am getting burned too often by over the top strong and no balance cigars or cigars that are too light. I am searching for that goldilocks cigar that is fuller in body but still complex and balanced. No, I can't afford Padron 1926 of top end Fuente. Ideally 46-50 ring gauge as that is my Cuban preference but I will go to 55 gauge if I need to. Help" 

 

 Would love your input good folks. 

* Let's keep it under $13 USD retail

 

 

[NSXCIGAR]

I'm sure most will pick BBF here. I would say Famosos. I've had a few Party Aliados and they do qualify but they aren't exactly a good value.

...of course only if I read the thread incorrectly...

[jazzboypro]

2 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

I'm sure most will pick BBF here. I would say Famosos. I've had a few Party Aliados and they do qualify but they aren't exactly a good value.

I think the OP is about NC's. Balanced and complex is not something I have found so far in the NC world. I'll be watching this !!

[Ford2112]

Fuente Hemingway Signature. These can be had for 12 bucks a piece. Complex? Not sure I'd call them that, but they are good smokes. Same with Oliva Serie V Melanios, if you can find them on sale. Good bang for your buck. 

[Juliano88]

46 minutes ago, jazzboypro said:

I think the OP is about NC's. Balanced and complex is not something i have found so far in the NC world. I'll be watching this !!

There are many and I mean many complex and balanced new world cigars. It’s all about smoking the right brands and having access to those brands, depending on your location. 

[jazzboypro]

14 minutes ago, Juliano88 said:

There are many and I mean many complex and balanced new world cigars. It’s all about smoking the right brands and having access to those brands, depending on your location. 

Such as ?

[Juliano88]

6 minutes ago, jazzboypro said:

Such as ?

Illusione, Tatuaje, casdagli, Eiroa/Aladino, Padron, fuente, Davidoff, Roma Craft, Foundation, Paul Garmirian, Smoking Jacket.  I’d be happy to give specific blend recommendations.  

[El Presidente]

33 minutes ago, Juliano88 said:

There are many and I mean many complex and balanced new world cigars. It’s all about smoking the right brands and having access to those brands, depending on your location. 

Keep in mind he is looking for fuller bodied. That is the challenge he is finding. 

 

[Juliano88]

1 hour ago, El Presidente said:

Keep in mind he is looking for fuller bodied. That is the challenge he is finding. 

Gotcha. My fault there. I agree, a lot of fuller bodied Nc’s can be pretty gritty and dark. I’ll list some of the fuller bodied cigars I tend to enjoy and that can deliver some depth without the nicotine kick. 
 

Foundation Tabernacle 

Plasencia Alma Fuerte (black band) 

Dunbarton Mi Quirida (red and black band)

Padron 1926 

Plasencia Cosecha 149

Aladino Corojo Reserva 

Eiroa Dark 

Tatuaje Cojonu line 

[NSXCIGAR]

3 hours ago, jazzboypro said:

I think the OP is about NC's. Balanced and complex is not something i have found so far in the NC world. I'll be watching this !!

Oops. 

Yes, that would certainly be the holy grail for NCs. 

[BlueRidgeFly]

You might want to try an Illusione cg:4. I bought a few and smoked them about a year later (this past spring), and I think they fit the bill of full bodied, complex, and balanced. The MK is another vitola from that line that is similar, again with about a year of humidor time. Both can be a little strong young.

[jazzboypro]

1 hour ago, Juliano88 said:

Illusione, Tatuaje, casdagli, Eiroa/Aladino, Padron, fuente, Davidoff, Roma Craft, Foundation, Paul Garmirian, Smoking Jacket.  I’d be happy to give specific blend recommendations.  

For some reason, Padron and AF just doesn't do it for me. I did like the Illusione and the Tatuaje I tried. Only had 2 Davidoff (Yamasa robusto and Signature #2)

[Tunkat92]

LFD Colorado Oscuro #3, one of few full bodied NC’s I enjoy.

[GVan]

Tatuaje Black Label - The Petite Lancero and Corona Gorda are my favorites.  Just like CC's you need to give these a few years of age. My Petite Lanceros are lights out right now and I smoke one about every other month just because I only have 11 left. These have been aging in the main humidor since 12/2017. They did not enter my regular rotation until the end of 2021. For the first three years I ignored them - then it was one every 6 months until they were smooth and balanced - meaning ready to smoke. Full bodied NC's need 3 to 4 years for the blend to lose the big pepper hit and allow other flavors to come forward building interest and complexity.  

[Juliano88]

51 minutes ago, jazzboypro said:

For some reason, Padron and AF just doesn't do it for me. I did like the Illusione and the Tatuaje I tried. Only had 2 Davidoff (Yamasa robusto and Signature #2)

I can see that. I don’t like the whole Fuente and Padron portfolio but I do like just a few blends. But Tatuaje and Illusione, I can swim in their catalog and rarely be disappointed. I think you’ll enjoy exploring those two brands. 

[jazzboypro]

3 minutes ago, Juliano88 said:

I can see that. I don’t like the whole fuente and padron portfolio but I do like just a few blends. But Tatuaje and illusione I can swim in their catalog and rarely be disappointed. I think you’ll enjoy exploring those two brands. 

Will surely revisit those two. 

[loose_axle]

The LFD range, Padron thousand, Liga Privada and Foundation Tabernacle series would be all in that range and not too exxy in the states. 

[JohnS]

Fuller bodied Non-Cuban cigars that are complex? We may struggle to get a definitive answer here because the question itself is not the right one we should be asking. Let me explain further.

If we desire Non-Cuban options that approach somewhere in the vicinity of Habanos cigars in terms of complexity we need to consider that Habanos cigars are particular in themselves. The very best Habanos cigars come from the western region of Cuba, specifically Pinar del Rio. Furthermore, the very best of the best Habanos cigars come from the Vuelta Abajo area. Ironically, the land here is a little more sandy and doesn't hold as much moisture, however, the Hoyo de Monterrey region is a valley whereby the run off of water is just perfect to produce better quality leaf. This has been well known for some time in the Cuban cigar manufacturing industry. It's no mistake that Zino Davidoff utilised this leaf in the 1940s in introducing a French-named and inspired luxury brand to differentiate his Habanos cigars from his competitors. Yes, I am talking about the Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo line. Can you imagine finding a Non-Cuban cigar line that compares with that?

@GVan did raise a pertinent point. If you want some semblance of complexity in your Non-Cuban cigar and still retain a full-bodied profile, be prepared to wait some time. This is because Non-Cuban cigars lack the subtlety that distinguishes flavours across the spectrum, in general, and certainly more so when the Non-Cuban cigars are fuller-bodied. It's for this reason that the Padron 1964 Anniversary and 1926 lines have cigars leaf aged 5 years, and the Family Reserve line has leaf aged 10 years. Yes, in these cigars you will find flavour and subtlety but they come at a premium price point due to their manufacturing process, which you'd have to say is 'niche' for Non-Cuban cigar making standards.

So, what are we saying here? Quite simply, if you want Non-Cuban options that resemble the Partagas 8-9-8 (or even the H.Upmann Magnum 46) in terms of its body and complexity, you may need to settle for something less, or alternatively, redefine the original question.

[Bill Hayes]

Although not full body IMHO, the Oliva serie V Melanio Churchill Natural is reasonably strong and complex. It's more Diplomaticos meets Upmann IMHO but minus the distinctive Cuban twang. If I'm looking for aromatic barnyard cow pat dank stank, I go for good old Rocky Patel Edge in a big format like the Battalion 6X60 Maduro with a bullet or cat eye cut and just sip at them with a dark spirit or a stout or coffee over a long period - reasonably affordable but probably not as bold as an 898 or even a BBF. Can always chuck it with 2 inches to go or cut in half like Rob does. Ha ha!

[MrBirdman]

Either Illusione Haut 10 (toro or Churchill). Both are rich, definitely medium-full+, with good complexity to boot. Slightly cheaper than Padron too, last I checked. 

[Ford2112]

46 minutes ago, Bill Hayes said:

 If I'm looking for aromatic barnyard cow pat dank stank

🤣

[Cigarsmoker81]

I’ve been on a similar journey where when I first started exploring NC's I didn’t enjoy them because it’s not what I was getting from Cubans. But after smoking countless singles I grew to enjoy and appreciate what they have to offer. I do agree with @JohnS in that Cuban flavors are unique but doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy NC's for what they are. What I'm trying to say is try not to think about it  as a replacement of Cubans but explore within your price range to find something that you like. 

[Mr. DD]

Plasencia Consecha 151 La Musica

[nKostyan]

 
"....I have a love of fuller bodied cigars Rob like the Magnum 46 

HU Magnum 46 - is light to medium cigar… therefore, it is not very clear what he means.

In my perception examples of Cuban cigars examples:
- full bodied is Partagas Maduro.
- complex is Partagas Serie E2.

If we understand body and complexity as generally accepted definitions in the cigar world, then I would recommend as complex NC up to $ 13 per stick: Oliva Melanio Robusto
As a full bodied up to $ 13 per stick: LFD La Nox

[Juliano88]

7 hours ago, Cigarsmoker81 said:

I’ve been on a similar journey where when I first started exploring NC's I didn’t enjoy them because it’s not what I was getting from Cubans. But after smoking countless singles I grew to enjoy and appreciate what they have to offer. I do agree with @JohnS in that Cuban flavors are unique but doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy NC's for what they are. What I'm trying to say is try not to think about it  as a replacement of Cubans but explore within your price range to find something that you like. 

This is spot on. No cigar will taste like a cuban. Looking for those flavors in a new world blend will cause you to become frustrated. I enjoy Cubans but I also enjoy New worlds and smoke a lot more of them due to the variety. The twang is nice, but the flavors I get from a Padron, or an Illusione is just as enjoyable to me regardless of how different it is from the Cuban flavors.