Top 3 CC Marcas outside of the six “Global Brands”

[Jerryvonkramer]

Habanos consider Cohiba, H Upmann, Hoyo, Montecristo, Partagas and R&J their “global brands” but which marcas do you consider the best outside of these taking all things (quality, consistency, price, variety etc) into consideration?

Going on regular production + LCDH releases but not regionals or cheapo brands, in terms of total numbers of cigars currently we have:

Trinidad - 9

SCDLH - 8

Bolivar - 8

Punch - 7

Cuaba - 6

Quai d'Orsay - 5

Ramon Allones - 5

Rafael Gonzales - 4

Fonseca - 4

La Gloria Cubana - 4

Por Larranga - 4

Juan Lopez - 3

El Rey Del Mundo - 3

Vegas Robaina - 2

Diplomaticos - 1

Saint Luis Rey - 1

Sancho Panza - 1

I don’t think it’s purely a case of variety. Juan Lopez arguably has an “all killer no filler” lineup for example and likely would make my three.

Interested to see answers. I haven’t quite decided yet myself!

[Li Bai]

I'd say Ramon Allones, Bolivar, Punch, Por Larranaga and Juan Lopez, any of these marcas' cigars are superior to any RYJ for my taste, except the underrated cazadores 👍

[MrBirdman]

Trinidad is effectively a global brand at this point regardless of what HSA calls it - it releases LEs and isn’t available for regionals. Outside that it’s a relatively meaningless distinction in any case. Bolivar, Punch, RA and QDO are the ones I smoke the most of on that list.

[BrightonCorgi]

For me it's Punch, Cuaba, and Ramon Allones if considering all their current production cigars as a whole.

[Mr. DD]

Bolivar, Punch, Ramon Allones

(I would pick VR and SLR if more vitolas were in production.)

[nKostyan]

16 hours ago, Jerryvonkramer said:

Habanos consider Cohiba, H Upmann, Hoyo, Montecristo, Partagas and R&J their “global brands” but which marcas do you consider the best outside of these taking all things (quality, consistency, price, variety etc) into consideration?

Global does not mean the best. Rather, it is "mass consumer goods" suitable for most smokers and brands that Habanos can roll in large quantities to be available for sale worldwide.

 

[Jerryvonkramer]

6 hours ago, nKostyan said:

Global does not mean the best. Rather, it is "mass consumer goods" suitable for most smokers and brands that Habanos can roll in large quantities to be available for sale worldwide.

Yes I know this but if we simply had a “best marca” thread one suspects these might dominate simply because they get more releases and have a bigger portfolio. Didn’t Upmann win every time this place had a poll?

[nKostyan]

Yes I know this but if we simply had a “best marca” thread one suspects these might dominate simply because they get more releases and have a bigger portfolio. Didn’t Upmann win every time this place had a poll?

I think H.Upmann is suitable for beginners and ages well. Surprisingly, with age, it gains body and does not lose taste like most other brands.
San Cristobal De La Habana is, in my opinion, one of the underrated brands. 3-5 years of aging and it becomes no worse than Cohiba and Trinidad.

[Ford2112]

It's is subjective of course. I like buying cigars other people tend to ignore that I know are good. I won't mention the marques here because I don't want anyone getting any ideas haha.

[jhalischuk]

Punch, Bolivar and Juan Lopez. San Cristobal coming in a close 4th. 

[JohnS]

As @Ford2112 has intimated, the choice is subjective. I could choose three marcas but in reality, it'd just be three vitolas that I personally favour. I honestly don't know how helpful that would be to others.

[Ford2112]

I think every marque has something unique to offer everyone (Guantanamera excluded). I tend to try different things a lot because certain cigars can shine anywhere in any given marque and vitola any give year. That's what's good about this hobby/pastime of ours! It's a journey of discovery.

[Jerryvonkramer]

10 hours ago, JohnS said:

As @Ford2112 has intimated, the choice is subjective. I could choose three marcas but in reality, it'd just be three vitolas that I personally favour. I honestly don't know how helpful that would be to others.

Really what I was looking for was to see if there was any consensus.

If forced to choose, I'd probably pick Bolivar, Juan Lopez and Ramon Allones. Bolivar have a number of different great and classic cigars offering variety also. JL only has great vitolas imo. And RA has both RASS and RASCC plus the no. 3 now which I thought was great also. 

It's been interesting to see Punch get so many nods in this thread. For me Punch is synonymous with "peanut", and I go to one if I'm in the mood for that. 

[vvvendo1969]

Considering the current variety and quality, I would like to say Bolivar and Ramon Allones.

Punch used to be great however now lack of variety, especially because Churchill and Petit Punch were discontinued. 

[joeypots]

Punch

Ramon Allones

Bolivar

Not a big selection of any of these are available in regular production.

[Jerryvonkramer]

Outside of the six "global" brands, Habanos consider five brands -- Bolivar, Punch, Ramone Allones, Quai D'Orsay and Trindidad -- as "Value Brands" and 3 brands -- Jose L. Piedra, Quintero, and Vegueros -- as "Volume brands", who make some handmade sticks with short filler.

That leaves 13 brands as "Other", which seems to be where brands go to slowly die or be forgotten about by Habonos, many of them seem gradually to be pared down to just one cigar. Including limited editions and LCDH but excluding regionals, there are currently 44 cigars available from these 13 brands. 

I'm generally interested if Habanos ever actually do kill a brand. They always seem to keep at least one pre-1960 stick going. But the killing of the Sancho Panza Non-Plus looks to me as if at least someone there has considered just killing that marca. Saint Luis Rey has similarly been almost annhilated. 

[Li Bai]

6 hours ago, Jerryvonkramer said:

But the killing of the Sancho Panza Non-Plus looks to me as if at least someone there has considered just killing that marca.

I've seen Non Plus recently on shelves 🤔

[Partyshrts]

11 hours ago, Li Bai said:

I've seen Non Plus recently on shelves 🤔

Didn't they just show up on 24 24?

[Li Bai]

I think they did 🤔

[SCgarman]

13 hours ago, Li Bai said:

I've seen Non Plus recently on shelves 🤔

Strange deal with those. They were apparently "discontinued". But are still in production and being sold. Doesn't make any sense. When HSA killed off the Upmann PC it was gone for good.