To Cuban or Not to Cuban... why even ask?

Lasabar

Capt

Nate, first let me say if you are a legal US citizen, it is illegal to buy a Cuban cigar ANYWHERE! Because you are buying a Cuban product, you are not allowed to buy them, even out of the country. Second, the longer you have enjoyed the cigars, the more your palate will develop. Will a guy with a few cigars under his belt fully understand and enjoy a Cuban cigar? Nope. Not even close. Like most people want to believe, it is not the forbidden fruit arura, Cubans were even popular before the embargo against Cuba. But the fact is, Cuban cigars have a totally different flavor profile. Why do you think all the manufacturers use phrases like, The taste of old Cuba, or rolled in Cuban tradition, or made from Cuban seed tobacco? It's because they are trying to capture the FLAVOR OF CUBA. Now don't get me wrong, I do NC cigars just as much, but not more. Lastly, Canada is the last place (besides Mexico) you would want to purchase one. Canada keystones the price due to shipping and taxes. Expect to pay a good 50% more in Canada.

kuzi16

kuzi16

Capt:

Nate, first let me say if you are a legal US citizen, it is illegal to buy a Cuban cigar ANYWHERE! Because you are buying a Cuban product, you are not allowed to buy them, even out of the country. Second, the longer you have enjoyed the cigars, the more your palate will develop. Will a guy with a few cigars under his belt fully understand and enjoy a Cuban cigar? Nope. Not even close. Like most people want to believe, it is not the forbidden fruit arura, Cubans were even popular before the embargo against Cuba. But the fact is, Cuban cigars have a totally different flavor profile. Why do you think all the manufacturers use phrases like, The taste of old Cuba, or rolled in Cuban tradition, or made from Cuban seed tobacco? It's because they are trying to capture the FLAVOR OF CUBA. Now don't get me wrong, I do NC cigars just as much, but not more. Lastly, Canada is the last place (besides Mexico) you would want to purchase one. Canada keystones the price due to shipping and taxes. Expect to pay a good 50% more in Canada.

geeez capt, you type quick. you got that in before i could respond. that is a good point, though. A well developed palate will make the cuban experiance WAY better. I guess i am less impressed with cuban cigars than the everage person is. I like em, dont get me wrong, i jus think my tastes are different than most.

urbino

Capt:

Why do you think all the manufacturers use phrases like, The taste of old Cuba, or rolled in Cuban tradition, or made from Cuban seed tobacco?

Because it sells cigars.

Capt

urbino:

Capt:

Why do you think all the manufacturers use phrases like, The taste of old Cuba, or rolled in Cuban tradition, or made from Cuban seed tobacco?

Because it sells cigars.

To a point yes....lol

Lasabar

urbino

I can honestly say the ones I've had -- gifts from friends abroad, of course -- were nothing special.

kaspera79

urbino:

I can honestly say the ones I've had -- gifts from friends abroad, of course -- were nothing special.

I have had a few Cuban cigars, and for some reason, first of all, the size was alway Churchills. Not my favorite size but they were given to me and they were Cuban so size didn't really matter I don't know how this guy got all these but I did enjoy most of them. .. Cohiba, Partagas, Bolivar, and my favorite Romeo Y Juliet. I had a Punch which I didn't care for and a La Gloria which was a huge disappointment. But it has been a while since I have had another since that friend moved away.

sdip

There are a couple that I have had that were exceptional in regards to my own preferences; the HDM Petit Robusto and the Monte Christo (2 or 3). The flavor is unique, but there are even more NC's that I have found to be just as good.

Rob1110

I've only had one cuban (Cohiba - which is a very highly regarded cuban manufacturer) and I honestly couldn't see the appeal. It was just another cigar for me. Nothing special about it (though I wouldn't say it was bad). What it comes down to is preference. It's going to be the blend of tobacco leaves that best suits your taste, regardless of it's origin. I'm not an expert by a long shot, but I do believe most people see the Cuban cigar as the "forbidden fruit" as everyone here has already stated. It's that mystique surrounding the whole Cuban cigar as being illegal that makes it all the more tempting for many. You must also consider the fact that after the embargo, some cigar manufacturers fled Castro's communist regime, leaving Cuba behind for the DR, Nicaragua, etc. My best example of an excellent non-Cuban to try is the Padron Aniversario series (1964 and 1926 both). They're amongst the higest rated and regarded cigars on the market, and for good reason. If you haven't had one yet, drop the money on one of those babies and you won't regret it.

kuzi16

dutyje

Interesting idea regarding the aging, kuzi... I tend to find myself disappointed by the Cuban-originated brands (R&Y, Montecristo... most recently the Bolivar)... I wonder if their blends are similar enough to their original Cuban heritage to require the same amount of aging. I'm not one to age my cigars, but I've been thinking about getting a humi for this purpose. If I do that, I'll grab some well-reviewed brands that didn't appeal to me and give them some serious rest.

madurofan

kuzi16

they may all be simaler to some degree but how would you explain the popularity between high end brands. they cant all be that much the same.

madurofan

I don't mean identical, not by any stretch they just have consistent flavor profiles. You're never going to hit a flavor in a cuban that makes you go "WOAH wtf is that?". Just my humble fairly limited opinion.

DiasFlak

too much hype its like the apple tree... dont eat the forbidden fruit!and then everyone has to know what it taste like!

kuzi16

iduno... i have mixed feelings about cuban cigars. one day im like " they are nothing special" and the next im like "they are the standard that all other cigars are measured by for a reason"

madurofan

j0z3r

madurofan

Mmmmmm I smoked an ISOM HDM Limitada Edicion 2004 the other day on the beach. Wow very,very classical cigar burned impeccably and I was on the beach and still burned amazingly. I have acouple more of those, I love HDM ISOM and domestic.

kuzi16

madurofan

Good points, I travel outside of the country fairly regularly so I have the luxury of smoking ISOMs fairly easily. I will say the Punch ISOMs SUCK!! I've had a few and they just flat suck IMO. It is easy to get taken into the hype but just like domestics I know which I like.

Capt

madurofan:

Good points, I travel outside of the country fairly regularly so I have the luxury of smoking ISOMs fairly easily. I will say the Punch ISOMs SUCK!! I've had a few and they just flat suck IMO. It is easy to get taken into the hype but just like domestics I know which I like.

The Punch Punch has consistently remained on top of classic CUBAN cigars!

kaspera79

Capt:

madurofan:

Good points, I travel outside of the country fairly regularly so I have the luxury of smoking ISOMs fairly easily. I will say the Punch ISOMs SUCK!! I've had a few and they just flat suck IMO. It is easy to get taken into the hype but just like domestics I know which I like.

The Punch Punch has consistently remained on top of classic CUBAN cigars!

It appears that opinions vary on this one, as with any cigar I would imagine.

madurofan

Capt:

madurofan:

Good points, I travel outside of the country fairly regularly so I have the luxury of smoking ISOMs fairly easily. I will say the Punch ISOMs SUCK!! I've had a few and they just flat suck IMO. It is easy to get taken into the hype but just like domestics I know which I like.

The Punch Punch has consistently remained on top of classic CUBAN cigars!

I know Capt, and of course I smoked the punch punch but I've had 4 of them, I bought 5 and still have one left. Two were completely unsmokeable and one got very harsh on me very quickly. The one "good" one left me with little memory of it other than saying I wish I hadn't spent all this money on these.

pilot711

I travel outside the country a lot also and have had the chance to sample quite a few. While I have had some very good ones I do feel they are way over hyped. I think people always want something they can't have. The taboo factor seems to make it better. All that said though I enjoy some of the excellent Nicaraguan, Honduran, Dominican and other cigars just as much for a lot less money. Just my 2 cents.