Comments on: Cigar Mythconception: The Cuban Cigar

By: blablabla

blablabla — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:54:55 +0000

rick I like you review very much but
WY we like single mail scotch or a real cognac or champagne … ?
for the same reason they like cc or puros,,, is what we call the terroir or and this applier any where were they keeping rolling and cultivating there own tabaco the best examples are the Padron’s or la Flor Dominicana/
you can tray to imitated .. is not the real deal.. sorry gringo..

By: soicuw

soicuw — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 08:01:23 +0000

this is some good info,

people should remember that cuban does not = amazing thing necessary

By: Arnie

Arnie — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:15:03 +0000

I’ve been smoking for about 20 years and I’ve smoked a ton of cigars from all over the world including Cubans. Since smoking cigars is such a subjective thing, tastes being so personal, I can only speak for myself. The Cubans have a more subtle and complex flavor profile. That’s the difference as I see it. The depth of flavor in a Cuban is just so much, well, ….deeper! Little hints of orange peel, mint, nutmeg and on and on. The quality of the non-cubans is just as good or better, and the taste is good but the NC’s simply don’t have those subtle nuances the same way that the Cubans do. For my birthday this year I smoked a VR Famoso and it was heaven. There is a reason that all over the world Cubans are the gold standard for cigars and that reason, to me anyway, is the flavor. Just my opinion, of course.

By: Jerry

Jerry — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:17:48 +0000

I agree with everything everyone has said. Using such a general statement like “Cuban cigars are just hype” isn’t really a fair statement. Each cigar needs to be judged individually and not lumped together.

There are some Cubans like the RASS or Vegas Robaina that I think will blow your socks off and then there those that don’t. Just like the same can be said about non-Cubans. I tend to stay away from the Cohiba, RyJ and Montecristo Habanos since they are the most counterfeited.

I like the point Larry brings up as its something I’ve often thought about. Why aren’t the non-Cubans, even the stuff by General Cigar or Fuente not widely available outside of the US?

By: Rich M

Rich M — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:20:35 +0000

nope…its hype

By: Larry

Larry — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 03:31:56 +0000

Yes the phrase “comparably priced NC” would be more accurate.

Also, no one on the “hype” side of the argument has made an effective argument why in a free market non-cuban smokes have failed to pentrate markets world-wide. At a time where wines from Australia, Chile, California, and France all enjoy considerable success worldwide the “olde world traditional tastes” argument holds less and less water. In short, most of the non-embargo world smokes cuban cigars because they believe cuban cigars are superior to non-cuban cigars.

Now lets get technical:
Furthermore, “hype” is usually related to a manufacturer trying to create positive “buzz” about their product. By its very definition “hype” is artificial “buzz.” I do not believe anyone from Habanos SA is advertizing in the US, or even large US based publications like CA. So who or what is creating cuban cigar “hype?” Well if this “hype” is not a part of a marketing ploy, then it is coming from consumers and therefore cuban cigar “hype” is in reality cuban cigar “buzz.”

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:31:25 +0000

I have only been smoking cigars for three years. I’ve heard all the hype about cuban cigars and I assumed that cuban cigars were the pinnacle of the art and I coveted them badly.
I have an experienced cigar smoking buddy who is well-heeled and well traveled and tends to love the finer things in life. Whenever I stumble across a cigar that I love I would share my treasure with him in hopes of turning him onto something he may really enjoy also. Last year he surprise me with my first ever cubans, a couple of big, beautiful Cohiba’s. He gave me two because my wife Sharon has also become a real lover of the leaf and he wanted her to experience what he considered to be the best of the best. Even though I know they were well stored I left them in my humidor for many months. They were so beautiful it was almost a shame to burn ‘em down, plus I derived some kind of crazy pride in owning them.
Last summer we cruised far upstream on the Connecticut river in our boat, killed the motor, cranked up Dogwatch Cigar Radio and shared one of those magnificent sticks while drifting downstream. It was perfect. Burn and construction – perfect. The flavors were wonderful, the aroma, sublime. It was smooth and mellow and we both loved it. Now we knew what all the buzz was about.
One of the great things about smoking with my wife is we are able to smoke two different cigars, side by side, and pass them back and forth to really give them a good comparison. We’ve made many interesting discoveries by smoking that way. After another month or two passed she really wanted to stoke that other stick. I had acquired a Padilla Miami in the Salamone vitola from the dogwatch cigar club and it was calling my name. So, another lazy Sunday we cruised far upstream for another leisurely float and a couple of super fine cigars and some ice cold Spaten Octoberfest beers. Sharon had her cuban Cohiba and I had my Padilla Miami. The Padilla was probably the best cigar I had ever smoked. After about fifteen minutes we swapped for awhile. When I got my Padilla back I didn’t want to share anymore. Of course I did give her a couple more hits off of my Padilla but she had to beg or threaten to get it away from me. The Cohiba was nice but the Padilla was better in every way.
So, I know my experience with cuban cigars is very limited but now I know the rest of the story. Cubans have a well deserved reputation but they are not the best cigars in the world. If I am condemned to smoking cigars from Nicaragua, Honduras, the Dominican Republic and other places that are not Cuba, so be it.