Show us your stick - DPG Cuban Classic

[gfoster]

Ok, it hasn't been a CC weekend, but here's my last DPG 'cuban classic'.

These cigars are some of my favorite of the Pepin line (who is the blender for a huge variety of sticks). Pepin blends a HUGE variety of sticks all across the board but his signature touch is generally noticeable in every single one.

Natural toothy wrapper, well rolled stick. Slightly soft to the touch, slight spiciness to the prelight aroma. DPG is known for spicy sticks and this one shows the typical aroma profile.

I won't break it down into thirds for brevity, just suffice it to say these are excellent NCs. They are billed as "cubanesque" to an unsuspecting public and they taste like something I might imagine to be cuban had I never had a real cuban. They won't fool a real cuban smoker, although that doesn't mean they aren't good.

They are slightly peppery without being aggressively spicy, with an earthy leatheriness. They are full strength which plays into the "cubanesque" image, alas most Cubans are generally NOT full strength like this unlike what the unsuspecting non-cuban smoking public thinks. They don't exhibit the CC complexity and like most NCs show basically one note through the whole stick. Luckily it's a very enjoyable note, as with most Pepin sticks.

About midway through the strength dies off a little bit and the stick becomes quite creamy, and it exhibits the very typical Nicaraguan tobacco profile and taste. You could tell this was a Nic cigar with a blindfold on, I'm sure. Personally, I think Nicaraguan tobaccos are some of the best outside of Cuba and if you want a good example of Nicaraguan cigars the Pepin line should be the first place you go. They CAN exhibit some pretty good complexity, alas the Cuban Classic isn't one of them.

All in all, I really like these sticks. They are no cohiba or SLR, and they are about as cuban as me doing my Ricky Ricardo imitation, but they are a good solid flavorful cigars that stand firmly on their own merits. They are marketed more towards the "image" of what a cuban is believed to be, which is unfortunate because having real cubans in my humidor I can say that "you sir, are no Cuban". It'd be a lot nicer if this stick were just allowed to shine on its own merits which are solid.

-- Gary F.

[BlackFriar]

They are no cohiba or SLR, and they are about as cuban as me doing my Ricky Ricardo imitation, but they are a good solid flavorful cigars that stand firmly on their own merits.

-- Gary F.

Lucy!!!!!!!!!!! You have some explaining to do!!!

[Danashan]

Nice review. I like this cigar as well, even though I think petit corona has better flavor definition. BTW, according to some sources on the web, "Cuban Classic" refers to the classic cuban vitolas the line exhibits, not the flavor profile, even though I'm sure this distinction is kept non-public on purpose as a marketing trick.

[Colt45]

It'd be a lot nicer if this stick were just allowed to shine on its own merits which are solid.

How true Everton, how true.......

[laficion]

Thanks for the fine review and photos Gary, really enjoyed it.

On top of the thread it's marked, " Show your stick", and that's what you did, Great !!

If it's Cuban or NC, for me, it's not important, If it's a cigar that you enjoyed, then

that's the only thing that matters.

Ciao.