CC consistency

[adic88]

I think it's true that cuban cigars have problems with consistency. In a box of 25, i've already discounted at 3-5 sticks will be duds. In a box of 10, 2 will be duds. This was the case when i started smoking cigars in 2002, and is still the case today.

Tight draw? Underfilled? Loose draw? Wrong blend leading to weird flavour?

Its frustrating, but seemingly unavoidable.

For those with more insight than me, why does this happen?

[Colt45]

Rob has touched on this here. Poor training, low wages, rollers paying off QC people.....

[investandprosper]

Two words: It's Cuba

[ryans]

Two words: It's Cuba

'nuff said.

[adic88]

despite it all, we still end up paying good money for them.

is it just me, but i'll sit through 2-3 bad sticks as long as i know i'll eventually get to a great one.

[coneatty]

despite it all, we still end up paying good money for them.

is it just me, but i'll sit through 2-3 bad sticks as long as i know i'll eventually get to a great one.

To be honest, what are the alternatives? None

[Colt45]

despite it all, we still end up paying good money for them.

To be honest, what are the alternatives? None

It's why I hope that competition opens up with Cuban cigars. Either completely new start-ups, HSA leasing the rights to some brands but turning over

production to private entrepreneur(s) and taking their cut, or at least making factories more autonomous. Ex: this factory is run by X and produces

Bolivar cigars - run more like a private company, but still part of HSA.

[Jesuscookies]

To be honest, what are the alternatives? None

Rocky Patel

[El Presidente]

Many of us hope and pray it gets better but it won't happen until you have a restructuring of a system that rewards mediocrity.

I did bugger all to produce the Tampa and Czar. Really...a bit of heart, blending, QC as much as possible. It was done in the main by remote. Failure rate in construction? 4% I suspect after inspection. Acceptable.

I paid top dollar. I got what I paid for. There are no secrets in how to get very good consistent cigars.

[CanuckSARTech]

It was the case in the 90's too, and will no doubt be the case in 2020 too (although, we can definitely hope and ask for better).

Unfortunately, it's one of the love/hate issues with Cuban cigars, and the nature of them being a hand-made product.

[Montaigut]

For what it is worth there is another factor that has not been mentionned so far in the chain. Tobacco is a live, natural product. No two leaves will be the same, no production years will be the same, no aging will be the same. And the hands that work their magic on the final product are not the same either.

And that is what makes it such a magical experience for me. I ***** and complain when I run across a dud (plugs are what drive me nuts!) but, in the end, I really would not care so much if cigars were to become entirely predictable and uniform. It's like Christmas all the time when I reach for a stick in my humidor! And yes, sometimes there are some letdowns but I try to be like the kid who found a huge pile of manure under the Christmas tree one year (yeah, I know: weird parents!). He dove right in thinking - "With this much horseshit around there has to be a pony in there somewhere...".

And that is also why this is a great forum: the variety and uniquess of the members!

[jman]

Nice post, if the contruction and quality were as good as the American market we would be in heaven. Cubans have the best taste in the world, but lack consistency. Non-CC's are always constructed well, to bad that their taste is boring.

[Colt45]

For what it is worth there is another factor that has not been mentionned so far in the chain. Tobacco is a live, natural product. No two leaves will be the same, no production years will be the same, no aging will be the same. And the hands that work their magic on the final product are not the same either.

All true, and no doubt it's a daunting task for blenders to maintain some semblance of brand identity, day after day, season after season.

But personally, I don't feel I should have to cross my fingers every time I grab a cigar, hoping this one is properly blended and constructed.

Imagine if you bought a case of wine with the thought that a quarter or more of the bottles might be of poor quality.....

[Erm310mce]

Just a plug for Czar here, this is the reason why I only buy cigars from Rob and Crew.

I have had HQ and PE boxes that all draw great, have fabulous construction and great burn.

It makes such a difference to buy with confidence and to have someone pick the best stock.

Granted tobacco vaires by each leaf but the ratio of duds in a box are far less in my experience.

Problem solved for me

[adic88]

Just a plug for Czar here, this is the reason why I only buy cigars from Rob and Crew.

I have had HQ and PE boxes that all draw great, have fabulous construction and great burn.

It makes such a difference to buy with confidence and to have someone pick the best stock.

Granted tobacco vaires by each leaf but the ratio of duds in a box are far less in my experience.

Problem solved for me

+1 to this.

If you have someone knowledgeable pick your cigars, you'll find the ratio of duds does go down, but it's never going to perfect for all the reasons mentioned above. Even of 3-5 sticks from a box, you'll find 2-3 sticks at most which are disappointing.

[Wing]

I think it’s just a matter of taking the good with the bad- it’s just a big compromise. If we all used Motaigut’s comment/thought about how reaching into our humidors is like looking under the Chirstmas tree, it’s easy to disregard the plugged three to five percent, or the five or so percent that don’t burn evenly.

A recent tour of one of Australia’s longest established winery really cemented my thoughts on consistency in the manufacturing of natural products. Comments like “there is no doubt the French have the best wines” and “although we have changed to screw tops, I believe cork is better suited to aging wines” from the Winemaker himself, explains there really is no perfection in many industries- just the goal of trying to achieve it.

In the making of a Havana, Cubans bunch their leaves whilst stacking and rolling seems to be norm in many other countries (there are arguments on whether bunching is better). Together with a lack of motivation really spells disaster as cigar can be under/overfilled, ligero may be off centre, or worse still, twisted creating a knot within. I’ve met a few rollers displaying their craft in the past and although they get tipped well before any event, they still fail to reach one quarter of their usual quota and blame it on not having the right tools, the leaves are too dry etc etc.

Aizuddin, I think your 100% correct in saying it is seemingly unavoidable but I’m sure you’ll get used to it- nah just kidding… seriously… if you find anything wrong with a cigar after cutting and giving it draw (before lighting), put it back in the humidor for a month or two, or even three!! You’ll be surprised at what a little more humidor time can do.

[Jesuscookies]

Nice post, if the contruction and quality were as good as the American market we would be in heaven. Cubans have the best taste in the world, but lack consistency. Non-CC's are always constructed well, to bad that their taste is boring.

IF CC's were half as consistent as NC's I would be satisfied. If I buy a $150+ box of NC's, It is suprising if 1 in the box is a dud. With the CC's on average 25% are duds. I guess, in all reality, it is an unfair comparsion though. They are 2 completely different products in my eyes.

[Guest Robusto 107]

Oh no. It is quite consistence for 8 years of same style. Haha