Anyone here smoke Non Cubans?

[polarbear]

I realize this is a Hananos forum but I moved away from Cuban Cigars about 5 years ago due to constant construction issues and went to NC's because I found them more consistent. I'm moving back to CC's now but am still curious if most of the members are Cuban Cigars all the way or if they (like me) mix them up a bit

I stick to the higher end of the NC market with brands like: Opus X, Liga Privada, Tatuaje, Olivia, Padron, La Flor Dominicana, Viaje and Room 101

Those guys make a quality stick and of the thousands of NC's I've smoked over the years I've never had a plugged one.

While I find a lot of NC's try to replicate that "Cuban Profile" most never come close, but the ones that just blend cigars the way they want them tend to end up with some outstanding smokes

Just curious what everyone elses thoughts on NC's are.

[Knvb]

I love me some Oliva V's for an everyday cheap stick and if i can find em I cant get enough Padron 1964's

[jrb5783]

I smoke some cao, opus x, Ashton, and cabiguans. Cabiguans are the closest to "Cuban profile" IMO

[Diamondog]

Couple years ago i was sitting at a cigar lounge and lit up an Opus X taurus the bull, as i was smoking i realized that all i was thinking was this is alright but it just isn't a Cuban....a few years previous to that i had moved away from most NC's and just smoked what i considered higher end NC's that i enjoyed....,i knew after lighting up that bull that it was time to let them go just could no longer enjoy them like i once did.

[Profmd]

I have many boxes of non-Cubans. I like Oliva V or O, and some Padrons are also great. All time favorite though are Ashton VSG.

For just a cheap great cigar Alec Bradley "The MAXX" are quite good too.

[vanbellc]

I still mix in NCs in the rotation. I like Ashton VSGs and Liga Privada NO. 9s, but mostly I tend towards CCs anymore.

[Knvb]

I have many boxes of non-Cubans. I like Oliva V or O, and some Padrons are also great. All time favorite though are Ashton VSG.

For just a cheap great cigar Alec Bradley "The MAXX" are quite good too.

Oh yes i forgot Ashton Avg's are superb!

[Skyfall]

CC's 100% all the way!

About 2 years ago I was given one of the highly rated Padron Anniv. Sticks at a B&M, I tossed it after 5 min, and couldn't get the taste out of my mouth for days!

[finecigar]

I really enjoy tatuaje, la palina, el triunfador, opusx, Padilla, pardon, etc...

I probably have a few hundred NCs but I surely don't smoke them as regularly as CCs. I actually enjoy the up and downs of Cubans, it gives more thrill and adventure. With NCs, there isn't much surprise or complexity that I wish for

[polarbear]

I actually enjoy the up and downs of Cubans, it gives more thrill and adventure. With NCs, there isn't much surprise or complexity that I wish for

The only "Ups and Downs" I had with Cubans (until recently) was buying a box of 25 and having to toss 17 of them cause they were plugged :-(

[Knvb]

CC's 100% all the way!

About 2 years ago I was given one of the highly rated Padron Anniv. Sticks at a B&M, I tossed it after 5 min, and couldn't get the taste out of my mouth for days!

Must have been a bad stick.... ive yet to have a Padron 1964 that wasnt flawless.... Def up there with CC's imho

[Skyfall]

Must have been a bad stick.... ive yet to have a Padron 1964 that wasnt flawless.... Def up there with CC's imho

Nope, that was just the last one I recall, I've had 40-50 of them in the past, don't like them, far far from having a similar profile to CC's in my opinion. I've had many NC's over many years, and have never experienced, not one, that I feel is similar or even in the same taste profile ballpark as most CC's. My palate is sensitive, experienced and "we'll trained", able to pick out and profile specific nuiances. I can blindly pick out an NC in a line up based purely on taste, mouth feel, smell and finish on the lips. All NC's carry the same pattern for me in these areas, especially a metallic/chemical nicotine finish on the lips, which is a specific character that I have never experience after smoking a CC. That, in addition to NC's also leave a different trace in my mouth and throat post smoke, that CC's also don't portray. I can smoke one NC, and know I smoked one even days after. I can smoke 6 CC's in one night and not even able to tell the next morning.

My 2 cents, NC's, even the most prestigious of the lot, aren't for me and are not even remotely similar to CC's to me.

Also, after years and years of smoking CC's from quality and trusted vendors, cigars from the 80's, 90's, 2000's, 2010's in my hoarding efforts, I have never experienced a construction or quality control issue as "rampant" as many attempt to make it out to be. There is no such thing as perfect consistency in anything, in my experience, I have not been exposed to any poor quality or construction patterns or anomalies. When you buy good cigars, you smoke good cigars!

Also, I've never had an NC, that had the complex, evolving journey as the cigar progressed like most good CC's. NC's to me are one note, no complex progression.

[Bahnofstrasse]

Nope, that was just the last one I recall, I've had 40-50 of them in tge past, don't like them, far far from having a similar profile to CC's in my opinion. I've had many NC's over many years, and have never experienced, not one, that I feel is similar or even in the same taste profile ballpark as most CC's. My palate is sensitive, experienced and "we'll trained", able to pick out and profile specific nuiances. I can bliny pick out an NC in a line up based purely on taste, mouth feel, smell and finish on the lips. All NC's carry the same pattern for me in these areas, especially a metallic/chemical nicotine finish on the lips, which is a specific character that I have never experience after smoking a CC. That, in addition to NC's also leave a different trace in my mouth and throat post smoke, that CC's also don't portray. I can smoke one NC, and know I smoked one even days after. I can smoke 6 CC's in one night and not even able to tell the next morning.

My 2 cents, NC's, even the most prestigious of the lot, aren't for me and are not even remotely similar to CC's to me.

Also, after years and years of smoking CC's from quality and trusted vendors, cigars from the 80's, 90's, 2000's, 2010's in my hoarding efforts, I have never experienced a construction or quality control issue as "rampant" as many attempt to make it out to be. There is no such thing as perfect consistency in anything, in my experience, I have not been exposed to any poor quality or construction patterns or anomalies. When you buy good cigars, you smoke good cigars!

X2

[Jnaube]

I have 5 non cubans that have been sitting in one of my 6 humis for a long time. that.s about it.

[LLC]

Pretty much exclusive cc's now. I think you'd find overall quality has improved and buying from a trusted vendor will also help. Not to say you won't get the odd bad stick but to get a box that is mostly bad would be very unlikely.

[charlesod]

Opus, VSG's, Padron 26's. That's about it.

[1LegLance]

For me is a cost issue...

The regular line Padron, the regular line Fuente up to the Signature series and some of the Don Carlos and some for the regular line Partagas are the only non-cubans I will smoke. Basically it has to be under $7 a stick for me to even think about it.

And why should I when there are so many great cuban cigars for under $7 to my door?

The Padron Londres, Delicias, and Palmas are the only non-cuban I buy by the box. Anything else NC is just picking up singles to support a local cigar shop when I want to meet someone at a lounge.

Of course since I am a fan of smaller format vitolas (in both CC & NC) then there are far more choices in the Habanos line up as most NC have moved into the tree limb sized sticks that seem to be popular.

[dksd39]

I always keep a rather large number of NC boxes...some for me (Alec Bradley Tempus Maduro, Liga Privada (several), La Gloria Cubana Serie R #4 maduro and Illusione Epernay) and then some as handouts for people to try. I give away sticks all the time and would rather gift a nice $4-5 NC to get someone started than waste a much nicer stick on someone that can not yet appreciate what they are smoking.

[UpInSmoak]

I'll only smoke a NC when I have to. My brother in law buys them for me every once in awhile and I'll smoke one in his presence as not to Offend him. And I always hate them!

[Paneotto]

Fuente 858 Sungrown is my go to nc. Other than that and the occasional opus x, I now smoke cc.

[Lotusguy]

Only when I have to (I.e. when I want to use a local lounge).

[beamer]

My rotation at this point consists of various Cuban maracas and Perdomo.

[Marker]

I like NC still. A majority of my cigars are NC. Enjoy the CCs when I can but cost for me is an issue. I can get NCs much cheaper on the whole.

[SMQQKIN]

3 years ago I was smoking 80% NC & 20% CC. Now it has flipped. I still have a lot of stock of the best/hard to find NCs that I have collected over the years and feel guilty not smoking them after spending all that $$. I find myself going to NCs when my palette is wrecked on a 3+ cigar night or when smoking conditions aren't good. My tastes have just changed. BTW - Anyone who is looking for Liga, Tats, Opus, Anejos, Davidoff, Viaje, Room 101, etc. PM me if you want to trade.

[finecigar]

The only "Ups and Downs" I had with Cubans (until recently) was buying a box of 25 and having to toss 17 of them cause they were plugged :-(

I would take a look at the vendor, year, storage conditions, etc... What cigar was it that you had such a horrible box? That is extremely rare to be happening. It surely possible, but can usually be due to bad storage, in my experience.