Has there ever been a truly blind taste test to identify a Cuban?

[TiminBC]

I try and enjoy cigars from many places. When a Cuban is 'on' I often feel the taste is clearly Cuban. I know magazines rate both but these ratings are subjective and often based on non-taste criteria. Depending on the day and what I have eaten I find the same cigars in any line or from any country can taste different enough to surprise me.

Has there ever been a objective test where the object was to identify whether cigars are produced from Cuba or another country?. Part of my brain wants to say those with better more reliable palettes than I should be able to do this easily but I often read the actual tobacco is only part of the overall taste.

[Colt45]

Here's one that I know of

Link

[Cigar Surgeon]

I'm sure I'm not as experienced as other smokers here, but I do quite a lot of smoking for reviews. What I can tell you is that there are specific and unique flavor profiles associated with tobacco of certain growing regions.

I'm now to the point where I can immediately tell Nicaraguan origin filler. The same is true of Cuban tobacco, it has a particular flavor profile (whether that's the minerals, soil composition) that makes it stand out.

[TiminBC]

Great thread.

[rshacklefordiv]

http://bonvivantva.com/?p=152

Third link from the bottom. A lot of very experienced cigar smokers mistook an NC for a CC. I've had the brand in question (the link is to a review I did). I do find that it has a cuban flavor despite the fact that the stick is not from Cuba. I'm not sure what it is that makes a Cuban taste Cuban, but it would seem that it is at least to some degree replicable outside the ISOM.

[DrunkenMonkey]

I remember that Jimmy2 tasting. That was pretty impressive.

[BonVivant]

it took me a long time to do that, but I am still learning - when one keeps an open mind, or whatever left of it, one will be pleasantly surprised.

For example, Davidoff 3000 from Dominican Republic never resembled Davidoff 3000 from Cuba and I was set up

[Smallclub]

it took me a long time to do that, but I am still learning ...

Great blog Leo

[BonVivant]

Great blog Leo

Thank you, Frank!

Except, I have no blog

[Smallclub]

Thank you, Frank!

Except, I have no blog

no kidding!

[mk05]

You beat me to it Frank. hah

I think after a while, you really get a feel for the tobacco. I personally have my own "feel" for what Nicaraguan, Dominican, Honduran, and Cuban tobacco tastes like.

[Habana Mike]

Gotta wonder if Prez perhaps slipped a surprise in the blind tasting this year. Not sure if he mentioned they were all Habanos.....

[Jimmy2]

I remember that Jimmy2 tasting. That was pretty impressive.

Thanks DM !!

[Armaniac]

Here's one that I know of

Link

Wow what an interesting thread! I was pulling for Jimmy and.........I don't want to spoil the outcome for those who want to read it. Lot of fun.

[Laynard]

I'm still fairly new, but I definitely find that there is a Cuban profile that cannot be replicated. On the NC side of things, I have a lot of sticks from trades that I do not know the origin of before I light up. I like to take a guess, then go online to see if I'm right. So far, I've been fairly lucky. To me, each region has a signature to it.

[cigcars]

The premium Nicaraguans seem to be closest to Cuban in flavor and profile. There are a few (very few) Dominicans that are nearly "Cubanesque" as some say too. I find that a blending of Brazilian and Cameroon tobacco in one's cigar has a close similarity to that taste and aroma, IMHO. I've also had the Cabaiguan cigars from Pete Johnson's/Pepin Garcia's factory lines, and yes it was very flavorful - near Havana-style. Again that was to me.

[Tino]

All I know is blind tasting can make a fool out of anyone!

[Ryan]

I was at a blind tasting in a shop in London about 3 years ago where there were 2 rebanded cigars given to everyone, about 50 people. One was a Padron something and the other was a Bolivar Corona Extra. I don't remember the exact numbers but while very few got the marca right, I know over 40 people guessed the Bolivar to be Cuban and the Padron not.

A comparision style test is easier than having to guess the origin of a single cigar. The comparison highlights differences.

When looking at two cigars, knowing one to be Cuban, I can usually tell just by looking at the wrapper which is which. A single cigar by itself though wouldn't be as easy.

[DrunkenMonkey]

I was at a blind tasting in a shop in London about 3 years ago where there were 2 rebanded cigars given to everyone, about 50 people. One was a Padron something and the other was a Bolivar Corona Extra. I don't remember the exact numbers but while very few got the marca right, I know over 40 people guessed the Bolivar to be Cuban and the Padron not.

A comparision style test is easier than having to guess the origin of a single cigar. The comparison highlights differences.

When looking at two cigars, knowing one to be Cuban, I can usually tell just by looking at the wrapper which is which. A single cigar by itself though wouldn't be as easy.

But with Jimmy2's tasting that Colt linked to, it could have been 3 cc's or 3 nc's. He didn't know that there was a Cuban in there for sure.

[Ryan]

But with Jimmy2's tasting that Colt linked to, it could have been 3 cc's or 3 nc's. He didn't know that there was a Cuban in there for sure.

That's a good point. To be honest I can't remember if during the test I mentioned we were told if one was Cuban. Though the shop sells about 80% Cuban cigars so most of us would at least have surmised that one of the cigars must have been Cuban. It was a ticketed event, there would have been a riot if we had been given two non-Cubans!

[rshacklefordiv]

The premium Nicaraguans seem to be closest to Cuban in flavor and profile. There are a few (very few) Dominicans that are nearly "Cubanesque" as some say too. I find that a blending of Brazilian and Cameroon tobacco in one's cigar has a close similarity to that taste and aroma, IMHO. I've also had the Cabaiguan cigars from Pete Johnson's/Pepin Garcia's factory lines, and yes it was very flavorful - near Havana-style. Again that was to me.

Back in about 2008, I had some Cabaiguans that really blew my mind. I'd say there were the best cigars I'd had to date. I don't know if my tastes have evolved, or the Cabaiguans have changed, but I haven't had one in the last couple years that have been that good. Don't get me wrong, they are still some of my favorite sticks, but they don't blow me away. This year, I've had monte #s 2 and 4 that did blow me away. Also a bunch of Hoyo Ep. #2s with similar results.

Sometimes when I smell a Cuban, prelit, I get that olfactory trigger that tells me its definitely Cuban. This sensation is not blind, however. With the Cabaiguans, the taste, to me, is just as Cuban as a real cuban. Perhaps I'm easily fooled (though so were those in the blind test I linked to previously). But the prelit aroma of a Cabaiguan does not result in the same olfactory memory trigger.

[SaintLuis]

http://bonvivantva.com/?p=152

Third link from the bottom. A lot of very experienced cigar smokers mistook an NC for a CC. I've had the brand in question (the link is to a review I did). I do find that it has a cuban flavor despite the fact that the stick is not from Cuba. I'm not sure what it is that makes a Cuban taste Cuban, but it would seem that it is at least to some degree replicable outside the ISOM.

That's strange. If I had to pick a NC that I had to say was the closest to a Cuban, I'd have hands down picked a Cabaiguan. Nice cigars.

[rshacklefordiv]

I just realized that the Cabaiguan box actually says, "taste of Cuba":

http://bonvivantva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Photo_66.jpg

[Colt45]

....but I haven't had one in the last couple years that have been that good.

Interestingly (or not) I recently smoke a Cab Imperiale. I enjoyed it, but in the end, my thoughts were "Nicaraguan pepper stick". For me it was "typically" Nic - monolithic, a bit dank...... It's most Cuban trait a tightish draw

No knocks - just personal observation.