Are Cuban cigars really better?

[El Presidente]

Another article along the same lines as we have all been seeing in the past 6 months. Some truths, some "questionable statements".

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1113383839/are-cuban-cigars-really-better-than-others-050515/

[Colt45]

Cello on!

or is it off......

[CaptainQuintero]

The thing I don't get in a lot of articles I see is some complete arsewhiffle along the lines of:

"Why are Cubans perceived as better to the general public? One main reason: Supply and Demand. You can't get them here, therefore they're cool"

It doesn't explain why the rest of the world values Cuban cigars the way they do. If anything the supply of NC cigars is so low outside of the US, if the argument was true then NC cigars would be the most sought-after in the rest of the world, but they aren't, not by any measure.

[JohnS]

Okay, the following had me laughing!

2. The farms are state-owned. So by purchasing those Cuban cigars, you are, in fact, supporting the Castro regime.

3. Cuba is a poor country and the Castro’s are greedy, so normal farming techniques may not be utilized in the interest of quick dollars. This means quality may suffer.

Definitely, I agree that Cuban cigars, on the whole, are better. There is one Non-Cuban manufacturer that deserves praise, in my opinion, for their consistency and quality and that's Padron. I remember a cigar mate mentioning this about 15 years ago and it still 'strikes a chord' in me years later.

[Baldy]

Yes Cuban cigars are better. After smoking a Winedor full of NC I am no longer doubting

[Vortigan]

If an article of this nature is ever written by someone that's open minded,independent and has no vested interest then perhaps I'll pay them the respect of taking an ounce of notice.But as long as they keep appearing from the pens of the owners and retailers etc of NC cigars then I'm afraid they all look and sound to me like desperate,fearful and somewhat aggressive pleas for loyalty.

[Scroats]

I met a guy once, he had a strong opinion that the best NC cigars are Honduran. That's because they taste just like Cubans. A little prodding later and he said he got all his Cubans from a "friend" in Miami

[joeypots]

How can a guy who owns a cigar shop that can't sell Cuban cigars be objective or honest about how Cuban cigars compare to the stuff he can sell? He can't.

[Puros Y Vino]

Yes! Locking thread down now.

[LeafLover]

He got interviewed and it got published. Good for him.

His intentions are his own. So are decisions to smoke what you want. If his article sways you or the general public...then good for him again.

[Baldy]

If an article of this nature is ever written by someone that's open minded,independent and has no vested interest then perhaps I'll pay them the respect of taking an ounce of notice.But as long as they keep appearing from the pens of the owners and retailers etc of NC cigars then I'm afraid they all look and sound to me like desperate,fearful and somewhat aggressive pleas for loyalty.

100% agree.

In Canada, NC are generally cheaper and easier to get, but there are a significant number of BOTLs that I personally know who have nothing but Cubans. There's no BOTL that I personally know who smoke exclusively NCs. A few will tolerate NC but prefer CC, one look in their humidor tells me all I need to know.

[wabashcr]

The thing I don't get in a lot of articles I see is some complete arsewhiffle along the lines of:

"Why are Cubans perceived as better to the general public? One main reason: Supply and Demand. You can't get them here, therefore they're cool"

It doesn't explain why the rest of the world values Cuban cigars the way they do. If anything the supply of NC cigars is so low outside of the US, if the argument was true then NC cigars would be the most sought-after in the rest of the world, but they aren't, not by any measure.

I don't disagree with you, but it's important to note that before the embargo, most (all?) decent cigars in the US were either Cuban or at least rolled with Cuban tobacco. I think that's an important part of the so-called forbidden fruit argument. Obviously this mindset is most prevalent among non-hobbyists, who constitute most of the cigar smokers in the US. Face it, there aren't a lot of people (relatively speaking) in the US who know enough about cigars to know the difference between Cuban and non-Cuban tobacco. So for many of the casual cigar smokers in the US, Cuban cigars have a mythical status only enhanced by their scarcity.

[garbandz]

Too bad there is no exam to take prior to hosting a blog.

There would be fewer, and they would be worth reading.

"No Blog Left Behind" certainly does not improve the breed...............

[JMacSr]

This is how I explain it to folks that ask me:

Yes there are good cigars, in fact some really good cigars from DR, Nicaragua, etc. just as there is good wine from Washington, Oregon, Portugal, etc. but there is only ONE Napa valley, only ONE Bordeaux, only ONE Tuscany. And there is only ONE Cuba. It makes sense to me.

Anyway. My 2cents. I could be wrong

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Guybrush]

It doesn't explain why the rest of the world values Cuban cigars the way they do.

A popular Cigar Reviewer tells us why:

Non-US citizens can only smoke Cuban cigars.

Thats all we get.

https://youtu.be/P6g1mZ3f76U

Go to 0:44:25

[shlomo]

100% agree.

In Canada, NC are generally cheaper and easier to get, but there are a significant number of BOTLs that I personally know who have nothing but Cubans. There's no BOTL that I personally know who smoke exclusively NCs. A few will tolerate NC but prefer CC, one look in their humidor tells me all I need to know.

What? Where in Canada are you buying NCs? In MOntreal, Fuenete 858 run in the $34-37 range. They readily sell EVERYWHERE in the USA in the $4-8 range.

What is that? 600-700% more?

[leftimatic]

I like the one and only comment(so far) that the guy got. It's a long scroll down but worth reading.

[smokum]

Its not the rollers, its not Castro, its not because they are cool. Its simply the flavor of cuban tobacco grown in Cuba. Lots of good NC cigars but none of them have the flavor of Cuban grown tobacco. Used to smoke nothing but NC in the 90's. After smoking a real Cuban cigar I have never gone back. There is a flavor profile in a CC that is unmistakeable and cannot be duplicated . I am pretty sure any CC smoker can tell in a blind tasting whether they are smoking a NC or a CC. Its just distinct.

[Mr. Japan]

I love cuban cigars and I can say that I smoke 95% cuban...the average cuban cigar is 100000000 times better than the average nn cuban IMHO.

Said that...I have also been smoking some good NonCuban, mainly Nicaragua , sometimes some mixes LOL ( Nica-Hond-etc.etc. ).

The world of NC is too big ( for me ) to explore all LOL

[Smallclub]

Looks like every cigar shop owner in the USA is going to create a blog where he can tell how the crap he sells in his shop is better than a product which he knows nothing about, and which he doesn't have access, all that claptrap being sprinkled with rumours, cons-truths and misinformed political considerations.

[moryc]

I have gotten into plenty of arguments with local vendors on this topic, particularly with some of the older guys. Whenever I even mention that I prefer CC over any NC they just go nuts and go off how crappy they are compared to what they use to be 20 or 30 years ago. Well I don't know what they were then, all I can say is that I like what they are now and there is nothing that anyone can say to change my mind as it is my taste. After trying quite a few NC sticks there are very very very few that I like. I haven't tried all of the CC brands yet, but so far I have not tried one that I didn't like. Even my friends that are occasional smokers and mooch whenever they come over say that nothing tastes like a Cuban.

[laficion]

A popular Cigar Reviewer tells us why:

Non-US citizens can only smoke Cuban cigars.

Thats all we get.

Hi all,

All I've got to say Is this, If N.C.'s were THAT great and not so rare elsewhere except In the U.S.A.,

The world would have heard about It and we would be ALL over them. IT IS NOT AT ALL THEIR CASE.

Guy

[ogus]

Its not the rollers, its not Castro, its not because they are cool. Its simply the flavor of cuban tobacco grown in Cuba. Lots of good NC cigars but none of them have the flavor of Cuban grown tobacco. Used to smoke nothing but NC in the 90's. After smoking a real Cuban cigar I have never gone back. There is a flavor profile in a CC that is unmistakeable and cannot be duplicated . I am pretty sure any CC smoker can tell in a blind tasting whether they are smoking a NC or a CC. Its just distinct.

NC's for the most part died in the mid 90's

[Orion21]

I like the one and only comment(so far) that the guy got. It's a long scroll down but worth reading.

The 1st comment says it all. Scroll down to see. It's obvious the author of the blog took about 10 minutes to write and used rumor and stereotyping to forum his sentences. The same stuff any other cigar shop owners says on a daily basis. I just find it funny it's in the "Science" section of this website, LMAO!!!!!

[CdnLimitada]

yes