Which of the NC Cuban named cigars....stack up?

[El Presidente]

I haven't any real experience with Non Cuban US owned marques such as Cohiba, Hoyo, Punch etc.

A decade ago I did have some cabinet Honduran Punch (a maduro robusto) that weren't too bad at all. Not great but very satisfying cocoa flavours.

I would be interested to know members feedback as to which of the Cuban namesake cigars are actually very good cigars today...ones that you enjoy

[Lant63]

If you can beleive it la gloria cubana is what I would smoke if I had to. But, it is vastly different from everything I love in the real la gloria.

Sent by telepathic super powers

-Stogie Boy

[SparklePony]

The Partagas is a pretty ok cigar. Depending on the line, some of them have a rich Sumatra wrapper, which can hit the spot.

[...]

If you can beleive it la gloria cubana is what I would smoke if I had to. But, it is vastly different from everything I love in the real la gloria.

Sent by telepathic super powers

-Stogie Boy

Interesting. Can you name the blends/vitolas you've had and comment on them a little?

[FHFinster]

I hate to be the first to respond with negativity however; I could never bring myself to smoke any of those. Even before I tried a CC, I found the brands themselves to be deceitful and steered clear.

[srbbones]

A few years back I pulled a forgotten LGC from my humidor. It must have been at least 3 years old at the time. It was from the days when E. P. Carillo was in charge. It was awesome.

[Scroats]

The monte fake montecristo is pretty good, although the price point doesn't match the quality. I do also appreciate the NC la glorias. There is a lot of mediocracy in the NC imposters. I'll have to grab an NC partagas though and try it out.

I do tend to stay away from anything hounduran. Not my taste.

[topdiesel]

Interesting. Can you name the blends/vitolas you've had and comment on them a little?

I was gifted a LGC Serie R and it was actually pretty good. I don't remember the flavor profile, I just remember being surprised and contemplated purchasing some. It is true that they taste nothing like a Cuban LGC.

[Habana Mike]

Early in my smoking career I enjoyed the Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur, La Gloria Wavell and Serie R, Punch Rothschild, a Partagas line I don't recall the name of, and most especially the ERDM Robusto Larga.

The LGC Artesanos I picked up in the Calle Ocho shop recently were OK. Other than that and a Robusto Larga I smoked a few days ago, haven't had bought or smoked any any impostors in years.

[btp1979]

The El Rey de Mundo Choix Supreme with a few years are pretty great. Nothing remotely cuban about them, but they are nice. Also any of the LGC's from the EPC era are pretty solid. I've never been impressed or even tempted to re-visit any of the General cigar offerings.

[kuma]

The "go to place" in the town not far from my home has a wide range of Ashton Virgin Sun Grown.....smokes,

with My Father.......and also Padron's 1926.......and Arturo Fuente Hemingways, and AVO Heritace

plus Oliva's bal, bal, bal and so on. I have only tried the Padrons (only once) and ran I say ran

back to my CUBANS. Don't know what others see in all this different brands but if they are

built uo like the Padron well they will not get my coin. Sorry for not being very

helpful. The only good thing about visiting this place I go to is that they let

me smoke my Cubans as long as I buy at least a coffee / some kind of drink or food.

[ShortFatHokie]

I've smoked a few NC RyJs in the past that were better than some of the Cuban RyJs. They all had a nice mellow tobacco nuttiness to them where as some of the Cuban RyJs tasted like tire rubber. Not going to lie though, I've never had an NC RyJ that was even remotely close to being as good as the Wide Churchill from the Mrs. Claus sampler from last Christmas. It was outstanding!

[meatball41]

there's a bunch of great NC's that I enjoy but the NC cuban brand names are not among them. That said, I tend to steer clear and have only had NC Cohiba NC Montecristos. Both were OK but I've never bought a box of them.

[polarbear]

there's a bunch of great NC's that I enjoy but the NC cuban brand names are not among them. That said, I tend to steer clear and have only had NC Cohiba NC Montecristos. Both were OK but I've never bought a box of them.

This^

There are plenty of great NC brands out there, the Cuban knock offs are not among them

[JohnS]

there's a bunch of great NC's that I enjoy but the NC cuban brand names are not among them. That said, I tend to steer clear and have only had NC Cohiba NC Montecristos. Both were OK but I've never bought a box of them.

There are plenty of great NC brands out there, the Cuban knock offs are not among them

I enjoy some Non-Cuban cigars from time to time but in regards to NC Cuban namesake cigars, I concur!

[cigcars]

The Hoyo de Monterrey Tradition band on the NC one that is the same as the CC band on the Hoyo Double Corona is a NC cigar strikingly similar in profile and flavor to the CC one.

[earthson]

Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur maduros are quite nice; one-dimensional, one tricky pony but a creamy, good note it is. Probably the only Honduran tobacco I've ever enjoyed.

La Gloria Cubanas used to be pretty great (standard line, either Sumatra or maduro )- very complex journey of a cigar - especially everything 50 RG and below. The last good ones I had were the Rabito de Cochina ("lancero"). Still have 2 aging.

Everything else I've tried (Monte, Partagas, Cohiba, etc.) are garbage, IMHO.

So many good Havanas to be had in the $3-7 range.

[maxcjs0101]

Not sure if any of you tried the Brazilian puro with Mata Fina wrapper but i had a few (differend brands such as Alonso Menedez, Aquarius) and they are close to having that Cuban zing.

[Babalouie]

Used to have a few RyJ 1875 when first starting out, the robusto size mainly. I remember them being one dimensional, mostly leather and burnt tobacco. Not as good as its cuban namesake though.

[CigarAsh]

The La Gloria Cubana white box blend (yep, that's what they call it) was created by Ernesto Carillo when he was there. It's a really good cigar. Every year a local B&M has an old Cuban roller doing these at their shop during a local art fair. They're pre bunched and he's basically just putting a wrapper on them but it's entertaining. I picked up several and liked them so much I contacted LGC to find out what the blend was and found out about Carillo and his work. I've been a big fan of his stuff since he broke away to do his own line.

[jsummers157]

When I first started smoking, I really enjoyed the Romeo y Julieta 1875 Churchills. Haven't had one in about a decade, but would be curious to see what I think of it now as the Habanos RyJ Churchill is one of my staples.

[Nrengle]

If you can beleive it la gloria cubana is what I would smoke if I had to. But, it is vastly different from everything I love in the real la gloria.

Sent by telepathic super powers

-Stogie Boy

Got to agree the Serie R are pretty good. Haven't had a Cuban to compare to but for a NC it's pretty damned good.

[cigarsandcoffee]

Camacho SLR

[joeboxer]

I have to agree with those who commented above that there are many great NCs but those that bear Cuban namesakes are not among them. Much of this opinion probably has to do with my disdain for General Cigar and Altadis the companies that own the American rights to most of those names. I find their products to be mass produced one trick ponies that lack the depth and complexity I search for in a cigar experience. I get the feeling that they are not made with the care and craftsmanship that I look for in something I consider to be art.

This opinion is not factual but just the emotional sense I get when smoking these cigars and probably based off of my negative views towards the companies.

Having said that I will occasionally smoke the NC RyJ Reservation Real, Punch Rare Corojo, a few of the Montecristos (Monte, Epic, and the "Original"), HdM Excalibur, or La Gloria Cubana Serie R but only when other options are unavailable or I cannot take time to properly relax and enjoy a cigar the way a high quality cigar should be enjoyed. Montecristo Monte would be my favorite of the previously mentioned.

[CanuckSARTech]

I have to agree with those who commented above that there are many great NCs but those that bear Cuban namesakes are not among them. Much of this opinion probably has to do with my disdain for General Cigar and Altadis the companies that own the American rights to most of those names. I find their products to be mass produced one trick ponies that lack the depth and complexity I search for in a cigar experience. I get the feeling that they are not made with the care and craftsmanship that I look for in something I consider to be art.

This very much for me as well.

The only NC's I really smoke now, and albeit very occasionally, is Padron serie 1964 or 1927. Those are the only NC's that really have any flavour profiles that interest me. Even then, I find they're lacking that Cuban twang / blend / finesse that I enjoy so much. Spoiled palate or not, the NC's that are Cuban-brand namesakes just seem to suck. They seem to rely on their Cuban namesakes' reputation to make them worthy, where most all other NC's (and especially the boutique ones) need to stand out for their own.

Kind of the difference of a Daddy's boy rich-kid coasting through life on his parents' coattails, or being independant and standing up on his own two feet.