"inferior product and infuriated that it’s held in such high esteem around the world."

[helix]

  Manuel Quesada  interviewed .

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-06-12/get-ready-for-the-cuban-cigar-wars

[wabashcr]

Good read, thanks for sharing.  I thought the author did a good job of explaining the Cuba/non-Cuba dynamic, which is pretty rare for a publication outside the industry.  They acknowledged that Cuban tobacco is still the best in the world, but that there's some debate as to whether that always translates into a better finished product.  I'm not sure I've seen that kind of nuance in an article like this.

As for Quesada's comments, I don't necessarily agree, but I understand where he's coming from.  To me all the bluster just means he feels threatened, as well he should.  If he thinks Cuba is going to just let him sell their Fonsecas along with his, he's crazy.  But I also think a lot of NC makers have a product that will stand on its own and hold its ground if and when Cuban cigars are ever allowed to be legally marketed and sold in the US.  

[Colt45]

Yes, good read indeed, and thanks for posting it.

[Guest Nekhyludov]

Really interesting article. I've never had a Quesada, but that kinda makes me want to try one. 

[Elvis]

Great article! It certainly give a new perspective on the trademark issues. Thanks for sharing!

[Guest robitowitz]

What a great article...thanks for sharing.  Great perspective on the whole situation

[dominattorney]

Dude smokes pre-embargo Fonsecas.  I think it's more political than a matter of taste. 

[nick-seattle]

I had his cigars, what a disaster - Quesada cigars were one of the worst I had in my humidor.

Despite construction problems with Cuban cigars and using drill bit to unplug them sometimes, when it comes to flavors, 99% of NC cigars are not even close. When NC cigars come to the level of Cubans, you have to pay for them $20-30!

[Guest RobeAndSlippers]

The only "cuban cigar war" will be the war for room for more of them in my Wineador.

[Winchester21]

Interesting read thanks for the post/warning

[polarbear]

Everytime I read articles of NC makers preaching the superiority of their products and welcoming the opportunity to compete with CCs on a level playing field I always think of that Mike Tyson quote: "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth"

[dominattorney]

16 hours ago, nick-seattle said:

I had his cigars, what a disaster - Quesada cigars were one of the worst I had in my humidor.

Despite construction problems with Cuban cigars and using drill bit to unplug them sometimes, when it comes to flavors, 99% of NC cigars are not even close. When NC cigars come to the level of Cubans, you have to pay for them $20-30!

Hey, if you can get over the burning sensation in your throat, the overpowering taste of scorched leaves, and the smell, they're actually not a bad cigar. 

[dominattorney]

I wouldn't go that far.  I can enjoy the odd Leaf, Opus, Anejo, and Tatuaje now and again, but most, I agree. 

[BrightonCorgi]

Habanos is below par IMO in construction and consistency, but they've gotten better over the last decade or so.  Never seen a Davidoff family cigar plugged or poorly rolled...

[dhp]

I mean how do NCs compete with CCs in the non-American market?  Surely the issue of CC superiority would've already been answered?

[Westside Threat]

It depends on what you are looking for.  CC's have a specific flavor profile.  NC's have a much broader range of flavors, whether you perceive them to be flawed is a matter of opinion.  I personally enjoy a San Andres wrapper, I like the dimension it adds .  I can't get that wrapper on a Cuban cigar, so I smoke both.   

CC's are about subtlety, NC usually aren't.  There's a whole group of cigar smokers who eat fast food, put ketchup on everything, drown food in bbq sauce, drink soda...these are the opposite of subtle flavor profiles.  

And the quality of construction is a huge downer.  I've learned to never smoke a CC while driving, it requires so much micro managing and is unsafe to deal with while driving.  I'll light up a NC instead and it will burn flawlessly the entire drive requiring no touchups. 

If/when CC's are allowed in the US, the prices will skyrocket to the point where the average cigar smoker wouldn't dream of shelling out the cash for a CC.  NC's will be priced much more competitively.

NC's will be just fine.  

[BrightonCorgi]

1 hour ago, dhp said:

I mean how do NCs compete with CCs in the non-American market?  Surely the issue of CC superiority would've already been answered?

In Germany, CC's are about 35% the market I believe...  That doesn't answer the question of superiority of CC's...

[Notsocleaver]

19 hours ago, SenorPerfecto said:

"There's nothing special about Cuban tobacco."

 

"I hope one day they will let me make cigars with Cuban tobacco."

 

What a maroon

Not only does that first quote appear nowhere in the article, it doesn't even remotely reflect the sentiment portrayed in it. You have mischaracterized his point so badly that frankly I think you owe the man an apology.

From the actual article:

He’s insulted by what he views as an uneven, inferior product and infuriated that it’s held in such high esteem around the world. Sure, Cuba’s clay-rich soil produces terrific tobacco, but the dedication to the craft of cigar rolling has evaporated under communist rule.

The entire contention is that what Cuba does after the tobacco is grown is lacking. I don't see how you could contend that point when we are on a forum where one of the central draws is that we have a responsible retailer who is screening his product for under and overfilling along with wrapper quality. Before that people were coveting H&F stickers and English Market Selections. Anything they could do to get Cuban cigars with some kind of quality control, illusory or not. Funny that Arturo Fuente can produce 30 million cigars a year without a market popping up for 3rd party quality control. Funny that nobody is making a living selling specially screened Padrons or any other NC, despite the fact that over 300 million cigars are imported by the US. That should tell you something. The masses have spoken, the market has spoken, they agree with Quesada.

[Cep]

Lol...

The market has spoken because thats what they can buy in the us. 

Also if i roll up some turds with perfect construction does that make it worth buying also over a cc?  

[Cep]

i mean in stores.......

[Notsocleaver]

54 minutes ago, Cep said:

Lol...

The market has spoken because thats what they can buy in the us. 

Also if i roll up some turds with perfect construction does that make it worth buying also over a cc?  

Did you actually read what I wrote?

[Cep]

hmmmm.   I thought I did.  but if i didn't then I apologize.

you said something about the masses,  agreeing,  quesada,  etc...

Anyways...    The part I don't understand is how Quesada is insulted by "an inferior product being held in such high esteem throughout the world".

My point is ok maybe construction is not as good as NC,  but ,  so what.  ?   There is also flavor to consider as well.

 

 

[Thomasdenaro]

interesting article, good read. Thank you for Sharing

[Notsocleaver]

15 minutes ago, Cep said:

hmmmm.   I thought I did.  but if i didn't then I apologize.

you said something about the masses,  agreeing,  quesada,  etc...

Anyways...    The part I don't understand is how Quesada is insulted by "an inferior product being held in such high esteem throughout the world".

My point is ok maybe construction is not as good as NC,  but ,  so what.  ?   There is also flavor to consider as well.

 

 

The masses that have spoken aren't American per say. Its the international retailers, UK, and now Oz, that have filled the quality control gaps the Cuba leaves. Nobody in the US does this for NC cigars because they don't need to. 

Its insulting because when it comes to cigar making he does everything better that a person can actually do better, except for leading an armed rebellion to annex ideal land for tobacco growth. Now the thugs that robbed his family get all of the accolades for making cigars with less dedication than he does just because they came in force and prevented him from having access to the resources his family once had. Yeah, Id feel aggrieved too.

[polarbear]

I always wonder what the point of these discussions is

The more cigars in the market, the better as far as I'm concerned

I mean, you never hear Irish Whiskey manufacturers preaching how their product is far superior to their Scottish counterparts but its always the NC guys who are trying to convince the world that their cigars are superior.
Whether they are or not is a matter of personal opinion but I consider it a redundant discussion, there is room in my humidor for all makes of cigar.
A well aged Opus or Tatuaje is just as much a journey as a well aged Partagas and anyone who wishes to discourage either anyone from trying to expand their pallets is only attempting to find security in "their side" of the argument and play into the tribal mentality that seems to be hard wired into us

I tend not to smoke cigars made with Honduran Tobacco
Not because CCs are far superior but because, IMO, Honduran tobacco leave my pallet quite dry and I do not enjoy that characteristic. 
That having been said, I had a Room 101 a few months ago that was a Honduran Puro and it was fantastic, so what the hell do I know