maduro ........are you sold or not.

[alloy]

They may be quality cigars, but it's the taste that matters. And they don't taste that good.

[RijkdeGooier]

22 hours ago, El Presidente said:

...well ...they are the same price  

A great Genio or PM 1 is a match for either. 

The shame of it is that you have to find great examples. Quality consistency is not an issue with Padron or AF.

 

?

In the end price is not the definig factor. 

It is about the essence of a thing to me. 

 

The quintessential core of Cuban cigars for

me never will encompass a Maduro concept. 

 

It is about the standard of Montecristo and the beautiful deviations on that theme like Partagas, HUpmann and Cohiba. That solid core of cigars will forever embody the Cubam cigar to me. 

 

The maduro cigar is a different animal and will never be Cuban to me. The intricate sweetness of an Opus X cannot be matched in Cuba simply because the soil is not the same. It is the other side of the coin that makes low sulfiric soil from Cuba produce the tobacco it produces. 

But of course this is a very, very personal point of view, held and formed by my own smoking journey. 

 

Suum cuique ?

[dominattorney]

My opinion is let people and places do what they are best at:  Zinfandel--California; Bordeaux--France; Riesling--Germany

Nicaragua--maduros

Cuba--everything else.

[earthson]

Until recently, I had only had the first few years of Cohiba Mad 5 and only enjoyed it as a change of pace. Personally, I don't find them to be Cohiba in the slightest - they may should have just created a whole new brand for this line.

Regardless, I haven't had the Partagas Maduro, yet as the size is all wrong for me. The Upmann maduro has me intrigued, although I'm sure it will break my 52 RG limit.

[NSXCIGAR]

On 5/8/2018 at 9:42 PM, alloy said:

They may be quality cigars, but it's the taste that matters. And they don't taste that good.

I would say that's a minority opinion. The Party No. 1s are pretty good, although not worth the premium IMO. And the Cohiba Maduros have always received high marks particularly with some age. They are definitely different than the standard Cohibas, but I like them. 

[Steens]

I enjoy the the Genios just finished a box from 2010 and felt they were improving with time, started on a 2012 box but feel these could do with more time for my taste 

[skalls]

I've only had one of the maduro lines, and I absolutely loved it.  It was a fantastic smoke.

I'm not sold on the price though.

[magoo6541]

The cigar that first spoke to me was a Padron 1926 #35 Maduro.  I enjoyed the naturals as well but the Maduro was what did it for me. I started reading reviews and magazines and was wondering how Cigar Aficionado and everyone else was able to get all those CCs for review. I did research, watched the Dr Joe Show Fake or Fine series, read all the shop reviews on CigarInspector. When I was ready to make my first test buy, I naturally was thinking "get something you know you'll enjoy" so I chose a 10ct box of Cohiba Maduro 5 Genios.

That was in May 2014 and the box was MUR DIC 12.  I smoked a couple and shared them with my best friend.  We both thought "Meh, they're ok but certainly not worth the money". Fortunately, I bought plenty of regular production in the next couple weeks so I was able to educate myself on what CCs are all about. Just last week, I forced myself to smoke the last one from that Genios 10ct box.  My first and last box of Cuban Maduros.

[havanaclub]

I don’t even feel like I’m in the position to offer an opinion ......I’m just hoping every time I light up that i actually have a decent smoke that stays lit or isn’t plugged ....or doesn’t taste like bitter......that’s how poor the quality of CCs has been for me recently


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With all your posts regarding bad luck with CCs I really think you should try or stick to NCs. Might just be in your wheelhouse.


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[Toast & Taste]

PardyMaduro #1 fresh off the plane and toasting nicely right now 

Big Al 

[rabidraccoon]

Had a Partagas Maduro yesterday. Maybe I got a really good one or something but it was incredible. It was like being in the kitchen when thousands of brownies spiced with nutmeg or allspice or something are being baked and taken fresh out of the ovens. Such a smooth, sweet Dutched chocolate. I also smoke a lot of Padron 64, 26 and Family Reserve maduros which are great in their own way but more aggressive and heavier. This Partagas Maduro was just so sweet, no bitterness, no harsh aftertaste. For me, there is a time and a place for maduro. I like the variety. 

[Shaunster]

I think they are pretty terrible for what they are. Price too high, flavour is nothing great and if you catch a bad one, they are horrible.

[SCgarman]

On ‎5‎/‎8‎/‎2018 at 3:04 AM, ayepatz said:

As I don’t own a single Maduro, I’m obviously not sold.

I really don’t enjoy NCs, and it seems an obvious marketing move by HSA to muscle in on a very popular NC cigar market.

But, to me, they’re not properly representative of Cuban cigars.

It’s like Chateau Lafite putting out a fruit bomb Shiraz, or even a rosé. Putting their name on the label would allow them to charge a fortune for it, but...

Cohiba Maduro are simply not Cohiba, to me.

Partagas Maduro is simply not Partagas, to me.

H. Upmann Maduro? I won’t hold my breath.

Also, Maduros look like dog turds. ?

Agree wholeheartedly. Not a fan, CC or NC. I have some NC and will most likely never smoke them. Throw one in the yard and it will blend in with the other dog poops. 

[Derboesekoenig]

Only Cuban maduro I've had is a Partagas No1, and while it was definitely different...seems like same opinion as most here--not worth the price. I'll keep a box and see how they develop, but I'm just not seeing much. It's a nice change, but I'd only have a few a year.

[hjmclain22]

I’d rather have a pardon or fuente maduro over a cohiba or party anytime. Cubans have not figured out the maduro imo. Hell I prefer a NC Sancho Panza maduro over a genios. My least favorite cc purchases are all maduro cohiba party or various LEs.


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[Bill Hayes]

On 08/05/2018 at 5:17 PM, El Presidente said:

I have always thought of them as HSA 's  answer to Padron Anniversary 1926/64  maddies. 

Where on the rare occasion that  I would smoke a maddy Padron Anniversary for a change of pace, I would now smoke a Genios or Padron number 1.  

Maybe that is what they were seeking all along. 

Agree here. But I reckon they are trying to work their way further into the American market who would be used to NC's and the choice of maduro wrappers. PS. I like a Padron too but a bit one dimensional.

[Philc2001]

I honestly don' think the people on this forum are the target market for these offerings, or for any of HSA's marketing shenanigans. They already have us hooked.

The target market are the premium NC smokers that regularly spend $300-$400 on a box of premium NC cigars, the smokers who have crossed the road from Connecticut Shade to Maduro, from shade grown to sun grown, etc. The NC leaders; Padron, Fuente, etc. have created brand recognition and brand loyalty through clever marketing and innovate products (i.e. maduros, aged leaf, fat cigars, etc.) and they have an established, wealthy, loyal following. Cuba and HSA want a part of that, and they likely believe they can lure a slice of that market to the forbidden fruit by imitating their competitors. As best as I can tell, it went from a misguided belief that maduro will convert smokers, to we're in too far to turn back now. Well, at least they're trying something and not just sitting on their fat butts and raking it in, so that's a positive.  

For me, I haven't found anything enticing about Cuban maduros. Are they different strains, different leaf, or just same old but simply cured differently to produce a maduro wrap? I wasn't impressed by any of the ones I tried, and I certainly would not pay a premium for maduros over non-maduros, but you know, different strokes. 

[PhilB]

I like maduro wrappers.  I have several maduro NCs, and I enjoy them.

However, I have way more Cubans, and I have never had a Cuban maduro. It's simply not what I look for when I reach for a fine Cuban cigar.  I am a fairly new smoker (a bit over a year now), and I am developing a preference for Cubans, although I enjoy NCs, but for a totally different flavour profile.  When I reach for a Cuban, it's because I want that particular twang, cream, etc, that only Cuban cigars have.

If I want a maduro, there are some great brands that have been doing it forever (Padron, etc), and some newer boutique players who are fantastic at it using tobacco that has been used for maduros for a very long time.  This is simply not what the Cubans have been doing all this time, so I haven't had any inclination to pay premium Cuban prices for something that will most likely not taste how I expect Cuban tobacco to.

I understand HSA's desire to go after the NC market, but it just doesn't appeal to me.  A Cohiba, to me, should taste like a Cuban cigar, not like a Padron!  

That's why I have some of both in my humidors.

[Doctorossi]

I've yet to try an Habanos maduro and I'm not sure when/if I'll get around to one.

[Derboesekoenig]

Even though I don't smoke them regularly, I recommend at least trying one just to see what you think.

[prodigy]

I've now tried the genios, magicos, secretos and party maduro 1. I like them all, but a psp secretos is by far the best in my opinion. Wish the larger formats had the same profile and intensity.

 

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