Which Marca is the most...

[RDB]

I was just smoking an RyJ Short Churchill, and it struck me that Romeo y Julieta must be the most under-appreciated marca. Of course many of us love them, and they sell well globally. But they are not hip, not really prestigious.

Now imagine they didn’t exist, and HSA launched a new blend that tasted like the Romeo we know. Three sizes only: the Churchill and its short and wide siblings. Ten count boxes mostly, with short supply. WE WOULD GO NUTS!

A little while ago I posted on Rafael Gonzalez being the most under-appreciated. I vote Cohiba as the most erratic. 

So what are your ‘mosts’? What strikes you about your favourites especially? 

[Astar20]

Most under appreciated would have to go to RG and JL both are consistent the blends and construction always great while not commanding such a steep price and amazing marcas. 

Most erratic would be QDO, it's nuts how people get over them. 

[99call]

Vegas Robaina-               Most successful at exemplifying a pure tobacco taste

La Gloria Cubana -          Most complex

Juan Lopez JL1-              Most underrated

PLMC -                            Most value....by a country mile

R&J-                                 Most unecessarily huge portfolio of petit coronas

Ramon Allones RE LE-    Most yawnworthy

Cohiba-                            Most forgiven,  like the favourite family dog, that constantly craps on the rug  

Sancho Panza-                 Most unique stand alone blend

Person who cut

SDC &Hoyo du series-    Most clueless

 

[HumidorJuan]

You’ve made a good point. I think we undervalue RyJ as it’s usually one of the first marcas we get into, every shop, even most corner stores will have one and I’m sure we all still have a leftover Petit corona from years ago when we started building our collections.  And as a rite of passage, we tend to undervalue the marcas that we started off with (I feel this way about Monte)  I’m still totally into RyJ wide Churchill and Monte Petit Edmundo but maybe that’s it? 

[shippers]

12 minutes ago, HumidorJuan said:

You’ve made a good point. I think we undervalue RyJ as it’s usually one of the first marcas we get into, every shop, even most corner stores will have one and I’m sure we all still have a leftover Petit corona from years ago when we started building our collections.  And as a rite of passage, we tend to undervalue the marcas that we started off with (I feel this way about Monte)  I’m still totally into RyJ wide Churchill and Monte Petit Edmundo but maybe that’s it? 

Agreed - even non-cigar smokers have heard about RyJ. I don't think the breath of the marca helps really, makes it seem like they are churning them out. As @99call pointed out why so many petit coronas! But I do enjoy a good RyJ. Got some millefleurs with a bit of age on them and they are such good value! The short, wide and regular churchill are also very good although the regular churchill does face stiff competition from other marcas.

[mt1]

32 minutes ago, 99call said:

 

Cohiba-                            Most forgiven,  like the favourite family dog, that constantly craps on the rug  

 

This is the best description of Cohiba I have ever read.  So true.

[99call]

47 minutes ago, shippers said:

RyJ. I don't think the breath of the marca helps really

I think if you cut down R&J  down to 

Mille Fleur, Churchills, Exhibition No 4, Cazzies, Petit Royales.......and focused on making them all steller.....you wouldn't hear many complaints

Re-introduce Shakespeares (long skinnies) 

[Stump89]

1 hour ago, 99call said:

Vegas Robaina-               Most successful at exemplifying a pure tobacco taste

La Gloria Cubana -          Most complex

Juan Lopez JL1-              Most underrated

PLMC -                            Most value....by a country mile

R&J-                                 Most unecessarily huge portfolio of petit coronas

Ramon Allones RE LE-    Most yawnworthy

Cohiba-                            Most forgiven,  like the favourite family dog, that constantly craps on the rug  

 

Most accurate description!  

I am not a fan of Romeo in general aside from the cazzie. The portfolio in general is gigantic and there's no way people are kicking down the doors for all of those petit coronas or exhibition no3.

Will also add Trinidad as my most consistent. Sure some are better than others, but I don't think I've ever had a BAD experience with any Trinidad.

[99call]

2 minutes ago, Stump89 said:

The portfolio in general is gigantic and there's no way people are kicking down the doors for all of those petit coronas or exhibition no3.

I think R&J ( I maybe wrong) sell a huge amount to people in airports for gifts the recipients rarely expect or want.     I hazard a guess 30% of those bought never get smoked, and if they do, it's by a teenage son who will smoke an inch  (when drunk) and then will quickly revert to smoking their weapons grade skunk

[CaptainQuintero]

  I adore RyJ when they are on form. When they have been made properly and with great quality leaf then they can beat anything else Cuba puts out. It's just those things don't always align, things are a world away from 5/6 years ago when so much was just grey wrappers and poor quality tobacco.

  But yeah, search those great boxes and you can sit back and really see what made it the premium brand in decades past

[garbandz]

best small stick is a draw between RASCC and El Principe.

Best overall marca is Upmann

Best bargain is Mille Fleurs ... RyJ and Partagas

Most erratic, Monte 2 tied with Hoyo Epi Especial

Most overlooked is Punch Coro tubos

Most sought after......LGC and Hoyo Des Dieux

Most improved.....RyJ

[BrightonCorgi]

Juan Lopez is most overlooked marca as a whole considering their consistent quality over the last 2 decades.  It's not on the short list of marca's one could name if you're cigar smoker, but not into Habanos. 

SCDH may be the big one Habanos smokers gloss over the most.  

[Connoisseur Kim]

Here goes the list with my opinions.

Great Marcas But Under the Radar:

• Juan Lopez (JL2, the pure "Cigarpresso")
• Ramon Allones (huge fan of RASS)
• La Gloria Cubana (MdO4, the graceful and complex as English Earl Grey Tea)

Best All-rounder Marca:

• H. Upmann (honestly you can't go anything wrong with this marca except Robustos Anejados)

Great Global Marcas:

• Cohiba (love Siglo II and CORO)
• Montecristo (big fan of aged #4, 1935 Leyenda)
• Partagas (need more Shorts)