Your favorite Non-Cubans

[patrickamory]

  On 9/7/2022 at 12:43 AM, HoyoFan said:

I realized that I hadn’t checked in on this thread for a while and I thought I’d share something I’ve been noticing. Honduran tobacco.
It seems to be missing the attack of earth and pepper that Nicaraguan tobacco often punches with. And it’s free of the simple wood that most Dominican tobacco contains.

Instead, I find a really pleasing subtle sweetness and flavors of coffee and nuts. It’s not a copy of Cuba but it does feel like a cousin. Both in nuance and strength.

Curious if others have run into this.

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What are your favorite brands / sticks with Honduran tobacco? Speaking from ignorance and eager to get suggestions. Thanks!

[jimjim]

Tatuaje T110 Tuxtla. 

[JLH]

  On 9/11/2022 at 11:20 PM, patrickamory said:

What are your favorite brands / sticks with Honduran tobacco? Speaking from ignorance and eager to get suggestions. Thanks!

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Aladino is king. And from the same family, Eiroa. 

Jason

[HoyoFan]

  On 9/12/2022 at 8:46 AM, JLH said:

Aladino is king. And from the same family, Eiroa. 

Jason

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The Eiroa's have been great at this.

 

  On 9/12/2022 at 4:51 AM, jimjim said:

Tatuaje T110 Tuxtla. 

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I'm pretty sure this is not honduran. It's San Andreas over Nicaragua

[jimjim]

Was replying to OP, but I can see the confusion. 

[HoyoFan]

Bumping this thread just in the hopes that it may help some of our fellow brothers/sisters who are dealing with the current Cuban price hike.

Since posting this, I’ve been on a tour of tasting many of the recommendations here and I have to say that the majority deserve a try. I won’t tell you what you SHOULD smoke but I can say that the list does overwhelmingly answer my original questions.

Thanks all!

[cmbarton]

Anyone have any experience with Herrera Esteli Habano Edicion Limitada Lancero?

I’ve been hunting for quality, mild-medium NC with non-pepper and leather taste profiles.  So far I’ve had luck with Padron Damaso and Aston Classic.  I bought a couple boxes of the Herrera Estelis based only on recommendations and without trying it first so a little bit of a gamble.

I’ve also got Illusione on my list of cigars to try.

[HoyoFan]

  On 5/2/2023 at 4:36 PM, cmbarton said:

Anyone have any experience with Herrera Esteli Habano Edicion Limitada Lancero?

I’ve been hunting for quality, mild-medium NC with non-pepper and leather taste profiles.  So far I’ve had luck with Padron Damaso and Aston Classic.  I bought a couple boxes of the Herrera Estelis based only on recommendations and without trying it first so a little bit of a gamble.

I’ve also got Illusione on my list of cigars to try.

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Definitely try Illusione Epernay!

[Kevin48438]

  On 5/2/2023 at 4:36 PM, cmbarton said:

Anyone have any experience with Herrera Esteli Habano Edicion Limitada Lancero?

I’ve been hunting for quality, mild-medium NC with non-pepper and leather taste profiles.  So far I’ve had luck with Padron Damaso and Aston Classic.  I bought a couple boxes of the Herrera Estelis based only on recommendations and without trying it first so a little bit of a gamble.

I’ve also got Illusione on my list of cigars to try.

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Illusione you will probably like.   Others you may like in the medium or less, no pepper or leather vein:

A lot of Davidoff

Diamond Crown Julius Caesar

Crowned Heads Headley Grange

Non-Cuban Montecristo

some Warped

Is the Herrera Esteli pepperiness ok?

[shokao]

Lately I'm enjoying Caldwell (various lines), Davidoff Nicaragua/Gran Cru/Millenium, Nudies N1 (my favorite NC today), Padrón 1926/1964, Sobremesa Brulee Blue and AF Don Carlos Robusto.

I'm waiting for two orders with NCs that I've never tried before: Ashton ESG 21 Year Salute and Illusione Eperney Le Grande. 

[cmbarton]

  On 5/3/2023 at 1:22 PM, shokao said:

Nudies N1 (my favorite NC today)

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Couldn’t agree more; it’s gotten me through the last couple of years!  

[HoyoFan]

After 20 years of smoking cigars I think I’m finally going to try a Davidoff. Not sure why I’ve always turned away from the brand.

For those that have tried them, which line would you recommend. Preferably low to none on the pepper scale.

[loose_axle]

If you like a light bodied cigar a signature no 2 is a great place to start.

If you prefer something stronger a late hour or millennium.

But to be honest nothing in the Davidoff range is going to blow your socks off the way an LFD can (I mean strength not flavour wise).

If you can find it the year of the tiger is the best Davidoff I’ve had. A real treat. 

 

[Çnote]

  On 5/3/2023 at 11:31 PM, HoyoFan said:

After 20 years of smoking cigars I think I’m finally going to try a Davidoff. Not sure why I’ve always turned away from the brand.

For those that have tried them, which line would you recommend. Preferably low to none on the pepper scale.

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Grand Cru - pick a size you like

Colorado Claro - perfecto

Signature #2 - lancero or thereabouts. Zino's preferred smoke.

[Glass Half Full]

  On 5/3/2023 at 11:31 PM, HoyoFan said:

After 20 years of smoking cigars I think I’m finally going to try a Davidoff. Not sure why I’ve always turned away from the brand.

For those that have tried them, which line would you recommend. Preferably low to none on the pepper scale.

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If you are able to find the new Davidoff Millennium Lancero Maduro -- that is an incredibly good cigar now (especially so young), which (I hope) will develop complexity with age.  

The slightly earlier released Signature No. 1 LE lancero is also outstanding but is almost the mirror image of the above.  This shows complexity early -- a full 3/3rds IMO -- yet (I hope) it will age to show the intensity of its younger brother (above; which now just shows two halves).  

Any Davidoff LE you find is worth the splurge, especially since they're no longer expensive by comparison.  That's also true of the "year of" Chinese New Year series IMO.  Every one I have had has been outstanding, but you have to buy as soon as they're released.  Some of the only cigars that I enjoy without a year of age. 

[vinnyvega]

I had to dip my toes in the NC pool last week to keep my hands off of CCs that aren't quite there yet(for my taste at least).

Illusione Epernay

Sobremesa Brulee Blue 

Foundation stuff

I haven't had a Nicaraguan in 6 or 7 years.  It should be fun......

[MossybackR]

  On 5/3/2023 at 11:31 PM, HoyoFan said:

After 20 years of smoking cigars I think I’m finally going to try a Davidoff. Not sure why I’ve always turned away from the brand.

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Well, price has always been one reason that my Scotch heritage prevented me from diving into the Davidoff line. However, the quality and flavors have prompted me to keep a few at hand. With the CC price hike, many retailers have been forced to add NCs to their stock. Nudies are one example, but I have also noticed some great opportunities to purchase other quality NCs at reasonable prices. 

[Glass Half Full]

Ok - I get it that people believe that Davidoff is too expensive (just like Cuban cigars, now (except in my opinion CC pricing is way worse at present; and CC's are way more inconsistent).  

From a "reasonably priced" perspective:  I strongly suggest finding the Tatuaje Lancero Collection -- or the Tatuaje No. 1 (OR) Lancero -- either or which are still available in the U.S. if you search google.  

Will the flavors be as good as CC's?  In my opinion, no. 

Is it a great value?  In my opinion, yes.

Will you want to smoke a small CC afterward?  Yes

Just sharing. - c

[alloy]

  On 5/3/2023 at 11:31 PM, HoyoFan said:

After 20 years of smoking cigars I think I’m finally going to try a Davidoff. Not sure why I’ve always turned away from the brand.

For those that have tried them, which line would you recommend. Preferably low to none on the pepper scale.

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You might want to try the Davi Yamasa brand. To me at least, it has a stone fruit taste that I find appealing.

[HoyoFan]

Thanks @alloy!

[HoyoFan]

  On 6/1/2023 at 3:39 AM, Glass Half Full said:

Tatuaje Lancero Collection -- or the Tatuaje No. 1 (OR) Lancero -- either or which are still available in the U.S. if you search google.  

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I like Tatuaje, my issue with them typically has been that they feature the standard My Father pepper blast and nicotine. Are these different at all?

[Glass Half Full]

I have only had the Triunfador Original from this set so far, though according to Halfwheel this is effectively a maduro version to the Cabaiguan, which is also in the set.  (I have had the Cabaiguan's before and enjoy them.)

With that said, it was only in the last third of the Triunfador Original that pepper came out to me, though from how well the first and second thirds went, and from the apparent youth of that cigar, I got the sense that all it needed was age.  

I personally haven't thought of Tatuaje as a peppery cigar.  Sometimes they are strong, but to me it doesn't come across as pepper, for whatever that's worth.  

To the earlier point about price, and with the exception of Nudies, these days it's hard to find a $9 cigar with as much flavor as Tatuaje, in my opinion.  

Hope that's helpful. 

[Tradesman]

  On 5/9/2022 at 4:50 PM, ReturnFreeRisk said:

Can anyone comment generally on experience with Cuban Seed Cigar Company cigars, or provide recommendations on any that stood out to you? Also curious on price/value
Thanks

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Do you mean the one from West Hollywood? 

Dont recommend buying their replicas of popular cuban cigars, originals are wayyyy better. But their in house blends such as the After Dinner and the G II were amazing.

Here’s a tip though, speak with the shopkeeper, get him to show you his Cuban stash. Last I went was able to scoop up a bunch of Hoyo DCs, Lusitanias, Bolivar Gigantes and more rare cigars that are authentic. Although expect to pay a slight premium for those.

If you weren’t talking about Cuban Seed Cigar Lounge in West Hollywood then my mistake! But hope this helps. 

[TacoSauce]

I love this thread and finally have something to contribute.

Smoked a NC H. Upmann Vintage Cameroon Belicosos today and was caught off guard by the slight saltiness and twang that was there in the first half. If I had smoked this blind I might have guessed that, at least in the first half, it was a mellow CC. In my experience, NC brands with names matching cuban marcas are universally terrible, and I was fully expecting to take a few puffs and throw this stick away. How very wrong I was. I recommend this stick.

[EnigmatiC]

  On 6/1/2023 at 12:47 PM, alloy said:

You might want to try the Davi Yamasa brand. To me at least, it has a stone fruit taste that I find appealing.

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I will be taking this suggestion this evening (stock permitting of course). Thanks!