If the prices were to return to some semblance of normality for CCs, how.........

[El Presidente]

Poll as requested 

 

'For those of you who have transitioned partially or completely over to NCs:

If the prices were to return to some semblance of normality for CCs, how much would you change your buying habits as a result?'

[nosluoc]

I'd love for that to be a possibility, but I think we're more likely to see Hell become a frozen tundra, lol.

[99call]

For me a large part of it is the history, branding and romance of CC.     Many enjoy the glitzy loud branding of NC cigars.   Conversely for me, I think some of the quality is there, its the producers and the branding that I have zero affinity/interest in. 

If pricing went back to normal.   The first thing I would do, would be to by 40 boxes of QDOCC at $147 a box........but sure a few NC's here and there is fun.   

Because CC's has largely eliminated their strong bodied, and light bodied cigars,  if you want a 'change of pace'  NC will be my go-to. 

[Ford2112]

I'd keep buying my beloved CCs. If not I'm happy with other avenues of enjoyment in the nudies/ nc world.

[loose_axle]

I’d need the interest rates to also revert at the moment, it’s curtailed any sort of luxury spending. 
 

I’d probably grab more CC’s again but have enjoyed trying a few more NCs than normal. 

[Hammer Smokin']

in the words immortalized by Robert Hunter,

"He's gone, he's gone and nothin's gonna bring him back, he's gone"

[westg]

I smoked a Rafael Gonzalez panetelas extra last night ....I cannot remember any non Cuban even being close to that . I am staying put. Heathens 

[Rhinoww]

I was a casual cigar consumer until I found CC. If CC are no longer in my life, I will likely revert to a very casual cigar consumer again. They are just in my sweet spot and I have yet to find (waiting on some nudies) a suitable alternative. 
CC are my sweet spot. They just cost too much now. HSA get off my lawn. 

[Bagman]

The Cuban (de)illusion has been broken for me.  So many wonderful non-cubans.  I might buy SOME Cubans, but I'm really pro non-cubans now.  The prices would have to go back to on island pre 2020 prices (talking 151 for a box of colonials) for me to fully return.200 bucks for wonderful churchill non-cubans, that is my jam.

[CyrusTheOk]

I was a casual cigar smoker until 5 years ago when I had my first cuban and just like a junkie I have been chasing that high since LOL.  I have had many good to great NCs but nothing has given me the same flavor profile in the tobacco I crave.  Vegeruos which I love as a casual daily smoke are $10 a stick and can find many others still in that range I love.  If prices creep up to $20 I would just go back to smoking once a week or every other week.  If they go down LOL I would just upgrade my everyday smoke. 

[gustavehenne]

I struggled to answer this... If Cuban cigars returned back to a reasonable point I would definitely buy more than I do now but I wouldn't entirely revert back to just Cuban cigars (I never just bought Cuban cigars - I enjoy both NC and CC and bought maybe 60/40 in favour of CC pre-cigarmageddon).

The big thing that stops me buying Cuban cigars is frankly the quality of them. I still find heaps of cigars that have super tight draws, are totally plugged or are just plain badly constructed. Some are worse than others (I find the Monte Especiales No. 2 the worst of the lot for QC issues) but I rarely find this with NC cigars.

If HSA fixed both the price AND the quality issues, I'd probably move the needle to upwards of 70/30 in favour of Cuban.

[SCgarman]

Give us Monte 4 at say $200/ box and I would buy them all day. But that proposition is merely a pie in the sky fantasy in 2023.

[Bri Fi]

2019 when h Upmann no 2 were priced at $219 or PSD4 were $178. Those were the days. If we went back I would dedicate an entire side of my house to CC

[Guest Nekhyludov]

It isn't just price that made the pre-2022 period a Golden Age. Consistently good harvests led to consistently good leaf. Inventory was generally good. Shipping was usually reliable.

None of those things is true anymore, and none are likely to return in the foreseeable future, even if prices magically did drop.

[Rhinoww]

1 minute ago, Bri Fi said:

2019 when h Upmann no 2 were priced at $219 or PSD4 were $178. Those were the days. If we went back I would dedicate an entire side of my house to CC

I talked about doing that w a buddy. We were concerned about drawing CPB’s wrath. And then there would have been our wives to contend with …

[BlueRidgeFly]

I voted I'd revert, but that really depends on what "return to some semblance of normality" means. 

[Bill Hayes]

Waiting on a tax return to spend on some Nudies. Think I would smoke mostly Nudies and pick and choose some Cuban singles for a change up. Still love JL#2, Monte 2, BBF and Boli PC. But there are a lot of Cubans I would like to try that I haven't because I kind of know what I like and like what I know. That being said, haven't had a RYJ wide churchill, a Cohiba medio siglo or a Monty Petit Robusto amongst several others. Also love to revisit Partagas P2 and Trini Reyes. But for now, I'm happy enough with the thinner ring guage Nudies but do miss the unmistakable Cuban twang that I experienced with early Party D4 and Party SDC#3,2.

[GVan]

Great question - I guess we can all hope or more likely dream for the good old days !

I have accumulated an extensive collection (for me).  I know there are many here with way more than I have - but, I still miss the chase for that great box of CC's and still have several holes in the collection I would absolutely fill - and quickly this time.  I am currently 20% NC's and 80% CC's and do enjoy the occasional NC.  Living in Florida, I've found that NC's handle the high humidity days way better than my CC's; so the NC's will stay and the percentages seem about right for my smoking habits and tastes.

Having said all the above, like others here have said, what I wouldn't give to buy more BRC's, Lusi's, Epi-2's, Mag 46's, JL2's, Punch Punch's, PsdP's and of course way more SCdlH Principe's at normal prices.  As I said - just a few holes ...

[Capn_Jackson]

It was fun to entertain that dream while selecting my answer in the poll, and then I remembered reality. Only a few years ago, I remember buying my first full cab of BBF. $300. A few years after that, I bought two boxes of Punch Short de Punch for $140 each, thinking that was too high. If things ever got back to that neighborhood, which they won’t, I would spend a lot of money.

I have a good stock of CC’s that I love, but am more and more going to my NC favorites to fill in. Problem is, my favorite NC are Padrón 1926 and 1964, so the cost is still high. When I do run out of Padróns, which won’t happen anytime soon unless I just go on a binge, they’ll be expensive to replace but not impossible.

Moral of the story? Nudies, nudies, nudies.

[LordAnubis]

Wouldn’t it be a crazy business strategy. Build up he hype on CCs so much. Make the people beg for it. Make them sell their mothers for it. Then unleash plentiful cigars at cheap prices to the market and watch the avalanche of money just pour in 👀🫣

[BrightonCorgi]

I'll keep buying boxes like I was if they are being offered and are perceptively seen as a good price.  

[helix]

Was a CC snob. 🤧 Really am enjoying other NC I have had lately and have acquired a taste especially for the Dominican's . Thus the mix of each will be enduring.

[DaBoot]

Yea, who wouldn’t buy Cuban cigars at old prices…. They will never get back to that. I don’t enjoy many NC sticks, don’t get it wrong, there are great NCs above 20$ stick. At that price I’m buying a D4, I  have almost eliminated the habit altogether now. No pleasure in smoking 20$. Bring back the 6-9$ sticks, I’d be in 👍🏻

[SCgarman]

Just seen a Cigar Aficionado online writeup saying Behikes have had a price increase. They will now be around 300usd per stick. All I can say is enjoy them! Never had one, and likely never will.

[zboysolo]

My first cigar 20 odd years ago was a Partagas D4. I've rarely looked back..or over to the other side. 2-3% of the sticks I smoke are NC. That has ticked up to 10+% in this new overpriced era. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. There is the occasional NC that works, but never a big fan. What's a poor lad to do? Quit? My papi told me "quitters don't win, and winners never quit."