Has anyone caught the magical dragon?

[LordAnubis]

So it’s not the first time I’ve hunted NCs. Over the years I’ve always had a bit of a foray into NCs cos suuuurely they can’t all be garbage? I’ve always approached it as “I’m finding an NC as good as a Cuban or is better than a Cuban”. I’ve always been disappointed. Over the years I’ve found NCs that I can tolerate, but that’s not a glowing recommendation, and I don’t want this thread going into NC recommendations for me to try. 
 

What I’d like to learn is from those who have converted to fully or almost all NCs, what was your mindset going in? Sure I should probably lose the “what’s this garbage” mindset would be a good a start 😄

Do you honestly enjoy NCs as much as Cubans?

Did you go at it thinking “ok this isn’t steak, it’s chicken, and different is good too”?

Did you beat your taste buds into submission and made them love the turds you were lighting up?

Are you just a tobacco addict and will do anything for a fix?

Honestly wondering what the mindset and opinions are of those who’ve crossed over. Maybe I too can learn to love the bastard ranga sitting in the corner. Doubt it though. 😂

[Li Bai]

15 hours ago, LordAnubis said:

Did you go at it thinking “ok this isn’t steak, it’s chicken, and different is good too”?

When I began roaming in the NC corner, that was my mindset but I must say the first Nudies I've had blew me away. Definitely steak to me 👍

[garifo]

I’ve sampled a variety of NCs. While I’ve found a few that I enjoy on occasion, I still find myself reaching for a Cuban almost every time I want to sit back and relax with a cigar.

One NC that I found 2-3 years ago or so that has earned a permanent spot in my humidor is the Aladino Habano Vintage Selection. Smooth, flavorful, and well-balanced, it’s one of the few NCs I actually reach for at least once or twice a month.  Plus they come in a 50 cab and you can find under $270.  I have a few others but again don't smoke them as often as a Cuban.

I also need to give Fabrica5 Cigars a try since it’s made with Honduran tobacco. Maybe I like Honduran tobacco more over any other NC since I was born there—lol.

But if I’m choosing a cigar purely for pleasure, it’s going to be a Cuban. They just have that unmistakable magic that keeps pulling me back.

[mikejh]

Two NCs that really stand out to me are the Ashton VSG and Fuente Anejo, you should try each of those.

[Chibearsv]

15 hours ago, LordAnubis said:

Do you honestly enjoy NCs as much as Cubans? - Yes, depending on the circumstances.  As Prez says, different tools for different jobs.

Did you go at it thinking “ok this isn’t steak, it’s chicken, and different is good too”? - No, I generally like a cigar.  Once I know what each one delivers, I've got on idea of what job they can do for me (see above).

Did you beat your taste buds into submission and made them love the turds you were lighting up? - Mr interviewer, that's a leading question that I will not fall for.  

Are you just a tobacco addict and will do anything for a fix? Not really a tobacco addict, but certainly a tobacco lover, only in cigar form though.  

I haven't crossed over to NC only, but I've certainly added them to the inventory.  Answers are above

[wjs]

Most of my CC's are young (and taste accordingly) so I've been heavier on my Fabrica5 purchases and very happy (taste, price) - to the point my focus is there while I slowly put boxes to sleep. Very much looking forward to the N8 reload, will be putting a bundle of Carlota 3's in as well. 

[Boss Hog]

6 hours ago, LordAnubis said:

Do you honestly enjoy NCs as much as Cubans?

Would be lying if I said I do.

[Goldeneye]

After my last trip to Cuba in 2022, it is likely we won't be going back again, or at least not for a long time. Going to Cuba for a winter holiday and having friends/family doing the same made getting CC fairly reliable, but with fewer people I know going down it is hard to replenish the CC supply. I can't afford to buy cigars in Canada so I need to buy them while on holidays. I have been looking for NC's to take the place of CC, especially on my dog walks which account for about 75% of my cigar time. After trying many different NC's I have found that I really enjoy AF Hemingway Short Story and Bestsellers, the perfect cigar for a dog walk. I have also managed to get some Nudies through friends coming up to Canada, and really enjoy the Queen Corona and Trinity Robusto. I would say these NC are as enjoyable as comparable CC for myself and will continue to buy these whenever I can even if I had a reliable CC source. So I would say yes, I have found some NC that I enjoy as much as CC, but for most of what I have tried, not even close.

[Cigar Surgeon]

15 hours ago, LordAnubis said:

So it’s not the first time I’ve hunted NCs. Over the years I’ve always had a bit of a foray into NCs cos suuuurely they can’t all be garbage?

So I've always smoked NCs and CCs.

As a reviewer, I smoked 112 new cigars in 2024. Of those it was whittled down to a top 25, and of those I'd likely seek out and smoke 19 of.

If you're new to NCs and walk into a humidor, blindly grabbing things off the shelf, it's more than likely you won't be overly impressed with what you buy. There are hundreds upon hundreds of brands and thousands upon thousands of offerings.

[chasy]

6 hours ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

So I've always smoked NCs and CCs.

As a reviewer, I smoked 112 new cigars in 2024. Of those it was whittled down to a top 25, and of those I'd likely seek out and smoke 19 of.

If you're new to NCs and walk into a humidor, blindly grabbing things off the shelf, it's more than likely you won't be overly impressed with what you buy. There are hundreds upon hundreds of brands and thousands upon thousands of offerings.

Agreed. I think the massive offering of NCs makes it almost impossible to explore. I’m all in on Nudies for my NCs. Still smoke 90% CCs though.

[LordAnubis]

Absolutely agree with @Cigar Surgeon and @chasy. The sheer amount of cigars is frankly a detriment to market entry. It’s literally why I got into Cuban cigars because there’s only a few (comparatively) to chose from.  

[chasy]

Also, and no disrespect, but the NC naming convention is way too Douche Bag oriented. “Mega Death Harley Davidson 69 Leather Pants Shotgun Fucker Honduran Xrtreme”

Like, you can’t ask me to actually buy that?

[HenryMartin]

23 minutes ago, chasy said:

Also, and no disrespect, but the NC naming convention is way too Douche Bag oriented. “Mega Death Harley Davidson 69 Leather Pants Shotgun Fucker Honduran Xrtreme”

Like, you can’t ask me to actually but that?

Its an identity.

[teamrandr]

I found My Father's cigars after CC became outrageous. They are hands down much more consistent. Both in terms of construction, burn, as well as flavors. I still miss my Reyes but overall I am very content if I had to stick to only My Father. 

[HenryMartin]

Exploring New World cigars helped me understand (and appreciate) Cuban cigars. Fortunately it's rewarded me with the discovery of special cigars along the way. Its an arduous journey for sure but one that I have thoroughly enjoyed. Having done so extensively in the past, today I hardly navigate beyond Habanos, Opus X and Padron.

[JohnS]

To answer your questions, Mus:-

Do you honestly enjoy NCs as much as Cubans? Truthfully, there are some that I very much do. I've had some fantastic New World cigars over the years. Padron and Arturo Fuente come to mind.

Did you go at it thinking “ok this isn’t steak, it’s chicken, and different is good too”? No, not really. Whilst I could say that Padron cigars are their own thing, I can honestly say that some Arturo Fuente cigars I've had have been a suitable substitute for my love of quality H.Upmann cigars over the years. Also, some of the Nudies options have been quite good at being 'Cubanesque' for me, if one aspires to that concept.

Did you beat your taste buds into submission and made them love the turds you were lighting up? No.

Are you just a tobacco addict and will do anything for a fix? No. There's nothing worse than smoking a cigar you detest for an hour and a half to two hours (and you've paid a decent price for). Trust me!

[CaptainQuintero]

9 hours ago, chasy said:

Also, and no disrespect, but the NC naming convention is way too Douche Bag oriented. “Mega Death Harley Davidson 69 Leather Pants Shotgun Fucker Honduran Xrtreme”

Like, you can’t ask me to actually buy that?

I bought a box!

[LigSecVol]

Do you honestly enjoy NCs as much as Cubans? Yes

Did you go at it thinking “ok this isn’t steak, it’s chicken, and different is good too”? No. CCs aren't always steak. NCs aren't always chicken.

Did you beat your taste buds into submission and made them love the turds you were lighting up? No. That would be a sad way to live.

Are you just a tobacco addict and will do anything for a fix? No

That said, there are loads of turds amongst CCs due to inconsistency Let's also face it, CCs have changed quite a bit in profile over the years/decades. Not all NCs are also garbage. The great ones (granted there aren't loads) leave CCs in the dust. In terms of mindset, I don't hunt NCs hoping they taste like Cubans. If you want/love Cuban, smoke Cuban. 

[unaslob]

I am an equal opportunity smoker. There are times I am looking for a specific Cuban. There are times I am looking for a Liga, Olivia Melanio, Fuente, or Opus. If I'm looking for subtle flavors that pair with coffee, I’ll almost always go for a Cuban. But if looking for something to enjoy at local box might be a NW. I am often drawn to a specific vitola and chose which way to go accordingly.  

[HoyoFan]

You will undoubtably find too way too much information to process on this question, but as someone who’s done a lot of this back and forth and these days smokes mostly NCs, I think I can summarize it into two points.

1. Yes there are definitely plenty of cigars out there that stand up to CCs, the trick is not to look for a replacement in flavor. But rather think of it as simply just another new cigar I haven’t tried.

2. Look into Honduran tobacco. For me this has been an amazing discovery in terms of little to no pepper, light to medium strength and tons of fantastic flavors. Side note, Nudies are mostly Honduran. Others I’ve loved have been Aladino.

As for non Honduran: Caldwell, Dunbarton Sin Compromiso, Fuente Anejo. If you want to dig in further just let me know. Enjoy the ride!

[LaoFan]

On 2/1/2025 at 1:21 PM, chasy said:

Also, and no disrespect, but the NC naming convention is way too Douche Bag oriented. “Mega Death Harley Davidson 69 Leather Pants Shotgun Fucker Honduran Xrtreme”

Like, you can’t ask me to actually buy that?

I spit my coffee out when I read this. 😂

Also... who's designing these bands? Never judge a book by its cover?

A guy in our group who only smokes NCs said I was a snobby 'cones-our' for only smoking Cubans...

[mikejh]

5 hours ago, HoyoFan said:

You will undoubtably find too way too much information to process on this question, but as someone who’s done a lot of this back and forth and these days smokes mostly NCs, I think I can summarize it into two points.

1. Yes there are definitely plenty of cigars out there that stand up to CCs, the trick is not to look for a replacement in flavor. But rather think of it as simply just another new cigar I haven’t tried.

2. Look into Honduran tobacco. For me this has been an amazing discovery in terms of little to no pepper, light to medium strength and tons of fantastic flavors. Side note, Nudies are mostly Honduran. Others I’ve loved have been Aladino.

As for non Honduran: Caldwell, Dunbarton Sin Compromiso, Fuente Anejo. If you want to dig in further just let me know. Enjoy the ride!

The Punch gran puro is an excellent Honduran puro.

[Fuzz]

@LordAnubis from the title, I thought you were talking about opium.

[chasy]

15 hours ago, LaoFan said:

I spit my coffee out when I read this. 😂

Also... who's designing these bands? Never judge a book by its cover?

A guy in our group who only smokes NCs said I was a snobby 'cones-our' for only smoking Cubans...

Exactly

[Ruggerpgh99]

Being from the US, most of my cigar smoking, and availability is NC cigars. I tend to smoke Cubans for special occasions, and I am hoping to have some of my CC stock age over time, while still enjoying NC as more than 50% of my rotation. There are many NC cigars that I love, some more than a few CC I haven't particularly liked. There are diffferent profiles for sure, but My top 5 cigars this year, 2 are cuban, and 3 are NC. I would say Plasencia Alma Fuego Flama is number 1, CORO is number 2, and then in any order, PLPC, Stolen Throne - Crook of the Crown, Aladino Corojo Reserva no. 4.

There is absolutely space in my tupperware for both.