What percentage of your cigar inventory is Cuban/Non-Cuban currently?

[Ciscojohansson]

I recently re-stocked my inventory as well. NC are at 1,04%. I just never smoke the NC I have, I do not get chance to smoke as often as I would want to, and CC are more alluring to me. Last time I bought a NC was in September 2022. If I was able to import Nudies maybe thing would change.

[Hammer Smokin']

A little over half the responses are still 90% or more Cuban. 

The more things change, the more they stay the same. 

 

[ha_banos]

13 hours ago, Hammer Smokin' said:

 A little over half the responses are still 90% or more Cuban.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Will take a while to change shape yet. Give it time. I smoke a lot more NC nowadays. Mainly F5's 😁 but it does mean the Cuban stash remains. I don't worry about stocking up NC like I do CC. Just buy as needed, JIT.

I'm amazed how the better stocked 2424 sells out though at these prices. Amazing. 

I've bought couple boxes CC recently but the avg price has shot up. 25£ - 35£ a cigar.

[cnov]

Despite non-Cubans being a smaller part of my collection, I do find it easier to pull them when out and about or my focus isn't just on the cigar.

Had a BBQ at home yesterday and enjoyed a Canonazo, only my third or fourth from the original release, fantastic stick, much lighter than I remembered. Beach BBQ after school today, started with a Spada Gorda and the finished with another Canonazo.

I feel like I'm going to age my Cuban stock quite easily without much trying. Dropping £20+ on a cigar every day isn't in my comfort zone, but I still like buying boxes of Cubans, figure that one out.

[smokeemifyougotem]

I only have one box of Casa Fuente, one box of Padron NC wise with about 30 Habanos. Don’t really see that ratio changing either! Aside from Opus X and Davidoff singles here and there. 

[BlueRidgeFly]

My % of CCs is now 85, down from about 98 a couple years ago. I expect my NC % to keep increasing as I continue finding really good options there.

I think NC tobacco and blending is rapidly broadening and improving, and that will almost certainly continue.

[Fugu]

On 5/17/2025 at 3:57 AM, Hammer Smokin' said:

A little over half the responses are still 90% or more Cuban. 

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

What you’d expect from a Cuban Cigar forum - still?

[Fugu]

As yet there’s no price incentive for me to smoke NCs.

[GVan]

According to my inventory, I'm ~75% Cuban and 25% NC. But, I really haven't done an update for several months so, I would guess the NC a little higher. Next planned purchases are two bundles of the new SS Half Corona for a coffee cigar. Also, another box of Casdagli cigars as soon as I get a coupon. So, my NC inventory percentage will continue to increase over time.

[Hammer Smokin']

23 hours ago, Fugu said:

What you’d expect from a Cuban Cigar forum - still?

Based on the number of threads on NC's a bit less than 90%. 

I wonder what the point of the thread was, asking about NC's on a Cuban Cigar forum, still? 

[REesq]

99.9% Cuban with a few Fuentes and Padrons thrown in for when I want to smoke at some event and I want to provide a cigar to one of the guests who would like to join me but doesn’t have one on hand at that moment (which is pretty often).   I’ve been smoking CCs for too long, and I am too old to change my ways.  😉

[Fugu]

John @JohnS you’re laughing, but I am totally serious about this. Let me just tell upfront that I like cigars - but I love Cubans. Call it snobbery, call it an acquired taste, can’t help, it is as it is. I cannot stand most Nicaraguan with their generic peppery barnyard aroma (makes me gag at times, even). Dominican, Honduran? I’ve yet to find a cigar that wows me. While I’ve had many a Cubans that did. I crave that certain Cuban “twang” that is so hard to describe.

That’s not to say that I don’t smoke Non-Cubans here and there. I always try and check out new venues out of curiosity. Yet, there isn’t an advantage in terms of price for me. But even if it were I will take a Quintero Panetelas any day and twice on Sundays over most NCs out there. If we get into the region of quality smokes, let me just give you some figures to understand what I mean (all current B&M pricing, so should be valid to post). In “my” market region, a Padron 1964 Principe Maduro comes in at EUR 19.60, whereas a ‘true’ El Principe (well, we both know what we are talking about here!), while slightly smaller, sets me back 9.50 (RASCC 10.10 (yeah, it’s incredible in which region we’ve ventured here! one of my bread & butter cigars), BCJ 10.30, BPC 11.90).

A Fuente Don Carlos Belicosos - 19.50, compared to BBF 19.40, the great SP Beli 17.10, or RyJ Beli at 20 bucks). The Torpedo from the same Fuente line comes in at 31.60, whereas a Monte No.2 here is 24.20 (Diplo 2 17.20, HU2 I just bought for 17.40, now 20.60, Unicos 20.50). I guess that puts it somewhat into perspective…

A Plasencia Alma Fuerte Robustus I is 23.00 (the Alma del Fuego Robusto, which is a true Robusto format is 17.50) - compare that with a D4 at 20.00 (RASS 17.20, Famosos 16.40, HU Connie One 16.20).

Fuente Short Story is 14 bucks (Best Seller 17) while a Divinos sets me back 9.50.

And let’s just not talk about any specialty lines, such as OpusX or Fuente’s Family Reserve.

Get what I mean?

Like @Ciscojohansson said, if I were able to get hold of Fabrica5 product, that stance might change perhaps. But it would be a big exception, still.

So at this time, still no bargains to be had for me in the NC realm. And, let’s face it, I’ll rather grab a Chicos or Monte Puritos to fix a hankering. Plus, I am stocked to the brim with CCs anyway, haha 😅

[JohnS]

13 hours ago, Fugu said:

John @JohnS you’re laughing, but I am totally serious about this. Let me just tell upfront that I like cigars - but I love Cubans. Call it snobbery, call it an acquired taste, can’t help, it is as it is. I cannot stand most Nicaraguan with their generic peppery barnyard aroma (makes me gag at times, even). Dominican, Honduran? I’ve yet to find a cigar that wows me. While I’ve had many a Cubans that did. I crave that certain Cuban “twang” that is so hard to describe.

It's just an appreciation @Fugu to a different time when Cuban cigars only mattered in the mind of a Habanos smoker. Not only did Non-Cubans not exist, most other Habanos marcas and vitolas didn't either!

Just for reference, in 1959 there were 140 brands undertaking export production and a total of 1,185 vitolas available (according to Cuban Cigar Website). And still, there were a great many cigar smokers worldwide who only smoked one brand or even one vitola regularly!

[ha_banos]

9 hours ago, JohnS said:

It's just an appreciation @Fugu to a different time when Cuban cigars only mattered in the mind of a Habanos smoker. Not only did Non-Cubans not exist, most other Habanos marcas and vitolas didn't either!

Just for reference, in 1959 there were 140 brands undertaking export production and a total of 1,185 vitolas available (according to Cuban Cigar Website). And still, there were a great many cigar smokers worldwide who only smoke one brand or even one vitola regularly!

This is very interesting. Put yourself in JFK's position for a moment. Knowing the embargo is coming. Which cigar/s would you stock up on? Just one? Or a selection?

He went for as many Petit Upmann as he could get. Not Esplendido, not Sir Winny, not Monte Especial.

Will have to check tomorrow if this thread has already been done...

[Li Bai]

11 hours ago, Fugu said:

John @JohnS you’re laughing, but I am totally serious about this. Let me just tell upfront that I like cigars - but I love Cubans. Call it snobbery, call it an acquired taste, can’t help, it is as it is. I cannot stand most Nicaraguan with their generic peppery barnyard aroma (makes me gag at times, even). Dominican, Honduran? I’ve yet to find a cigar that wows me. While I’ve had many a Cubans that did. I crave that certain Cuban “twang” that is so hard to describe.

That’s not to say that I don’t smoke Non-Cubans here and there. I always try and check out new venues out of curiosity. Yet, there isn’t an advantage in terms of price for me. But even if it were I will take a Quintero Panetelas any day and twice on Sundays over most NCs out there. If we get into the region of quality smokes, let me just give you some figures to understand what I mean (all current B&M pricing, so should be valid to post). In “my” market region, a Padron 1964 Principe Maduro comes in at EUR 19.60, whereas a ‘true’ El Principe (well, we both know what we are talking about here!), while slightly smaller, sets me back 9.50 (RASCC 10.10 (yeah, it’s incredible in which region we’ve ventured here! one of my bread & butter cigars), BCJ 10.30, BPC 11.90).

A Fuente Don Carlos Belicosos - 19.50, compared to BBF 19.40, the great SP Beli 17.10, or RyJ Beli at 20 bucks). The Torpedo from the same Fuente line comes in at 31.60, whereas a Monte No.2 here is 24.20 (Diplo 2 17.20, HU2 I just bought for 17.40, now 20.60, Unicos 20.50). I guess that puts it somewhat into perspective…

A Plasencia Alma Fuerte Robustus I is 23.00 (the Alma del Fuego Robusto, which is a true Robusto format is 17.50) - compare that with a D4 at 20.00 (RASS 17.20, Famosos 16.40, HU Connie One 16.20).

Fuente Short Story is 14 bucks (Best Seller 17) while a Divinos sets me back 9.50.

And let’s just not talk about any specialty lines, such as OpusX or Fuente’s Family Reserve.

Get what I mean?

Like @Ciscojohansson said, if I were able to get hold of Fabrica5 product, that stance might change perhaps. But it would be a big exception, still.

So at this time, still no bargains to be had for me in the NC realm. And, let’s face it, I’ll rather grab a Chicos or Monte Puritos to fix a hankering. Plus, I am stocked to the brim with CCs anyway, haha 😅

So true