What the heck does "NEW WORLD" mean anyway???

[Swede]

So everyone knows New World Cigars refers to cigars that are NON-CUBAN. I heard on some podcast that this is actually a marketing term invented in England. I really hated the term because to me the NEW WORLD is the AMERICAS and the OLD WORLD is Europe, Africa and Asia. (I'm not sure where New Zealand and Australia stack up, that's just DOWN UNDAH!)

But I had a fun realization that a ton of American sticks are not available in Europe/ASIA (the OLD WORLD) but that they have a fairly wide open access to Cuban Cigars. Therefore in a roundabout way the term makes sense to me:

NEW WORLD CIGARS = AVAILABLE IN THE NEW WORLD!!!

OLD WORLD CIGARS = AVAILABLE IN THEOLD WORLD!!!

I know this isn't the real meaning, but I found this realization amusing.

[zacca]

Like many things, there’s shared terminology from the wine industry where this term is very well established and understood. 
 

6 or a half dozen.

[Swede]

12 hours ago, zacca said:

Like many things, there’s shared terminology from the wine industry where this term is very well established and understood. 

Oh yes but for wine they are referring to Europe vs The Americas (well generally) but with Cigars they are referring to CUBA vs everything else. Cuba itself is in the NEW WORLD, which is why I found the term annoying (forgive me for saying so). But I was amused by the fact that Cuban cigars are indeed more available in the Old World and that "New World Cigars" are available in...the NEW WORLD (Americas etc.)

I personally found that symmetry amusing. It's like the term corrected itself.

[Li Bai]

It's been said before here on FOH, it used to be "Cuban cigars" vs "Non-Cuban cigars" but that opposition clearly implied that CCs were the best cigars out there so manufacturers from other terroirs came up with a new, less pejorative term.

There are fantastic "New World cigars" but that semantic trick doesn't work in Europe (I can't speak for the rest of the World) where we smokers were born and raised with Cuban cigars, it's still CCs vs NCs.

[ElLoboLoco]

To me it’s 6 / 7

[Swede]

10 hours ago, Li Bai said:

It's been said before here on FOH, it used to be "Cuban cigars" vs "Non-Cuban cigars" but that opposition clearly implied that CCs were the best cigars out there so manufacturers from other terroirs came up with a new, less pejorative term.

There are fantastic "New World cigars" but that semantic trick doesn't work in Europe (I can't speak for the rest of the World) where we smokers were born and raised with Cuban cigars, it's still CCs vs NCs.

I'm new to cigars, still developing my palate. Is it really that big of a difference between CC and non-CC? So far I am really enjoying Dominican Sticks.

[riderpride]

6 hours ago, ElLoboLoco said:

To me it’s 6 / 7

Lol, but:

 

[MrBirdman]

It means someone paid a marketing team to describe non-Cuban cigars without referring to Cuba. 

[ha_banos]

Ricardo Carioni is now the Director of International Affairs and Education of the Premium Cigar Association (PCA). When he was the deputy, the ambassador to the UK of Nicaragua was here giving a spiel during a tasting of Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Maestro Cigar. And he said no one wants to be known as Non Anything! They much prefer the term New World. Nicaraguans being a proud bunch. 😊

 

 

[Boss Hog]

14 hours ago, Swede said:

Is it really that big of a difference between CC and non-CC?

Night and day, my fellow brother.

The wonderful thing about this hobby/passion of ours is that there are great cigars made in Cuba, Dominican, Honduras, Nicaragua.

Smoke what you enjoy and don’t let other people’s wallets influence your decision. 

[Montezüma]

6 hours ago, Swede said:

I'm new to cigars, still developing my palate. Is it really that big of a difference between CC and non-CC? So far I am really enjoying Dominican Sticks.

Take your time. Enjoy the ride.

[Lucas Buck]

As an affirmed Cuban cigar snob almost 25 years now I loathe the term New World. They will always be Non-Cuban to me. However spending most of my life in sales and marketing I understand why new world is the preferred nomenclature for marketers of Non-Cuban cigars 🤓

[MrBirdman]

Personally I think the CC/NC distinction is still the most sensible. NC cigars are very often not puros, and you can mix tobacco from anywhere in the world to blend and wrap your cigars - except for Cuban tobacco and except in Cuban cigars. 

I understand why the NC industry wants to move away from Cuba comparisons - the brand is so strong. I had some movers here recently and they asked so many questions about Cuban cigars upon seeing some of mine. They were really surprised when I told them they aren’t better, just different (I gave each of them one so they could see for themselves). It’s why GC has spent upwards of 8-figures on attorneys’ fees trying to salvage the Cohiba trademark. Remarkable how durable Cuba’s reputation is despite their incompetence - a testament to the blenders, farmers, and terroir.