EAR: Which box/boxes of Cuban Cigars would you be most concerned about buying blind?

[El Presidente]

EAR = Email Assistance Required 

 

I was asked this question Sunday. 

"Rob, from the current 2025 Cuban cigar catalogue that is generally in stock, which cigars would you be most concerned about buying blind?"

 

Good question and I will format/post my answer later today. 

Members can help out with their experiences. However, keep your reference point to Cuban cigars purchased since 2022  

Let us know. 

 

[pohlmad]

Interesting. I only fear from buying blind when I don’t know the source. However, with Cubans it is always FOH so there is no worry from me there. I have not been afforded the luxury of seeing the cigars before I buy, being in the US, so always go back to having a trusted source to rely upon for high quality. 

[riderpride]

Trust your source and there's no worry. Especially if they're expertise is substantial enough to start up Bond Roberts 😆 Even in LCDHs on the island itself I've been skeptical, but to add to the post from @pohlmad, life's a lot more relaxed on the FOH side. Outside of here, I would avoid Cohiba, Partagas, and RyJ as big names attract fakes. Then again,  they're faking Sanchos too, so just trust the source.

Cheers!

[El Presidente]

I have had a dastardly run of late with H. Upmann Noellas. Must be three jars over the past 6 months where a good 25% of cigars are purely plugged to the stage of unsmokeable and a fair few others that are uncomfortably tight. 

[Li Bai]

That's interesting, is he concerned about cigars being fake or cigars being poor quality? We read through our own lens I guess...I don't have that much experience buying online but I'd be careful with lanceros and skinnies (PLMC, Monte 1...) in general. Of course it all depends on the vendor👌

[gormag38]

While admittedly hard to answer as someone who resides in the US. I would most be weary of buying any high production volume cigars blind; eg. Monte 2, D4s, Epi2s. The consistency can be all over the place. 

[MagicalBikeRide]

Monte 2 and 4 are the sticks that immediately jump to mind - I smoke a lot of both and probably have half a feel for how the look ‘might’ relate to quality. They’re also highly variable. 

[Mike Mecklenburg]

Ditto here on the D4 and Epi 2.

[BrightonCorgi]

Sancho Panza Belicoso or Montecristo No. 1-4. I like to see either box in person first.  

I ask the vendor what is good for the general vitola size I am interested in. If I want a Piramides, I am not so concerned which marca it is, as long as it's a good box.  

[MrBirdman]

My general advice on this question when asked has traditionally been “anything Montecristo” - back when the HQ/PSP program was in place, I always felt Monte was the brand where paying that premium was worth every penny. That said, all of the 2022-2023 Monte boxes I bought blind look fine. Monte is still more of a crap shoot than other brands because non-blind boxes can only assess the wrappers and aroma. The Monte blend exists on a knife’s edge that can easily fall into ashy bitterness if it isn’t just right. And I say that as someone who smokes more Montecristo than any other marca.

With prices today, I would be averse to buying any Cohiba or Trinidad blind - being “super premium” doesn’t mean they won’t suffer QA issues in Habano-land. At ~$1,500+ for most vitolas, why take any chances?

[LizardGizmo]

I'd say Monte 2, Siglo I through V, Cohiba Lanceros, Magnum 46.

For some reason, Cuban Coronas Gordas often seem overpacked to me. I have an entire unsmokable box of Siglo IV. The cigars feel like paperweights.

Generally, I feel the smaller the ring gauge gets the more the risk of disaster increases.

[MrBirdman]

2 minutes ago, LizardGizmo said:

I have an entire unsmokable box of Siglo IV

Very frustrating cigar QA-wise in my experience. I’ve smoked so many Siglo IV that looked and smelled fine but had poor construction or just tasted bad. It’s why I stopped buying them even before the price hike.

[helix]

Sorry but all of them actually. Recently I bought 2 bundles of JLP Cazadores short filler. Hard to believe, but I did not think it possible that 90% would be plugged hard as tent peg. I found string and other anomalies.

[El Presidente]

13 hours ago, LizardGizmo said:

For some reason, Cuban Coronas Gordas often seem overpacked to me.

I tend to agree. I had such a bad run of Epi 1's in 2019 that it put me off them for years. Common enough to have a 15-20% fail rate in the Corona Gordas. Then again, in a box of 25, that would be 3-5 cigars.  

Sadly, that fail rate could be extended to many a box of any gauge. 

[MrBirdman]

11 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

I had such a bad run of Epi 1's in 2019 that it put me off them for years.

I got some of those late-2018/early-2019 Epi 1’s (and not from FOH). Half of them were plugged and the rest extremely tight.

Interestingly, I smoke a lot of Superiores and find them one of the more consistently constructed Cubans. However, that’s across only a dozen boxes or so that I’ve smoked through, so some luck possibly involved.