So What is the Hype about?

Joined Feb 2006
2K Posts | 3+
Kelvin's House
With Cuban Cigars? Are they Better?

I hear this question from a lot of people. Do they live up to the Hype, are they Good or better? I am going to say yes and no to both questions. There is a lot of "forbidden fruit" complex surrounding Cuban cigars. I think for a new cigar smoker they are not going to live up to the hype simply because your palette is not trained yet. Part of the fun of smoking a Habano is picking out different flavors. if you can't pick out flavors in a Non Cuban you will not be able to pick out flavors in a Cuban cigar.

The second question is are they better..?

I got to say OH YEA! The Cuban soil is perfectly suited to grow tobacco. The temps are the perfect situation to grow and then mature tobacco. That being said, many of these Cigars benefit from age of at least a year or so. It takes time for the tobacco to bleed of some of it's gasses and the oils to settle down a bit. The longer you can wait the more flavors tend to come out.


I have more to add, but no more time. Let me know what you all think.
 
Its funny but my experience is pretty much true to form with what Chris had said. At first I knew that I like cuban cigars but did not think that they lived up to the hype. I was still a mostly non cuban smoker for a while (I still smoke non cuban cigars; but I am more selective). Then the more I tried them, I was able to pick certain things out. I also found that while some were pretty good being under a year old; a lot were much better with age on them.

While I still smoke them on the young side as compared to most cuban cigar smokers; I know more of what I like in a cigar by trying more and more out. It is similar to exploring non cuban cigars; you tend to find out what you like and go from there. But once you come to notice the difference in body and the finish; cuban cigars become a wonderful wonderful thing to be savored and enjoyed.
 
i have only smoked a few cubans and they were good. however, the best cigar i have ever had was not cuban.

it may be personal taste or the lack of age on em, but i think non-cubans can be just as good as cubans. ...again, ive only tried a handfull.
 
kuzi16 said:
i have only smoked a few cubans and they were good. however, the best cigar i have ever had was not cuban.

it may be personal taste or the lack of age on em, but i think non-cubans can be just as good as cubans. ...again, ive only tried a handfull.

I think so many things go into what is a great cigar. One, taste is subjective. another is experience. or atmosphere. Storage, weather all things that go into what is great. I just have had way more Cuban cigars that I went WOW than Non Cuban.

it is possible to have a bad Cuban cigar, I just have not had to many.
 
I have not smoked an excessive amount (Don't think that is possible though) but I have had several (around 20) Havanas and have yet to find a bad one.

The reason that I keep coming back is that the flavors are amazing. It must be the years of consistent growth in the soil that have perfected the balances needed to make the perfect tobacco. Some have the strength to knock you out, while others have the flavors that rival eating delicious foods. If you are lucky, you will try one in your lifetime that has both. When this happens, you will be in a eurphoria state for the entire time. I have had this happen twice and can't wait for the next time.
 
I have only had couple Cubans in my few years of smoking. And everytime I had one was not ready to really apreciate them. They were just way to overwelming for my young palette. Now that I been smoking for over 2 years. I think I am gonna give them a try once again. I have about dozen that have been sitting in my humidor for over a year. I have kind been waiting the right moment.

I also Han couple fakes and suspect fakes, the joys of being a little overzealous when I started smoking.
 
VanKleekkw said:
Cohiba Esplendita (sp?) and Bolivar Tubos #2


I personal y believe the whole Cohiba line is way over priced but I have never had any Esplendidos.

Fr me there are a few that stick out in my mind.

One was a 69 Upmann Corona major Tubo that I had the night my daughter was born.

Another was a 00 Upmann Corona that had a greenish(corojo) wrapper that I smoked by a fire in my backyard. just a perfect time.

The other was a Punch supper fino that I smoked in Old down San Diego with Kevin. just a great time and a great cigar.
 
Barcochris said:
VanKleekkw said:
Cohiba Esplendita (sp?) and Bolivar Tubos #2


I personal y believe the whole Cohiba line is way over priced but I have never had any Esplendidos.

Fr me there are a few that stick out in my mind.

One was a 69 Upmann Corona major Tubo that I had the night my daughter was born.

Another was a 00 Upmann Corona that had a greenish(corojo) wrapper that I smoked by a fire in my backyard. just a perfect time.

The other was a Punch supper fino that I smoked in Old down San Diego with Kevin. just a great time and a great cigar.

...with a Great Man.
 
Actualy Cubans suck. Those of you that have not had them may as well not bother. The Cohiba Sublime I got from Chris was just ok :wink:
 
The Sublime I smoked with Loren and Bobberrific was the best cigar I had smoked.

I enjoyed the 5 year old ERDM Choix Supreme that I smoked with Chris in his folks backyard. That was a great smoke!
 
I agree with the sublime it was just fantastic. The only other smoke I would rate as high is the RA Belicoso. I would give them both a 6/6. The only NC that has come close for me is the Padron 80th and I also love the padron 40th (not quite as good as the 80th). But they are still a notch below
 
Kelvin said:
The Sublime I smoked with Loren and Bobberrific was the best cigar I had smoked.

I enjoyed the 5 year old ERDM Choix Supreme that I smoked with Chris in his folks backyard. That was a great smoke!


That Choix was pretty damn good.....Oh man was that good
 
Well here is the story of how I was soooo lucky to enjoy the esplendido.

I was at a business meeting in where I had just got back into the country. We were all sitting outside smoking one night, when one of the high ups in the company was upset because everyone else was smoking cubans and he did not have one. The following night, I brought him one from my stash that I had just taken in. Well, I get along really well with one of the guys who rewarded me for my generosity with the esplendido, which made the GMs upset that I got one and they did not. Since it was the night that I graduated my training program, I thought that it would be appropriate to spark it up. WOW, still the best cigar that I have ever smoked. DO NOT EVER PASS A CHANCE TO SMOKE ONE, PERIOD!!!!

Not a bad trade for a Monte #2. :D
 
For me there is no hype around Cuban cigars. Anyone who smokes them on a regular basis knows the effects on the palate. One simply gets spoiled. Why? The proof is in the dirt.
 
chrisguinther said:
For me there is no hype around Cuban cigars. Anyone who smokes them on a regular basis knows the effects on the palate. One simply gets spoiled. Why? The proof is in the dirt.


I have actually been put up to the challenge to smoke only habanos for two weeks then to smoke a NC and note the differences. The best NC's that i have smoked are Padron 1964s, a couple of Illusiones, and LFD Ligeros. The best habano I have smoked so far are RASS's and PSP2's.

SO far on the challenge, I have only had the opportunity to smoke an ERDM. This may take longer than two weeks but I will smoke at least a dozen habanos before I smoke another NC. Afterward, I will post a review.


DL