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Cigars 101: what are the best sticks and does anything rival Cuban?

Cuban cigars are just cigars. Nothing more, nothing less. If they weren't forbidden fruit...

Doc
First of all, I agree with you Hank... just like a Château Lafite Rothschild is a wine, nothing more, nothing less... and a Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine, nothing more, nothing less... and some people say they cannot tell the difference.... I imagine if you think back to some of the cigars I sent you, and compared them (use your imagination now) to let’s say one of the Acid Collector samples, I believe you noticed a difference, even If it was a small one... And you are also correct about the forbidden fruit as well, and that certainly plays a part in the mystique... You know what they say... Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
 
I've done been preachin' the opposite direction. When I joined up with a cigar club in Der Schweiz everyone smokes Cubanos, because we are a neutral country. But I introduced some NC to the club and they have taken off; although not as I had hoped, they like Perdomo. I had hoped they would go with Tatuaje, Padron and the like. I will grab a Robainas. Partagas or Bolivar al toque no mas, but Cohiba, RyJ, and Montecristo aren't in my normal flavor profile. To each his own, but I'm yet to be convinced Cubans are the only way to go.
 
I've done been preachin' the opposite direction. When I joined up with a cigar club in Der Schweiz everyone smokes Cubanos, because we are a neutral country. But I introduced some NC to the club and they have taken off; although not as I had hoped, they like Perdomo. I had hoped they would go with Tatuaje, Padron and the like. I will grab a Robainas. Partagas or Bolivar al toque no mas, but Cohiba, RyJ, and Montecristo aren't in my normal flavor profile. To each his own, but I'm yet to be convinced Cubans are the only way to go.
Once you start “aging” Cuban cigars you will be convinced. 10 yo RASS, PSD4’s, PLPC’s and others (of course, you have to start with great looking cigars... dried out, dull, and grey market cigars will not age well) are some of the best cigars on the planet.

I got these RyJ Ex 4’s a little over 20 years ago, and are crazy good I remember smelling them every few years, and thinking how can I wait to smoke these... I did wait, along with a bunch more, while I was smoking (fresh) Opus X, Padron, CAO’s etc... Once I started smoking the aged Cubans, my palette became more refined (evolved), I started chasing nuances, and left behind the brutal bodied NC’s and DC’s... and I haven’t looked back since...

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I've been doing the cigar thing since June, 2007, and I've never had the opportunity to try a Cuban cigar; never went out of my way to pursue it.

Personally I would not run the risk of importing into the US where I reside but I understand they are available when traveling outside the US.

Maybe, one day ............ maybe not ............
 
I understand what Bill @CigSid is referring to. When I joined here and started to learn the difference between an Acid and a cigar, I had some Cubans which were nothing special. I assume I was smoking the stuff from around Y2K. And then I found a few that had a distinct characteristic that I could only describe as burnt sweetness, like the top of a charred creme brulee.

And a good aged Cuban is something special!
 
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