• Hi Guest - Come check out all of the new CP Merch Shop! Now you can support CigarPass buy purchasing hats, apparel, and more...
    Click here to visit! here...

Heresy maybe but I need help...

Lightninrod

New Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2007
Messages
344
I started smoking cigars 8 or 9 years ago; NCs. Then about 5 or 6 years ago, I discovered CCs and have smoked them ever since except for the occasional left-over NC. I love them and nothing I know of comes close to that C leaf.

My problem; a few days ago, my wife of 41+ years opened my 'special' credit card bill for the first time. She wanted to know what I bought that cost $$$ from "overseas". I told her "cigars" without going into any detail(about where they were made). She informed me that since we were both retired, there was no way we could afford that.

The "help" I am looking for is a NC that comes as close as it can to a CC. I smoke and prefer Double Coronas and would like to find some NCs that are $100 or less for a box. I figure that I can justify that expense. Can any of y'all help?

Thanks in advance,


Dan
 
A CC is CC.

Some nice cheaper NC's that might come close that you should look into:
Vegas Cubanas
Tatuaje Havana VI
Padron Classic
Arturo Fuente (Green Band)
La Gloria Cubana
La Aroma de Cuba
CAO Brazilia
La Flor Dominicana

Some of these are more than your pricepoint, but all are solid smokes.
 
I'm sorry, but I don't understand the reasoning of your question. As I read it, your wife objects to the expense of the cigars, but not their provenance. You state that you still retain a limited cigar budget that will afford you cheaper cigars and you have a preference for "Cuban leaf".

Machine made Habanos seem tailor made for your current circumstances. Why not give them a whirl?
 
Well I agree, nothing like a CC. However, to me it's not that they are always better than NC's. I am smoking a Camacho Liberty 2007 right now and it is as good to me as a lot of C's(of course the Liberty's are rumored to contain a % of preembargo leaf). CC's just have that certain flavor that IMO can't be duplicated.

I like Camacho's. I think they come close . You can find them around your price point.
 
Hmm,

IMO, it's a big leap going from a diet of unrestricted Habanos to one of <$100 NCs. If you're resolved to that, then I propose that you have quite a project to recalibrate your tastes and find cigars in that range that you'll enjoy. Not that they're not out there, but it will take work. Martin2D has made some good suggestions. Perhaps it's time to start searching under "budget," "cheap," or "inexpensive" cigars.

Wilkey
 
If you'd be willing to change your size, there are many smaller CC's out there that can be easily obtained for $90-$125 box (25). Take a look at some of the Petite Corona's.
 
Thanks so much for the ideas and suggestions guys. I'd never even considered machine-made CCs. Camachos may be a consideration.

I know it's a weird step I'm taking and it won't be pleasant as I long for the 'forbidden' leaf so I'll welcome even more thoughts from y'all.


Dan
 
The orgin of your cigar has nothing to do with your cigar budget. One can find cuban PC's for less than $5 a cigar and we're talking hand rolled. There's a big misconception that cuban cigars are expensive. If you're using cuban Cohiba as a measuring stick for pricing against domestic cigars then you need to compare it to super premiums such as Opus, Anniverario's, Diamond Crowns, etc. There are many quality cuban cigars that are very reasonably priced.

IMO, if you're on a budget, establish what you feel you want to spend per smoke and go from there. I personally prefer quality over quanity. I would cut back the number of cigars I smoked before giving up on quality. Lifes to short to smoke crappy cigars. :D
 
Some great ideas here.

I would agree with looking at some smaller sizes and maybe cutting back on the quantity you smoke. Together those should solve the problem without having to abandon the habanos at all.

Personally, i don't think any NC's have the "island twang," but the closest i've ever experienced (especially when it comes to smell) are Tatuaje Havana VI and Tatuaje cabinet reservas.

Just my $.02 on your predicament.
 
Sorry to hear about this Dan. I know how much you love Lusi. Hopefully you can keep a couple boxes of them on hand for occasional smoking. One you might want to try is the JR Ult Cab #70. Beautiful sun grown wrapper and full flavored DC. Goes for about $100 a box last time I checked. I'd send you a couple if I still had any.
 
Thanks for the thought LB. What a great memory you have!

I had never heard of the Tatuajes but you're the second person to recommend them Hoss. They sound and look great but they cost more than my CDCs. This must be one of the hot NCs?


Dan
 
I would check out Don Pepin Garcia cigars, he makes the Tatuaje and Padilla 8/11, and his onwn labels, Blue, white, Habana Leon and others. He is a Cuban that has only been here a few years. His cigar shop is in little Havanna, Miami. Just recently opened shop in Nicaragua. His cigars are as close to Cubans as you can get without being in Cuba.

The Habana Leon is a powerhouse, with a filler that is 70% ligero tobacco and a Nicaraguan binder. Stick with Nicaragua Cigars if you want a Cuban style Cigar.
 
I personally find Nicaraguan cigars to be more "cubanesque" than Dominican or Honduran cigars. Tatuajes, at least the Havana VI, are very reasonable in price and are very good. Plus, you also get the occasional construction problems that we all love with cubans :thumbs:

Or, like others have said, you could just buy cuban marevas or perlas :cool:
 
Quinteros and Piedras are both decent smokes but you may also want to look into some of the Partagas MM's since you like the profile.
 
Only a CC is A CC...However, I love the taste from Don Pepin Garcia's Cigars. I have experienced a similar tatse but only the CC tobacco tastes like CC. THe Padron Anniversary line is a good choice as well. IMHO.
 
Dan, the Don Pepin (blue label) and the Tatuajes (brown and red label) are very good cigars, but not any cheaper than most Cubans. I've really been liking The Edge ($5-6) by Rocky Patel. It won't fool you as being a Cuban, but it is very flavorful and the best cigar I have found in that price range. Another suggestion is that you tell your wife to stay out of your mail and get a part-time job to support your habit ;) :laugh:
 
Another "budget" CC is the Jose L Piedra line. I've had both and I prefer the JLP's to the Quintero's but taste, as you know, is very subjective. A quick check of one source shows boxes (25) of the JLP's can be had for $75.00 but I know I've seen them approaching $50.00 / box if you look around.

The JLP line and the Padron 2000 series are my absolute "go to" smokes in the $2-3.00 each range..... :cool:

Best Regards - B.B.S.
 
Top