Cigars - Country of Origin Tobacco and Your Favs

[John in Covina]

Cigar Afficionados are often very knowledgeable about the cigars they smoke. Cuban cigars are usually consider PUROS, pure in the fact that they are all Cuban tobacco.

Many cigar makers from other cigar producing countries also go the puro route using all Dominican Republic, Nicaraguan, Brazillian, Mexican tobacco ETC in their cigars.

Other makers don't hold to the Puros idea, but will carefully blend tobacco from various countries to produce superb cigars.

What style is you favorite cigar and what does your favorite maker chose for blending? Puros or other countries?

(I have enjoyed a handfull of Cuban cigars in my lifetime and found them to be smooth and full flavored, sometimes quite strong, but they have a flavor that is not like the cigars of other regions. I like Nicaraguan cigars but there are so many good ones out there.)

 

[CigarMan]

I have to admit that I like the Nicaraguan puros a lot, Padron's, Tatuaje's. But I also enjoy Dominican Fillers/Binders with Connecticut Wrappers whether they be shade grown, broadleaf or sungrown.

 

[WH1]

My preference is for the Nicaraguan cigars specifically Perdomo Maduros and Padron cigars of any type. They are usually very flavorful and consistently well made. I have several boxes of Cuban Romeo y Julietas of different sizes picked up during my travels and while they are good cigars I still prefer the Perdomos and Padrons.[huh]

 

[John in Covina]

FLavor profiles.

For me I seem to pick up certain flavors from the origins.

Nicaraguan cigars seem fuller, oilier, with a fruity or nutty back flavor.

Dominican cigars tend to be spicy.

Honduran cigars have an earthy component.

Macanudos sometimes were creamy & nutty.


If a cigar iasn't over the top strong I can have it with a beer, but if it's stronger than usuall i like a strong cup of coffee with it.

If it is powerhouse then straight hard liquor will be the only thing to cut or compete with the strong cigar.

I have not bought many but CAO cigars seem to be very well made.
Those Padrons are great.

I like Puros Indios and Cuba Aliados and ususally have some in my humidor.

In the past I have ordered boxes from JR Cigars, Mikes and also Holts as the price of cigars in California (due to meathead) is criminal.

 

[anon`]

I have to admit that I like the Nicaraguan puros a lot, Padron's, Tatuaje's. But I also enjoy Dominican Fillers/Binders with Connecticut Wrappers whether they be shade grown, broadleaf or sungrown.

What he said.

I've become a huge fan of Nicaraguan tobacco in the past couple year, and Tatuajes have become the 'anchor' of my humidor. Based on the non-Nicaraguan content in the humidor, Dominican leaf is my next runner-up, with no particular conviction to brand, though it's tough to go wrong with Fuente offerings.

Although I do like the Nicaraguan "profile", I frankly couldn't care less if the stick I'm smoking is a 'puro' or not, as long as it's good. I'm only anal like that when it comes to Scotch and ale

 

[Geesie]

I haven't had huge experience with cigars; I prefer pipes.

However, for what I can normally get I prefer Dominican.

Cliché as it may be, Cubans really are that much better than basically anything else. However, I don't go overseas as much as I used to so my supply is pretty well gone now.

 

[JJWord]

I seem to prefer Nicaraguan cigars, as those are the ones I'll buy a 2nd/3rd time after trying one. I'm especially liking Drew Estate lately. Consistantly smooth, slightly nutty, and just overall enjoyable.

Dominican cigars seem to be too woody/earthy to me. Macanudo's blend being the exception.

Connecticut shade wrappers are my usual choice, but a broadleaf once and a while to change things up is nice.

 

[Mr. Paladin]

I have long favored the heavy, earthy Honduran tobaccos although in the last few years, the Nicaraguan cigars have really impressed me with their taste and quality. Oddly enough, two of my favorites are the Don Lino Africa (a blend of Dominican, African, Honduran, and Nicaraguan tobacco) and the C.A.O. Italia, which has about 40% (I believe) of its composition with Italian tobacco grown in Benevento. Both blends of various origins and both very nice. When I don't need a cigar with "power" I love anything wrapped in African cameroon.

I also love the Cuban Bolivar cigars, particularly the Corona Gigante, a 7 X 47 churchill that I enjoy when I travel in the Carribean to Casa del Habanos or to England on the bi-annual family visits. If I could only have one cigar from anywhere in the world, I would have a truckload of those Bolivars.

By my posts here, I think I give the impression I only smoke bargain cigars but that is just at work when I may have to toss it at any time.

 

[John in Covina]

Bargain cigars aren't always fabulous, but there are some out there that can come up with some well made and with good flavors.

That brings up the topic of "the Quick Cigar versus the long smoke" in that I favor robustos for a shorter smoke. For an all around smoke i like Toros about 6X50 size. Monster cigars are only for special occasions and I rarely smoke the big ones these days.

 

[Mr. Paladin]

Yes sir, that is true. I have had some very good bargain smokes as well.

I forgot to mention in my above post, what is probably my current favorite cigar; the HdeM Excaliber Legend. That is one great cigar! The description below is quite accurate and better than I could write:

"Excalibur Legend. Dressed in a dark and leathery Connecticut Havana wrapper, the Legend embraces an exceedingly flavorful mixture of Nicaraguan and Dominican ligero combined with robust long-fillers from the volcanic island of Ometepe, Nicaragua. Together, these powerful tobaccos marry to produce a bold, spicy cigar with rich, chewy flavors and a long and satisfying aftertaste. Complex notes of oak and leather smack the palate with each puff, leaving behind a nice dose of pepper that complements the smooth finish quite nicely."

 

[John in Covina]

Cigar tobacco porn.

 

[JJWord]

lol cigar tobacco porn. I'm glad I'm not the only one that read that paragraph with Barry White's voice in their head.

Ah, the quick cigar versus the long. I refuse to smoke inside my house, and very rarely have time to dedicate to a smoke. To me a long smoke is a robusto, and I only keep a handful of them in my humidor. Coronas or petit coronas (I've also seen them called coladas) are my usual fare. I like the coladas for their speed, but the draw and flavor of a corona are just perfect to me.

 

[Geesie]

To me a long smoke is a robusto, and I only keep a handful of them in my humidor.

Me too, but probably for different reasons. With the really big ones, by the time I get to the end I've been so hit up with nicotine and whatever tars and other crap has built up that I start to feel sick to my stomach. Not too manly I know but [huh]

 

[JJWord]

Me too, but probably for different reasons. With the really big ones, by the time I get to the end I've been so hit up with nicotine and whatever tars and other crap has built up that I start to feel sick to my stomach. Not too manly I know but [huh]

No shame in that sir. Actually the last robusto I smoked left me sick for several hours, but I think I actually ate/swallowed some of the tip. It was during a fishing trip, and the fish were biting furiously. Before I knew it my cigar had gone out and I destroyed the end from unconsciously gnawing on it.

Sorry, fftopic: but just wanted to say I've felt your pain.

 

[Mr. Paladin]

Cigar tobacco porn.

lol lol lol lol lol [huh]

 

[RedPop4]

Like it all.
I find Dominicans to feel, "powdery" and somtimes metallic. Don't know why it is, if it's something in the air, or what. I like quite a few brands of Dominican cigar, but still notice this quality with some.

 

[Warden]

Winston Churchill cigar under the hammer.

A half-smoked cigar, abandoned when Sir Winston Churchill dashed away to an urgent wartime Cabinet meeting, has gone on display ahead of its auction.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/8485093.stm

 

[grundie]

I'm more of a pipe smoker, but I do get to smoke a cigar at least once a fortnight, and maybe once a day around Christmas time. So I'm probably not the best qualified to offer an opinion on this, but I'll have a go.

One thing I've noticed is that Cuban cigars can be maybe just a little bit bland? Did I actually say that? Yep!

I've smoked cigars from at most major Cuban brands and to me they all seem to have the same distinctive Cuban flavour. The difference between brands being more to do with the strength and intensity of the flavour. E.G. A Cohiba tastes to me like a Romeo y Julieta, just a bit smoother.

I find that cigars from other countries such as the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and the like tend to offer so much more in terms of flavour variations and styles.

Perhaps Cuba relies so much on the money from cigar sales they have created a very homogenised range of cigars that all offer a distinctive Cuban flavour so as not to offend customers palettes and preserve their market?

Here in Dublin, the handful of serious cigar shops we have give incredible prominence to Cuban cigars over those from other countries. That's a pity as I think Dominican cigars edge out Cubans in terms of range, choice and flavour.

I also rather like the Aruhiba.

 

[John in Covina]

Way back in the begining of the Cigar Afficionado run some of the CA writers said that the quality of Cuban cigars is tied to what country they are shipped to regarding GB and Europe. I could not say.

 

[rkwilker]

As a general rule of thumb I prefer Nicaraguan's. They tend to be more full bodied than say Dominicans. Hondurans are a second choice, though all three have some winners. I like a nice oily maduro wrapper, long filler, hand rolled stick. Lately I am in a my "Cain" phase. This is a fine Nicaraguan with a nice full bodied, spicy profile. Not for the beginner as they can pack a nice punch. I agree that a good cuban is hard to beat but I find them to be somewhat uneven these days in terms of production quality.