Cigar recommendations other than Cubans?

[dennq]

Hi everyone. I was just looking at Atlantic cigars website and found the selection to be quite overwhelming. I usually only smoke Habanos since I travel to Cuba. Can anyone recommend mid priced cigars that are going to give me full flavor.

[awsmith4]

Try any of the Pepin blended smokes...Tatuaje, Don Pepin, 601 to name a few

[Snake Hips]

Partagas Black, La Gloria Cubana anything, La Flor Dominicana anything (Double Ligero lines are pretty good), Hoyo de Monterrey Hoyo de Tradicion, Oliva Serie V, Oliva Serie O, 5 Vegas Series 'A', Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte, Saint Luis Rey Reserva Especial and Serie G, Padron 2000 or 3000, Rocky Patel Vintage 1990/92 and Old World Reserve and Sun Grown, CAO Brazilia and Italia and MX2, Perdomo Lot 23, Carlos Torano Exodus 1959 Silver or Black, and Onyx Reserve off the top of my head are all affordable smokes with a lot of flavor.

A tad farther up the price chain, take a look at Ashton VSG, Arturo Fuente Hemingway, Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic or Blue, 601, Montecristo Classic, Illusione and Tatuaje.

Should give you a good idea of non-Cuban goodies, but don't expect the same as you get from your Cubans. They're two very different animals, and I enjoy them both, but you being a Habanos smoker, some of these might disappoint. I tried to put down cigars that are generally accepted as being quite good in the non-Cuban world, so I hope you can reap some help from what I put down

[bobarian]

In general you will find many more full flavored and full strength NC smokes. CC's tend to be more complex and few NC's reach their level of complexity. What NC smokes have you had that you enjoyed. That may give us a better idea on things we can recommend. Are you looking for something close to a CC but fuller? There is some great information on NC smokes in the stickies that have been posted by very experienced smokers.

[Joe_13]

Try:
Tatuaje
Padron
Oliva "V"
Illusione


Hard to go wrong with any of those.

[ZedR2]

Hoyo DE Monterrey Excalibur 1066 Dark Knight II

[Snake Hips]

^ How are those? Are the 1066 just fuller than the regular Excalibur line? Because I do like the Excalibur...

[boonedoggle]

[size="7"]la riqueza![/size]

[jamesb3]

Originally Posted by boonedoggle

[SIZE=7]la riqueza![/SIZE]

Nice choice.

Also just about any Pepin cigar made right down to the Benchmark which sells for less than $4.00.

[GWN]

Originally Posted by Joe_13

Try:
Tatuaje
Padron
Oliva "V"
Illusione


Hard to go wrong with any of those.

What he said, though I haven't tried an Ilusione yet. VSGs too, if they're in your price range and affordable. You could also call Atlantic for suggestions as they may have something interesting on sale.
And if you're in the area Oct. 4: http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=181587

[LibertyToad]

Any Padron
Oliva V serie

[opus]

I'm fond of most Fuentes, especially short stories and curlyhead deluxe maduros.

[Darb85]

Im a big fan for the Torano line of smokes thier smokes run the gamut from extremly mild to fairly full flavored, and Taboo has a really good line of hevier full bodied smokes, though youd have to check out thier website as i cn never remeber what they are called.

[dennq]

Wow thanks all. Some recommendations here that I was not even considering. Time to put my nose to the grindstone...

[dennq]

Originally Posted by bobarian

In general you will find many more full flavored and full strength NC smokes. CC's tend to be more complex and few NC's reach their level of complexity. What NC smokes have you had that you enjoyed. That may give us a better idea on things we can recommend. Are you looking for something close to a CC but fuller? There is some great information on NC smokes in the stickies that have been posted by very experienced smokers.

I have been a cigar smoker for 25 years and can say I have maybe smoked 10 cigars that werent Cubans so I cant really remember. The cigars in Cuba are so inexpensive. I remember buying Romeo Y Julietta Churchills Tubos for $11 a piece. I have a box of Monte Cristo Tubos that I picked up for $125.00 so I am a virgin smoker other than Habanos. A nice bottle of rum is 3 bucks there.

I really want to branch out and try other brands.