Pre-Release Siglo Review-Altadis

[StogieSteve]

I just love trying those new cigars before they hit the market. Lucky I know a bunch of people in the industry who help me follow this passion. When I do I am more than happy to share a review with my Cigar Live buddies or now Puff.com. Today I walked into one of my regular cigar shops and the owner said "I bet I have a cigar you have never smoked, and I think you will find this one interesting. Without telling me much about the cigar he handed a toro cigar over the counter. He said, "It is supposed to be cubanesque." The cigar is the soon to be released Siglo by Altadis. It's band was that traditional yellow colored band we all know from ISOM or the Dominican version. The band simply says Siglo. The only by-line I could find on the cigar is the following: Siglo Limited Reserve's bold flavor is derived from the finest Broadleaf binder and hand-selected Dominican and Nicaraguan long filler tobaccos, highlighted by a robust Ecuadorian Cubano wrapper. But now let's talk about the smoking of this toro. It deserves the title "cubanesque" because it does smoke like a cuban, and an exceptional cuban at that. A medium plus smoke that does have some punch this cigar was smooth and even burning. Not only a great looking cigar, but a great constructed stick. Taste wise it was one of those cigars you admire for having great flavor. It was one of those rare smoking experience when you can say. "This will be highly rated and I would smoke this again." But the best news of all of this is the expected price point of around $6.50 to $7.00. We shall see how the S-CHIP affects this when it finally hits the street. It is supposed to have limited distribution, so it might not be available everywhere or only with those shops that signed up for the "deal.". This stick is definitely worth looking for in the future.

[Frinkiac7]

So is the band a total rip-off of the Cohiba ISOM band with different wording?

I really wish non-ISOM companies would stop piggybacking on the success of ISOM cigars. Like Dominician Cohibas...the only reason they can possibly sell is the name. You couldn't pay me to smoke those things.

[Snake Hips]

Originally Posted by Frinkiac7

So is the band a total rip-off of the Cohiba ISOM band with different wording?

I really wish non-ISOM companies would stop piggybacking on the success of ISOM cigars. Like Dominician Cohibas...the only reason they can possibly sell is the name. You couldn't pay me to smoke those things.

Yes, it is a blatant ripoff. It just says "SIGLO" instead of "COHIBA." But about your second point, Altadis isn't a "non-ISOM company." They market every cigar made in Cuba.

[Frinkiac7]

Originally Posted by Snake Hips

Yes, it is a blatant ripoff. It just says "SIGLO" instead of "COHIBA." But about your second point, Altadis isn't a "non-ISOM company." They market every cigar made in Cuba.

True...

I still don't like them, or any other company, trying to pawn average cigars on the American market by dressing them up and giving them a Cuban name...

[Snake Hips]

Originally Posted by Frinkiac7

True...

I still don't like them, or any other company, trying to pawn average cigars on the American market by dressing them up and giving them a Cuban name...

I absolutely agree, barring the companies that were established when the proprietors fled Cuba. Altadis is trying to get in on the American "Cohiba" market since General already got that privilege.

[JCK]

I'm curious if this resembles the current Siglo in flavor/boldness marketed by Habanos.

[Frinkiac7]

Has anything mass-marketed in the U.S. by Altadis or General Cigar ever been able to truly match Habanos?

[Snake Hips]

Originally Posted by JCK

I'm curious if this resembles the current Siglo in flavor/boldness marketed by Habanos.

Seriously? I can say it's very, very unlikely, given their other attempts at this kind of thing. They've been trying to imitate Habanos for 40 years, and nothing they've attempted has gotten close, and very few are worth a mention at all.

[JCK]

Originally Posted by Frinkiac7

Has anything mass-marketed in the U.S. by Altadis or General Cigar ever been able to truly match Habanos?

Originally Posted by Snake Hips

Seriously? I can say it's very, very unlikely, given their other attempts at this kind of thing. They've been trying to imitate Habanos for 40 years, and nothing they've attempted has gotten close, and very few are worth a mention at all.

That's my impression as well, but based on the 'cubanesque' review of this cigar, if and only if Altadis did get close to this, what a gem at $6-$8......

But I don't think Altadis/Imperial would put this in the same class in terms of tobacco quality as a $10-$20 Habanos Siglo.

[Snake Hips]

Originally Posted by JCK

That's my impression as well, but based on the 'cubanesque' review of this cigar, if and only if Altadis did get close to this, what a gem at $6-$8......

But I don't think Altadis/Imperial would put this in the same class in terms of tobacco quality as a $10-$20 Habanos Siglo.

I'll agree with that. It would be cool if they achieved something like that. But I would much prefer that they recognize the merits of the tobaccos they have to work with and work toward maximizing the potential there rather than try to imitate and inevitably bastardize the Cuban flavor. Other maufacturers have done this like Padron, Joya de Nicaragua, Don Pepin Garcia, Pete Johnson, Oliva, Dion, Arturo Fuente/Newman/Ashton and Camacho, and they've produced excellent cigars that rival what Cuba can put out without trying to copy them, instead working with the unique flavors of their own tobaccos and making a name for their own countries. Altadis and General, however, continue to ride the laurels of their Cuban brand names, putting out mediocre cigars with fancy names and prices.

[Frinkiac7]

Originally Posted by Snake Hips

Altadis and General, however, continue to ride the laurels of their Cuban brand names, putting out mediocre cigars with fancy names and prices.

Preach, man, preach!