My Opinion on NCs and ISOMs

[montecristo#2]

Originally Posted by ca21455

Your weclome Aaron! I blame you and Scottie for putting a dent in my credit card. I ordered two of the sampler packs and they should arrive on Wednesday. My next purchase will be a box of the Imperiales. They were not listed on the Cigar King site but Holts has them for $150 a box.

I looked over my samplers tonight and the cigars just look awesome. I think I am going to bite the bullet and smoke one of the habana leon torpedos tomorrow, I will write a review when i am finished.

Have you ever tried a tatuaje? If not, I might hold off on those imperiales. You should definitely try a cojonu 2003 and a noellas. I am just starting to explore what Pepin has to offer and so far I have like the tatuaje best (of course I have only smoked tatuajes and cabaiguans so far).

Shoot me your address and I will send you a couple of tatuajes if you haven't tried any yet. You can get me back sometime in the future with your first Pepin box purchase.

[c2000]

Nice post but an important factor was left out..How neat the band looks.


Jerry(very shallow) in Minnesota.

[carbonbased_al]

Originally Posted by donp

Following is an excerpt from the Fall 2005 edition of Smoke Magazine (Vol. 10; No. 4); Smoke Primer: "Looking Past Havana" ...Michael Herklots.

I know Mike rather well, and apart from being a really bad dresser, he's full of alotta

[IHT]

Originally Posted by donp

"many of the non-cuban manufacturers are using excellent tobacco that has been properly aged (IHT - as opposed to improperly by whome?), and are blending in a unique manner that gives each brand a distnctive character (IHT - uh... don't they all? i mean "blending" is just a matter of determining how many leaves of each type to put into one cigar to produce a specific flavor profile, right?) ....most of these manufacturers are blending with the intention of showing the characteristics of their tobacco, (IHT - again, DUH. isn't that the point?) and not trying to slavishly ape those of Cuba's." (IHT - to be honest, i don't understand what he's try to get at here. i mean, why would you NOT want to copy what cuba has done for decades? further proof that this guy is trying to feed you a line of crap to follow, but goes hand in hand with this last half sentence.)
Further: " I also believe that part of the overall flavor of a cigar is passion.(IHT - the guy is a maroooon, as bugs bunny would say. passion? passion is now what makes flavor? maybe if you're into reading "Teen" magazine and watching the Gilmore Girls.) ...Each manufacturer is creating a cigar using the techniques and styles that they believe in, solidifying the brand's distinction and inimitability (incapable of being imitated). (IHT - basically they're trying to make their own "opus X" and sue you for using the letter "X". everyone needs a gimmick, some use small reptiles, like Iguanas.) ...manufacturers in Cuba cannot use this type of individual discretion and approach because they're making cigars that they're ordered to make. (IHT - uh... aren't the workers in the factories of a dominican cigar factory being TOLD to make cigars "this way" or "that way"? would this line of BS lead you to believe that each individual "master blender" is sitting there sweating his ass off making each and every cigar that is "inimitable" by himself? whatever.) Cuban brands no longer represent a family or a story or a passion, but rather a government." (IHT - lol... now this is straight up BS right here. sure, they are owned by the govt. but each brand has it's own "profile" so to speak. the blenders still blend them trying to keep that same flavor profile of the past. this ties in with the previous line of BS in the first paragraph. seriously, does this guy think that cuban cigar makers/blenders are just making cigars. that fidel (or some other guy you can imagine) standing over them yelling, "roll, roll, roll your cigar, gently to a point, merrily, merrily, merilly, merilly. life is but a smoke!" c'mon, each brand is still trying to distinguish its flavor profile from the other brands.)

no offense, but i didn't really read the quoted part of this thing until VS responded...

uh... read this part again slowly and tell me if you can't see how full of sh*t that really is. i mean, c'mon, how much can a guy put into 2 paragraphs?
let me reply in the quote (like normal).
i think this author is hoping that his use of a few big words (i had to look them up, so they're big to me), and guesswork (he's also assuming you don't know anything either) will lead you to believe what he's saying.

edit - by the way, some of my favorite non-cubans have "gimmicks" to them, like the trilogy line of cigars being triangular shaped, and oliva master blends, with their little "suntan" thingy going on the wrapper... but that's not what makes those cigars special, is it? they taste good, right?
take the "series X" line of cigars. oval shaped, which is cool. got sued for using the letter X by that overhyped cigar line by AF. so, they now go by a generic name, and they still taste damn good... is it the oval shape, the fact they were sued by AF for using the letter X, or was it the fact that the cigar tasted good as to why it sells so well?

bah, what do i care, i smoke pipe tobacco.

[punch]

Originally Posted by donp

Following is an excerpt from the Fall 2005 edition of Smoke Magazine (Vol. 10; No. 4); Smoke Primer: "Looking Past Havana" ...Michael Herklots.

< snip>

It also helped me realize it would be foolhardy to forsake a damned fine nc simply because it is not a cuban, and I expect that when I do expand my horizons into cuban cigars, I will be able to appreciate a fine cigar largely because of my broader experience with smoking non cubans.
(Sorry for the length of this post)

I agree with you, and Mr. Herklots. I had some of what supposed to be the best Cubans, and they are certainly good. However, I rated none of them as high as the best NC cigars that I have tried. Greg hits it on the head when he states that taste is the most important part of the cigar experience. For my taste, I prefer many NC over Cubans I have tried so far. What I have discovered in comparing the two is this: the less expensive Cubans usually taste better than the less expensive NC's. I have yet to have a horrible Cuban. I have had many horrible NC's, particularly from the DR. On the other hand, when it comes to the higher end lines, I prefer NC's (Davidoffs particularly).

Again, it comes to taste. I don't care what the cow was fed, how the beef was prepared, or who the chef was. It makes no difference if you just happen to prefer pork.

[IHT]

Originally Posted by punch

Again, it comes to taste. I don't care what the cow was fed, how the beef was prepared, or who the chef was. It makes no difference if you just happen to prefer pork.

very true.

[opus]

I appreciate your opinion, but like others have stated taste is all that matters to me. What good is Miss universe if she just lays there chewing gum and looking at her nails?

[carbonbased_al]

Originally Posted by IHT

no offense, but i didn't really read the quoted part of this thing until VS responded...

uh... read this part again slowly and tell me if you can't see how full of sh*t that really is. i mean, c'mon, how much can a guy put into 2 paragraphs?
let me reply in the quote (like normal).
i think this author is hoping that his use of a few big words (i had to look them up, so they're big to me), and guesswork (he's also assuming you don't know anything either) will lead you to believe what he's saying.

edit - by the way, some of my favorite non-cubans have "gimmicks" to them, like the trilogy line of cigars being triangular shaped, and oliva master blends, with their little "suntan" thingy going on the wrapper... but that's not what makes those cigars special, is it? they taste good, right?
take the "series X" line of cigars. oval shaped, which is cool. got sued for using the letter X by that overhyped cigar line by AF. so, they now go by a generic name, and they still taste damn good... is it the oval shape, the fact they were sued by AF for using the letter X, or was it the fact that the cigar tasted good as to why it sells so well?

bah, what do i care, i smoke pipe tobacco.

Keep in mind Mike is in the retail business. You should talk to him in person, you think that article was bad

EDIT: Those tri-pressed triliogy's were pretty good. Shame they don't make it anymore.

[donp]

VS:
I don't know Mike but, I found his article compelling for perspective sake. For me the gist of his article was that there are plenty of non cuban cigars that are excellent. I don't agree with him about the Cuban cigar manufacturing system, Cuban manufacturers are working with some of the best tobacco and environment in the world, regardless of their political system. IMO human nature would compel most to do the best that they can with what they have....simply because.

But the following comment Punch made sums it up nicely for me:
"Again, it comes to taste. I don't care what the cow was fed, how the beef was prepared, or who the chef was. It makes no difference if you just happen to prefer pork."

I like what I like and, the challenge for me is to determine why I like a thing (cigar) and be able to put it into terms I can understand so that, I can get more cigars just like the ones I liked before.

[carbonbased_al]

Originally Posted by donp

VS:
I don't know Mike but, I found his article compelling for perspective sake. For me the gist of his article was that there are plenty of non cuban cigars that are excellent. I don't agree with him about the Cuban cigar manufacturing system, Cuban manufacturers are working with some of the best tobacco and environment in the world, regardless of their political system. IMO human nature would compel most to do the best that they can with what they have....simply because.

But the following comment Punch made sums it up nicely for me:
"Again, it comes to taste. I don't care what the cow was fed, how the beef was prepared, or who the chef was. It makes no difference if you just happen to prefer pork."

I like what I like and, the challenge for me is to determine why I like a thing (cigar) and be able to put it into terms I can understand so that, I can get more cigars just like the ones I liked before.

I just found too much of it to be fluff. And it's coming from a guy who specializes in NCs, so it's not like it's unbiased. And he walks around in an ascot!

I still like plenty of NCs, but but the article does nothing for me.

[donp]

Originally Posted by carbonbased_al

I just found too much of it to be fluff. And it's coming from a guy who specializes in NCs, so it's not like it's unbiased. And he walks around in an ascot!

I still like plenty of NCs, but but the article does nothing for me.

In an ascot?!! Hehe, who's to account for taste

[NCRadioMan]

I don't think you can have an informed opinion until you have sampled as many, or more, cubans then you have had nc's. That being alot of both.


NCRM's

[stogie_kanobie_one]

Some may have said it in different forms above. In actuallity the more I experience Cuban cigars the more appreciation I have for the different flavors and tastes associated with Domestic cigars. Many a nights I'm simply NOT in the mood for that Cuban flavor in any form and instead will go for a Nicaraguan puro, or Brazilian Puro (lots of potential there), or differing blends. Sometimes you really look forward to that sweetness of a Cameroon wrapper something you just don't get the same of in a Cuban cigar. The more I taste of each the more I appreciate what each has to offer. Many a nights as well nothing will do, but a Cuban. I make no claims as to one being better than the other because it is such a subjective topic. And I am after all still very new to it ALL. That said even if I COULD, I don't think I could ever limit myself to smoking ONLY Cuban cigars. I think that in itself should say a lot about how NC's are coming along.

If that hasn't been polled before I would like to see THAT one. Who among us if had access and finances to it would limit themselves to ONLY Cuban cigars? I don't think there is enough variety in Cuban cigars to satisfy my varying moods/tastes/occassions! Maybe I just myself saying that but it is my !

[donp]

Originally Posted by NCRadioMan

I don't think you can have an informed opinion until you have sampled as many, or more, cubans then you have had nc's. That being alot of both.


NCRM's

The fun is in the effort of trying as many of either type

[donp]

>>I don't think there is enough variety in Cuban cigars to satisfy my varying moods/tastes/occassions! Maybe I just myself saying that but it is my <,

Hung yerself in whose eyes? I for one appreciate your comment, and am in agreement.