Cuban Cigar

[Atticus Finch]

You have to be sure you're not getting ripped off. When I have bought them I always made sure the box was sealed and knew what the official government seal looked like. That said if you have ever had a Cuban Cohiba that was fresh (not the stale ones you get in Canada) I think you would understand what the big deal is. There are not many things better in life.

I don't smoke anymore, but once, back in the day, I got my hands on a real Cuban Cohiba. It was given to me by a friend who had just returned from an "unauthorized" trip to Cuba. As I recall, the cigar had a wonderful, mild taste, but it was wraped so tightly I could hardly smoke it.

AF

[old barnacle]

Arturo Fuente Opus X is the best cigar, I had the pleasure consuming.

[scotrace]

The best, I think, do indeed come from Nicaragua. Any Padron is fantastic.

[TomS]

I appreciate all the suggestions, gents. I'll have to head out to the cigar store.
Best,
Tom

[Bassman]

As said earlier, you may have gotten counterfeits. But there are both good and bad Habanos. They are also plagued with construction issues. Some are really delicious.
My favorite "domestics" are Nicaraguan..."Padron" cigars at any price point are excellent. "Arturo Fuente" smokes are also quite good.

[Warlord of The Weejuns]

As a matter of personal taste I don't particularly care for Padrones. I smoke Arturo Fuentes 858 cuban carona, I prefer maduro wrappers. Before that it was Punch (also maduro). In addition to Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic produces good cigars. It has been said that their soil and climate are closer to that of Cuba. In addition to Cohibas, I have had Cuban Romeo y Julietas, which are very mild, yet good. I've heard in the past it is very difficult to get a good cigar in Cuba, they are all imported because no one there can afford them. Let me say again that if you are ever lucky enough to smoke a Cuban Cohiba you will understand what the big deal is about Cuban cigars.

[bowlerman]

I believe the best cigars in the world are coming from Nicaragua now, not Cuba.

Only an occasional cigar smoker, but I'm glad to hear you say that, BobC! I got a few on a recent trip to CA where the shop had their own roller, and I bought a handful of his Nicaraguan maduros-- easily the most sublime cigars I've experienced.

[fortworthgal]

My husband is a cigar smoker, and wanted me to chime in on this. He keeps a pretty good humidor stock at home. Like everyone else has said, there are good & bad Cubans (just like with every other cigar), and lots, lots, LOTS of fakes out there.

You don't have to go to France to find a good wine. There are lots of great cigars from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Honduras. Much like good wines, the guiding rule should be drink (or smoke, in this case) what tastes good to you personally. You don't necessarily have to seek out the top name brands, most expensive, or particular countries of origin.

[BobC]

Do you have a particular brand that you're friendly with?

Sorry, I must have missed this. There are many Nicaraguan puros available. Perdomo and Espinoza y Ortega Murcielago, Cubao and 601 should give you some things to start with.

[jayinhk]

Here in Hong Kong, all we get is Cubans (even at 7-11)! I don't think I could find a US-market Dominican (aside from in one of my humidors) anywhere in town.We do get some Dutch and American imports in terms of cheaper cigaritos (cigarillos), and Davidoff do have Dominican offerings, but it really is Cubans anywhere you look here.

Fakes are much less of an issue here since there's no kind of embargo, but some of the smaller cigar bars do carry fakes purely to make higher profits. The good places here are official Habanos outlets, so there's no worries whatsoever. Tax here is very high on tobacco, so I tend to get mine in from Switzerland. I had an absolutely outstanding Cuban out of one of my humidors about six weeks ago, and I can't for the life of me remember what it was. A buddy of mine from PA was in town and he bought himself a Siglo II tubo. I brought one from my humidor. It was a lesser known producer. Let me look it up:

Ah yes, a Fonseca No. 1. Absolutely amazing smoke. Smooth, mild, and with incredible flavor. I've never had a non-Cuban that could compare, and I've tried some of the best Padron, Arturo Fuente and Ashton have to offer. Some Cubans aren't quite as good as others, of course, but IMO Cubans really are much better in general. Give them one or two years in a good humidor and they'll really shine. I'm also very fond of Cuaba. Cohiba and RyJ are good, but tend to have less character.