Out of the Humidor: Weekly Cigar Corner: Current Discussion: General Smoking 01/26/07

Darn you!

Regards to all,

J

 

Well, don't be stingy. Send some to me. Nobody has to know.

Regards to all,

J

 

Thanks, I will look forward to the box in transit.

Regards to all,

J

 

Gleaned from the WEB:

Cuban cigars like Cohiba, Montecristo, and Romeo y Julieta are not the same cigars as their Dominican and Nicaraguan cousins. When Fidel Castro took over Cuba in 1959, one of the first things he did was seize the local tobacco factories for the government. Owners of the factories fled Cuba and took with them, the knowledge, the processes, and sometimes even the seed used to grow their world famous tobacco.

Many of them set up shop the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Mexico, and other various countries, to start rebuilding their business. With court approval, they even held on to their trademarks, which explains why there is a Cuban Montecristo and a Dominican Montecristo. They are not the same cigars, and the only thing they share is the name and sometimes the look of the band. Before the manufacturers had court approval to continue to use their former trademarks, many cigar manufacturers tried to re-establish brand names, and thus cigars like Montecruz were born.

Although Castro seized control over the Cuban cigar factories, the commie variants that he produces there now are in no way as good as pre-1959 Cuban cigars. They may be decent smokes, but the Dominican, and Nicaraguan sticks typically rival or exceed them in quality and taste. Much of the appeal for Cuban cigars in today's society stems from the U.S. embargo of all things Cuban. People assume that since they cannot have them, they must be good. With the high demand, Castro's factories have focused more on quantity and market saturization than on quality. While Cigar Aficionado noted that Cuba is starting to focus more on quality as of late, they still have a long way to go.

Not only is their quality usually substandard, but Cuban cigars demand a premium. Cubans that you buy in Canada and Europe are usually much more expensive than similar non-Cuban cigars. Not only do they cost more, but by buying Habana-made sticks, your money is supporting a communist dictatorial regime. Outside of the prestige of having something that you aren't supposed to have, or something that nobody else can get, Cuban cigars are typically a mediocre smoke, and not worth the money.

Naturally, some Cuban varieties are a better than others. But when you factor in the price, you can get a much better Dominican smoke, and you don't need to travel overseas or break the law to do it.

 

I can see a lot of what you are talking about. This does not mean that it was as it is today though. In the 1990s when cigars were all the rage and people would buy anything made by Cohiba, Montecristo and other names we all know well demand was outstripping supply and manufacturers became lax on the quality of their product as it didn't matter with the boom.
Today is different. Enough time has passed for the cigar fad to die out and only the real cigar afficianados are left. They demand quality and expect no less. The cigar manufacturers have now knuckled down and developed their products. They age the wrappers longer. They seek out the best filler tobacco and they do not take their reputation for granted. The quality has risen ten fold in the last five years. Cigars that once were plagued with poor draw and such things are much less encountered. So are the cigars with cheap filler and/or cheap wrappers.
You can honestly say, today, that the manufacturers are now making cigars for the people in the know and who know the difference. The difference is in the smoking and yes, I admit I have smoked a cuban brought back for me. I am not sure if it was this one case but I can honestly say that I prefer my La Gloria Cubana to the Cuban. Maybe there are better cigars in Cuba but since Castro has made it tough to smoke cigars, or anything for that matter, in public things might get worse before they get better.
I am often reminded of a case in the old Soviet Union. There was a glass factory there. The government had them producing glass to quotas set forward. The first year it was based on the square feet of glass produced. Each factory was required to produce so many 1,000 square feet of glass. Can you see what is coming? Yep, the glass produced was so thin that it would break at the slightest tap. You could not install it without breaking it.
So we go into the next year. The government had thought they learned from their previous mistake. The quota the next year was based on the number of stacks produced of a set size. Can you see what was wrong with this? Yes, the glass produced was so thick that you could barely see out of it and it would not fit in the window panes! The lesson is that no matter what you try to control there are always unforeseen consequences when the consumer does not set the standard in a free and open marketplace.

Regards to all,

J

 

Great Posts!

Bogie1943, this thread is genius, smokey genius!

I love it. Please carry on.

Cheers.

 

Cigar Dave Radio Show

Their is a radio show that comes on where I live, called the Cigar Dave show. The 'General' of Cigars! He holds open calls on cigars and gives the latest news on manufacturer releases. Its a great show, and I certainly learn alot from it.
The General, besides being a cigar conoseur (sp?), is also into men being nicely dressed and gives tips on this, as well as many grooming ideas.
He has a website... www.cigardave.com

Chad
smoke'em if you got'em

 

RTDA Approaches

The Retail Tobacco Dealers Association annual convention will be in NOLA this year and the Lovely Mrs Fuente and I are looking forword to seeing alot of our friends in the Cigar Business. Aug 6-10 it'll be rather smokey in the Big Easy.

Usually a few new releases at the convention, CAO has been promoting a new release without clues as to what it will be.

I'll try to report soon after the convention but I'm off to the Dallas Men's Wear Show on the 12th.

Rich :cool2:

PS Chad, Dave is better on the Radio than in person. Acted like a jerk at a Cigar Family event in Tampa a few years ago and hasn't been invited back.

 

More Pre RTDA Info

Besides the double camaroon wrapped cigar from CAO there will be a number of other new cigars released at the convention.

Ashton will introduce a few new sizes of the powerful VSG and Estate Grown series.

Fuente will offer the God of Fire by Carlito 2005 and the God of Fire by Don Carlos 2005 (limited release of 100,000 cigars)

Oliva will have their new Master Blends 2 2005 to release.

We expect to see many more at the convention.

I'll check in after returning from the Dallas Menswear Collective mid August

Keep Smokin'

Rich :cool2:

 

Well the trip to NOLA is fast approaching and CAO has announced another new release... they have licensed the Soprano's name from HBO for a new cigar series.

Rich :cool2:

 

Just wanted to say...(and some advice for a cigar newbie)

What a great thread this has turned out to be. I only stumbled upon it yesterday, and had to keep reading and looking at all the suggested links until I was done! I feel very enthused about this. I've always fancied trying a cigar, but have never been tempted by cigarettes. But a cigar seems to be a different kettle of fish and I fancy giving it a go. But I need some hand holding on this and advice on what to try, as I would imagine this is a make or break stage and one bad experience would just ruin it for good!
I like the smell of a fine cigar, the look of those big beefy Churchillian ones (told you I was very new to all this!! lol), and I admit that the image is one of masculinity, power, relaxation...etc, which is seductive.

 

Paddy, my one piece of advice if you try a cigar, DON'T INHALE (you'll turn green). Let the smoke in your mouth (not down the windpipe) and push the smoke out the mouth.

 

Just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed this thread! For those who are looking for a fatastically mild smoke, I highly recommend the Macanudo Gold Label Shakespeare. This cigar is 6.5" long with a 45 ring size. I purchased one and liked it so much, I ordered five more. Once they're gone, there may well be a box of 25 in my future. They are simply outstanding!

 

Nah, inhale all you want. Just make sure I am there to see it.

Regards to all,

J

 

ITG

While you are correct that cigars are not made for enhaling...there are some that exhale through the nostrils. I've watched Carlos Feunte Jr do that often.

I prefer the old exhale through the mouth way myself.


In regard to some of the comments earlier in this thread regarding Cuban cigars. Because of the trade embargo they are not only unlawful to purchase here but a US citizen is in violation if the purchase is made in a country that has relations with Cuba. So even smoking a Cuban cigar in a foreign country is in violation of US law.

The quality issue is more one of consistancy than quality. The tobacco grown in Cuba is unique and differs from the tobacco grown elsewhere even using the Cuban seed taken by those who left when the Communist Dictator took over. Cuban grown tobacco has it's own flavor profile, some love it some prefer other tobaccos.

Without the Soviet $ coming in when the cold war ended...Cuba pushed as many cigars out of the factories as possible and quality of manufacture suffered. Tobacco was rushed into production without suitable aging. Much of that has changed and improved when most of the Cuban Cigar Business was purchased by a Spanish Company. However those that purchase Cuban Hand Made Puros still rest their cigars in the humidor for 6 months to a year before smoking.

Rich :cool2:

 

Personally I haven't tried exhaling through the nose (and don't wanna take a gamble of it), but I probably should have clarified by not inhaling, I meant not letting it go into the lungs.

 

So....what would it take to get some.....yet-to-be-released-stogies?



Pyro.

 

You want to talk about nauseating. My father was the only person I have ever seen that could inhale a cigar without it affecting him. He could blow rings and the whole thing with a cigar. Just watching it gave me "the spins."

Regards to all,

J

 

Physically back from the RTDA covention in NOLA and the Menswear show in Dallas.

Wow, smoked a ton of cigars while at the convention enjoyed the company of many friends in the cigar world. Louisianna ATF created a stir by requiring all who were giving out samples to pay tax on them. This caused 3 or 4 distributors to pack up and leave the show. Amongst those cigars that I enjoyed most was a new Cameroon Wrapped Cigar by Cubita. Once I'm back mentally I'll post additional thoughts on treasures and / or dog rockets.

Rich :cool2: