Good Value Cuban Cigars

[Thu'umhammer]

I'm new to cigar smoking and live in Canada. This means that much of the discussion about cigars here is irrelevant to me, since where I live one cannot find many of the non Cuban cigars. On the other hand, it means I have fairly decent access to Cubans I was wondering if there were any recommendations for good value cigars. Note that this doesn't necessarily mean cheap cigars, but Cuban cigars where the value is the highest worth the price paid.

 

[Hunter]

Oh there are a lot of good cubans out there. It sort of depends on what type of cigars your like, I prefer a mild to mid Romeo y Jullieta, some people like a Cohiba.... I would suggest looking at some sites and seeing what samplers you can get so you can find something you like while not having to spend a lot of money on it.

 

[The Dean]

My recollection is all the Cubans in Canada were terribly overpriced. But some are obviously more expensive than others. The big names like Cohiba and Montecristo are typically more expensive than the others. My favorite Cuban cigar, and one you can get for a bit less than the others, is Bolivar. I still have a few Corona Gigantes in my humidor.

Be warned, Bolivar cigars are strong.

http://www.habanos.com/article.aspx?aid=42&lang=en

BTW, just because you can get Cubans, don't write off the discussions about non-Cubans here. I'd rather smoke a quality Nicaraguan cigar, like Padron, than most Cubans.

 

[Hunter]

My recollection is all the Cubans in Canada were terribly overpriced. But some are obviously more expensive than others. The big names like Cohiba and Montecristo are typically more expensive than the others. My favorite Cuban cigar, and one you can get for a bit less than the others, is Bolivar. I still have a few Corona Gigantes in my humidor.

Be warned, Bolivar cigars are strong.

http://www.habanos.com/article.aspx?aid=42&lang=en

BTW, just because you can get Cubans, don't write off the discussions about non-Cubans here. I'd rather smoke a quality Nicaraguan cigar, like Padron, than most Cubans.

The federal and provincial governments tax the heck out of premium tobacco products, and are raising them again. There are a lot of NC's that are great and cheap, though getting your hands on them can be tricky if your local B&M or a Canadian site doesn't carry certain ones. I believe that customs allows 50 cigars to be mailed to you over the border from other countries but I can't cite that.

 

[Thu'umhammer]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

 

[Argonaut]

Partagas Series D never lets me down.

 

[73mountaineer]

Partagas Series D never lets me down.

Good advice from this guy.

RyJ Short Churchills, Punch Punch and Montecristo No. 4 are all at the top of my list too.

 

[Thu'umhammer]

I'll have to make a little list(with my recently enabled fountain pen) for the next time I head down to the store.

 

[frankw]

Possessing the very good fortune and taste, to be able to enjoy any Havana lifts the soul, but, I always return to Partagas D and Bolivar coronas - just enjoy, life is too short at this stage of the game... fw

Partagas Series D never lets me down.

 

[Hunter]

I just finished a Partagas P2, which I actually liked more than the E2 except that it was missing the cocoa finish. My two all time favourites are the RyJ Churchill and the No.1 though I have a bunch of No.2's sitting in the humidor waiting for poker nights.

 

[Boro62]

I just finished a Partagas P2, which I actually liked more than the E2 except that it was missing the cocoa finish. My two all time favourites are the RyJ Churchill and the No.1 though I have a bunch of No.2's sitting in the humidor waiting for poker nights.

If you don't like the E2 or no.2's I will be more than happy to dispose of them for you, just mail them over

 

[The Dean]

I'll have to make a little list(with my recently enabled fountain pen) for the next time I head down to the store.

These are all great suggestions. If you are making a list, I'd add the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure line. I'm partial to the robusto (#2) myself, but of course you should pick the size that suits you best.

And, while I would never call them a value cigar, the Cohiba Maduro 5 is really sensational--at least it was a few years when I had a few. I'm not even sure if they are still available, come to think of it.

 

[Hunter]

If you don't like the E2 or no.2's I will be more than happy to dispose of them for you, just mail them over

I will have to see about that

 

[BigKev77]

I like a shorter smoke and the Party short was always a great smoke. Partagas and Bolivar make several great cigars in a mid price point. I never really got Cohiba. Lots really really like them. They just never appealed to me and the price was definitely not worth it for me. Monte #4, Ramon Allones Specially Selected, and El Rey del Mundo Choix Supreme are also good value smokes.

 

[Hunter]

I like a shorter smoke and the Party short was always a great smoke. Partagas and Bolivar make several great cigars in a mid price point. I never really got Cohiba. Lots really really like them. They just never appealed to me and the price was definitely not worth it for me. Monte #4, Ramon Allones Specially Selected, and El Rey del Mundo Choix Supreme are also good value smokes.

The best Cohibas have been rested for nearly a year I found.

 

[bigjohn-89]

Another vote for Partagas Serie D!!!!!

 

[The Dean]

The best Cohibas have been rested for nearly a year I found.

I also have found some cigars need to rest for awhile before reaching maximum potential The PDR I mentioned earlier is one of those. OK straight from the shop, much better several weeks later. I've never had the inventory nor the self-control to keep cigars for too long---wine neither. But I do have a few Cubans I've been keeping for a few years.

Anyway, my question is, why do these cigars need to rest? I understand a bit of rest if they have been shipped. But directly from a good shop, with a fine humidor, they should be good to go, right? They aren't "aging", at least not in the traditional sense. The tobacco has already been properly aged--at least on good cigars. Could it be that most shops humidors are a bit over-humidified? Even so, how long would it take in your humidor to regulate the cigars? Freshly rolled cigars are usually best right away, or 6 months or so down the line--I get that. But your quality, aged tobacco, imported smoke already has plenty of time since it has been rolled. I really just can't put my head around this one.

Understand, Justin, I'm not questioning you as I know what you are saying is true. But why?

 

[Hunter]

Understand, Justin, I'm not questioning you as I know what you are saying is true. But why?

HAHAHA no worries, I don't know why we do, but it works, from what I gather letting them rest lets the binder and the wrapper be properly hydrated and lets the filler blend a bit better. I know why aging pipe tobacco makes it better but as for cigars... I really don't know. Maybe one of the other long time smokers can shed light on this topic.

 

[Commander Quan]

The tobacco used to roll non Cuban cigars is usually aged before rolling this enables the leaf to ferment most completely before rolling. Cuban cigars are fermented for a period of time, and then rolled without being stored and aged. This leaves the cigars more volatile than cigars from non Cuban sources. This time is called the sick period which is a continuation of the fermentation process.

Min Ron Nee writes

“The tobacco leaf is moistened before being rolled into a cigar. This invites accelerated fermentation which generates a lot of ammonia. An unpleasant ammoniac smell is noticed . . .

“The time period for the disappearance of the ammonia smell is influenced by the rate of fermentation, packaging and storage conditions.

“For the majority of cigars handled in the ‘usual’ way, the ammonia smell will be 90% gone in a few months, 95-99% gone by the end of the first year, and practically all gone by the end of the second year."

Besides the ammonia smell, flavors can be muddled and generally off tasting during this time as well.

 

[Thu'umhammer]

Great information Commander Quan. Unfortunately my cigars don't get very long to age, if SWMBO found them they wouldn't be in the house anymore