Cubans

[prostartjr1738]

Just wondering whats so damn special about cubans? Ive never smoked one but what is it about them that people love so much? Is it the simple fact that we cant legally have them, thus creating a sort of"mystique" about them, or are they simply better cigars do to conditions in cuba? It seems that if I mention that I smoke cigars to someone they always reply with something about cubans. Just want to know whats so special about them.

[chefchris]

They are what I look for in a flavor profile. I don't like a lot of spice and I've had very few Cubans that I would call spicy. I just like the toasty, earthy, nutty taste. I'm past the 'hype' and I get tired of the "You ever have a Cuban?" question, too. I've had Cubans I didn't like just like any other cigar.

[Lopaka]

For many people, it's they hype that you are smoking something that is illegal.

For Cigar Smokers, they are some of the best tasting cigars. Cuban soul is the best place to grow tobacco for cigars. Hence why they make the best cigars.

When you smoke a well aged cuban, you know why they are special.

[spiffykyle]

A lot of people will try a Cuban without really being into cigars. To them its just the mystique.

Remember that Cuban cigars are smoked regularly all over the world, and chefchris is correct in that they run the range from incredible to just plain nasty. I enjoy a good DR or Nic cigar just as much as some Cubans.

spiffy

[FunkyCold5]

There are just as good Dominican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan cigars out there. Cubans have different profiles in flavor, smell and taste to them that is intoxicating to any smoker. True, many try to obtain or smoke them because of the "illegallity" of it, but those are normally the same people that would pay $15-$20 for a Gurkha because supposedly it's the Rolls Royce of cigars.

People that smoke for the enjoyment of the smoke and not the status of it can really appreciate what a cuban cigar can offer.

Like Chris mentioned, it's more mellow in strength and yet flavorful. You can get the most flavor in such a mild-medium bodied smoke from a cuban, than you can get from a normal Dom, Hon, and Nic cigar. When you get to the full-bodied cubans, YOU GET tons of flavor with the feeling you just got kicked in the nuts.

Andrew

[cigar no baka]

A lot of people will try a Cuban without really being into cigars. To them its just the mystique.

Remember that Cuban cigars are smoked regularly all over the world, and chefchris is correct in that they run the range from incredible to just plain nasty. I enjoy a good DR or Nic cigar just as much as some Cubans.

spiffy

That's my experience as well. Amongst my favorite cigars of all times are a few Cubans. There are also a few Cuban amongst my most hated cigars of all times. The rest, eh, they're OK but I can do without them.

[nhcigarfan]

same.
I like NC's because they are so dam consistent. Every cigar tastes the same.
I've had Cubans where cigars sitting next to each other in the box don't taste anything alike.

[prostartjr1738]

OK so there is some truth to them actually being really good cigars in some cases. It just seems like everyone who I talk to about cigars (mainly non smokers) always ask the question "Ever had a cuban?". Thanks for clearing that up guys.

[guado]

I REALLY HATE when people ask "You ever had a Ko-Hee-Buh?"

I friggin HATE it. I have plenty of cubans but I also have plenty of NC's. They are good if they are what you are looking for.

Downers to cubans-most need alot of time to be worth smoking.

NC's sometimes need age but alot of them are AWESOME right out of the box.

It's mainly the need to expand your knowledge. I will also agree to saying there are cubans that are as nasty as cheapo NC. I had a 98 H. Upmann last week and I swear there were moments that I thought I tasted shrimp...ugh.

[ggiese]

'98 Sancho Panza Non-Plus or Trinidad Fundadore...



But as a friend of mine once said, "If you've never had it - you'll never miss it..."

[DeeDubya]

Cuba grows and exports what, sugar cane (sugar), coffee and tobacco? Not much else. Although Cuba still sells many cigars to the rest of the world wouldn't you think that a lot (I mean mucho grande quantities) of surplus tobacco is regularly sold to Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, etc.? What is sold as "Cuban seed tobacco" is exactly that. Only it is actually grown in Cuba, shipped to another country where it is processed and then exported to the US.
Am I dreaming here? If so, wake me up and tell me why not?

[bhands]

I had a 98 H. Upmann last week and I swear there were moments that I thought I tasted shrimp...ugh.

umm i love shrimp and a shrimp flavored cigar that sounds awesome i think ill give the guys at drew estates a call and see if they could come up with something.

working at a cigar store i get people that come up to me daily and seriously ask me if i have any cubans? is there still people out there that dont know that cubans are illegal? what am i going to say yes they are right over here in our please arrest me and give me a huge fine humidor.

[chefchris]

Cuba grows and exports what, sugar cane (sugar), coffee and tobacco? Not much else. Although Cuba still sells many cigars to the rest of the world wouldn't you think that a lot (I mean mucho grande quantities) of surplus tobacco is regularly sold to Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, etc.? What is sold as "Cuban seed tobacco" is exactly that. Only it is actually grown in Cuba, shipped to another country where it is processed and then exported to the US.
Am I dreaming here? If so, wake me up and tell me why not?

From what I understand as Cuban Seed is that the original crop came from Cuba in the exodus of all the farmers many years ago. They loaded up as much seed as they could get and high tailed it outta there. So almost everything is cuban seed. However, soil plays a HUGE part in the taste of a cigar as well where (globally) it's grown. Try a Sumatra wrapper and tell me that taste like a Cuban wrapper. It's a much spicier wrapper due to the conditions it's grown in. Same thing with many others, Conneticut, Cameroon, etc.

And if I remember correctly, I'm almost positive Cuba does not sell their tobacco to other countries for their own cigar blends.

[BigMacFU]

Just to be clear, no one who is a US Citizen on this board has ever, will ever, or is now smoked, smoke, smoking a cuban. It is illegal for us to do so.

[DeeDubya]

Just to be clear, no one who is a US Citizen on this board has ever, will ever, or is now smoked, smoke, smoking a cuban. It is illegal for us to do so.

It certainly is and I have never smoked one. My question is whether or not Cuban tobacco can be sold (legally or not) to let's say Ecuador where it is processed and rolled and then legally exported to the US as a product of Ecuador.

Also, there is still the supposedly "pre-embargo" product available, both tobacco and cigars.

[ashauler]

From what I understand as Cuban Seed is that the original crop came from Cuba in the exodus of all the farmers many years ago. They loaded up as much seed as they could get and high tailed it outta there. So almost everything is cuban seed. However, soil plays a HUGE part in the taste of a cigar as well where (globally) it's grown. Try a Sumatra wrapper and tell me that taste like a Cuban wrapper. It's a much spicier wrapper due to the conditions it's grown in. Same thing with many others, Conneticut, Cameroon, etc.

And if I remember correctly, I'm almost positive Cuba does not sell their tobacco to other countries for their own cigar blends.

From everything I have ever read or seen, I think Chris is correct here. Cuban tobacco is tightly controlled by the government.

While it sounds plausible that some tobacco could find its way out of the country, I highly doubt that any "organized" way of secretly using cuban origin tobacco in cigars exists.

[FunkyCold5]

Cuba grows and exports what, sugar cane (sugar), coffee and tobacco? Not much else. Although Cuba still sells many cigars to the rest of the world wouldn't you think that a lot (I mean mucho grande quantities) of surplus tobacco is regularly sold to Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, etc.? What is sold as "Cuban seed tobacco" is exactly that. Only it is actually grown in Cuba, shipped to another country where it is processed and then exported to the US.
Am I dreaming here? If so, wake me up and tell me why not?

Cuban seed is what it actually is, not the leaf. And ChefChris gave a great explanation! IT depends on soil, weather conditions, and other factors to produce that distinct taste. If the leaf was exported to another contry, the country HAS to specify where the leaf/binder/wrapper came from. AND if it came from CUBA, it will NOT go into the US. So, exporting tobacco leaves will be mute. SO, what manufacturers try to do is get the sead and plant it in Honduras, Nicaragua, Dominican Rebublic, etc and advertise the cuban seed part as a selling point, when in actuality it's a totally different end-product from a cigar you can get from Cuba.

Cubans are illegal, and the experiences I've shared actually came from a Cuban Pen-pal of mine (Pepe), and not my own.

[DeeDubya]

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar...22,431,00.html

[ggiese]

Cuba grows and exports what, sugar cane (sugar), coffee and tobacco? Not much else. Although Cuba still sells many cigars to the rest of the world wouldn't you think that a lot (I mean mucho grande quantities) of surplus tobacco is regularly sold to Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, etc.? What is sold as "Cuban seed tobacco" is exactly that. Only it is actually grown in Cuba, shipped to another country where it is processed and then exported to the US.
Am I dreaming here? If so, wake me up and tell me why not?

Ummm... No...

"Cuban Seed" tobacco means that the seeds used to start the plant were originally from Cuba. However, the seed is now planted and harvested outside of Cuba. Supposedly these seeds were taken out of the country at the time of the Cuban revolution (or sometime thereafter) by Cuban tobacco growers looking to make a better life for themselves outside of the Cuban society.

The idea that "excess Cuban tobacco" being sent to other countries and making it's way into US destined cigars is a myth. Just as the "Pre-Embargo" tobacco that's "been stored in warehouses since before the Cuban revolution and forgotten until now" stories are myths.

Nope - Cuban tobacco makes it into Cuban cigars. "Cuban seed" tobacco grown in the DR, Nicaragua, Honduras, etc. makes it into the NC cigars...

...it is a nice dream, though... Although I personally tend to like to dream about blondes on the beach...

[DeeDubya]

Just checking. Like the article from Cigar Aficionado (link about 4 posts back) about the Canary Islands and them buying tobacco from Cuba and rolling it into their cigars it seems that it would be hard to control.

"The chief factor that differentiates Canary Island cigars from most others is the strong tradition of using Cuban tobacco in their blends."
~Cigar Aficionado~