Hi Favorite non Cuban Cigars!

[Simon-JG-hr]

Well, I've had some time to think about it, and here are a couple of NCs that have caught my tastebuds...

Vegas de Tabacalera Robusto - this is included by virtue of its first half, and its first half alone. Until the mid-point, it was possibly the greatest cigar I've smoked - rich, espresso, creamy. Sublime! The second half was blandness, followed by a touch of harshness. It's the only one I've had, so don't want to treat it too harshly for the last little bit. (My thoughts from the time).

Was pleased with the Nica Libre which G-man sent me a while back - really powerful and strong. Couldn't believe it when I saw what great value they were for such a decent cigar.

Also enjoyed the Ashton VSG I tried at JJ Fox a couple of months back. I couldn't quite put my finger on why, it was just a pleasant and well behaved cigar with a reasonable (if not exciting) flavour profile.

I've had NCs which I've really enjoyed. I've had some which were inoffensive and well made, but ultimately not particularly interesting. I've even had a couple which I really didn't really like - though nothing as horrifically offensive as a Monte Open...

[G-man]

Ask the right folks and the world is your oyster !

[Pipe Dude]

The best cigar I've ever had (Cuban or not, I'm a bigger fan of Cubans) was an NC. A Perdomo "La Tradicion" Cuban Cafe Torpedo X. It was incredibly complex and the flavour profile changed twice before I had to stop smoking it due to burnt lips. I just need to find a source that'll ship to the UK discretely.

[Gary]

Fortunately I've tried loads of NC over the last four years, primarily as a result of visit the U.S. on several occasions for various reasons.

Anyway, my favourite NC for the last while is the Tatuaje Noellas, really like the size and slimmer ring gauge. Additionally love the El Triunfador lancero (original release).

Other NC that keep finding their way into the humidor include various Pepin Garcia brands as well as the Illusion brand.

Personally I think the quality of NC have been improving year on year recently.

[G-man]

What Embargo

It is quite strange really that in the UK the range of NCs compared to Cubans is limited and actually the reverse of what it is in terms of production levels in the two different sectors.

I think one of the reasons is because the UK taxes on tobacco are so high traditiionally (and getting ever higher) that all hand rolled cigars are priced to be premium luxury products. In the US obviously there is the political issue of the embargo that artificially puts prices up on Cubans as essentially they need to be smuggled, but as I understand it the general level of tobacco taxation is lower so even when you have legitimate taxed NCs from cigar stores they can still be very cheap (compared to the UK market at least).

Therefore for us in the UK I guess that if both Cubans and NCs are premium products you do tend to stick to what is widely considered the best anyway (the Cubans) and so the NC cigars become more of a niche product in some ways and are usually sold as a 'value' alternative.

Also, while it is wrong to generalise, in my limited experience I usually find dominicans to be very mild. Of course there will be exceptions, but if you have the general idea that they will be then you may be put off trying ones you don't know in a situation where the Cuban varieties are so much better known and that usually have a better reputation in terms of taste.

Anyway, after all that I've liked the Padillas I've tried, although they are not particularly cheap for NCs, and also the La Rica brand (which definately are cheap), but I do often look at US online cigar sites are get blown away by both the vareity and the low prices, so can't help think that we are missing out on something (but I'm damn glad we don't have the embargo to worry about!)

LMFAOROTF
Who's worried?

[tmajer15]

I prefer non cubans to cubans,I do have cubans, but Nc's seem to suit my palette more. I'm a fan of lots of them, Nubs,cains,perdomo,padilla,caos,pepins,tatuaje,roc ky patels,arganese,romeo y julieta etc etc

My collection is getting better and better

If you know were to look, you can get pretty much any your after here

Lee, I was going to guess you'd say Nub.. I just had a feeling, those are great cigars. My favorite NC is strangely enough a Cohiba Puro Dominicana. Gifted to me by none other that the man Smelvis himself. Thanks again Dave, and some retailers are very thankful to you too.

[Lou3]

Padron's Anniversary lines, Oliva, and Holts Cigars' Old Henry are my favorite NC brands for the moment. I like their complex flavor that has just the right intensity for me. There's a lot I haven't tried though.

[tippexx]

There's a lot I haven't tried though.

I think that's all of us Lou. To be honest I'd never even heard of Holts Cigars' Old Henry.

[Esoteric]

This is a great thread as it is very interesting to see the different brands indicated. I actually found one I am going to try now, the Perdomo Cuban Cafe (didn't know it existed LOL).

[Lou3]

To be honest I'd never even heard of Holts Cigars' Old Henry.

Holt's Cigars of Philadelphia is one of the US' most well known cigar shops. They had a brand called Old Henry made by Pepin Garcia, and it is apparently one of their best sellers. Here's a link to the Old Henry page:

http://www.holts.com/category.html?id=198762

[Eyesack]

Old Henry's are great smokes! I've been really digging Nicaraguan smokes lately, nothing beats their spicy, satisfying texture/flavor of smoke. NC's that I've come to love are the RP Vintage 90, most Fuente products, and similar stuff. I honestly have to admit I've been smoking a lot of De Noblis lately. They're fire-cured cheroot cigars that many people look at as shit-sticks, but they taste like buttered popcorn! lol!

I bought various CC's lately, but realized that they need much more time to enjoy than NC's so now I'm back to smoking through the massive bombs that Smelvis has hit me with lol.

[bopmachine]

Im really enoying chinchalero Novillo cigars at the moment. Very good construction with a great draw and a nice mild flavor. Perfect after dinner cigar. Can usually find them in a U b&m for under ?4

[Soulmanure]

Love quite a bit of the Tatuaje line; the Havanas, Miamis, La Riquezas, El Triunfadors, etc. I also quite enjoy, when in a mellow mood, the Arturo Fuente Hemingways, or, when in a less mellow mood, an occasional Oliva V.

It's becoming clearer and clearer to me that the question isn't about nc's vs. cc's, but about building your stash such that you have the right cigar to fit your mood.

[davidruddell]

Rocky Patel Vintage 1990

Bloody lovely smoke, but as been said here by wiser than I, is as much price wise as many CC's in the UK, specially when you're dumb enough to be tempted while in your local store like I was!

[davidruddell]

U b&m?

apols for noob query, but whats U b&m?

Im really enoying chinchalero Novillo cigars at the moment. Very good construction with a great draw and a nice mild flavor. Perfect after dinner cigar. Can usually find them in a U b&m for under ?4