The Best Of the Essential Cubans

[Krist]

Your deffo bbs wigan


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+1! Absolutely!

[TheMonk]

What do we mean by essential? Is it just a list of cigars we like or a list of CCs every cigar enthusiast would have tried (effectively 'the classics')

While all the cigars listed are great smokes I wouldn't necessarily consider them essential Cubans - these to me would be things like the Monte 4, Monte 2, RyJ Churchill, PSD4 etc.

I really like the HdM Petit Robusto but am not sure I would call it essential

What I was trying to achieve was a shortlist of the best of the classic or essential Cubans - not so much a generally everyday good smoke (Mille Fleur and such), but more the best of the old and new classic Cuban cigars. Those that either have been great consistent smokes for a long time, or more recent cigars that are so good they've quickly achieved the "classic" status. I'd hope this proved to be a very useful list to relative newcomers such as myself, but also for more experienced smokers, who might be missing one or two of these smokes.

From the gathered answers, there were four repeated cigars:

- Bolivar Belicoso Fino
- Cohiba Behike 52 (the clear winner)
- H. Upmann Sir Winston
- Trinidad Fundadores


If I was to add these to the previous list, we'd have:

- Bolivar Belicoso Fino
- Cohiba Behike 52
- Cohiba Esplendidos
- Cohiba Robustos
- Cohiba Siglo VI
- H. Upmann Magnum 50
- H. Upmann Sir Winston
- Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2
- Montecristo Edmundo
- Montecristo No. 2
- Partagas Lusitanias
- Partagas D4
- Romeo y Julieta Churchill
- Trinidad Fundadores

Any thoughts?


I'm actually going to Cuba in about a month, so this list may prove extremely useful for my upcoming purchases.

[sheppsea]

I'm not sure I'd consider the BHK52, Monte Edmundo and Upmann Mag 50 classics. The BHK52 is a high end, premium stick, but I don't think of it as a classic.

I find Cohiba as a brand a strange one - it should certainly be on any list of must tries but a single line doesn't jump up at me as the definitive classic Cohiba: I suppose all of them are

Here are some others you might want to consider - at least I think of them as 'classics':

- Monte No. 4
- Punch Punch
- RASS

[butternutsquashpie]

I'm not sure I'd consider the BHK52, Monte Edmundo and Upmann Mag 50 classics. The BHK52 is a high end, premium stick, but I don't think of it as a classic.

I find Cohiba as a brand a strange one - it should certainly be on any list of must tries but a single line doesn't jump up at me as the definitive classic Cohiba: I suppose all of them are

Bear in mind that what most people think "Classic" is is something that has old value - been along for a while.
Good example is what Sean said: MC 4, Punch Punch Punch, RASS.

Now, on your point of Cohiba. That's an odd one because althought they have not been along for a while, they are reminiscent of the old days of Davidoff. The original Siglo line (1-5) consists of very popular marcas which were all high end and iconic. (exception is my precious Siglo III... But i'd like to think it set it's own icon ).
The Siglo line replaced the old Mille Davidoff line. One can even say that the special releases of Cohibas aimed towards the premium that the Davidoff Chateaux series brough.

Now. Bear in mind that this thread talks not of the CLASSIC component of the cigar marcas - rather, it aims to discuss the essentials - Flavours. Obviously, HSA values the Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchill over any other taste in the RyJ Marca. So much so that they made it the f*****g, g*****n, c*********g, z***********x Gran Reserva this year. It's only been around for a few years and they believe it's the most essential RyJ... I would partially agree with them, actually. Of all the RyJ vitolas, the Wide Churchill is one that I would actually buy boxes of (not much in the RyJ line I would do that with).

Now with that taste in our mouths, perhaps we can (as a forum) construct a very good list of essential cigars!

[Smallclub]

The Edmundo is exactly the opposite of a classic cuban. Huge ring gauge, wind tunnel draw when not plugged, lack of depth, inconsistency, poor rolling, etc.
The first release in 2004 was a total disaster, the cigars had literally no taste…

[Simon G]

Classic, to me, is like a Monty no.2

[butternutsquashpie]

The Edmundo is exactly the opposite of a classic cuban. Huge ring gauge, wind tunnel draw when not plugged, lack of depth, inconsistency, poor rolling, etc.
The first release in 2004 was a total disaster, the cigars had literally no taste…

Good to see you back in the UK Madhouse, SC.
What's your possible list of classic cigars?