Is it all becoming too much?

[tippexx]

NCs I rarely smoke. Not because I don't like them, but because I lack the knowledge to make choices. There are simply to many brands and vitola for me to ever experience. I tend to shirt the edges and know a little about the major brands.

With Cubans it's a bit different, I can genuinely claim to have tried every production brand and pretty much the majority of all the regular production cigars 2007-2013. When I started smoking Cuban cigars ? which wasn't long before joining here ? the Limitada programmes were underway, I've managed to try some prior 2007, but not all and nothing from the special humidores. But since around 2010 the number of new Habanos introductions has taken off in production and Limitada and more recently Gran Reserva and Anejados. I can't keep-up, couldn't afford to keep-up and in many respects find myself lagging behind in knowing anything about the more recent vitola, and as for the Regionals, with one or two exceptions those are a total mystery.

Obviously Habanos make loads of money with new introductions so I don't see that changing, but in doing it they aren't being particularly kind to me. Variety we're told is the spice of life, but not much use if you can't actually get to try it.

Anyone else have a view?

[PeeJay]

You can't teach an old dog new tricks? DOG_18_SA0040_01_P.JPG But seriously, just leave the perpetual chasing of something new to the youngsters and their constant quest for the latest thing.

[sheppsea]

I haven't smoked either of the Anejados released so far, and am not particularly desperate to do so. I have also never smoked a Reserva or Gran Reserva, they are miles higher than what I would be willing to pay for a cigar. I'm also not a particular fan of LEs - the releases just don't interest me. I have also been meaning to start a thread on hear to discuss the blend of LEs as I have noticed a similar flavour in many (although not all) LEs and also read elsewhere a theory that there is an 'LE' blend so was interested in hear the thoughts of the members here - I will get round to it soon!

I could live without all of the above to be honest

I am a big fan of the RE series though - there have been some great smokes produced through it. One things I would say though is that there seems to be a lot of generic release that would little interest to me (generally similar sizes, and also either Bolivar or RA), and I just can't see most of them being unique or much different from each other - I would prefer to see less Regionals each year, but each release being something more interesting

All in all I probably agree that too many cigars are released every year, and I could live without most of them, but I would rather have loads of Regionals released each year than have none

[RDBM]

I suspect like you tippexx, I can't afford to buy Reserva and GR's by the box especially at UK prices, I have the odd one or two Reservas in the humidor to try but I have pretty much got a decent stock of what I like to smoke regularly and that's it. Over the last year or so since I got back into cigars I've narrowed my collection down from pretty much a bit of everything to what I have now and I don't really see that changing too much. As PJ says, old dogs etc.........

[ValeTudoGuy]

There's far too many for me to keep up with, but I'm enjoying quite a few of the lower priced Cubans recently anyway,

[cj121]

It's the way of the game I'd say: some you get, some you seek, and some you never meet. That's the reality of a global market, and global marketing. Whilst the world has become smaller and more accessible in many regards, there'll always be something or somewhere we ALL can't aquire or experience. And that's not even really taking cost into account.

[Emaresee]

Cant claim any particular expertise here but since buying a box of regional italian RE RAmon A short perfctos, my first RE box, i amsure i have seen at least 2 other regions associated with the same stick.... How different can the blend really be? I am deeply trying not to give in to syncism....

[tippexx]

How different can the blend really be? I am deeply trying not to give in to syncism....

Which I think is the point that Sean was making. The possibility that Habanos play musical bands with some of the REs. I hope it isn't so, but until someone actually tries and evaluates them all we'll never really know.
Where's RMN when we need him, although in fairness I bet even he's having a hard job trying to keep up now.

[Emaresee]

Which I think is the point that Sean was making. The possibility that Habanos play musical bands with some of the REs. I hope it isn't so, but until someone actually tries and evaluates them all we'll never really know.
Where's RMN when we need him, although in fairness I bet even he's having a hard job trying to keep up now.

I suppose the blend may not have to be different. It could simply be a release of those sticks, for that market only at that point in time...
perhaps will go rummage through the release info, without directly trying to feed my cynicism.

'musical bands' ... love it!

[tippexx]

perhaps will go rummage through the release info

According to the release info they're ALL wonderful, but we know from our own experiences that that isn't always so.

[Niela]

I don't know... a friend of mine said he likes apple, because he doesn't like to have too much choice all the time. And he likes that Apple decides for him what his phone needs or doesn't need. I enjoy having choices. I tend to buy some singles here and there and if I find one i really like, I go for a box. Of course I will never taste all cigars that are out there, but is that really the goal? Isn't it nice to be able to explore new flavous over and over? I would be sad if I had tasted them all and that was it. After a few years I'd know what I like and would never ever be surprised again.

[Niela]

Nic is actually making a point of this around minute 17. How people are forgetting about the classics because there's so much new stuff to smoke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x_IV5W2Xh4

[TonyN]

Nic is actually making a point of this around minute 17. How people are forgetting about the classics because there's so much new stuff to smoke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x_IV5W2Xh4

You make a good point there there are so many about it's just too much
regional cigars
l e cigars
regular cigars
gran reserve cigars

The point is are any of the above a better cigar than your regular produced ones
how many of us get excited when new l e Cubans come on the market
Some go under the radar without even mentioned.

[akyprianou]

I haven't smoked either of the Anejados released so far, and am not particularly desperate to do so. I have also never smoked a Reserva or Gran Reserva, they are miles higher than what I would be willing to pay for a cigar. I'm also not a particular fan of LEs - the releases just don't interest me. I have also been meaning to start a thread on hear to discuss the blend of LEs as I have noticed a similar flavour in many (although not all) LEs and also read elsewhere a theory that there is an 'LE' blend so was interested in hear the thoughts of the members here - I will get round to it soon!

I could live without all of the above to be honest

I am a big fan of the RE series though - there have been some great smokes produced through it. One things I would say though is that there seems to be a lot of generic release that would little interest to me (generally similar sizes, and also either Bolivar or RA), and I just can't see most of them being unique or much different from each other - I would prefer to see less Regionals each year, but each release being something more interesting

All in all I probably agree that too many cigars are released every year, and I could live without most of them, but I would rather have loads of Regionals released each year than have none

This has also been my opinion of LE & RE cigars for a long time, would also be interested in a thread where all members of UKCF discuss these 'Special Cigars' and rate them. I have never been convinced that the tobacco used in these releases are of any higher quality, just small production lines, for quick sales - that's whats what they are!

Its quite clear that these releases are from the same harvest, with a blend that's tweaked very slightly from release to release (or at all). This is very evident in the shade of wrappers, they all carry the same Colorado-Maduro color and even from experience smoking them they taste very identical, i'm not the first person to say this either - also noticed how every RE release has the same Claro shade wrapper!

I had a CRS 2014 arrive very eager to try and the first thing i did was line it up with the other LE cigars i have left (2012's) and they look the same, that's because they probably are! haha

Great point about there being to many releases recently, very true

Great thread would love to hear other peoples thoughts and experiences with these releases

Cheers

[PeeJay]

Being an island there is going to be a finite number of tobaccos grown there to blend so its not surprising that so many Cuban cigars taste alike. Non Cubans manufacturers will always have the upper hand when it comes to variety of choice.