Cuban consistency (or lack of)

[Adamsmokes]

We all know that Cuban quality control can vary wildly in terms of construction but what are members thoughts of inconsistency in flavour? I personally find this more frustrating than the odd tight draw or wonky burn. For example I have a box of Bolivar CJ the first of which was sensational, one of the best cigars I've ever had, so good that I immediately brought another box with the same box code. But having nearly finished the box I have yet to have one anywhere near as good. I know part of the allure of Cubans is chasing that great smoke but I feel they need to do better in delivering a product which you can have a certain level of exception met. I've had it with other boxes as well, 2 or 3 brilliant ones and the rest just average, albeit with no construction issues. Having said that I have also had boxes that all tasted fantastic but for a premium product this should surely be the norm, right?

[Simon Bolivar]

Good question to raise. I think we can all agree that Habanos has improved construction & draw over the last 10yrs but flav/blends is another question to ponder.

I am probably alone in rarely smoking two cigars from the same box within 3-6months. The obvious reason for that is I have a decent collection & to allow some rotation, apart from my small smokes, I don't usually smoke more than 3 of the same vitola p.a. The other reason is that I never wanted to have an amazing smoke & then a week or so later, have a disappointing experience - if it didn't match the first.

So I guess others will be better qualified my me to comment but I can't say I have ever noticed a marked difference in flav within a box, construction sure.

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[PeeJay]

Let's be realistic. The roller grabs a specific handful of leaves and bunches them together before rolling them into a cigar. Its amazing that its consistent from cigar to cigar but box to box and then year to year?

[Adamsmokes]

That's interesting Simon. The opposite is true for me; I'll happily get through a single box over a month. And as I say, a lot of those boxes are inconsistent in flavour but I wonder how much of that is to do with my palate becoming accustomed to them and meaning they become a bit dull to me. I should change my approach and dip in and out of different boxes but I don't think I have a deep enough collection to that at the moment as I smoke most days.

[Adamsmokes]

Let's be realistic. The roller grabs a specific handful of leaves and bunches them together before rolling them into a cigar. Its amazing that its consistent from cigar to cigar but box to box and then year to year?

Yet people rave about NC consistency, although I can't vouch for that personally

[simwells]

Yet people rave about NC consistency, although I can't vouch for that personally

There is a huge difference as to why that I have no clue


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[ha_banos]

Let's be realistic. The roller grabs a specific handful of leaves and bunches them together before rolling them into a cigar. Its amazing that its consistent from cigar to cigar but box to box and then year to year?

Thats a bit simplistic no?! The roller grabs a bunch of leaves that have been through months if not years of process and selection before being bunched and rolled. So all the work is done before the roller get the leaves. I would expect some work is done to adjust blends to try to get some consistency across boxes and years even. Tobacco strains change, weather changes.

So yes I would expect some consistency, but not surprised by such differences as it is a natural product .. that has gone through loads of process and selected and rolled and colour sorted blah blah.
I cant recognise one cigar from another though. So generally they are good or not to my taste or bad. I just hope they are all good! They can taste different.

[Adamsmokes]

Thats a bit simplistic no?! The roller grabs a bunch of leaves that have been through months if not years of process and selection before being bunched and rolled. So all the work is done before the roller get the leaves. I would expect some work is done to adjust blends to try to get some consistency across boxes and years even. Tobacco strains change, weather changes.

So yes I would expect some consistency, but not surprised by such differences as it is a natural product .. that has gone through loads of process and selected and rolled and colour sorted blah blah.
I cant recognise one cigar from another though. So generally they are good or not to my taste or bad. I just hope they are all good! They can taste different.

I agree that no two cigars will taste the same but I guess that begs the question why (if construction is good on a given box) the inconsistency in good or bad tasting ones? I don't want uniform taste but I wish there were more boxes of uniform quality in this regard. 100% agree about cigars being a natural product and for me that is part of their charm and appeal.

[Vitola]

I think as regards flavour/aroma consistency. I think one has to be aware of ones self also I.e. nasal congestion, condition of ones palate, oral health etc...as I’m sure these all have a bearing and contribute to inconsistencies between smokes


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[PeeJay]

I cant recognise one cigar from another though. So generally they are good or not to my taste or bad. I just hope they are all good! They can taste different.

Me neither unless they have a very distinct profile like Cuabas

[Adamsmokes]

I think as regards flavour/aroma consistency. I think one has to be aware of ones self also I.e. nasal congestion, condition of ones palate, oral health etc...as I’m sure these all have a bearing and contribute to inconsistencies between smokes


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A very good point

[Emaresee]

Me neither unless they have a very distinct profile like Cuabas

not even cohiba vs say monte or HdM? or Partagas vs ERDM?

I find epi2 has a clear flavour and most cohiba are distinct. but agree there is centre ground of subtlty which is hard to separate.albeit we acknowledge its a monte as we pulled it from a monte box and it has a monte band etc...

[Simon Bolivar]

Max, as I said, I was always wanting to avoid a second close & disappointing experience, after smoking a WOW cigar, one of the reasons I try to avoid smoking the same cigar within a month or two. I think there lots of factors going on here, above the physical product. The time of day, the weather, the company, the celebration, the event. The cigar smoked prior to the one in question, the drink you matched with it ect. All these factors influence your perception of that cigar & many of these elements are likely to be different the next time you smoke the same cigar.

I guess one way to check the box if to smoke two back to back, with just an hour or so & between & a palate refresher. But even then the exactly same cigar may appear different, when perhaps the product differences are minimal.

Another thought, don't forgot a box of cigars aren't rolled by the same roller! The boxes are put together by the colour matcher so you could have half a dozen rollers products in one box.

[Adamsmokes]

Max, as I said, I was always wanting to avoid a second close & disappointing experience, after smoking a WOW cigar, one of the reasons I try to avoid smoking the same cigar within a month or two. I think there lots of factors going on here, above the physical product. The time of day, the weather, the company, the celebration, the event. The cigar smoked prior to the one in question, the drink you matched with it ect. All these factors influence your perception of that cigar & many of these elements are likely to be different the next time you smoke the same cigar.

I guess one way to check the box if to smoke two back to back, with just an hour or so & between & a palate refresher. But even then the exactly same cigar may appear different, when perhaps the product differences are minimal.

Another thought, don't forgot a box of cigars aren't rolled by the same roller! The boxes are put together by the colour matcher so you could have half a dozen rollers products in one box.

Interesting point about the boxes not being rolled by the same person, not something I had considered at all and actually maybe this alone accounts for the inconstancy across a single box

[ha_banos]

Interesting point about the boxes not being rolled by the same person, not something I had considered at all and actually maybe this alone accounts for the inconstancy across a single box

This was my point about the months if not years for LE/Reserva etc. of process and selection going into what the rollers produce thats supposed to normalise some of the variation. The rollers are given select bundles and told the blend to roll. But as you're saying, there are differences!

I'm actually somewhat glad my palette is very simple as it means I dont tell the subtle diffrences