I think the HE is close to a CC profile, among the closest you can get for an NC, and I really enjoy them. I personally think the Illusione Singulare 2010 was probably THE closest I've had personally (tasted a LOT like a Cohiba), followed by the Epernay (I love those).
The HE doesn't taste like Cuban tobacco, but then it couldn't possibly ... 'cuz it's not Cuban tobacco. People get WAY too uptight on this subject. No cigar made without Cuban tobacco is going to actually taste "Cuban" ("twang" as some call it--always thought that was a funny word), but they can taste "like" Cubans or "close" to that in other ways. The "close" factors here are the texture of the smoke, and the flavor profile (again, without Cuban tobacco), and the flavor to strength ratio ... all of these are very "Cubanesque" in the HE.
In terms of flavors, I'd say it's somewhere between a Hoyo Epicure series and a BRC ... but if you can't separate the flavors you get in those cigars from the Cuban tobacco taste (in your head) then you're not going to understand comparisons like this.
BTW, the Quesada Jalapa I'm smoking right now is pretty darn Cubanesque as well. No Cuban tobacco taste, obviously, but all the other qualities are there. And it's a darn good smoke either way.
