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Last post 5 years ago by Pudding Mittens. 40 replies replies.
Michael Jordan w/ C.Afficionado about visiting Cuba
btpcm Offline
#1 Posted:
Joined: 07-03-2018
Posts: 74
Some unexpected ideas in this video- from Oct. 29, 2017
--- was this already mentioned somewhere on CB? Don't know.
Jordan is a big fan of cigars, has his favorites, appreciates new experiences.
His wife is Cuban. She would like to go to Cuba too, but for different reasons than Michael.
Why has Jordan waited to visit Cuba? Could it be he doesn't want to be followed by the press?
He says that the news that sells best is news that is bad....

https://video.cigaraficionado.com/play/id/5581210016001/name/Michael_Jordan_on_His_Favorite_Smokes_+_Visiting_Cuba

Favorite cigar: Partagas Lusitania without a pause.
Marvin R. Shanken has some insight for Jordan on how his going to Cuba would affect the Cuban people.
He can't wait to share a Precaster (Precastor?) Cuban with Michael. He doesn't open those that often...
Thunder.Gerbil Offline
#2 Posted:
Joined: 11-02-2006
Posts: 121,359
"Precaster (Precastor?)"

Pre-Castro. ie: pre-embargo
ZRX1200 Offline
#3 Posted:
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,582
^ my bet too.
btpcm Offline
#4 Posted:
Joined: 07-03-2018
Posts: 74
Now that makes sense. Pre-Castro. No wonder he doesn't break those out very often.
Let me guess. CigarBid doesn't put pre-Castro cigars up for bid very often, either. Correct?

Would KingoftheCove set his maximum price to $1,000 for a pre-Castro cigar single, you know, to show that he's a "REAL man?"

Now that I know what they were talking about, I have to wonder how the conversation went for the next hour!
I'm sure the pre-Castro Cubans lasted that long.
And what did Shanken answer when Jordan asked him for another cigar?
ZRX1200 Offline
#5 Posted:
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,582
No, I'd drive 2 hours to slap him.
dstieger Offline
#6 Posted:
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
A number of years ago, there were some here and elsewhere. Prices high and reviews low...fairly unanimously.


or maybe it was just cigars rolled with pre-embargo Cuban tobacco...I'm not sure....TG would know
btpcm Offline
#7 Posted:
Joined: 07-03-2018
Posts: 74
Why would anyone be keeping tobacco leaves this long -- from 70 years ago?
Don't they gradually lose their appeal over time?
Seems they would tend to get a bit musty eventually.
I'm sure if the humidity was right they'd still be flexible so you could roll them and wrap them around a cigar.
But would they still have an appealing output of smoke when they burn?
Sometimes famous old wine goes up for auction and sells for immense sums.
Then when the buyer pulls the cork he finds inside the bottle the wine has turned to vinegar. Woops.
btpcm Offline
#8 Posted:
Joined: 07-03-2018
Posts: 74
ZRX1200 wrote:

Quote:
Would KingoftheCove set his maximum price to $1,000 for a pre-Castro cigar single, you know, to show that he's a "REAL man?"


No, I'd drive 2 hours to slap him.

Of course, he wouldn't set his max. stop that high just to have the pleasure of getting slapped, would he? Whistle
btpcm Offline
#9 Posted:
Joined: 07-03-2018
Posts: 74
Thunder.Gerbil wrote:
"Precaster (Precastor?)"

Pre-Castro. ie: pre-embargo

To think I actually ran precastor and precaster through a search engine to find out what it was.
I had in mind "Stratocaster or Stradicastor" -- you know, as in Fender?


Kind of like Stratovarious or Stradivarius, you know? You gotta start somewhere.
deadeyedick Offline
#10 Posted:
Joined: 03-13-2003
Posts: 17,075
Back in my running days I used to go through the Phoenician golf course and get a drink at their water fountain on the practice range. More than once I saw Jordan and Barkley and they always had a big cigar in their mouth.
Thunder.Gerbil Offline
#11 Posted:
Joined: 11-02-2006
Posts: 121,359
Dave is correct.

What I can remember...

There were some ones made with allegedly pre-embargo tobacco. Can't remember the brand offhand though. Some story about a warehouse in New Jersey with perfect storage conditions that was somehow tied up in probate for almost 60 years and no one could touch the contents. Lo and behold! Bales and bales and bales upon bales of Cuban tobacco were found. For as many manufacturers as there were that claimed to have pre-embargo tobacco at that moment, that warehouse must have taken up half of the state.

While I guess anything is possible, the whole story reeks of utter bullsh!t. If there is any truth to it, I suspect that the
tobacco is what they would have been importing for clear Havanas, which weren't typically made with the high end tobacco. Think more like counter cigars. I have smoked a few clear havana cigars, and they are interesting but nothing to write home about. Wasn't spectacular tobacco to begin with and now it's just old. As for the newly made cigars from the found tobacco, there is no rule about how much of it they had to put into a cigar to call it "made with Pre-Embargo Cuban tobacco" - I guess if you ground up a bunch of leaves and put them in a pepper shaker and sprinkled a bit on the Dominican filler as they were rolling, they could legitimately say they were made with pre-embargo tobacco.

I seem to recall someone posting a review describing them as tasting like a cross between a glade air freshener and a can of bug spray.

Camacho also made one or two releases of the Liberty cigars with pre-embargo tobacco. Although they supposedly bought it at auction from Christie's who sourced it from someplace other than the magic warehouse. Being Christie's one would hope that means that it was verified for authenticity and history. And it was a small lot, like 4 small bales. Which was only enough for like 60,000 cigars across two different years of releases if I remember correctly. Camacho's claims at least were believable, and their cigars that had the Christie's tobacco were damn good cigars. Although I will also say that all of their Liberty cigars back then, pre-embargo or not, were always outstanding.
ZRX1200 Offline
#12 Posted:
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,582
Thunder.Gerbil Offline
#13 Posted:
Joined: 11-02-2006
Posts: 121,359
Kind of calls the claims of the Liberty and how much tobacco they had into question, doesn't it?

Could be more magic warehouse crap.
ZRX1200 Offline
#14 Posted:
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,582
Yup.

I smoked a 2007 Liberty on the 4th, it was outstanding.
danmdevries Offline
#15 Posted:
Joined: 02-11-2014
Posts: 17,314
ZRX1200 wrote:
https://www.cigarbid.com/a/camacho-pre-embargo/2925828/


So they put one little leaf crumble sprinkle in there and call it pre embargo? Or they just say they did.
btpcm Offline
#16 Posted:
Joined: 07-03-2018
Posts: 74
ZRX1200 wrote:
https://www.cigarbid.com/a/camacho-pre-embargo/2925828/

Now THIS is what I call a useful answer! And the lot is still open for bidding 3 more days!
Maybe someone has discovered the magic something special oil they can put on any cheap tobacco to make it sing.

DESCRIPTION

Camacho's finest. A robust, yet elegant treat.

Camacho is synonymous with ‘full.’ Full-bodied, full-flavored, and full of character. Indeed, Camacho blends tend to be powerful yet well-balanced creations that offer superior flavor and aroma characteristics. This is precisely why makers Christian and Julio Eiroa have developed such a loyal cult-like following.

Camacho Pre-Embargo is one of the most unique cigars on the market. The blend begins with a vintage '99 Jamastran Corojo wrapper draped around a complex filler blend including a significant portion of authentic pre-embargo Cuban tobacco - the very same tobaccos used in Camacho's beloved Liberty series. Medium in body with a rich flavor profile, Camacho's 1962 Pre-Embargo size brings copious amounts of flavor, including wood, leather, nuts, and spices.

btpcm Offline
#17 Posted:
Joined: 07-03-2018
Posts: 74
Quote:
As for the newly made cigars from the found tobacco, there is no rule about how much of it they had to put into a cigar to call it "made with Pre-Embargo Cuban tobacco" - I guess if you ground up a bunch of leaves and put them in a pepper shaker and sprinkled a bit on the Dominican filler as they were rolling, they could legitimately say they were made with pre-embargo tobacco.

If they use a pepper shaker like this, they could justify saying that the cigar has notes of pepper and spices. Smile

When I see videos of cigar rolling operations I have to wonder what becomes of all the trimmings.
They must have hundreds of pounds of excellent tobacco in the form of tiny pieces trimmed off their best cigars.
Certainly that could be put in like you say, a pepper shaker and sprinkled a bit on the Dominican filler as they're rolling!

Hey, it could even be used for pipe tobacco!
btpcm Offline
#18 Posted:
Joined: 07-03-2018
Posts: 74
ZRX1200 wrote:
Yup.

I smoked a 2007 Liberty on the 4th, it was outstanding.

Are you willing to say whether you believe that waiting 11 years improved the cigar?
ZRX1200 Offline
#19 Posted:
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,582
Dan, they're actually pretty good but not worth what they fetchanged but I'm cheap that way.

btpcm, the Liberty series used aged tobacco before rolling so you can add years to that. And I smoked one abut 3 years ago and it was good then too.
btpcm Offline
#20 Posted:
Joined: 07-03-2018
Posts: 74
So maybe these Camachos are the closest thing you can get to Cuban without "visiting" Cuba?
Thunder.Gerbil Offline
#21 Posted:
Joined: 11-02-2006
Posts: 121,359
btpcm wrote:
If they use a pepper shaker like this, they could justify saying that the cigar has notes of pepper and spices. Smile

When I see videos of cigar rolling operations I have to wonder what becomes of all the trimmings.
They must have hundreds of pounds of excellent tobacco in the form of tiny pieces trimmed off their best cigars.
Certainly that could be put in like you say, a pepper shaker and sprinkled a bit on the Dominican filler as they're rolling!

Hey, it could even be used for pipe tobacco!


After they separate out the wrapper leaf, the remainder of the trim is used to make mixed filler (aka "Cuban sandwich cigars") and/or short filler cigars.

For example
https://www.cigarbid.com/shop/?q=fumas

I suppose you could use it for pipe tobacco, but it's not really processed or fermented the same. Making pipe tobacco is a very different process.
Thunder.Gerbil Offline
#22 Posted:
Joined: 11-02-2006
Posts: 121,359
btpcm wrote:
So maybe these Camachos are the closest thing you can get to Cuban without "visiting" Cuba?

No.
btpcm Offline
#23 Posted:
Joined: 07-03-2018
Posts: 74
Thunder.Gerbil wrote:
After they separate out the wrapper leaf, the remainder of the trim is used to make mixed filler (aka "Cuban sandwich cigars") and/or short filler cigars.

For example
https://www.cigarbid.com/shop/?q=fumas

So these fumas are not long filler, but short filler - which means their ash will fall off faster, no?
ZRX1200 Offline
#24 Posted:
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,582
Usually yes.
btpcm Offline
#25 Posted:
Joined: 07-03-2018
Posts: 74
ZRX1200 wrote:
Usually yes.

I know a cigar shop proprietor who has told new customers you know a good cigar when the ash doesn't fall off too easily.
Seems it would be challenging to roll a cigar using small pieces of trim and still be able to control the draw.
It would all be in how tightly it's binder is put on, since that's the last chance to keep the draw from being too hard.
Am I far off here or what?
deadeyedick Offline
#26 Posted:
Joined: 03-13-2003
Posts: 17,075
Draw problem with baccy pieces? Ever have a draw problem with a cigarette?

BTW, the ash falls all over your smoking jacket, you do ware a smoking jacket don't you?
bgz Offline
#27 Posted:
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
They just sweep up all the unused crap off the floor, so the only additional cost is for the rollers, and in 3rd world countries, labor is cheap.

I personally don't buy floor sweepings.
dstieger Offline
#28 Posted:
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
means more for Cacman
Just Relax Offline
#29 Posted:
Joined: 09-26-2016
Posts: 587
btpcm wrote:
So maybe these Camachos are the closest thing you can get to Cuban without "visiting" Cuba?

Thunder.Gerbil wrote:
No.


I bet he already knew that.
Just Relax Offline
#30 Posted:
Joined: 09-26-2016
Posts: 587
I second the Comacho PE is actually pretty good regardless how much Cuban magic dust is in it. I picked up some a long while back in the mid $5 each and they were worth it. If $7 is the going price now and I was low and wanting to stock up I'd buy.
Thunder.Gerbil Offline
#31 Posted:
Joined: 11-02-2006
Posts: 121,359
Just Relax wrote:
I bet he already knew that.

Risky bet.
frankj1 Offline
#32 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,215
btpcm wrote:
I know a cigar shop proprietor who has told new customers you know a good cigar when the ash doesn't fall off too easily.
Seems it would be challenging to roll a cigar using small pieces of trim and still be able to control the draw.
It would all be in how tightly it's binder is put on, since that's the last chance to keep the draw from being too hard.
Am I far off here or what?

well, he's right in that it is probably constructed well, but that won't assure a "good" cigar.
btpcm Offline
#33 Posted:
Joined: 07-03-2018
Posts: 74
deadeyedick wrote:
Draw problem with baccy pieces? Ever have a draw problem with a cigarette?

BTW, the ash falls all over your smoking jacket, you do ware a smoking jacket don't you?

Smoking cigarettes is waste of time. whip

The wind usually blows my cigar ash away, that is, if I'm not having a competition with a friend to see whose ash takes longest to fall off, regardless of what I'm wearing.
btpcm Offline
#34 Posted:
Joined: 07-03-2018
Posts: 74
frankj1 wrote:
well, he's right in that it is probably constructed well, but that won't assure a "good" cigar.

That's what I was thinking. It was second hand information so I think the inexperienced customer got confused.

I found the following written about Graycliff Chateau Grand Cru, a cigar I really enjoyed a few years ago, but apparently they're all gone now. I can't even find a picture of one. It came in a pink box that other guys made jokes about. Now I think they were just jealous. It had a little nipple tip on it that made it super easy to light with just one stick match, and quickly swelled out at the end to about a 54 ring gauge, then gradually tapered down fairly straight to a 40 ring gauge before rounding off at the head. Must have been 8 inches long, and priced at $32. It consistently smoked really well from the very start to the last finger-burning end. Wonderful flavor, excellent draw, never got hot or harsh. Even burn. I didn't know how fortunate I was at the time!

If all cigars were like this the world would be a better place. But cigar smokers would be spoiled rotten!

https://www.coronacigar.com/product/Cigars/Cigar-Boxes/Graycliff-Chateau-Grand-Cru-Uncut-PG-Cigars-GCCH24UPG/
Quote:
In 2005 Graycliff released Avelino’s masterpiece, the Graycliff Chateau Grand Cru, which is full-bodied, having deep flavors of leather and a spicy core. Many, including myself, compare this cigar to the premium Pre-Castro Cubans of yesteryear, and with carefully selected and expertly blended tobaccos from Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua, the cigar is very much like those aged Cubans, balanced and rich.

They keep referring to a full body flavor without being too powerful. Flavor intensive but not harsh.

Some full-body cigars I've tried were too strong, others very pleasant.
Some cigars rated medium body I prefer to others rated medium-to-full body.
Some medium-full body I prefer to others medium body.
Sometimes the same cigar is rated medium on one website and medium to full on another website.

Makes me wonder if someone didn't make a mistake in the rating.
btpcm Offline
#35 Posted:
Joined: 07-03-2018
Posts: 74
Just Relax wrote:
I bet he already knew that.

A neighbor who grew up in Cuba told me his brother was coming to visit and he was bringing two boxes of Cohiba Robustos, sealed in plastic, "Freshly rolled from the factory in Havana." That should have been a red flag. Key word, freshly. So I bought a box. But I wasn't impressed by their flavor. I would call it mild, like a Macanudo at best.

They had a very nice construction, excellent draw, beautiful appearance, and that's about it.
The look, feel and draw was impeccable, but holding one and sniffing it left a big "?" (no aroma).
So I gave a couple of them to some friends for their opinion and they said, "These are not Cubans."

Later I found out that Cohiba Robustos are the most frequently faked Cuban cigars worldwide.
Moral of the story, when it comes to Cuban cigars you can't trust your neighbor face-to-face.

So you see, I'm no newcomer for being handed a line of **** under the pretense of accurate information.
It would be nice to get a straight answer when I ask an honest question. But maybe that's asking too much.
Thunder.Gerbil Offline
#36 Posted:
Joined: 11-02-2006
Posts: 121,359
You've gotten quite a few straight answers. Maybe they aren't what you want to hear though.
joeman Offline
#37 Posted:
Joined: 08-19-2002
Posts: 26
Camacho is Davidoff now. They have a library of tobacco available from all years and countries. Given the stores of tobacco that company must have, they likely could lend some of it the Camacho Liberty. I don't think Davidoff wants to besmirch it's reputation with just a pepper shaker's bit of pre-embargo Cuban tobacco. They've got super expensive cigars to sell. Not worth the risk/loss of reputation.
Thunder.Gerbil Offline
#38 Posted:
Joined: 11-02-2006
Posts: 121,359
LOL No cigar company would ever cheapen up a bundle cigar to meet the price point demands of a large high volume retailer and change a blend without updating ad copy. This could never happen. NEVAR!!!
frankj1 Offline
#39 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,215
btpcm wrote:
That's what I was thinking. It was second hand information so I think the inexperienced customer got confused.

I found the following written about Graycliff Chateau Grand Cru, a cigar I really enjoyed a few years ago, but apparently they're all gone now. I can't even find a picture of one. It came in a pink box that other guys made jokes about. Now I think they were just jealous. It had a little nipple tip on it that made it super easy to light with just one stick match, and quickly swelled out at the end to about a 54 ring gauge, then gradually tapered down fairly straight to a 40 ring gauge before rounding off at the head. Must have been 8 inches long, and priced at $32. It consistently smoked really well from the very start to the last finger-burning end. Wonderful flavor, excellent draw, never got hot or harsh. Even burn. I didn't know how fortunate I was at the time!

If all cigars were like this the world would be a better place. But cigar smokers would be spoiled rotten!

https://www.coronacigar.com/product/Cigars/Cigar-Boxes/Graycliff-Chateau-Grand-Cru-Uncut-PG-Cigars-GCCH24UPG/

They keep referring to a full body flavor without being too powerful. Flavor intensive but not harsh.

Some full-body cigars I've tried were too strong, others very pleasant.
Some cigars rated medium body I prefer to others rated medium-to-full body.
Some medium-full body I prefer to others medium body.
Sometimes the same cigar is rated medium on one website and medium to full on another website.

Makes me wonder if someone didn't make a mistake in the rating.

never been sure about full body...but I do know what full strength means.
Pudding Mittens Offline
#40 Posted:
Joined: 08-15-2016
Posts: 1,291
btpcm wrote:
Jordan is a big fan of cigars


Nowadays he's also a big fan of being VERY CAREFUL around cigar cutters.

He got a significant finger injury, dominant hand index finger if I recall right, and it's said that this injury and the resultant reduction in finger capabilities may have prevented another, last comeback to the NBA.

If memory serves, it was a Xikar, and I think I heard he was spinning it around on his index finger, which as we all know is a very bad idea.
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