dz130,

$5-$10 ea. pretty much covers the main lines of Cuban cigars. $4-$5 for Petit Coronas like Bolivar, Diplimatico,Monte #4 and others. $7-$10 covers smokes like the PSD4 and Monte #2.
There are plenty of Cubans that break these price barriers, but so do many domestics. I wish I could afford boxes of PAMs, Opus, and Padron 1926. I also wish I could afford Cuban Cohibas and Trinidad Fundadores.
Authenticity isn't really an issue when armed with a little bit of the right knowledge and getting the help of a few friends in the know.
Price and mystique don't really play much of a part in it for me, it's the cigars. As I said before, my favorite smoke is Nicaraguan, but it's made by Cubans or Cuban descendants, as are most of the cigars that you probably smoke, LOL.

Barry

yep Roman. How the heck are ya?

Danny !!!!!!

It is AWESOME to again be sharing a Board with a gentleman that was one of the 1st to teach me what a BOTL truly was !!!! I too have been away for a while after a few months of unplesantness at CBid - but the board seems once again to be back in the hands of some class individuals.

All and Only My Best to You and Yours Danny.
BTW - to keep this on topic -- Why Habanas --Why Not !!!

I've said this before and I'll say it again. Like coma-one, I'm Canadian, as many of you already know. Up here we mostly smoke Cubans. Coma-one may say the same thing for his kneck of the woods. I am able to buy nons for cheaper and have been now for the past 3 years from c-bid. So if we could find cheaper smokes at 1/3 to 1/4 the price and better quality, why don't we smoke nons.

I was at a Hurf this past weekend with 5 other guys. We all talked about this and came to the conclussion that Cubans are better, yet we all agreed that there are some outstanding nons. Cigars smoked that night were RYJ Churchills, PSD#4s, Partagas shorts, Epi#2s and many others.

I had RYJ #2 and Epi#2, later that night I had an Oliva Orion Madie. The Oliva was better than both those cubans, but I still like cubans better. My top 5 smokes are Cubans. I guess you just have to have one outstanding one that keeps you comming back.

I read a post here a few days ago of a guy who had a Cohiba Esplendido for the first time and thought it was not good. Obviously we all know it was a fake, but don't these comments creat perceptions. I've been gifted 5 Cohibas in the past year. 4 were fakes with really good bands, they all tasted like crap. I don't know what the stats are but I would imagine that the vast majority of cuban cigars purchased or gifted in the USA are fake.

Final comment and I've said this before. Cuban cigars have the higher market share in the the non-US premium markets. Why?

Well, from my stand point, I have only had the pleasure to smoke PSD4, Cohiba Esplendido and Bolivar.
Of those, only the Cohiba was one I might not be interested in again, only because they were too tight.
The Bolivar was a great cigar and I hated to have it end. ALL of the PSD4s I have had have been heaven.
If I could have PSD4s everyday, I would not complain.

I don't think I would buy a ISOM Cohiba over a premium domestic, but would definitely buy a PSD4 over a premium domestic. I would be on the fence with a Bolivar, if the price was right, I would go for it first.
There are some premium domestics that I find not to my liking, as I am sure there are alot of folks who prefer some over others.
I tend to find myself being swayed by the looks of the cigar, the smell, the taste and the draw. If the construction looks great, the smell is appealing, tastes great and it has a good draw, not too tight, then I usually will like the cigar. If the construction is terrible, then I have to work at getting past that. If I have to work at getting past the construction, smell, taste or the draw, then the pleasure is gone.
Anytime I have to work to smoke a cigar, then I am defeating the purpose of it.

Sorry, got long winded. LOL!

cubans smoke much better when stored at %65 rh. higher they usually draw very tight and taste bitter. Stored in lower rh, they are at their best

I like Cubans. They possess a richness and complexity most domestics lack. But I could smoke nothing but Bucaneros and be satisfied.

If time is precious, like mine is, and you can only smoke one every couple a days, or even once a week...

PSD4 and RyJLE

...period.

PT

Tonight I smoked a PSD#4 with about 5yrs age on it and it was one peppery sublime smoke. X

burned a RASS last night with about 6 mos on it. Still young, but very tasty. They are a must to have on hand, same with the PSD4's.

I agree with everyone who said that it is a matter of taste. I really enjoy Cuban tobacco. I have a couple of Cubans on my top shelf that I hoard for only the most special of occasions because they are the best. There are some non Cubans that are as good, but overall most nons just do not compare.

J