Can anyone explain why everyone (including me) goes crazy for these? They are over-priced, over-hyped, and not to mention illegal in the states. Not to pee in anyone's Wheaties, I mean, there are so many other domestics out there that are higher quality, and lower priced. Can anyone help me out with this one? And don't just say it's the "mystique." What makes them better than anything else.

Hmm. Maybe I still am a little green around the edges.

I have not had a Habano that made it into my top 5 yet, but I will keep trying, from time to time. Don't ask me what my top 5 are, though. They keep changing.

It's the mystique.

I know a guy who swears you don't need a humidor--all you have to do is throw a damp paper towel into a plastic sandwich bag with your cigars--who turns his nose up at anything that's not Cuban.

I've smoked one that knocked me out. The others have merely been contenders along with their Nic, Hond, etc. cousins.

You always want what you cant (or arent supposed to) have.

I honestly don't think they are all that great, in comparison to a lot of the domestics out there ...

... don't get me wrong. They are good, and I will buy them occasionly, and won't turn one down gifted to me ...

... but with all the outstanding domestics out there, many which I think are far superior, I won't go out of my way to get them.

dz130
Won't argue subjective topic like taste and trying to tell someone about the Habana twang and an aftertaste that lingers --- you either get this yourself or it doesn't happen for you.
I have gone on record many times on these boards singing the praises of PAM Serie 64s, and the Diamond Crowns, Maximus, Opus X , Buc Full Sails and Salsa etc.....
What I will give you a debate on is your contention about the Habana being much higher priced. You are just plain wrong on this, Take the premiums I mentioned above -- some of these approache double what you pay for some top quality Habanas - RyJ Belicoso, Sancho Beli, San CRistobal La Punta all go for aprox $7 each - for a little over $8 - you have a Monte No. 2 (rated as one of the top smokes in the world !) How many Opus X in a Campana size or PAM 64 Torpedo are selling for $8 ??!!

Agreed Roman. I get RASS, PSD4's and BRC's (all on my list of favorites) for around $6 apiece. And they are much easier to find than Opus and Anejos, not to mention much cheaper. Davidoffs are great too, but also average twice the price.

To what others have stated already, I'll add that up until say about 10 years ago the quality of the product couldn't compare to the craftsmanship coming out of Cuba. Now with cigars being their main export the quality suffers as they just want to push these out of the plants and quality control is a hinderance. Some companies have carefully sought out and obtained premium leaf and keep quality high, this is what gives us the Opus X, Padron '64 and Bucanero Full Sail. It's about the craftsmanship and quality control.

I've had Cuban cigars, and some are worthy of the praise heaped upon them, but to anyone that's ever shelled out the bucks and had 3-4 plugged ones in a box will tell you...there ain't nothing worse than chucking it out! I haven't had that problem with Opus X, Padron or Bucanero!

I really think the big deal is that we're not supposed to have them, therefor we want them more. I agree with what many have said, there are "domestics" out there that rival many isom brands.

Danny ????

Are you the same Danny as my old friend "Rocket 15"?

Here's my .02......

Just like anything, this comes down to taste. One persons' treasure might be someone's trash!! Smoke what you like. I enjoy habanos very much so, however some are not all that, and if you are paying over $6-$10 for one you are crazy. I love habanos, but I age mine, so I don't smoke them often, I love domestics, but the habanos are way cheaper. I will never stop smoking cubans, or domestics, or pipe tobacco, but heck I'm Canadian, LOL!!

First let me say, make sure you are smoking authentic Cuban cigars.
You can equate Cuban cigars with the wine industry. A lot of very good wines these days from Ca. and Tx. but the European community produces the wine that all others are compared to. It's pretty much the same for Cuban cigars. On a worldwide level, they are what other cigars are measured by. They are also what all the "domestic" manufactures have been trying to receate outside of Cuba for almost 50 years.
As for the cost, $4-$8 for most Cubans isn't that much compared to what most people try to compare Cubans to, like Opus, PAMs, etc.
Like others stated, taste is subjective, smoke what you like. IMHO some of the best cigars I've ever smoked have been Cubans. Properly aged and stored some of them are fantastic! I also have to add that my every day and favorite smoke is Nicaraguan.

Barry

People smoke Cubans because they enjoy the taste of Cuban tobacco.

Currently, in lots of 12 bundles, you can buy 25 ct. bundles of Jose Piedras...machine made 5.5 x 42 for about $30.00 a bundle shipped. That's a buck, 20 a smoke for a decent cigar that draws (machine made, remember.) There's no mystic or high price...just the taste of Cuban tobacco.

I find amusing that all these Buacanero fans say that Cubans are over priced. They come in boxes of 12 for, what OVER $100.00, for a "DECENT" smoke. What a sham. I can, If so inclined, purchase certain cigars for LESS than Opus X, Pam(n)'s, or VSG's, DC's, or Davidoff. Good smokes, yes, better than a PSD4 or a HDM Double Corona?? Hard to say. I prefer the latter but maybe it is that I just enjoy Cuban tobacco.

If you're paying 100.00...that's too much! You can get them cheaper right here!

I've never paid over $70 for a box of 12 Bucanero ...

... one time, I even got one for just a little over $60!

And well worth it, to me ... because I lke 'em so much.

so where can i get them to try??any1

When we're talking about prices, are we comparing the dollar price of just the cigar? Or are we comparing two cigars of equal size, one Cuban, one domestic, and how much each costs? I've had a few (no more than 10 to be honest), but the one I liked best was a Bolivar gifted by a stranger at my local. Maybe that's why.
When I go into a shop, I'll spend 5.00-10.00 on a quality domestic, usually a dbl. corona, torpedo, etc. What size would that get me in a Habana? I know in Canada, not much because of taxes. I honestly don't know about elsewhere. I've never looked. I think I really don't care because to me, at this point, it's not worth the hassle of going through all the work of looking for a place that sells them at a good price, then making sure they are genuine.
I agree with Slim. I will gladly accept a gifted one, because someone feels I must deserve it if they are giving it to me. In the meantime, there are too many excellent domestics out there for me to try right now.
Thank you for all your input. It helped educate me a lot.

Information for those who occasionally bump into a box of Cuban cigars.

Factory Code and box date, some recent changes

There are two ink-stamps on the bottom of Cuban cigar boxes. One is the code that designates which factory made the cigars. The other is the month and year when they were made.

The dates are not in code and the year is simple enough. The system started in 2000 with "00", then "01" and so on. However, unless you know a little Spanish, the months may need deciphering.

They are:

ENE_______________(Enero)________________January

FEB_______________(Febrero)______________February

MAR_______________(Marzo)________________March

ABR_______________(Abril)________________April

MAY_______________(Mayo)_________________May

JUN_______________(Junio)________________June

JUL_______________(Julio)________________July

AGO_______________(Agosto)_______________August

SEP_______________(Septiembre)___________September

OCT_______________(Octubre)______________October

NOV_______________(Noviembre)____________November

DIC_______________(Diciembre)____________December


If you want to check the date of a box between 1985 and 1999 see below:

The first two, and in some cases three, letters denote the factory.

BM -- Briones Montoto, formerly Romeo Y Julieta
EL -- El Laguito, the Cohiba factory
FPG-- Francisco Perez German, formerly Partagas
FR -- Fernando Roig, formally La Corona factory
HM -- Heroes Del Moncado, formerly El Rey Del Mundo
JM -- Jose Marti, formerly H.Upmann

There are now at least two factories outside Havana.
VSC - Villa Santa Clara-1, 2 and 3
SS - Sancti Spiritus

The next two letters refer to the month of manufacture,
and the last two letters give the year

N=1 I=2 V=3 E=4 L=5 A=6 C=7 U=8 S=9 O=0

For Example:
Code Meaning
FROISC - The cigars were made in the La Corona Factory in February 97
HMOASC - The cigars were made in the El Rey Del Mundo factory in June 97