FGM

remember most (not all)CCs need to age a good deal of time.

But, I found Juan Lopez and Punch Punch are really good when they're young (but get great with age)..

Good thread. I've only smoked a few cubans and they were ok but im not sure if they were authentic cc's. I would like to find out a reliable place 😣 to get some and find out for myself what i like.

Thanks, Bill!

Thanks for starting this Raymond as I too am CC curious and would very much like to learn more and perhaps eventually get in on some box splits er sumpin......

scdlh and bolivar are my mainstays, although the wife asked me to quit having them sent here and i haven't purchased since about the first of the year. have gone from a cc/day to a cc/sunday. 2 unopened boxes and about a 1/2 box of various and then i am done, unless i pick up some in trade...and there ain't many trades to be had going nc for cc.

and i will be honest, there are a lot of nicarauguans that are as good a smoke, just no twang

I usually only smoke my CCs on special occassions. and, I prolly only smoke 3-4 cigars a week,,,

Could not have said it better.

WOW! LMAO! THIS...will be a good thread!

Come on Robert...I See you lurkin....


Comment?

I have started a shift to acquiring cc's more the last few months. I haven't smoked many at all but have enjoyed every one I have torched. My intent is to start buying and just putting them away to age. If I have enough self control to keep my fingers out of those boxes for a few years and continue acquiring them at this rate I should have a good selection for some time to come. I will continue enjoying my Fuente's, Padron's and the like but as KPP stated the flavor to me is richer and just more natural IMO. The price is another factor that was hit spot on, You can spend the same for a quality box of cc's as you can on any of your big name non cc's today.

Partagas Shorts are one of the CCs that require little to no aging over the past few year according to what i have read. Some even say OTT.

'08 through '10 are considered to be very good years for CC. Many are ready very young. I have seen some credible reiews from '11 that report some are already good and ready to smoke.

SCdlH El Principe & La Punta
RASS
Boli Royal Corona

are my favorites

Somewhat torn about this subject, I think part of the issue is that you go into smoking a cuban with such great expectations that there could be a letdown sometimes.

Kind of agree with the statement that there are so many dam new releases of non CCs coming out that you just can't smoke enough of any one stick to really determine whether you like them or not. I think guys who do not get into the new release buz and really figure out what fits them will have similar experiences to the guys that only smoke CCs.

What I have found is that the 1st third of most cubans I have smoked is a bit of let down but once you get into the second third on they just hit all the right buttons. They are sneaky strong.

Cohiba Esplendido
Monty #2
Cohiba Robusto
PSD4
RASS

Have not really tried any other ones in a large enough quantity to judge.

I theoretically have quite a few on hand. If I had cc's they would be:
Bolivar Coronas Extra
Cohiba Robusto
Cohiba Siglo iv
Partagas Lusitanias
PSD4
Ramon Allones
RyJ Short Churchill
H. Upmann #2
Punch???

I haven't tried the Lusitanias yet (just maybe received them today). The Cohiba Robusto is my favorite followed very close by the PSD4. I thought I was really going to LOVE the Bolivar Coronas Extra being it's one of the strongest Boli's out there, and I really enjoyed the Boli Beli Finos I had. Turns out I didn't love it like I thought I would but it's still a damn fine smoke.

If anyone wants to do a trade for a 3er of the Coronas Extra I'm interested in PSD4's or PSP2's. Of course we could throw a few extra NC's in there for packing material.

Theoretically speaking, I have tried every marca and most vitolas produced in the last 10+ years with the exception of a few EL and regional releases. As was stated in another thread, there are probably few who want to trade from their stash since they have invested time in aging what they like for their own consumption.

That being said, I think the maddieheadedho might like to try a Cohiba Secretos Maduro say from PLM '07 origional release? 🤔

DED

My favorites are :

H Upmann 46
PSD4
Boli (any)
RyJ short churchill

In that order. I have had singles of Punch Punch so no real opinion on it yet.......

Want to try? :

I know better than to list.

Really enjoying the read so far, interesting takes and interesting tid-bits of "good to know" stuff!!!
ie: some already ready / pricepoint comparisons 🍺

Paul......also there are many 10 ct boxes to be had at pretty similar price points (per stick) if you're not wanting to jump all in on a 25ct box (but splits are easy to find).

I've actually gifted most of mine. When life settles down I'll probably look.

This was my initial experience too, and I'd add that most Habanos I'd had were also mild/medium in body and I've becoming more of a full-bodied guy.

Then someone recommended a Bolivar Royal Corona, and while on vacation I picked one up ... huh, it was really good! Anomaly? Then someone at a herf gave me a Bolivar Corona Extra ... Habanos can be spicy? Wow, I like this!

So I compromised and said "I like Bolivar, that's about it." Well, since then I've found a number of others I really like (it helps living in Japan).

In general, I still love Bolivar the most probably, followed by Partagas. I also really dig Trinidad and HdM, although they are both a bit milder than I usually prefer, they have very unique flavor profiles. I'm just starting to explore H. Upmann (LOVE the Mag 46) and Cohiba. Beyond those lines I"m still very inexperienced, and even within those lines I've not yet tried every vitola, and others only once or twice.

Something I'd like to do is track down a couple examples of some of the classics that I've not yet tried (Sir Winston, Fundadores, Esplendidos, Siglo IV with age, Regios, Wide Churchill, Monte Especiales and Petite Edmundo, etc. etc.)

If I had to pick my top sticks at this moment, I'd say the following are all cigars that I've "really liked," the Top 5 listed first, the rest grouped according to marca.

Bolivar Corona Extra
Trinidad Robusto T
Partagas Short
H. Upmann Mag 46
Hoyo de Monterrey le Hoyo Des Deux
*Cohiba Behike (while very good, I'm not sure the 1 sample I had was enough to get a very expensive box)

Bolivar Royal Corona
Bolivar Petite Corona
Bolivar Belicoso Fino
Bolivar Corona Junior
H. Upmann #2
R&J Short Churchill
Partagas 898v
Partagas SP#2
Trinidad Robusto Extra
Trinidad Reyes
Trinidad Coloniales
Hoyo de Monterrey le Hoyo du Roi
Hoyo de Monterrey le Hoyo du Gormet
Hoyo de Monterrey Petite Robusto
Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure #1
Cohiba Lancero
Cohiba Robusto
Cohiba Siglo VI

Two cigars I don't "get" yet are the PSD4 and the Montecristo #4. I've had 5-6 of each of these, 1 was horrible, 3 were "meh," 1 was good, but 1 of each were fanfrickintastic. I've not given up on them, but if QC is this bad I don't want to waste my time.