El Presidente Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 I had this question put to me last week and I really don't have the experience of NC's to reply adequately. lend me a hand if you can. In your experience, What is the NC cigar that comes closest to the taste/body experience of a standard production Cuban cigar? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post shaffer22 Posted February 23, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 23, 2018 For me it tends to be the mild-to-medium, more refined (relatively speaking) Nicaraguans. Several of the Tatuaje Brown Label vitolas or various Illusione (like the eccj 15 or the original Documents Series). The Cabaiguan from Pete Johnson/Tatuaje has also been described as Cuban-esqe. I’d also look at some of the boutique offerings from Warped or Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. Personally I can always identify Dominican tobacco, so it doesn’t say Cuban to me, even though it can often be more refined than Nicaraguan tobacco. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habana Mike Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Maya Selva Flor del Selva and Warped La Colmena. Have posted about both here in the past 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islandboy Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 I second Warped La Colmena. Somewhat Cohiba-ish flavors. Somewhat. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilzc Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Illusione's few offerings like the Fume de Amour smells and somewhat tastes like Cubans. Just far better construction I had a box of the Fume Lanceros.. wonderful stuff!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeedubbya Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 For me it tends to be the mild-to-medium, more refined (relatively speaking) Nicaraguans. Several of the Tatuaje Brown Label vitolas or various Illusione (like the eccj 15 or the original Documents Series). The Cabaiguan from Pete Johnson/Tatuaje has also been described as Cuban-esqe. I’d also look at some of the boutique offerings from Warped or Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. Persoanlly I can always identify Dominican tobacco, so it doesn’t say Cuban to me, even though it can often be more refined than Nicaraguan tobacco.These are great picks I think. Cabaiguan Guapos always seem eerily close to me. Illusione makes some real winners. La Colemena like Mike said above. And I totally agree with the Dominican Assessment. Just can’t like them except for the occasional Anejo, which even then is iffy.I think Padrón makes a cigar which is more reminiscent (but not perfect) of the way some of the older Cubans smoked when they were fresh. Aged Padrón’s are very very good cigars. Just because I choose Cubans I do still believe there’s some excellent cigars coming out of Nicaragua. Don Pepin Garcia and family know how to blend tobacco. Also, I smoked a Rocky Patel Edge Corojo with about 5-6 years of age on it recently and I was completely surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Was meant as a yard gar and it surprised me so much I smoked the whole thing and enjoyed it quite a bit. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nekhyludov Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 I agree that Tatuaje is consistently in the ballpark, but the one that really surprised me was several months ago when I picked up a Regius as a courtesy buy at a B&M. I don't remember what it was called - it was the red label one, in a lonsdale. And I swear, without a band, at gunpoint I couldn't have told you whether it was CC or NC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitchen Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Man this is hard. Personally I like Nico cigars a lot, along with Cubans, but they are so different in taste. To really answer the questions, I would have to pick well made NC and accept that the overall taste would be different, but equally refined. I really like Oliva Serie V Melanios, and are probably closet to Cuban like flavor. Padron 1964s are really nice, and the 1926s but those are damn heavy. Those are like eating super rich ice cream vs. have a big steak dinner; both great but the latter really weighs you down. Aston Symmetry is really nice too, a blend of Nico and Dominican. They have a nice cream and coffee flavor with a nice amount of baking spice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schumi5 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Cabagiuan and Tatuaje would be my two suggestions. I am not certain if they are most Cubanesque because they share similarities with Cubans or because they are so different than many NC pepper bombs if that makes any sense. Either way, they are enjoyable smokes that I can enjoy in the rotation and not feel regret for not having had a Cuban instead. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clutch5150 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 51 minutes ago, Islandboy said: I second Warped La Colmena. Somewhat Cohiba-ish flavors. Somewhat. I 3rd this. I'm a REAL CC snob most who know me. My local smoke lounge owner also knows this and gave me a Warped La Colmena about 6 months ago. It was the closest I've had to a Cuban soil smoke. The young gents who own this company have done some amazing work here. I give them that. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilzc Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 All this talk about La Colmena.... I've got an opportunity to pull the trigger on some Black Honeys but.. at nearly 200USD shipped to me.. that's 20 dollars per stick... So either 10 sticks of Black Honey or 25 sticks of Ramon Allones Specially Selected.... Tough choices.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianbeaver Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Never had this particular AF before. Smoking it as we speak. Does not quite have the hay-ish tones of our cc’s but we like it a lot! It is JF lovely. Interesting about the Tat’s. The store guy thinks they are still made in Miami. Not that I care, I am more of a cc person. Just interesting. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc1016 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Haven't smoke an nc in ages (not that was worth mentioning anyway) but i do remember something from 20 years agoooo... I suppose exactly 20 years, in fact. The first run of CAO l'anniversaire cameroon belicosos in (correct me if I'm wrong) 1998, were really well developed. Reminded me of bbfs, with hoyo-esque profile in the final third. Really wonderful cigars. From what I gather, the current production are nothing like the originals, but man... I have fond memories of that cigar pre-2000. If I were able to put my hands on one that's been sitting since 1998, I'd sure love to give it a puff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miurajus Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Illusione Epernay and Warped La Colmena personally for me (they are in fact the only NCs currently in my humis). La Colmena does have the body and roundness of a popular Cuban marca. Epernay IMO with time down has a dynamic range on par with many Cuban marcas. So much so that I usually toss a few into trades just to increase exposure. If the carousel usually ends with riders leaving NCs for CCs, I feel the next leg in evolution is evaluation objectively with the same aging ideals we treat CCs with. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benfica_77 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 I would say the Tatuaje - black label in corona gorda format. Not only does it give me cuban flavours it's probably the only NC I would recommend to you El prez. It's in the vitola you like, complex, lots of flavour. Absolute banger. Below is a halfwheel review to give you more details on it. https://halfwheel.com/review-tatuaje-black-label-corona-gorda-2013/40731 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SloppyJ Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 12 hours ago, Wilzc said: All this talk about La Colmena.... I've got an opportunity to pull the trigger on some Black Honeys but.. at nearly 200USD shipped to me.. that's 20 dollars per stick... So either 10 sticks of Black Honey or 25 sticks of Ramon Allones Specially Selected.... Tough choices.... I'm close enough with my local B&M owner that I can get the real scoop. He let me know that he would put back a bundle of the black honeys if I wanted some. I asked him the price and he flat out told me that they are a good cigar but the hype associated with them has driven the price up so high that they aren't worth it at that price point. I'm sure that they are good but I doubt they are $20/stick good so I passed because I can get Lusis under that price point. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MooseAMuffin Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 I agree with the La Colmena. I also believe a Room 101 San Andreas is very close as well, but I'm not sure they are being made anymore. Another one one that is similar, to me, is the Undercrown Shade. I enjoy the Connecticut wrappers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaclub Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 I had this question put to me last week and I really don't have the experience of NC's to reply adequately. lend me a hand if you can. In your experience, What is the NC cigar that comes closest to the taste/body experience of a standard production Cuban cigar? Prez, I would love to send you a few that I think you would be pretty surprised that they aren’t Cuban. Many have mentioned tatuaje. And yes the brown label was actually created by Pete Johnson would wanted to re create a flor de Cano. The dalia size “Havana cazadores” in brown label is very close to a Cuban. As well as his black label corona gorda which was also made to resemble a Cuban farm roll he was given while on a trip. Let me know Rob, would be happy to send you a few. Cheers Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islandboy Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 32 minutes ago, MooseAMuffin said: I agree with the La Colmena. I also believe a Room 101 San Andreas is very close as well, but I'm not sure they are being made anymore. Another one one that is similar, to me, is the Undercrown Shade. I enjoy the Connecticut wrappers. I was going to mention a particular Room 101 cigar I have, but I figured since they are no longer being made (I think, unless Davidoff still makes them), I thought it made no sense. But yeah, I’ve got a box of Room 101 Master Collection 2 Lanceros from 2014 that are blowing my socks off with the hay and honey and graham cracker. A very under-the-radar release from Matt Booth that apparently weren’t all that special when they first came out - but with 4 years on ‘em, wow. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDC81 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 El Triunfador Lancero by Tatuaje. Mild Strength. Medium-Full body and flavor. Very little pepper, if any. Salted peanuts right out of the shell. The absence of strength and pepper combined with a great flavor profile is what makes me think Cuban. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDC81 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 13 hours ago, Wilzc said: All this talk about La Colmena.... I've got an opportunity to pull the trigger on some Black Honeys but.. at nearly 200USD shipped to me.. that's 20 dollars per stick... So either 10 sticks of Black Honey or 25 sticks of Ramon Allones Specially Selected.... Tough choices.... I just smoked two from the first release of the second batch. They were resting almost a year. NOT WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION! You’re paying a premium because it’s “limited.” Good smoke but I’ve been enjoying BPC much more and at less than half the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islandboy Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Another cigar that I’ve found to be pepperless with creamy hay is RoMa Intemperance EC XVIII. EC for Ecuador Connecticut. Quite nice in a distant Cuban HdM way. This has me thinking. The few NC’s that I find “Cubanesque”, are only so because of a hay/honey/cream element - a la Cohiba, Trinidad, HdM, etc. I’ve found absolutely nothing in an NC that remotely captures that special aromatic spice nearly all Cubans have, some more than others. The sweet baking spices of an Upmann, the fruit ’n spice of an RyJ, the uniquely bold spices of a Bolivar, the brown sugar/molasses of so many others - I’ve found those only in a Cuban. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominattorney Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 16 hours ago, El Presidente said: I had this question put to me last week and I really don't have the experience of NC's to reply adequately. lend me a hand if you can. In your experience, What is the NC cigar that comes closest to the taste/body experience of a standard production Cuban cigar? Curivari Buenaventura line, IMO. They're not bad at all. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backbone Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 I was gifted an Espinosa Habano, and it was a really good Nicaraguan smoke. All cedar and cream! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvrp813 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Reading reviews of the Warped La Colmena it sounds an awful lot like a Saint Luis Rey Regios. Has anyone smoked both and care to give some thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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