So what is the NC cigar that comes closest


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3 hours ago, Islandboy said:

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.

I will have to keep an eye out for them just in case. I love lanceros.

I was pretty upset when they discontinued the San Andreas. Sad to hear they may have done that to another good line as well.

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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 Se

Maya Selva Flor del Selva and Warped La Colmena. Have posted about both here in the past

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!!  

I've never had anything from Warped, but I've heard good things.  My choice for this is the La Palina Goldie Laguito no.2 and Especial.  Expensive, but great cigars.  Interesting backstory on them as well.  They at least used to only be rolled by Maria Sierra who was one of the first women rollers at El Laguito.  She worked at El Laguito and was trained by Avelino Lara and Eduardo Rivera Irizarri.  Cuban pedigree in the Goldie translates to a great smoke.

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In the spirit of this thread I met my my buddy at a local spot and had a warped Liria Rojo today.

Now ill be the first to admit I don't have a refined palette but the cigar was just okay. It was a little too peppery for me but overall it was a decent cigar. But for $12 per stick I have other cigars that would kill it.

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I consider the Trinidad reyes to be the twangiest cigar I have smoked so far. I have smoked it back to back with many non cubans and nothing has come close flavor wise. Personally. that twang is important to me because it brings back memories of my childhood, when my parents would smear vanilla-y sun block all over my body. Those were some good times!

All that said, I am particularly fond of padron, especially the 64 exclusivo and the 26 no. 35, both in Maduro. I find them both to be salty and nutty, with cream smeared all over. The 64 is a bit wetter, sweeter and creamier, but the dry acorn nuttiness of the 26 pairs fantastically with zaccapa 23.

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The tatuaje miami unicos is one that i find similar to cohoba robusto. The la aurora Ecuadorian wrapper prefaridos also has that Cuban creaminess. One other that i always think of cc's with is regius orchant. I think about this question often when smoking nc's as there is always a wanting for the subtle cuban flavors that  I have always enjoyed. I only wish I could describe  them  better especially when someone ask the difference.

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I used to buy wheels of El Originals from  the Island Smoke Shop on Key Largo. They had a great Cuban vibe. They don't have a cool name or fancy bands (well by the wheel they came sans bands), but they will (or used to anyway) get you halfway to Cuba at a fair price.

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I'd have to say Fuente Fuente Opus X with some age on them. If they are too young they arent nearly as good just like how many habanos are. The Opus X in particular from Fuente is grown in about as similar of soil as you can get outside of Cuba imo. Similar climates similar volcanic soil and similar traditions Fuente follows has to make him the closest imo. Alot of other Fuentes are good as well not just Opus X such as Hemmingway, Don Carlos the new Don Carlos Eye of the Shark is amazing from an NC perspective. Other then that maybe I'll second what I saw a few others say Tatuaje in particular the Cabagiuan and Havana VI (the red banded ones) with some aging on them as well (not as much as Opus X require). Maybe certain La Palinas as well idk how Cuban-esque they really are though.

One thing these all have in common is they clearly miss that distinctive "Cuban Twang" though and for that you won't find it in any NC out there as it is truely unique only to Cuban cigars.

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I have never had a NC that has that Cuban aroma (smell of the smoke). Closest in taste, although not that close, is the AF HEMINGWAY SHORT STORY, although I really like all the Heminway line.

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For me it would be most anything with Don Pepin Garcias' input into them.

Reminiscing with peeps I don't know...

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On 2/22/2018 at 9:28 PM, cfc1016 said:

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.

Agreed, Cameroon was great at the time, gifted my remaining after getting the bug 18 or so years ago...

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1 hour ago, dangolf18 said:

This is pretty general, but I find many of the standard Davidoff lines comes close to the cuban profile.

And this just goes to show you that each of us has a unique palate and smoking preference and interpretation because if you asked me which brand of cigars I’ve smoked that LEAST resembled my Cuban Cigar experience I would say Davidoff hands down nothing close. I would also rate Davidoff the worst quality for value brand out as there well.

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11 minutes ago, Sudzdaddy said:

Agreed, Cameroon was great at the time, gifted my remaining after getting the bug 18 or so years ago...

Glad someone else remembers, lol. 

 

I’d love to get my hands on a 1998  box of those. I wouldn’t even know where to look...

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After a horrible experience last night with my first La Colmena Black Honey, I need to point out that the La Colmena I speak of above that I find “cubanesque” is the No. 44, roughly the same size as a Coloniales (almost a look-a-like, actually).

Man, that Black Honey was absolutely awful! It was obviously too young, but the disappointment goes way beyond that. After I clipped it, it drew air like a straw....the most overly-open cigar ever. I was an inch into it in about 5 minutes. And it so completely lacked taste and aroma, I doubt any amount of time would have helped. The most prominent taste was burning paper. Guess I’ll throw the remaining 4 in the back of the humidor and try to forget how much I plunked down for a fiver.

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13 hours ago, JLFIRST said:

Warped makes some really great cigars that are extremely cubanesque.
The 2014 Limited Edition Lancero from Herrera Esteli by Drew Estate is also very reminiscent of a Cuban cigar.efee7d22b59143558d4efff719149e8b.jpg

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I can't agree with you on this one.  I have more than a handful of these and smoked one with a friend last weekend.  These scream Nicaragua to me.  Very good cigar, but nothing to me could I compare to a Cuban.  Very peppery and almost has that Copenhagen dip smell to the wrapper. 

Not knocking you assessment...just another opinion :) 

I smoke my fair share of the La Colmena #44 and they are wonderful.  These are rolled by Level 9 rollers for Warped at the El Titan de Bronze factory in Miami.  Cuban triple cap and all....excellent cigars.    Sometimes tough to find...they kinda come and go.  They hit the shelves again here recently....

 

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4 hours ago, Buck14 said:

And this just goes to show you that each of us has a unique palate and smoking preference and interpretation because if you asked me which brand of cigars I’ve smoked that LEAST resembled my Cuban Cigar experience I would say Davidoff hands down nothing close. I would also rate Davidoff the worst quality for value brand out as there well.

Which Davidoff have you been smoking lol.

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I hate to compare Cubans and Non-Cubans because there is a time, place and occasion for everything.  Just as I wouldn't want to smoke a Genuine Pre-Embargo Counterfeit Cuban at a friend's wedding (the stag night is a different matter :D ), I would not wish to fire up a Cohiba Esplendido when doing the gardening or at 9,000 feet on the slopes.  

That said, the closest I have ever come to the Cuban experience is with the Padron 1926 series and 50th Anniversary.  They are complex and interesting.  They evolve.  They demand attention and respect.  In short, they give me what a good Cuban gives me.  

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I can't agree with you on this one.  I have more than a handful of these and smoked one with a friend last weekend.  These scream Nicaragua to me.  Very good cigar, but nothing to me could I compare to a Cuban.  Very peppery and almost has that Copenhagen dip smell to the wrapper. 
Not knocking you assessment...just another opinion  
I smoke my fair share of the La Colmena #44 and they are wonderful.  These are rolled by Level 9 rollers for Warped at the El Titan de Bronze factory in Miami.  Cuban triple cap and all....excellent cigars.    Sometimes tough to find...they kinda come and go.  They hit the shelves again here recently....
 
I've never gotten any pepper from the Lancero thankfully. I'm not a fan of the pepper at all. Like you said, each to his own.

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