NCs comparable to CCs

[FHFinster]

Thanks to this pandemic, I’ve burned through way too many of my Petit Coronas and Corona Jr.

 

RyJ PC, HUPC, Boli CJ, Boli PC are my favorite.

 

While I await new CCs to replace my stash, what NC would you reccommend I keep on hand to temporarily replace those sticks?

[TTP21]

I've tried for a bit of time and I'll clearly state that there is not an equal counterpart in my mind.  That said, I've found 2 smaller sticks that are very, very close in my mind. 

Xhaxhi Bobi Hermano

Casdagli Cabinet Selection Rosetta 

I'm not a fan of pepper, so that eliminates a fair amount of NC for me.  

In a slightly different but similar vitola, I've found i very much enjoy the Warped La Relatos.  I've also had a good experience with the new Crowned Heads Mil Dias line and they recently released a traditional Mareva that I have yet to try but trust will be good. 

 

[FHFinster]

I've tried for a bit of time and I'll clearly state that there is not an equal counterpart in my mind.  That said, I've found 2 smaller sticks that are very, very close in my mind. 
Xhaxhi Bobi Hermano
Casdagli Cabinet Selection Rosetta 
I'm not a fan of pepper, so that eliminates a fair amount of NC for me.  
In a slightly different but similar vitola, I've found i very much enjoy the Warped La Relatos.  I've also had a good experience with the new Crowned Heads Mil Dias line and they recently released a traditional Mareva that I have yet to try but trust will be good. 
 

The write ups on the Xhaxhi abs Casdagli both sound promising. Can’t say I’ve heard of either brand though, I guess a lot of new boutique brands have come to market since I went to the dark side.

Thanks for the recs!!

[Kaptain Karl]

Illusione Epernay’s always smoke great for me! One of the few NC’s that I like anymore. 

[J-Slay]

AF Casa Cuba Doble Tres - 5.5x44

If I have to....

[djrey]

9 minutes ago, Kaptain Karl said:

Illusione Epernay’s always smoke great for me! One of the new NC’s that I like anymore. 

Second that. The Singulare line is also solid. 

[Chibearsv]

Although it's a fatty and maybe not your thing, for a light to medium smoke with some cubanesque twang, I enjoy the Hoyo Excalibur.  It's a great alternative golf course cigar.  I don't like the cameroon or dark knight versions, just the light wrappers.

[Pag]

A few decades ago their was a song written about this. People thought it was about an ex but it was about CCs and NCs. Think it was called " Nothing compares to you"
All joking aside the only NC I enjoy having here and there is a Fuente short story. I smoked a My Fathers Le bou Friday and it wasn't that enjoyable. Some of the boutique stuff people enjoy but with a hefty price tag I will smoke my Cheap and cheerful Cubans and be happy. It also lets me purchase a few nice boxes through out the year. I also dont smoke as much as I used to, maybe 3 or 4 a month .
If CCs arent availble I will grab a Cameroon wrapper Bella Artes or short story.

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[Bri Fi]

If the question is which NC is comparable to CC I think your answer is Tatuaje. From the way they are rolled, to the way they are boxed, down to the flavor (within reason). Specifically, the brown and black label. 
 

If your question is which NC is good to smoke until you build up your CC stash again, there are a bunch of good NC brands out there. There’s also a ton of crap as well. I tend to stick with Nicaraguan blends. 

[WABOOM]

I've gotten a CC profile from NC's a few times , but not consistently. Most notably from Opus X Perfexcion no 4, and Fuente R44. Also Joya De Nicaragua Cabinetta no. 7 (several cigars from that box), and 2 out 10 sticks with Camacho Diploma had a very Cuban flavor. But like I said it's not reliable and not worth pursuing.

I just let NC's be NC's and CC's be CC's.

 

Best to just order Cuban cigars for Cuban flavors.

 

 

[Jimmy_jack]

I will second the Casdagli line in general. Great cigars if you can find them, but you will pay through the nose. Wouldn't hesitate to buy them by the box if I had the opportunity and the price was right. 

[FHFinster]

 
Best to just order Cuban cigars for Cuban flavors.
 
 

Well to be clear, I have two winadors packed with Cubans, LOL.

but all are either aging, resting or the wrong vitola for the moment.

[captaincaveman]

4 minutes ago, FHFinster said:

 

Well to be clear, I have two winadors packed with Cubans, LOL.

but all are either aging, resting or the wrong vitola for the moment.

 

Take the ones that are the wrong vitola and start cutting them in half

[Chibearsv]

1 hour ago, captaincaveman said:

Take the ones that are the wrong vitola and start cutting them in half

Or gluing them together as the case may be 

[Lrabold89]

None....really .....none


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[pgwdaddy]

I’ve spent a number of years searching for that very answer. Honestly, none do. I’ll enjoy a NC out of convenience or because I enjoy the line. Smoke a Davidoff...Padron or a ____ because you like them.

Save yourself the trouble.


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[Ender1553]

I actually have been enjoying Warped cigars...  they have a lot of the nice creamy-ness I associate with CCs.  

Someone actually recently published a review of one of my favorites... the "La Colmena"

[BrightonCorgi]

Enjoy NC's for what they are; not CC's.  I really like the Davidoff Winston Churchill series.

[VKUTT]

7 hours ago, FHFinster said:

The write ups on the Xhaxhi abs Casdagli both sound promising. Can’t say I’ve heard of either brand though, I guess a lot of new boutique brands have come to market since I went to the dark side.

Thanks for the recs!!

Casdagli used to be Bespoke. Love their Daughters of the Wind in Pony Express size (corona). 

[EnigmatiC]

8 hours ago, J-Slay said:

AF Casa Cuba Doble Tres - 5.5x44

If I have to....

Smoked one yesterday 

[Cairo]

Tatuaje. From the way they are rolled, to the way they are boxed, down to the flavor (within reason). Specifically, the brown and black label. 

I smoke a lot of a variety of these, and enjoy all of them, but they have their own unique taste--and imho are best appreciated for what they are--quality Nicaraguan sticks.

 

 

[havanaclub]

Tatuaje. Brown and black label are great. The new brown label escosos are excellent.
If you want a short grab a 50 cab of the black label PC. They are minuto size. Very tasty!!


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[odobenus]

I get some Cubanesque flavors (but far from the real deal) from:

 Tatuaje Miami/Brown Label 

 AJF Bellas Artes (not the maduro)

 Illusione Epernay

 LFD Air Bender

[Cigar Salute]

9 hours ago, FHFinster said:

 

Well to be clear, I have two winadors packed with Cubans, LOL.

but all are either aging, resting or the wrong vitola for the moment.

 

I guess I'm lucky that I find pretty much anything from 2018-20 needs little aging, if at all to be excellent.  Had an MSU March 19 Box of RASCCal's last year that was singing with 7 months on them from box date.  Boli Corona Jr as well.  Pretty much anything 18-20 with a year or close to on it deserves a test drive at the very least if you haven't done so already IMHO!  

[Nico]

Agreed on casdagli. I don’t like all of them but you can tell they’re always using quality tobacco, unlike rocky patel for example.
This could be a great opportunity to explore the NC world. I smoke CC but let’s face it. It’s all Cuban tobacco and tastes like Cuba. Every time. There’s nothing wrong with the flavor but I like variety. And NC offer a variety since they mix different leaves from different countries. It’s hard to suggest different brands since taste is so personal but I would avoid rocky Patel, Alec Bradley, gurkha, and some other big name companies. Maybe it’s just me but lots of bigger brands taste mass-produced. Boutique cigars have more of craftsman’s feeling.