Habanos Blog: Cuban Cigars, Plain and Simple

Hoyo De Monterrey Churchill

2007-01-03T17:42:00.000-08:00

The other night I smoked a HDM Churchill that was about 2 years old. I do not know for sure because it was given to me by a friend shortly before my wedding in June. I hadn't been smoking much, but none-the-less this was the best cigar I have had in months. I cannot wait to get my hands on some more and possibly put them away for a while.

The flavours were simply intense, with earth, spice and licorice building into a dense thick smoke. It had so much character that if I was asked by someone to illustrate the difference between Cuban cigars and non-Cubans with one cigar, I would unquestionably reach for this. It reminded me of Lagavulin Scotch, in the way that it just made sense on your taste buds, and since I had some Lagavulin I drank it with this.

Not only did it taste spectacular it also looked it. The oily, chestnut-coloured wrapper was in perfect condition and it drew just superb the whole way down. I didn't have a camera on hand at the time, so no pics.

I thank Seauin for giving this to me, and I thank, in advance, anyone I come across in the future should they have any! If you find one try it.

Adam

Way Too Busy!!!

2006-10-04T14:43:00.000-07:00

I have been insanely busy as of late. I got a new job with 1-800-GOT-JUNK? at their office here in Vancouver. So that is taking up most of my time right now. I will be getting back to this soon, but as for now I am just too busy. I don't have a lot of time to smoke let alone write about it!!

Til' later...

Adam

Partagas Serie Du Connoisseurs No. 2

2006-08-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

I am finally over my cold that has plagued me for the last few weeks.

To celebrate I lit my first cigar in a while, a Partagas Serie Du Connoisseur No. 2. I purchased this cigar online from TopCubans.

This is fast becoming one of my favourite cigars, at 6.5 inches by a 38 ring gauge it is a terrific size for a quick smoke. I find that the draws on all the Conn2's I have smoked have been perfect, which is absolutely crucial to enjoying a cigar of this size. The burn on this one was great, requiring just a minor touch up, and the ash was lengthy and white the whole way down.

The taste is decidely woody at the start, with some spice that develops throughout. I haven't smoked enough of these to say much more just yet, other than that I love them so far.

Cheers,

Adam

Still Sick.....

2006-08-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

Man, this cold won't go away. I have the worst cough I can remember, I can't even walk let a lone smoke a cigar. I am hoping I get better by saturday and sunday, Sarah and I are going down to Seattle to celebrate my birthday.

I made reservations at Wild Ginger, which is supposed to be (according to most of my friends) a terrific asian fusion restaurant. The menu looks pretty appetizing, so we shall see.

While I am down there I hope to pick up some Padrons (anniversarios), or Fuentes (flora fina maduros), which are about the only non-cuban cigars I really enjoy, although I admittedly haven't tried as many NC's as Cubans.

I also hope to pick up some Red Hook Ale and some other microbrews I haven't tried, and some good wine from Pike and Western Wine . This is a great little shop right across from Victor Steinbrueck Park in the market.

So I have no control over the cold, but all the other things should be achievable. Wish me luck.

Sick

2006-08-07T14:54:00.000-07:00

I haven't been smoking really anything at all.

I somehow managed to catch a cold in the midst of summer and am coughing ridiculously night and day. I also have been working a tremendous amount and spend my time off doing nothing at all!

So in the next week I will be writing more, but for now I will rest up.

Cuban Cigars Online - Top Cubans

2006-08-03T01:37:00.000-07:00

My first order from Top Cubans arrived about a week ago, 5 partagas connoissuer no.2s. The shipment showed up in about 5 business days and arrived in good condition. The cigars were well packaged, individually wrapped by the shipper and put in a wooden box for 'safety' reasons.

The box itself got demolsihed, but Im ok with that. At least the cigars are fine, as that is the idea. I've included some pictures below, of the packaging and cigars.

The company was pleasant to deal with and followed up with emails regarding my order, confirmation and a notice that it was being shipped. I was lucky that I didn't get dinged with duties, although Top Cubans makes no guarantees to that effect, nor should you expect that.

I will soon be ordering more from them and will let you know how that goes, I am eyeing a box of Bolivar Petit Coronas.

Cuban Cigar News - Cohiba Behike Update

2006-07-29T13:39:00.000-07:00

I know that a lot of people have been interested in learning about this item, but not so eager to order it. So far I believe you can place an order through Habanos dealers but there are no Behikes yet produced or physically sold. I am as anxious as a little girl with Brittany Spears tickets to see it though.

I somehow have the feeling that the Behike has simply not been purchased/ordered by anyone, but I do not know. Perhaps people are a little shy to dish out the $12,000 + that it will cost for 40 cigars?! I also believe that once it has been ordered that the type of people who buy it will not be letting the world know, although people suprise me everyday.

I will try to find out more.

See the follwoing link for my previous post with pics, and the Habanos release.

http://habanosblog.blogspot.com/2006/04/cuban-cigar-news-cohiba-behike-40th.html

Montecristo #2

2006-07-28T21:07:00.000-07:00

Took a little walk tonight with the dog and the wife. I smoked a Montecristo #2 that was just awful. The box it was from, FEB 2006, was riddled with construction problems, many cigars were underfilled or had soft spots in them that caused them to 'canoe'.

I feel this has been all to common in the Montecristos #2's lately (2004-2005 boxes). And this is the first time I have smoked a Montecristo from a 2006 box. This is a shame because when they are good they are really good, but right now they are a bit of a crapshoot. A lot of my clients have complained of this problem as well, and seems to just be the way it is for right now.

Of course it is well known that 2004 was generally a pretty bad year for construction. Apparently there were a number of experienced torcedors (rollers) that had retired or moved on around that time, as well as a few other issues. Perhaps a similar problem is occuring again right now with these, or maybe I just have bad luck! I won't dare to generalize this quality to all Monte 2s, just the ones I have smoked, which unfortunately have sucked!

Buying Cuban Cigars Online

2006-07-20T10:02:00.000-07:00

I have just placed my first ever online order with the Swiss website TopCubans.com

I ordered 5 Partagas Série Du Connoisseur No.2's. I have never had these before and am very excited to try them. I will write more about them when I get them, should be monday or tuesday next week.

I will also detail my experiences with Top Cubans, and perhaps you will find this information useful when placing your own online orders.

Just an FYI, I am very confident in the authenticity of this site, as many have referred me, and the selection is excellent. I would not have even tried it otherwise!

Cuban Cigar Reviews - Punch Punch

2006-07-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

Here is that Punch Punch review as promised. I bought this cigar in Amsterdam last month. Cuban Punch's are not available legally in Canadian for trademark reasons (it is the only cuban Marca not available, to my knowledge). I should have bought more of them!

**Sorry, no pics for this one, I smoked it at work - That's right, I can smoke at work!

The prelight draw was prefect, and the cigar was slightly drier than normal for me, but it was well travelled too. I have recently begun wetting the wrappers of the cigar I smoke because I believe they burn better, but I am probably just imagining that.

The first puff made me think 'toasty' but that gave way to a sort of coffee like creaminess, with a faint sweetness. The cigar is not very old at all, just about a year, and I credit that for the slightly tannic after taste.

I have never smoked any Punch and this is definitley different than anything I have ever had before. Although it reminds me of a Hoyo De Monterrey's flavour profile, there is something else distinct that I can't figure out.

There was a very faint citrus flavour to the cigar that developed after the midpoint. Otherwise the flavour didn't progress much from the first third, but it did seem to balance out a little bit.

My Punch started to burn unevenly which I had to corret twice, and it went out twice also. I had read on some other reviews that many others had experienced this with the Punch Punch. Mine was a 2004, which is generally a year with sub par construction, according to many.

I asked around a bit after this smoke, before writing the full review, and many people have said how great the older versions of this cigar are, especially at about 7 or 8 years of age.

Please realize this is only one cigar, and also my first of this brand. I am not put off trying more at all, in fact I look forward to the next one, I just hope it was by chance that I recieved one with poor contsruction.

New Cuban Cigars - San Cristobal Muralla

2006-07-12T11:59:00.000-07:00

Habanos has released a new San Cristobal cigar that should be in regular production, albeit limited - The Muralla. This cigar has been available for a few months now, but I just smoked one last nite. I must say it isn't worth smoking right now, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth buying and putting away. I would suggest that you do invest in this box, as it is a very unique size, served up in some good looking boxes. Furthermore, I found that the cigar has a lot behind it, although due to its 'youth' it is difficult to pick up any specific flavours. It seems more complex that most San Cristobals, but it is not a brand I smoke often, so I may be mistaken. Regardless, it will change immensely in the next year, and then again with each following year. It is really too early to judge.

Also released with this are the following cigars which I have not tried, but should be let to sit also:

San Cristobal Mercaderes

San Cristobal Oficios

Cigar News - 2006 Montecristo and Partagas Edicion Limitadas

2006-07-08T09:23:00.000-07:00

So there are a few new cigars that Habanos has just release a few weeks ago. The Edicion Limitada Montercristo Robusto and Edicion Limitada Partagas Series D#3 should be hitting the shelves at most shops soon if not already. These cigars are re-issues of the 2 vitolas that Habanos released in 2001, the inaugural year of the Edicion Limitada line.

The 2006 Montecristo Robusto EL - Unfortunately I have not smoked a 2001 EL, this vitola disappeared fairly quickly. The new ones aren't worth paying for yet, as most ELs really do need time to rest, otherwise I find they are full of all sorts of mismatched, confusing and even unpleasant flavours. One vendor site referred to the 2006 EL as 'equally superb' to its 2001 predecessor, but I think it is a bit early to make such a claim. Although I'm sure it will be somewhat similar.

The 2006 Partagas Series D#3 - The 2001 EL was rather popular I thought, although still widely available in Canada. The cigar is, in my opinion, not that great. I found it suffered construction problems, usually smoking very loose at first, which lent to a hotter burn and not much flavour and then it got very strong at the last 2 inches. Maybe this was a bad experience, as many love it. Either way, I hope the 2006 is better. The cigar is a 5 and 7/8" long by 46 ring gauge, or a Corona Gorda vitola.

Cigars and Drinks Part II - Tequila!

2006-07-07T21:09:00.000-07:00

Forget about the stuff you got too drunk off in 10th grade, Tequila is one of the finest spirits around. Most Tequila that people consume outside of Mexico and the Southern US is about as pure as low grade gasoline, and just as tasty. It is made with various components and often chemicals and really has no business being anywhere outside of a frat hall – I’m looking at you El Jimador.

Good Tequila on the other hand is made from 100% Agave, anything that doesn’t say 100% Agave on the bottle isn’t worth your money, unless it’s for you sister’s margaritas. That said 100% Agave Tequila isn’t cheap, starting around $40 USD/$55 CAD a bottle, up to well over $100. And the further you get from Mexico the higher that range and thinner the selection.

There are 4 main kinds of Tequila that you should know and understand before attempting to choose. These are the official guidelines that the Mexican Authorities has set forth.

Blanco or Plata – This stuff is bottled immediately after distillation. If it isn’t it is stored in steel vats, never wood. Don't bother matching this with cigars unless they are "It's a Boy!" brand. Seriously - margaritas only.

Reposado - This is aged in oak for between 2 and 12 months. Generally the best all round drinkable Tequila, very flexible and highly varied in flavours and could be used in mixed drinks provided you haven't paid too much. Typically best suited for cigars that aren't very complex, but there are always exceptions.

Anejo - Aged in oak for more than one year. If you like scotch or cognac but are not sure about tequila you should try this style. Tequila can become very smooth with only minimal aging and I have heard that many feel Tequila will not improve at all past 5 years of aging. The oak nose with the smooth and sometimes sweet finish can work really well with many complex cigars, but remember each is slightly different.

Joven or Oro – Also called Gold in English, it is basically Blanco with colour or flavouring added. I feel this should be avoided all together, except maybe in margaritas.

Generally Reposado and Anejo are the ones that are made with 100% Agave and I think are the best. There will definitely be something in either of these two widely varied styles that you will enjoy.

If in Mexico, take the opportunity to taste a bunch of different tequilas and that is the only way to decide which to buy. The people at each store are knowledgeable in terms of varieties, but sometimes don’t know all the info about bottles, or make it up as they go along. Either way, your taste buds will pick better tequila than any clerk can for you. Try to buy something not available outside of Mexico if you can, because their really aren’t many good deals in most cities, and even the Mexican Duty-Frees aren’t very low priced. In fact, I found a bottle at Wal-Mart in Playa del Carmen that was $5 cheaper than the Duty-Free!

As for matching with cigars, just about all Anejos and fuller Reposados will do just fine, but experimenting will tell you what you like. Anjeos are probably best because of the more prominent oak flavours. Again, each is different so consider the pair; for optimal results you are matching weight, and then decide if you want complimentary or contrasting flavours. There is no secret to matching drinks and cigars; it just takes some trial and error to know what you like; eventually you will find a harmonious pair that is purely sublime, with each component bringing out the hidden potential of the other. However, if you need one rule it is weight, because if you can’t taste one of the two you have just wasted something.

How to Spot Fake Cuban Cigars - Mexico Style

2006-07-06T16:38:00.000-07:00

This is just a heads up to anyone that will be in certain touristy parts of Mexico, specifically Playa del Carmen, where I was last week.

***Most parts of the Caribbean sell all kinds of fake Cuban cigars – Especially Cuba!. So you have to be careful anywhere.

Always, always, always stay clear of any individual that offers you Cubans cigars on the street.

If you go into a shop, especially looking for a box, be very, very careful. Most of the stores I went to have pretty accurate prices, compared to guys on the beach or street that offer you boxes for $40. However, they have some pretty obvious fakes in these stores. I myself went into 3 stores on 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen and took pictures in one.
These pictures are an example of how a little knowledge about what you are buying will help you.

The cigars themselves look pretty good, in fact perhaps very nice by many standards. But, they are not what they claim to be and that is important, especially if you are paying $20 USD a piece.

The cigars in these photos are obvious fakes:

2001 Cohiba Sublimes do not exist. They were released in 2004, end of detective work.

Hoyo De Monterrey Churchills do not come with this label. The correct label is pictured below the fakes. They may have come with this label previously, but not in the last few years, and this box was from 05.

2001 Cohiba Piramides come with the old, black Cohiba band. They do not have gold gilded and embossed letters on the bands. Also, it is hard to tell in this picture but when I saw them they just didn’t look right the ends look way too pointy. The Montecristo No. 2’s were the same way. This is a slippery slope though, as every cigar looks somewhat different, but use your best judgment and if you’re sceptical don’t buy anything, because it will make you enjoy it less regardless of its authenticity. The tip-off for me was the rolling table in the store with un-banded vitolas that are identical to the ‘Cubans’ they are selling. For fuck sakes, if you are going to roll and sell fakes, do it behind a closed door jackass. That’s just disrespectful!

Habanos labels are another great way to tell if something is real. Throughout the years they have changed slightly but not much, my best advice is to look at every box a vendor has, if the Habanos labels on the corners of the box are different from one another they are probably fake. Maybe not all are fakes, but that’s gambling, and you should be at a casino. Unfortunately I didn’t get photos of the Habanos labels here.

So that’s about it. Again, it boils down to being careful. Anytime you aren’t at your loyal and trusted home-base-vendor, use your noodle. If you can buy Hookers, Timeshares and Chihuahua T-shirts next door to the cigar shop you just went into, you might need to reconsider.

Married!!

2006-07-05T12:05:00.001-07:00

My long-time fiance Sarah and I finally tied the knot last Thursday, June 29th, in the Mayan Riveria in Mexico. We had 20 friends and family down there with us at the Barcelo Maya Beach Resort, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for a resort down that way. This unofficial site is the best place to find info about that resort. Other than the wedding, the highlights were a fishing trip in which a had a sailfish on the line, which of course it got away, and a late night ambulance trip for the best man on the eve of my wedding. Both the fish and the best man are now doing fine.

I just got back on sunday and am trying to ease back into the regular swing of things but I need a bite of time. I have quite a few little posts in mind, including a Punch Punch tasting that I promised earlier, and I will also add some tequila notes that I learned in Mexico.

I didn't really smoke much while away but I did have one Paratagas Series D#4 that was sent to me from a friend at the International Cigar Forum and it was outstanding. I drank a 1989 distilled/2005 bottled Lagavulin Distillers Edition that I brought down with me and the two complimented each other beautifully.

Until then

Back in Vancouver

2006-06-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

I am back home for 2 days until I go to Mexico to get married. The wedding is on the 29th.

I didn't get a chance to source out any cigar shops while in Paris, but I'm sure there are a few, at least. Paris is fantastic though, but I only had 2 full days there, so I got to see very little. We did a boat tour on the Bateaux Mouches, which is the best 8 Euros you can spend in Paris - 8 Euros will get you a beer most other places. We spent a tonne of money on the Champs Elysses, they have a Louis Vuitton store that must do $500,000 a day of business.

The highlight of the trip though was the first night when we stayed at the Chateau of friends in Bois le Roi. This place was beautiful, right beside the Seine about 50 miles outside of Paris. We had a wonderful meal and a bottle of wine, a 2001 Chateau Pech Redon that seemed to solidify any doubts that we were in France. Sarah and I ahve decided that buying a place in this area is now a life goal.

That's all I have to say for now, but there will be much more coming in the next 2 weeks when I return from Mexico, including cigar and drink reviews, pics and stories.

Cigar Shop in Amsterdam - PJC Hajenius

2006-06-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

I biked up Rokin to find this store, unfortunately I drove way by it the first time, up to Dam square, because there was a delivery truck out front. Just for reference, don’t bike on the side of the road that PJC Hajenius is on, as old ladies with whistles get mad at you.

The shop is gorgeous, I felt like I was buying a $4000 watch, not a cigar. Nothing in Vancouver, or Canada, comes close to the elegance of this fine place. I spent a bit of time browsing, trying not to feel like a complete tourist, and then asked to be let into the humidor; most cigars are kept behind a locked automatic sliding glass double door ( I want one). They had a nice selection of Cubans. I must say, for self and loyal employer preservation that ours is better, but this was great. I found the Bolivar Petit Corona that I wanted to try, they also had a complete selection of Partagas and most Cohibas. In addition to the Bolivar, I bought a Punch Punch. The Cuban Punch marca is not available in Canada for trademark reasons, so I had to try it. Besides, the 9,20 Euro price was great. The prices here are close to 50% or 60% of those in Canada, and I blame taxes for every cent of it.

I also purchased a package of the house brand cigarillos, ‘Senoritas’. As I write this I am smoking one with a Leffe Brune, on the patio of the bar next to my hotel. The only complaint I have is Vancouver like weather – yesterday was real hot though. The cigar is rich and smokes well, but my brain is not working enough to offer more than that.

To call PJC Hajenius simply a ‘cigar shop’ is not justified by the least of measures. They have an immense selection of pipes, humidors, accessories, a lounge with tables and coffee, a small museum on the upper level and a private meeting room. The museum has the largest selection of cigar books that I have ever seen in one place, and a number of informational displays and memorabilia. The meeting room, “De Heerenkamer”, is the perfect place for cigar smoking friends or colleagues to spend some time together. The variance of tobacco products in this place is simply astounding, and I have seen few like it (the Tampa Bay area comes to mind).

All in all, PJC Hajenius comes highly recommended, by myself and many others. Just do an internet search to find out more. While the Cuban selection was not enormous, it was adequate, and the rest of the store’s substance more than made up for what little disappointment that brought. Quite simply, this is a place for someone who loves cigars, and if you visit Amsterdam you must come here.

PS – I believe I will follow this with a Punch Punch review when I smoke it. If not a review than just thoughts, but it will be my first so I feel I should - Provided of course that I am able to prevent myself from lighting it up while drunk as a sailor.

Blogging in Amsterdam

2006-06-14T05:24:00.001-07:00

Today I rented a bike and went to two of the best stores I could ever imagine going to. PJC Hajenuis, a glorious tobacconist, and De Bier Konning the most heavenly beer store I have ever seen.

This was my first full day here, so I am making the most of it. So far Amsterdam is terrific. The people are lovely and helpful, and everyone speaks english which helps my ignorant North American jack-ass-of-a-self find his way around town. I got lost going a distance of about 500 metres because everything looks the same, and there are no tall buildings or mountains to use as references. I don't want to use a compass, as the giant map looks ridiculous enough -But I did leave the fanny pack at home.

Anyway, I know I said I wouldn't post, but we brought the computer, and the soon-to-be-wife is at her conference most of the time during the day. So the following few posts will be about the trip, cigars, beer, and Amsterdam in general. Hopefully some future travellers will find it useful.

International Cigar Club Forum

2006-06-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

The Cigar Syndicate has changed the name of its Cigar forum to the "International Cigar Club" Any previous postings referring to that site now mean the ICC.

Not sure why the name changed, but its the same thing inside, and Im still there in full force.

If you haven't been there before check it out. Very informative, especially if you want to know more about Cubans, or aging cigars.

Habanos Blog Vacation

2006-06-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

I am not going to be posting very much over the next month.

I will be leaving for Europe on the 12th, travelling to Amsterdam and Paris, and then after that I am off to Mexico on the 23rd to get married. So you can certainly expect me to smoke some cigars and take some photos on my travels, I will try to post as much as I can when I get back.

Cheers,

Adam

2006-06-02T01:53:00.000-07:00

photo by Karl Grobl, www.karlgrobl.com

Habanos Blog Donations

2006-06-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

I am now a begger.

I put up a PayPal link on the side bar so that generous people can donate to my cause. I promise that any money received will be dedicated to making this blog better and better. If you'd like to donate please see the link below.

That's enough of that though, lets get back to cigars.....

Cheers,

Adam

Habanos Blog Needs Some Help

2006-05-31T02:25:00.000-07:00

Now that I have more time to put into this little project I am starting to critique it all.

The first I want to change is the domain name, I have gone and registered
www.habanos-blog.com, and I hope to be getting hosting soon, probably the end of the month or early july. Then I can move ahead and start hosting the entire blog on a better platform that allows me some more flexibility. Blogspot is great but a little amaturish at times, and utterly lacking flexibility sometimes.

I hope to get some more graphics going up here soon, I got the OK from a photographer named Karl Grobl to post some of his pictures up here. I just need to figure out how to give him due credit with each one, and which to use.

I also added a cuban news feed from Havana Journal, but the feed looks like crap so I will have to try and improve that. It clutters my already cluttered site further!!

That's about all I have to say, but I wanted to let people know that I am dedicated to improving this site as much as I can. It's current state is very much a work in progress.

Any suggestions are of course welcome and appreciated.

Cheers,

Adam

Cuban vs. Dominican Cigars Part II

2006-05-26T18:20:00.000-07:00

I have decided to expand on previous posts about the difference between cigars from Cuba and those from elsewhere (primarily Dominican Republic, because it is most popular 'other' country).

First of all, differences I might suggest are merely generalizations. They cannot be true for all cigars, cuban or not. That said, I think I have a segway to some myths....

MYTH #1 - Cuban Cigars are stronger. This is probably the most commonly accepted thing that clueless people think they know about cigars. While I will say that Cuban cigars are generally stronger, or more full bodied then non-cuban cigars, it simply isn't true of all of them. There are some Dominican smokes that completely put me on my ass if I'm not prepared to be smoking them. However there are others that I could smoke before breakfast because there is nothing to them.

*One DIFFERENCE in this regard is that just because cubans are strong doesn't mean they are not smooth. For the most part, I find terrible balance in some NCs. It is very rare that a NC is both full bodied and smooth smoking. With Cubans, some very flavourful cigars with a lot of power can be quite smooth and elegant - Like a well balanced and well aged Bordeaux.

MYTH #2 - Cubans are better. This is not true. They are not higher quality, or more consistent, in fact someimtes the opposite is true. I personally find that they are better tasting though, to me...and that is a generalization. I smoke 10 cubans to every 1 NC cigar. They suit my taste better than NC's do. But that doesn't make them better, you have to like them for them to be better. If you don't like them it really doesn't matter what I think. There are some NCs that I simply love to smoke, and would choose them over most Cubans anyday. But I devote no time to learning about them, they simply taste good. There is much more to a Cuban.

I find that the smoke from a Cuban cigar is much more elegant and rich than NC's. The smoke is full of depth and the taste evolves throughout the cigar. The tobacco is simply different than that of other Countries.

Some other differences that I believe are present are the following (all of which could be gone into with much more depth, perhaps on another post)

- There is no mystic to NC cigars. They are basically the exact same all the time. But the taste, wrappers, and overall experience of habanos cigars vary from box to box and year to year. Slight generalization here, but just look at the depth of content and analysis on most good forums; they show you how different and mysterious a cuban can be.

- Cubans are mystical. There is so much heresay, BS, folklore, and science to these cigars. One can devote their entire life to studying them and still not know everything. Part of this is of course that Cubatobacco, Habanos S.A. and the Cuban Government disclose little about their cigars.

- Cubans do not make Maduro cigars. Dominican smokers often look for cuban maduros, frankly I think Maduros are a marketing ploy anyway, they look great, but in a blind tasting I would say that they don't matter. My opinion. (Some cubans do have dark wrappers though)

- NCs are a product, Cubans are a living entity. Sounds cheesy, but thats why they are so sought after.

Stay tuned for more later. There are plenty more myths and plenty more facts.

Jump in Hits.....Habanos Popularity Surge?!? No....

2006-05-26T00:33:00.000-07:00

So I have recieved far more hits in the last few days for some reason. All I know is that alot of people are coming from a link in the HabanoCrimeFamily forum, that I am not a part of. If so, welcome and enjoy my site. Hopefully the link is because people like what I am doing and not because they think I am a total wanker. Either way, inbound links are good for me!

Just for the record I am aware that there are some disagreements between a forum that I post on and the HCF forum, and others. I am also assuming the links to this blog are due to the fact that I mention the Cigar Syndicate in it. I will state that I have no intention of entering into any sort of arguement, mudslinging or what not, but only to discuss cigars and my passion for them. If anyone from either side has any intentions of coming to my blog for that it is not welcome.
- Just had to say that -

Otherwise, enjoy the site no matter where you are from.

Cheers