You can say the same thing about Cuban smokers who only smoke one or two "premium" NC and declared them as one dimensional, too strong and/or nicotine bomb. There are far too many non cuban cigars out there that will rival, if not exceed cuban cigars in terms of quality and consistency*, flavor and complexity**.

Regardless of where the tobacco was planted, if you look hard enough, you can find something that you will enjoy or be disappointed with.

*NC use to be so much better with these but Habanos is getting better the last 5 years or so

**Cuban cigars use to be the king in this area but all you need to do is try some of the new J Fuego, Oliva, Fuente, La Flor Dominicana and Pepin to change your mind.
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For me, and I know many others too, I've smoked many NC's. I still do smoke many NC's. After a fairly large sample (I say fairly large because some old farts here have been smoking cigars for 20+ years:-)) I have to say NC's don't even come CLOSE to the complexity and flavors as CC's. Not only that, but I can't get past the harshness most, not all, NC's have. It's just my two cents. My opinion. Nothing more. But I can say that I have not smoked just 1 or 2, or even 100 NC's and have written them off based on those cigars. I've smoked many NC's. (and I still do smoke NC's, I enjoy some NC's)
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So you are saying Pepins aren't full bodied nicotine bombs? :-)

I've smoked MOST of the premium NC's and there's no compare to a good CC, say a Cohiba Lancero. I would also pit smokes like the Montecristo Sublime and H. Upmann Mag 48 to any NC EL and for me they win every time.

I've had Oliva, Pepin, Fuente and LFD and I have to disagree. Fuentes are always OKAY for me, I wouldn't put them down but I wouldn't pay for them either.

For me Pepins are just full body pepper bombs, I cannot get any flavors out of those. Not that it's a bad thing but I wouldn't call them complex at all.
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I really just like smoking good cigars. I don't care where they come from. There are outstanding cigars in both NC and CC. But pitting the 2 against each other is apples and oranges. Show me an NC that tastes like a CC. I sure haven't found one. MY palate prefers CC's. Could part of that be psychological because of the difficulty in obtaining? Maybe. Maybe it appeals to my inner pirate.
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Honestly, I've smoked amazing NC's. Padrons is just a friggin legend, and I've had really great cigars from them. Aged Opus can be actually very, very good. But for me, it's not a fair fight when a regular production cc can blow my mind. Not even touching aged cc's, some RE's, EL's, Reserve, Books, customs, ect. Not a fair fight at ALL:-):-)
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The lifting of the embargo would have no impact on better access to pre 1991 Dunhills or Davidoffs so I dont care. :-)
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:-):-):-)
True statement. Although, I'm sure someone well set up shop claiming "pre 1990 Dunhills and Davis" if the embargo is lifted. Then there's a big mess of whats real and what's not, and the market gets flooded, and things just get bad:-)
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That, my friend, is the bottom line. I just like good cigars. :-)
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Agreed! :-)
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I once had a Cueto - does that count?
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I'm assuming the Cohiba CCs I had in The Bahamas many years ago were fake, because if that's what all the fuss is about, I don't get it. They tasted and smoked the same as every other cigar. :-)
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Which Cohiba? what year? Where were they purchased?
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Couldn't tell you which one, late 90s, small tourist shop in Nassau. Yeah...I know.
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Where were you on the night of the 12th? Does your dog bite?
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Objection Your Honor!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I'm probably in the small minority, but I have really moved away from CC's and very much toward NC's. In fact, I recently liquidated a bunch of my older CC's because.....I have just have had it with them. I still have most of a 50 cab of SLR A's from several years back, but most of my CC's are now in the hands of other guys.

I have bought expensive CC's from reputable vendors for years. Honestly I have had it with plugged sticks, tunneling sticks, sticks that are "off", sticks that are "sick", etc....just disappointment after disappointment.

I'll be the very first to say "smoke what you like and like what you smoke" but for me, CC's aren't on the menu anymore. There are a few guys out there that would say "....if you don't smoke CC's your tastes aren't sophisticated enough to appreciate them..."...which I believe simply isn't true.

One man's opinion - N.F.H.
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Those guys may be puffer fishes, but they are not here.
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lol. Well you get what I was going for, right? Provenance.

Guess I was badgering the witness.
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Then my post doesn't apply to you.

I haven't had a Pepin in a while, the last Tatuaje I smoke was disappointing, but in his early years, I take off the band and you would swear it is the best (cuban) cigar you smoked.
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I doubt it applies to most members here too:-)
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