Son #2 just returned from a vacation in Cuba and brought me back some Bauza Brevas (May 06), made in Sancti Spiritus (says Bauza on the band but neither habana nor Cuba -- info is on the packaging). A gift he received. Haven't smoked one yet but they are obviously cheap country cigars in the spirit of the Jose L. Piedra Brevas.
My problem is -- pardon my ignorance --, I have never heard of CUBAN Bauza cigars and cannot find any information on them.
Can anyone help ?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: flashman,

It's not a brand, it's merely a label they slap on the 'peso' cigars. Should not have cost more than about $1 for a bundle of 25...at best, loosely and carelessly wrapped in cello. Some people actually like them. To me, they make cigarettes look good! Totally unsmokeable. But that's just me, and taste is relative.

As for the cigars, however, they're made from second rate tobacco, often times scraps and remnants, rejected tobacco, and who knows what else. The only thing 'consistent' about them is the fact that they're awful. They are inconsistent in the sense that, sometimes, they're vile, and others disgusting.

DEFINITELY (and this is no joke) keep them away from your other cigars...totally isolated and quarrantined. You will have a problem with beetles and other pests that reside within. You are best advised to stick them into a ziplock bag, remove the air, and then stick them in a freezer for at least 7 days. Then the fridge for a few hours for the temperature to stabilize, and then you might be OK. Maybe. But otherwise, don't store them near anything you might want to protect.

Thanks a lot for the excellent info (as always) RyJ. I'll follow your instructions (though they were already in the "quarantine jar humidor", I'll freeze them right away.

I'll perhaps try them one day when I feel "experimental" and strong of stomach, or for some "waste a cigar" moment.

LOL!! Don't go by my taste (or lack thereof...). Make no mistake about it...as I say, some people who are quite sophisticated in terms of their background and knowledge about and of Cuban cigars do enjoy these. Personally, I can't see how or why, and when they suggested they were good and I should try one, my tastebuds never recovered, but one man's poison is another man's treasure. So you may just enjoy them!

Good luck. And freezing is an excellent idea! Enjoy.

Indeed, I shouldn't take all this too seriously (as you occasionnaly point out).

Bauza was a Cuban brand made for international export before the Cuban revolution. The brand is now made by A. Fuente outside of Cuba.

I'm sure RyJ is right about these being "peso cigars" available only within Cuba. I recall seeing some with this band at a recent get-together, brought as a gift of Cuban peso cigars by a veteran of many, many visits to Cuba. They really looked rough. I decided that I had other, better things to smoke. In retrospect, I should have tried one just for the experience.

I've seen the band in either pale blue with white script, or brown with white script...and the packaging is a yellowed cello. Nothing like the pre-revolutionary mark, and nothing like the ones from outside Cuba which are not bad, as I understand...Mike's Cigars sells a lot of them (oops I mentioned a source).

The ones I got had a dark blue band with Bauza written in red on a white background. They came in a white paper packaging with plastified inside -- brand, fabrica and health warnings printed outside. Production date and model printed in red under the packaging.

Probably the ones I saw had labels bleached in the Caribbean sun!

Or the blue ink machine was running low...

Probably very similar to Relobo" - which is another peso brand.

There's no "brand" it's all the same crap.

Flashman, same band here. Yes the taste was quite rough, even with about 3 years of age. Glad I tried it, but I would buy J.L.Pedria for a cheap smoke.

I thought the Relobas were much better than Jose Piedra's.

see above about 'same crap'. Ain't never had no Piedra - but it sounds absolutely DREADFUL if it can't rate against a peso 'cigar'.

It's all personal preference, but personal preference does speak volumes.

Well, I wouldn't say that I prefer these above regular production

WHEW!! Was worried there for a minute....

Piedra's are MUCHO MEJOR than Relobo's.

Well, after having put my Bauza peso cigars in the freezer for a week and having allowed them to reach acceptable humidity levels for a week (in my "quarantine" humidor), I am back to report that I have tasted the aforementionned Bauza Brevas.
First off, there is great discrepency in coulor in a bundle of 25: from tan to dark brown. I took a dark brown one, with a -- I must admit -- quite attractive rapper: even coulor, a bit of sheen, a little bumpy and on the rough side though. Smells like a cross between a freshly opened pack of Marlboros and a fresh rolled cheap cigar. Not bad, not good.
To the touch, though, typical machine made sponginess. A lot of give.
Surprisingly tight draw. Acceptable palatable flavors for the first inch or so: coffee, molasses, pepper but an incredibly short finish.
After that, a gunpowdery and metallic taste strarts to built up, followed shortly by overwhelming raw tobacco taste.
Stopped smoking half-way through.

Not very good but, since they are ultra-cheap Cubans and the first 2 inches or so are acceptably tasty, I'd say it's a nice cigar to smoke for 10-15 minutes for a quick cigar fix and than throw away with no regrets.

Some people keep their coffee frozen until the time they brew it. I wonder if there's something to that when it comes to cheap-ass, rank, cigars?? LOL!