I have been smoking NCs for about a year and a half now, and will eventually like to find a good source and start smoking Cuban's.

Just a quick question for you guys though. I read this on a retailer's website:

Before the US embargo Cuban cigars were considered to be the very best in the world by virtually all cigar smokers. Pungent and full-bodied without excess strength, the smoke of a Cuban led to rapturous descriptions in prose and verse. Slowly though, more and more is heard that the fabled Cuban cigar is no more; the land is not fertilized properly; the master cigar rollers are gone; there is no quality control; and so on.

Is there any truth to that, or is it a bitter retailer that is upset they can't sell the good stuff?

IMHO Cuba still produces the finest cigars in the world. I have smoked top rated cigars from most regions and nothing really compares to the top cubans.

Yes, quality control is an issue. The only brand to really implement modern advanced quality control has been Cohiba. So most of the time there are a couple of bad sticks in a box.

But if you smoke a great Cuban, there's really nothing else like it.

Just try one and see for yourself. Besides, it's all subjective.

Well first off I`m a Cowboy fan so haha on monday nite. Cubans are the best. Just smoked two Padron 1926 The best NC smokes around. Think my buddy paid like 25$ each. Very good cigars and i don`t know how they can be so hard and draw so well but they do. However i could name about five differnt Cubans i have in my box i like better. I paid under 10$ each on most bye buying whole boxes. However if you buy in canada expect prices in line with the Padron. Ouch.

"Is there any truth to that, or is it a bitter retailer that is upset they can't sell the good stuff?"

hmmmm...possibly...what do you think?

There are lots of good cigars out there from many countries, I just tend to like more Cubans vs. the others.

No comparrison, Cubans are the best. I love alot of NC's but will choose a CC over them any day.

Nothing ground-breaking, but I also agree.

The Cuban flavors are distinct and full-bodied. Little DM or Nic tobacco comes close to giving the same experience.

Goodluck in finding your way.

Sox

You see advertising like that all the time. "Cuban cigars are not what they used to be, blah, blah, blah." Even some retailers will try to convince you that Cuban cigars are not as good as the NCs they stock on their shelves.

The hilarious thing is that these same retailers are going to load up on Cuban cigars when the embrago is over. And companies like CAO (of "Cuban Shmooban" fame) are going to do their damnedest to get some Cuban tobacco to roll cigars with.

The Padrons know the truth, though. They'll tell you that they are trying to make cigars that match up with Cuban cigars. Cuban cigars are the touchstone. As has been pointed out many times, look at the one of the bands they put on their "1000 series" or "regular" lines of cigars. What country is on there? It ain't Nicaragua or the D.R.

Any minute now, someone is going to post a certain quote for you.

Thanks for the info guys, that's pretty much what I thought.

Damn you Muskrat. It's bad enough I'm a NC smoker trying to brave the waters of the CC board, but you gotta throw that MNF game at me!

Cuban cigars suck. I said that.

The fact is, they use human waste to fertilize their fields, the rollers don't make any money so they really don't care about the product they make, all the cigars are plugged or underfilled, there is no strength or flavor or body when it comes to Cuban cigars, they're illegal, and there are suckers born every minute. Not all aspirins are alike.

Remember Seahawk fan, once you go to the dark side, there's no turning back. Hope you don't have too many NC's laying around. At least you'll get some age on them before you start using PAMs as yard Gars.

Seahawk,

Cuban cigars are inconsistent. It is not uncommon to be horribly disappointed with an entire box or part of a box.
Draws that are too tight are what really bug the krap out of me.
Cigars that have lost their flavour due to poor storage conditions. Another curse of Cubans.

Having said that I still have to say that my favourite brands are all Cuban.

RYJ, why always so negative? Cuban cigars INMO are the finest cigars there are to smoke and I have not ran into many people who have actually said that they did not like cuban cigars. Any time I offer mine to my friends, that is what they crave for then ,not a NC cigar for it doesnt have that cuban twang.
nough said make your own decisions

He says that so no one else will buy any.

Cowboys...hahahahahahahaahhahahahaha. They suck just like Cuban cigars.....

Go Eagles.....

Oh, I forgot....you Getz Nada...