Last smoke before visit Cuba

rzaman

With knowing that I will smoke all the best Cuban next week, I wanted to see what non-Cuban I pick up tonight. After 45 minutes of struggling I picked up La Palina Little Bill. I was kind of surprised to see how much I love La Palina. I practically opened and went through 18 different humidors, picked up many cigars but put them back. Interesting.

I love to travel but every time I leave Nicaragua I also feel sad even with knowing that I will return soon. My wife and kids are going to Chicago to celebrate Thanksgiving with her family, my dogs will be here with my gardener. All are set but I am still sad to leave my Man Cave for a week.

I packed 35 top Non-Cuban cigars to share with some Cuban cigar makers and contacts I am going to meet during my trip. Padron 45th, 1926 80th, 40th, Viaje Oro Reserva 5, Zino Davidoff Crown series Barrel, LFD, Don Carlos Anneiversario 2006, Opus X 2005, Namakube Papi Chulo, Graycliff Original blended by Avileno Lara, Partagas Decadas Reserva(Cameroon), Camacho PE(I really want crack down the Pre-Embargo hype though I love this smoke), Ashton ESG and couple others. I am really very interested to see what some Cuban cigar producer think of these top non- Cuban cigars.

Overall, I am super excited to be more educated about Cuban cigars. I will try to report from there if I can. I have no idea about my schedule yet but I do know everything is set. Stay tuned....

kuzi16

i too have a ton of love for La Palina. I just wish Ccom had them (HINT HINT). the family series is wonderful.


please report back on what the Cuban guys think on the top non-Cuban cigars. i have a feeling i know what they will say but its still interesting to hear.

rzaman

Hi Kuzi, the family reserve is good specially the 1896 and Little Bill. pasha is also good. La Palina is exactly delivers the traditional Davidoff line cigar- straight medium bodied, complex with long finish. I am very worried about the new Davidoff trend of biger ring gauge with fuller body. I have some reservation with some new releases except Blonde. My target is to hunt for a Cuban made Davidoff and Dunhill cigar box while I am there. I only had two Cuban made Davidoff- man, they are from haven.

kuzi16

id love to have one. i doubt i will ever see one. oh well. ill get over it but its fun to dream

catfishbluezz

rzaman:

Hi Kuzi, the family reserve is good specially the 1896 and Little Bill. pasha is also good. La Palina is exactly delivers the traditional Davidoff line cigar- straight medium bodied, complex with long finish. I am very worried about the new Davidoff trend of biger ring gauge with fuller body. I have some reservation with some new releases except Blonde. My target is to hunt for a Cuban made Davidoff and Dunhill cigar box while I am there. I only had two Cuban made Davidoff- man, they are from haven.

i had one thee other day that was overpowering for a Davidoff. Kind of disappointing really, felt like it needed two years and a big steak before hand. It's an exclusive so I'd imagine they blended the power into it.

Bigshizza

Love the Kill Bill

Diamondog

kuzi16:

i too have a ton of love for La Palina. I just wish Ccom had them (HINT HINT). the family series is wonderful.


please report back on what the Cuban guys think on the top non-Cuban cigars. i have a feeling i know what they will say but its still interesting to hear.

He'll probaby be detained by customs attempting to bring that stuff in to the country lol

JDH

kuzi16:

id love to have one. i doubt i will ever see one. oh well. ill get over it but its fun to dream

You never know...Cuba may open her doors to the rest of us sooner than you think. Fidel can't live forever, you know.

kuzi16

JDH:

kuzi16:

id love to have one. i doubt i will ever see one. oh well. ill get over it but its fun to dream

You never know...Cuba may open her doors to the rest of us sooner than you think. Fidel can't live forever, you know.

cuban Davidoffs stopped being produced in the 1990s. they moved out and became the Davidoff we see today. the Cuban Davidoffs that are still in existence today are few and far between. if on the rare occasion they come up for sale, they are far out of my price point... and as you brought up, currently illegal to buy because Davidoff did not start in Cuba until 1967 when state run Cubatabaco went to Zino Davidoff to form his own brand. there are no pre-embargo Davidoffs.

i know Uncle Fidel wont live forever, but even if the embargo was lifted today, getting a Cuban Davidoff is a unlikely situation.


however, i do like your optimism

stad

Smoke many cigars, meet the real people, and look out for phonies, drink to every sunrise and sunset, and see the land. Travel well Rip.

J.S.

Man, enjoy the time down there. I have always wanted to make the trip but I doubt that I will ever do it. Keep us posted it should be a great time!

blurr

I'm interested to hear what they think of the NCs but I have a feeling I know their responses. There is a lot of bs in the NC market to label cigars as cubanesque. I wish they would stop also but there is just as much of a market strategy by the cuban makers to continue the cuban superiority belief. A good cigar is a good cigar but they both try to push people in different ways. It is a business after all and hype and myth means more sales.