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Cuban quality

Hoshneer

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Well lately with the few Cubans I smoke they seem to be better quality than the NC stuff I bought lately.

This has been a fun thread to read I finally found one post with all the old timers in one spot.
 
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Bruce just curious tho...
If you order a box from Hong Kong and customs catches it... how much would you pay in taxes for say... a 25 count box
I don't know if the import duties would be the same from Hong Kong as they are from the U.S. but from the U.S. I pay 10% duty, 45% excise tax (whatever that is) 13% sales tax and a $10 handling fee from Customs. You may recall that Canada and the U.S. have a free trade agreement. Unfortunately tobacco products don't count.
 

sofc

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I don't know if the import duties would be the same from Hong Kong as they are from the U.S. but from the U.S. I pay 10% duty, 45% excise tax (whatever that is) 13% sales tax and a $10 handling fee from Customs. You may recall that Canada and the U.S. have a free trade agreement. Unfortunately tobacco products don't count.
so $200 box would be around 325. Still might be cheaper than stores there.
 
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Living in Alberta, I can tell you from recent history that the total taxes I would pay could be more like 300%-350%. So for $100 box, I'd be looking at an additional $300.I phoned CSBC to tell them it was a mistake. They informed me it wasn't. In Canada, Alberta has the highest taxes on cigars. I am surprised Bruce gets his for that low. I can't even recall all the ridiculous taxes CSBC told me would apply. He only mentioned the more expensive ones.
 
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I almost rather read halfwheel than CA.

CCs are regularly cheaper than NCs in my opinion.

Also, if you take the top 3-5 NC companies and do the same test, they might score higher than the CCs. There are many many NCs I won't smoke but very few CCs. My only problem with CCs is the draw issue which I'm told is in my head as others don't have the same issue.
The ONLY issue with CC for me is uneven burn on some CC


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CA is, by and large, a shill for their advertisers. I'm talking about articles and scoring, not the obvious layout ads.

As to CCs, I think to a large extent that these articles, if you're representing them properly, have it exactly backward.

Cuban quality is nowhere near that of your average boutique NC company -- Warped, CH, Roma, Illusione -- and if you want to try to compare CC quality to a big player like Fuente? I will literally laugh in your face.

Have you BEEN to Cuba? For all intents and purposes, it is 1950 there. I was in a tobacco field in Pinar del Rio 10 days ago, and a farmer was plowing with oxen. It's 20 goddamn 17! Oxen!

Again, I am not saying that Oxen produces a better or worse cigar -- it certainly produces cigars less efficiently -- but don't go touting the high-tech, 21st century Cuban tobacco machine as a reason for quality :) The articles you reference (if they're the ones I read) are very typical of propaganda: tell them it's all wonderful and uses the most modern methods, etc., and meanwhile you've got leaf arriving at the back in a hose-drawn cart.

Having said that.

Cuban cigars are different. If you've smoked a lot of CCs and NCs, they have a different profile. I didn't used to think so, but I also didn't used to smoke a lot of CCs. Now I enjoy them at a 4-1 rate compared to NCs. I still do my best to try most every NC I can get my hands on, but I no longer buy them by the box, and the only times I do are at IPCPR (and after) and when I go to my B&M, so I can help them stay in business. All other times, I've got a CC in my hand or mouth. I have a small closely held list of NCs that tend to deliver, for me. The rest? Meh.

CCs are not better. They're different. Until you put 4-5 years of age on them. Then, they're kind of just better...
CC is different, and better. The aging just puts them light years ahead of NC. I agree CA, rates cigars based on advertising no doubt. It's a joke that some NC get ratings over 90, I have smoked some of them and are like this is 95? Example is CAO big block 770 is rated in the high 90s and the cigar is good but please, my honest opinion it's around an 87 at best. I smoke all NC and CC but probably do so at a 3 CC to 1 ratio. I just love tobacco and nicotine. I have been going through 3 cans of chew per day as well. I have noticed that Cuban cigars have a deep richness that has yet to be matched by any NC. This rich, earthy flavor is what the NC lacks and I personally guess it's due to the soil, weather, humidity of Cuba. It's analogous to marijuana from humbolt compared to other outdoor crap.


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My Father cigars leaving me wondering what the deal is. I haven't had them all, but the ones I've had were mediocre.


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CC is different, and better. The aging just puts them light years ahead of NC. I agree CA, rates cigars based on advertising no doubt. It's a joke that some NC get ratings over 90, I have smoked some of them and are like this is 95? Example is CAO big block 770 is rated in the high 90s and the cigar is good but please, my honest opinion it's around an 87 at best. I smoke all NC and CC but probably do so at a 3 CC to 1 ratio. I just love tobacco and nicotine. I have been going through 3 cans of chew per day as well. I have noticed that Cuban cigars have a deep richness that has yet to be matched by any NC. This rich, earthy flavor is what the NC lacks and I personally guess it's due to the soil, weather, humidity of Cuba. It's analogous to marijuana from humbolt compared to other outdoor crap.


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I've seen a buch of smokers start out smoking NC and switch to CC. I have yet to see someone start out smoking CC and switch to NC. There must be a reason for this.
Great point, NEVER met someone that started CC then converted to straight NC. Why would anyone do this unless paid to switch for a job or something


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ChuckMejia

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Great point, NEVER met someone that started CC then converted to straight NC. Why would anyone do this unless paid to switch for a job or something


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Ive had some Terrible NCs along with some Terrible CCs... theres a balance to be kept for sure

I have known a few people who made their way back to NCs partially. Most CC snobs won't admit it, but there are plenty of garbage cigars in the cuban world... same goes for the non cuban world.... people just suck at being honest.

So many 2016 dated boxes that were pure garbage out of Cuba.

But one thing i am sick of is CBL.
 
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Ive had some Terrible NCs along with some Terrible CCs... theres a balance to be kept for sure

I have known a few people who made their way back to NCs partially. Most CC snobs won't admit it, but there are plenty of garbage cigars in the cuban world... same goes for the non cuban world.... people just suck at being honest.

So many 2016 dated boxes that were pure garbage out of Cuba.

But one thing i am sick of is CBL.
What's CBL?
 
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Living in Alberta, I can tell you from recent history that the total taxes I would pay could be more like 300%-350%. So for $100 box, I'd be looking at an additional $300.I phoned CSBC to tell them it was a mistake. They informed me it wasn't. In Canada, Alberta has the highest taxes on cigars. I am surprised Bruce gets his for that low. I can't even recall all the ridiculous taxes CSBC told me would apply. He only mentioned the more expensive ones.
Hey, I'm the GM of 16 stores across Alberta. You are correct, our effective tobacco taxes work out to about 372% these days. It has to do with the fact that our PTT (Provincial Tobacco Tax) is a multiplier of the Federal excise tax, and then 129% on top of that with a capped rate of $7.83. Which essentially means $7.83 on every cigar plus Federal excise.
It's so high now that when we fly back from Cuba, we fly through Toronto to save 200% on taxes.
 
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I miss these lively discussions
What are we waiting for?!? Let’s get it started!

‘17/‘18/‘19 have been some of the best quality in the last decade out of Cuba. I have some ‘13 boxes that are coming around that pale (visually) to the new stuff coming in...


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