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Blend changes since mid 2000's ?

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I haven't bought Cuban cigars since my last trip to Cuba in 2006. For no other reason than I felt like I just had enough cigars at that point. I had what i wanted and what i wanted to age and had a lot of them.
So, circumstances beyond my control brought me back into the buying game. I've been reading or hearing in peoples review videos that they feel the blends have become weaker overall and that means the cigars are more approachable with less age. Not really what I'm hoping for to be honest but just curious on others opinions.
A few years ago I did buy a few singles from the LCDH in Cancun when I was there. Stuff I knew I liked already. H Upmann mag 46 and 50's. Both were good but the 50's were excellent. Partagas SD'4's and a few cohibas. To be honest they all smoked pretty well and I didn't really notice a difference. This was probably 2015 ish stock. I wasn't really putting any up for agin either although I do still have a couple of the 50's left.

While we are at it I might as well ask another ? Whats with all the ER and LE's and LCDH's ? 1st of all, are they even worth it? Are they really that much better than regular production that you pay twice as much for less than 1/2 the cigars? Then there's the claim that only 5 or 6k boxes are being produced but 7-10 years later there is still recent production of them.. Some boxes are numbered 0-6000 others are not. Like the RA superiors 5000 boxes, have no numbered boxes but La Gloria Cubana which has a production of 50,000 do have numbered boxes..The Royal Robusto is another one. Only 5000 boxes made but readily available 9 years later. LOL. It seems like maybe a decision was made to keep producing?? It is Cuba after all and if they can squeeze another dollar out of anything they will. I'm actually ok with it as lone as 1) the blend from the original release stays the same and 2) they remain affordable.
Affordable its subjective of course. In the case of the Royal Ribustos I guess for me, I have to decide if 3 boxes of royal robustos will give me more pleasure than 1 box of mag 46 or 50's.
I'd be interested to hear others thoughts on this. Which ones have been worth the extra money, which ones were duds.
 

icehog3

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I like some of the REs but ifthere is something that interests me, I will buy a fiver and try them out. I'd rather end up paying a little higher price on the secondary market for something I know I like than to buy boxes of REs and find they're not in my wheelhouse.

Not many of the ELs have tempted me the last several years. I did like the Bolivar Super Coronas, the Punch Regios del Punch and a few others but I avoid most of 'em.

For me the biggest deterrent now is the big RG that almost all the REs. When one comes out in a ring gauge of 42 or less, I'm taking a look.
 
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Yea those big ring gauges don't do it for me either. I love the corona gorda and robust sizes. Over 50 RG though and it's just uncomfortable for me to smoke. It just doesn't feel right trying to draw on something that big.
My experience with LE's is limited to 2000-2006. The Partagas Pyramides and Monte robustos were clearly the best from the 2000 release. In 2001 the Partagas D3 and Cohiba sublime were excellent. Those were clearly different blends from the norm and although slightly more expensive, probably worth every penny.
The Le sort of loses it's appeal to me when they do so well and then become a regular production cigar to Habanos SA. Unless they use a different blend the LE is no longer an LE.
 

Cigary43

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A lot this is about brand loyalty and experience...my loyalty with the Cohiba brand goes back over 20 years...Partagas,,,RASS....just to name a few consistent brands. If a brand starts to suck it doesn't take long for hobbyists to out them.
 
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A lot this is about brand loyalty and experience...my loyalty with the Cohiba brand goes back over 20 years...Partagas,,,RASS....just to name a few consistent brands. If a brand starts to suck it doesn't take long for hobbyists to out them.
Brands that I am attracted to as well :).
Party SD4's and shorts are staples. I have heard good things about the P-2 and e-2 so am looking forward to trying them some day. The Salamones were always nice with some age but you really have to be in the mood to go the distance with one of them. :).. Cant remember ever having a presidente but it seems like with age the profile is something I would enjoy

Coro's and the entire sig line as well as lancero's. My preferences in the chiba line other than some of the older LE pyramides

Upmann, mag 46 and #2 were my favorites. An occasional SW. I did enjoy the mag 50's as well so if anything happens to the 46 at least I have options..

Rass and PLPC's are other staples that I need to stock up on if recent production hasn't changed.

Icehog3, I was looking at those punch Regios as well. :)
 

StogieNinja

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I love the HURR, but the price point is pretty good, especially on sale. Once the price point gets over $10, the value diminishes for me, I don’t think the LEs and REs are all that exciting except as novelty.

I will say since you mentioned them that I had recent Party shorts (‘18 I think) that were phenomenal, I smoked most of a cab last summer and just ordered another box.

And personally, the Connie 1 has been a solid go to as long as I’ve been smoking, and it’s priced well. I may prefer them to the Mag46.

Oh, and Punch Punch have been amazing. The 2018 smoked even better than my 2014 cab, which were incredible.
 
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I can only speak about a few RE’s and can’t say anything about EL’s, but so far the LCDH (and Habanos specialist) sticks I’ve had have impressed me - they feel like a natural extension of the rest of the marca, except the RyJ cedros de luxe, which is overwhelmingly cedary and kinda harsh. I’ve liked all the rest though - many are priced decent enough, and come in 10 count boxes so it’s a lot easier to pull the trigger on a box when you catch them on sale
 
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I love the HURR, but the price point is pretty good, especially on sale. Once the price point gets over $10, the value diminishes for me, I don’t think the LEs and REs are all that exciting except as novelty.

I will say since you mentioned them that I had recent Party shorts (‘18 I think) that were phenomenal, I smoked most of a cab last summer and just ordered another box.

And personally, the Connie 1 has been a solid go to as long as I’ve been smoking, and it’s priced well. I may prefer them to the Mag46.

Oh, and Punch Punch have been amazing. The 2018 smoked even better than my 2014 cab, which were incredible.
I have some connie 1's on the way. :). Party shorts as well. They have never done me wrong. :).
 

Rupe

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I can only speak about a few RE’s and can’t say anything about EL’s, but so far the LCDH (and Habanos specialist) sticks I’ve had have impressed me - they feel like a natural extension of the rest of the marca, except the RyJ cedros de luxe, which is overwhelmingly cedary and kinda harsh. I’ve liked all the rest though - many are priced decent enough, and come in 10 count boxes so it’s a lot easier to pull the trigger on a box when you catch them on sale
I totally agree with @multi-useless.

Every LCDH release I have had tried has been quite good and the prices are generally not exorbitantly higher than the standard line like many of the ELs can be.
 
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Personally I'd go with the smaller RG regular production. The ER and LE and now Cohiba are overpriced and you get more bang for you buck with the other lines.
Thats a great point.. My plan going forward is to basically to do just that with few exceptions.. Anything that is available in Cuba at a discount I will buy and accumulate there. Get a locker and just store it there until I am ready to bring it home.
 
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