Don Carlos #3

[BoneYard]

So,- I’ve enjoyed both CC and NCs alike over the last 30 years. But, I’ve been away from NCs for like 6-7 years, as CCs were all that interested me during that time.

So now that Habanos has left a big fat sloppy shit in the bed, I’m getting back into NCs with renewed interest. Im Seriously considering a box of these #3s but thought I’d check you guys first as I’m basically buying blind it’s been so long.

or any other quality suggestions, Im looking for a 5”-5.6” cigar at 42-46rg for $8 or less after discounts. Prefer em without too much earth or pepper. Leather and spice is more my thing. Not bothered about wrapper color. TIA Botl.

 

[Jakethesnake]

Somewhere in or below that price. Herrera esteli original is unique. I like the Brazil maduro from them too. Honestly I like basically everything from them. One of those cigars that when I run out I do buy over and over.
I know for sure they have some corona gorda sizes.

 

[BoneYard]

Oh yea, l remember those, I liked the Herrera Estelis. Didn’t know they’ve since added a Brazilian Maduro so I will for sure pick one up to try. Thanks Jake

 

[Capn_Jackson]

I’ve recently gotten into the Tatuaje Havana VI line. There is a “Verocu” variant of the Havana VI, which I like a lot, but to me it’s slightly more “peppery” than the original line. The original Havana VI, in the Hermoso cut, gives me a tiny bit of pepper at first. That fades to a really sweet spice, and almost a sweet iced tea with notes of caramel, for the rest of the smoke. Absolutely delicious, to me. Different taste buds might think differently, too. It’s worth a shot. The Havana VI “Hermoso” is 5 5/8” x 46rg, right about the size you’re looking for. They’re around $6-$8 apiece too, usually.

Good luck, mate!

 

[Jakethesnake]

I gotta agree with that. They’re good smokes. Sorta fit the bill I think you’re looking for

 

[BoneYard]

That’s sounds a winner Capn, and I do love a CG.

Was never a fan boy per se, but I’ve had plenty of good tats before and that sounds right up my alley. Thanks for the Suggestion

 

[MikeNice]

So,- I’ve enjoyed both CC and NCs alike over the last 30 years. But, I’ve been away from NCs for like 6-7 years, as CCs were all that interested me during that time.

So now that Habanos has left a big fat sloppy shit in the bed, I’m getting back into NCs with renewed interest. Im Seriously considering a box of these #3s but thought I’d check you guys first as I’m basically buying blind it’s been so long.

or any other quality suggestions, Im looking for a 5”-5.6” cigar at 42-46rg for $8 or less after discounts. Prefer em without too much earth or pepper. Leather and spice is more my thing. Not bothered about wrapper color. TIA Botl.

The Don Carlos are really the only Fuente cigars I buy these days. In that line the 3 and 4 are my favorites. I would say it is more toast, cedar, and spice. I don't get much leather from them.

 

[MikeNice]

That’s sounds a winner Capn, and I do love a CG.

Was never a fan boy per se, but I’ve had plenty of good tats before and that sounds right up my alley. Thanks for the Suggestion

If you want to try a Tatuaje that runs in a different direction try the Tiff Skinny Monster. I would rare it as one of my favorite Connecticut cigars. I haven't tried the lanceros, but I fully enjoyed the Cazadores even during my "I hate Connecticut cigars" phase.

 

[BoneYard]

Thanks Mike! I know many absolutely love a lancero, but it’s not my favorite vitola. Might have been a series of bad luck but personally had more problems with the size than benefits. Petite corona to a corona gorda is where I like em. Appreciate the suggestions very much.

Fuente will always have my ear, I’ve had great examples from them over the decades.

 

[highsierrasmokin']

Try a Illusione La Grande Classe Rex. Only 4 7/8" but a damn excellent smoke!

 

[Jakethesnake]

Forgot about that one. It’s a winner.

 

[Tacket]

DC #3 and #4 definitely two of my GG favorite smokes. Rojas Bluebonnet also comes in a traditional Corona size and is quite good.

Sent from my SM-G996U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Groucho]

I have a thread somewhere here, similar in regards to how the DON CARLOS flavor profile has changed since the 90s to now. I was asking if anyone else experienced that.

I started smoking cigars around 1990 mostly Macanudos and then expanded to Cuba Aliados, Puros Indios, Padron, Bahia, Avo..... and then one day in 1996 a tobacco shop recommended a AF Don Carlos and I never looked back to another domestic cigar.

I tried a few Opus X here and there, they were very good but the DC was superior according to my taste buds. I moved to Cuban cigars right around the same time in '96 but still smoked an occasional DC #3 or Robusto up until around 2000 and then exclusively Cuban cigars only.

Just before the pandemic I got my hands on a few recent DC#3s and Robustos, for old time sake. After about 6 months and then a year of age I decided to take them for a spin, but they just were not the same, flavor wise - they seemed to be more subdued. Maybe it was my taste buds or the fact that I have aged 25 years. So I asked around.

Due to the slap in the face by Habanos SA I think alot of us are looking to reacquaint with Dominican/Nicaraguan and Honduran smokes. I recently purchased a box of DC Robustos that I have not smoked yet.

Thanks to this forum I am also getting my hands on 5 packs of Oliva, Drew Estate, Ashton. In order to sample and see where this domestic hunt leads. A friend of mine who was/is a Cuban cigar smoking fiend swears that there are comparable domestic, loaded with flavor and better burning, and definativemente cheaper smokes

 

[Groucho]

In short I am strongly recommending the Don Carlos #3

 

[BoneYard]

Try a Illusione La Grande Classe Rex. Only 4 7/8" but a damn excellent smoke!

Funny you should say that, after I saw it recommended on another thread, I immediately read up on it and put it on the list. I look forward to it, thanks

In short I am strongly recommending the Don Carlos #3

Nice, it’s what I gravitated to first having been out of the loop for a bit, but first hand Knowledge of recent production from someone that’s had a similar cigar to history to my own is great to hear. thanks

 

[Groucho]

Thanks Mike! I know many absolutely love a lancero, but it’s not my favorite vitola. Might have been a series of bad luck but personally had more problems with the size than benefits. Petite corona to a corona gorda is where I like em. Appreciate the suggestions very much.

I am on a similar quest for domestic smokes that can satisfy, while cutting back on Cuban Cigar purchases and "rationing" my Cubans for more special occasions.

My comfort range is Corona to Corona Gorda, but an occasional Robusto is always welcome - I guess my perfect size would be 6 1/4" X 45

What I am finding on the domestic front is a lot of highly reputable Dominican/Nicaraguan smokes have the majority of their vitolas in larger formats. Or maybe that is what is available because the smoking public is becoming aware that slimmer ring gauges somehow offer better flavor(not sure why, but it's true). I'm seeing 52-60 rings on about 5-7 vitolas and only one Corona Gorda in the lineup which is usually sold out.

I am going to start a thread in the next few weeks but this past week I purchased 10 different smokes, 5 packs, Drew Estates, Tatuaje, My Father, Ashton, Oliva and a few others I can't remember, I just always used to hear these names on forums or on websites and they would go in one ear and out the other. They weren't Cubans so who cared?

Now I am seemingly starting to pay attention. Will be on a quest to find some smokes that are worthy. We'll always have Don Carlos, but it would be nice to find something that really stands up and doesn't cost a king's ransom.

 

[BoneYard]

Nice Groucho, I’ll keep an eye out for your reviews. You know it’s weird, I’ve had great fat cigars and great thin cigars, in the end I think a lot of it comes down to hand feel. My linebacker pal hates small cigars because they don’t feel right in his hand or mouth, 60+rg is all he smokes. I’m about half his size and those huge cigars just feel cumbersome and awkward to me. I also like small cigars because I don’t feel like I’m sacrificing flavor in the least and don’t feel as cost-conscious about smoking 2-3 a day.

 

[MikeNice]

I am on a similar quest for domestic smokes that can satisfy, while cutting back on Cuban Cigar purchases and "rationing" my Cubans for more special occasions.

My comfort range is Corona to Corona Gorda, but an occasional Robusto is always welcome - I guess my perfect size would be 6 1/4" X 45

What I am finding on the domestic front is a lot of highly reputable Dominican/Nicaraguan smokes have the majority of their vitolas in larger formats. Or maybe that is what is available because the smoking public is becoming aware that slimmer ring gauges somehow offer better flavor(not sure why, but it's true). I'm seeing 52-60 rings on about 5-7 vitolas and only one Corona Gorda in the lineup which is usually sold out.

I am going to start a thread in the next few weeks but this past week I purchased 10 different smokes, 5 packs, Drew Estates, Tatuaje, My Father, Ashton, Oliva and a few others I can't remember, I just always used to hear these names on forums or on websites and they would go in one ear and out the other. They weren't Cubans so who cared?

Now I am seemingly starting to pay attention. Will be on a quest to find some smokes that are worthy. We'll always have Don Carlos, but it would be nice to find something that really stands up and doesn't cost a king's ransom.

The smoking public is moving towards thicker cigars in America. I remember watching a video where Perdomo basically said most of his cigars are 50+ ring gauge because that was what customers kept telling him they wanted. The owner of Alex Bradley said he use to make all of his test blends in either 46 or 48, but he now blends a size up because of the demand for thicker cigars. Finally, Jeff from Amendola Family Cigars said the core line are all Toros because that was what sold best for him.

I think smaller ring gauges are usually made by boutique brands catering to "aficionados" and legacy brands trying to keep smokers that started before the bigger ring gauge take over. Smaller ring gauge probably gets a more limited production compared to the big smokes. So, when they sell out they aren't restocked as fast.

 

[Alwayslit]

Great morning smoke with coffee.

 

[BoneYard]

with Cuban cigars, a lot of old timers say the thinner cigars taste better than the big ones. That could be true or it could be they are just used to a certain size. As new smokers came to the table and wanted more fashionable, bigger cigars, a dispute sort of broke out between what’s better. There is the thought among many that the larger cigars are basically the same blend as the smaller ones except stuffed with more volado leaves to bulk them up and then double the price. I wouldn’t put anything passed Habanos, but, If it’s true, there is some great tasting volado out there.
Cigar size, in my humble opinion, is driven by what’s fashionable at the time. My experience tells me the chances of finding a good cigar in a box of Cubans is the same regardless of size or expense or Marca. A box of Coros have equal chance of including a superb cigar as a box RG pc’s. Once I came to that realization, I couldn’t justify the expense for the same odds.
I would just say don’t be biased, you cut yourself out of too many good things. Big cigars , small cigars it really doesn’t matter, it’s what feels good in the hand that matters most -if you ask me.