The new boom?
- Thread starter Jwrussell
- Start date
From what I read, many of the old cuban cigar makers that fled and are still alive, long for the day they can go back. I think they will expand and we may even see some mixing. The legal ramifications may be severe but in reality we are living with two Montecristos, two, H. Upmann' etc today comfortably around the rest of the world.hootgibson said:
Things will definetly change when and if the embargo is over... the question is how much farming land is left in Cuba for many of these individuals to go back to??? my guess is that there is not much, yea they still might own land but there is no way that they all do... I dont know, it will be extremely interesting when it occurrs
I have always wondered if the non cuban cigar makers would or are trying to keep the embargo in place? How badly would they be hurt initially if the embargo were lifted. What would the long term effects be?
From reading this thread, several thoughts come to mind: a. When Fidel takes a well-deserved dirt nap, not too much will change, from what I understand, his brother and his son are at least as whacked and dangerous as he is.
b. As far as the problem of there being ISOM and NC versions of a certain stick, it can be handled through one of the companies becoming the parent company(probably Altadis or General) and the other source being a subdivision. I could see the day when you see Sancho Panza Premium and Sancho Panza Regular, with the premium being whatever is considered to be the superior smoke.
c. Cuba has been growing tobacco (and sugar cane) on long-standing plots without the benefits of proper crop rotation and proper chemical agents to replenish lost ingredients in the soil. I am sure that they can create more farm land, but it will take time. Possibly we will find that ISOM's are enjoyed because they are the forbidden fruit, and not because they are superior to the product produced by the expatriates.
I realize that this has been a long post, sorry for that. These are just my gut reactions. Paul
b. As far as the problem of there being ISOM and NC versions of a certain stick, it can be handled through one of the companies becoming the parent company(probably Altadis or General) and the other source being a subdivision. I could see the day when you see Sancho Panza Premium and Sancho Panza Regular, with the premium being whatever is considered to be the superior smoke.
c. Cuba has been growing tobacco (and sugar cane) on long-standing plots without the benefits of proper crop rotation and proper chemical agents to replenish lost ingredients in the soil. I am sure that they can create more farm land, but it will take time. Possibly we will find that ISOM's are enjoyed because they are the forbidden fruit, and not because they are superior to the product produced by the expatriates.
I realize that this has been a long post, sorry for that. These are just my gut reactions. Paul
I don't think so Taltos. I don't know how you would quantify this, but I'm pretty sure you don't see NC cigars blowing out Cuban's in those places where both can be obtained legally. Granted the NC market is much larger, but that has as much to do with the sheer quantity of NC smokes produced as anything else.taltos said:
It's all a matter of taste, but there is a reason Cubans have been considered the epitomy of cigars since well before the embargo. Just my .002.
smokem94
BoM Sept. 05
The majority of the long term members including myself would totally disagree with the statement that Cuban Cigars are enjoyed because they are forbidden fruit. They are, in fact superior to MOST of the NC's. Additionally, they are cheaper and more readily available than the premium NC's.taltos said:
MichiganM
The One, The Only
I'd also have to notch up one for Cubans. Regardless of whether some of it is a mental thing, the majority of it is taste. They have less tannin after a few years and definitely lack the metallic aftertaste I get with MOST non-cubans. However I will usually take a Padron 64 over almost any cigar. But the non-cubans that are truly superior to many cubans are few and far between.
Regardless, the above is just my view. Cigars are a thing of one's individual taste. I am not arguing with your statement taltos, as you expressed an opinion, not a fact. Cuban cigars better vs. not better is an opinion..and not factually proveable. However, I simply prefer most cubans...even though they can be a pain in the ass to sit in for a few years.
Regardless, the above is just my view. Cigars are a thing of one's individual taste. I am not arguing with your statement taltos, as you expressed an opinion, not a fact. Cuban cigars better vs. not better is an opinion..and not factually proveable. However, I simply prefer most cubans...even though they can be a pain in the ass to sit in for a few years.
I definitely agree with this. It is making it very tough to continue enjoying many of the premium NC's. Why buy Hemingway Signatures, Classics, Opus-X or 1964 Exclusivos when one can get boxes of '02 Series A, '02 Des Dieux or '02 R&J Churchills for less, RIGHT NOW, just to put forth a few examples as of this writing? These can be had without waiting for {insert favorite vendor here} to "finally get some in". I am certainly an advocate of "smoke what you enjoy", but the simple fact is, right now, Habanos are, generally speaking, a far better value than any of the premium NC's, given of course, that you enjoy both equally. If you happen to favor CC's as your preferred smoke, then it is simply no contest; the NC's cannot compete on any basis, be it flavor profile, cost or availability.smokem94 said:
MichiganM
The One, The Only
Great point Fox! However, I'd like to add that what you said is only applicable when you're comparing ultra premium non-cuban cigars to regular production cuban cigars. Not really all that fair of an argument. You compare ultra-premium cuban cigars to ultra-premium non-cuban cigars then it's more of a fair fight. I'm talkin EL's and most high end Cohiba's. This is exactly what I'm talking about when I say cuban cigars are always looked at differently. I don't know why people don't compare apples to apples when speaking of cigars from different sections of the world. The only thing different about Cuban cigars is the soil and climate...they taste great I'll give you that...but all I'm saying is compare apples to apples.Fox said:
cvm4
BoM - July '05 & Dec. '10
I believe he was trying to say that he could enjoy a cuban cigar that costs half of what a PAM/OPUS/VSG cigar would cost. I think it was a great point by Fox and that's one reason I switched over. I was getting tired of buying the uber premium n/c's so I started buying PC's for more then 1/2 the cost of what I used to pay.
MichiganM
The One, The Only
Yeah...but comparing a Opus X to a Mag 46 isn't fair. Mag 46 is your everyday cuban. Compare it to a CAO Brazilia on the non-cuban side. A Cuban version of an Opus X DC for example would be like a Cohiba Sublime. Regardless of how you feel about a cuban cigar's flavor, it's not apples to apples that way.cvm4 said: