As I sit here and pull off of this Montecristo Edmundo Tubo from Cuba, I think to myself “Did I come up too fast?” meaning, was I spoiled by top shelf cigars too early in my cigar smoking, ummmm “career” — for lack of better term? I sip this cigar and can taste a wonderful amount of flavors and nuances not present in most cigars that are made away from Cuba.
When I first started smoking cigars again a few years ago, I used to head into the humidor and grab things like Rocky Patel Vintage 1990, CAO MX2, Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic, and La Flor Dominicana Especiales. All of these are GOOD cigars by todays standard in the world of NC’s (Non-Cuban). I was quickly shown CC’s were available, if you knew where to look.
It did not take long before I received some CC’s. A box of Bolivar Petite Coronas and a box of Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure #1. Oh would you look at that I thought as I opened the box, they sent a cabinet (50 sticks instead of 25 which is present in a “box”) of Bolivar Petite Coronas. I was ecstatic. I could not wait to fire up my recent acquisitions.
Anyway back on the ACTUAL topic. I have gotten to the point where for every 10 or 15 CC’s I smoke, I will smoke 2 or 3 NC’s. I hear all these people raving about how great some of these Non Cubans are that come out, I try them and am seldom impressed, most of the time I get them as a freebie from a rep and I smoke 1/3 of it and then smoke a CC instead. NC’s stopped delivering for me a long time ago it seems, which kind of sucks seeing as the legality of CC’s is well, not existent, but many would be surprised to know they cost quite a bit less than NC’s.
It sucks to go into a cigar shop that’s not West Coast or Knickerbockers and be expected to buy something I don’t enjoy. I know I am expected to patronize, but allow me to purchase a punch or something of equal value and smoke my own cigars. Then we can both be happy. I am also faced with a dilemma at work from time to time, people pick out sticks that I think are horrible and ask me “are these good?”, my usual reply ” a lot of people have smoked them and seem to enjoy them”. I do make an effort to try new stuff in the NC world as it comes out, but it’s seldom worth what it cost.
It also sucks pretty hard when I show up to work and forget a cigar or two from home and am forced to get something out of humidor to smoke. I find myself looking for 20 to 30 minutes and sometimes not finding anything and just not smoking. I wish I had not come up so fast, so I could still appreciate the offerings which my employer provides in the humidor. Oh well, I’m a picky fuck.
So are you like me? Do you ignore the ones that were tried and true to you for so long because the taste of the Dark Side has made you realize the good cigar tobacco is where it started (in Cuba) and not in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, or Honduras like all of the NC manufacturers claim? Some call me a cigar snob and some people call me a connoisseur. I’m neither, I just know what I like and when I am relaxing and enjoying a fine cigar, I want it to be something that makes me appreciate the fact I am smoking it, I wish all cigars did that for me — but they don’t.
The most important thing to realize when enjoying a fine cigar is “smoke what you like, and like what you smoke!”
5 Comments to “In the world of cigars, I came up too fast!”
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Smokin Gator says:
Nicely done D. I know exactly what you mean. I am down to just a handful of NC that I enjoy smoking, but I know it is worse for you due to work. I really liked the way you handle the question of how a particular stick is.
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Dark side did hit me and I do blame someone…
I do still enjoy a lot of my old favs just not as much while some of the smokes I liked are retired. I think tastes change and you grow to pick up more the more you smoke.
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Alex says:
I don’t think it’s that you came up too fast in the cigar world. It’s just you came up the right way
People’s tastes change and yours would have too, whether it would have been sooner or later. Personally, I tend to smoke my NC’s (except a select few) when I know I don’t have time to smoke a full thing so that I won’t mind pitching it if I have to.Also, you mention “work” we discussed this already. In the future, do not refer to it as work, thank you. :p
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Pete says:
I’ll take this as a warning – to enjoy all the cheap cigars NOW before I develop too much of a taste for the good (or dark side) stuff.
No, I smoke pipes now :p
but yes, I prefer a boli PC over any NC I’ve ever had.. Although the Ashton ESG, despite the price, is a pretty dang good cigar