IceShark

May as well push some topics back off into the back pages of obscurity as I can't find it and everyone seems to ask about what to do about the next hangnail, which has been beaten to death, without bothering to look at the archives.

I was down there in ~ '93 scuba diving. Only smoked the Cohiba brand, which was pretty damn good. The kids would chase after the paper name ring if you tossed it off. Furthermore, you know these brands are elusive as snake oil. Ask the roller/press man which brand he is making. LOL!

I like the smaller diameter ones, not Churchill . The shop we bought them from had a big photo array of ARNOLD coming in their shop to buy cigars, off his interrupted shoot in mexico of "Predator".

Anyway, I can't figure out why the Cubano cigars are so much better, but it is a fact that they are.

ram_one

The cubanos are indeed much better than most of the other stuff out there. There are two or three non-cuban brands that make the grade, but that's about it.
I'd rate the Padron Anniversario series, the Opus X brand, and the Ashton Cabinet Virgin Sun Grown smokes as the only equals to a good cuban.
I've been lucky enough to know friends that visit family in Cuba and they've been able to bring back a box or two so my humidor has been pretty well stocked.
This is why I've offered these Churchills here. My humidor is full and I have no need for them.

my944

Here's an obscure fact: the best cigar wrappers in the world (the outside leaf) are from Connecticut! No kidding!

One of my favorite non-Cuban cigars is "The Griffin", Robusto size, from the DR.

PrerYDoG

I enjoy cigars that are bold in taste without being bitter (only way I can really describe the taste). My major problem is, and maybe I'm smoking the wrong cigar, but the after taste / film it leaves in my mouth and throat ruins any other pleasant aromatic and tasty substance I may have for the next two days.

Can't they do something about that?

ram_one

Dog,
You've got to drink lots of water while smoking. Having a spitoon handy doesn't hurt either.

IceShark

The DR doesn't quite match up, in my opinion. And the Cuban aren't bitter, which can be a problem. They are smooth as silk.

Ramon is right on drinking a bunch of something and spitting it out. I'm a smoker to begin with so should have a high tolerance of nicotine. But even I got a bit high the first time I smoked one and let that stuff stick on my mouth. No inhale either. Right before we climbed into some crazy Russian contracption they called a plane, something like Illania, as I recall. The engine blew up on attempted startup. We jumped out pretty fast as the flames spread! <img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" />