Since my last cigar post was closed, I’ll rephrase the question. What would you consider to be the best cigar available to purchase in either northern Mexico or over the internet? The only high quality cigar that I’ve had would be a Coheba that my stepfather got me from a cruize to Cozumel. I thought it was pretty damn good, but I’ve heard that they’re not the best. Any recommendations on other cigars/how much they cost/where to buy them, assuming that you’ve even had something better than a Coheba?
Off to IMHO.
I like Arturo Fuente double-chateaus better than (Dominican) Cohibas.
I went to Puerto Vallarta a couple years back. At the Sam’s Club, they were selling half-price boxes of Mexican cigars called Andreas. And they were remarkably good – I’ve had my share of Cuban Cohibas, Romeo y Juliettas and Partagas. But they didn’t sell them when I went back to PV this year. They might be available in the North.
Try La Gloria Cubana. LGC’s are really tasty.
I prefer the richer, sweeter kinds of cigars to the hot, spicy cigars. That means I generally prefer Maduro-wrapped Hondurans or something like that.
This is really a personal preference issue. I don’t think there is one ‘best’ cigar. If there were, it would probably be the Cohiba Esplendido, since that’s the one people rave about the most. But if you don’t like Cuban cigars, you won’t like it.
Well, my personal favorites are the Padron Anniversarios, especially the Exclusivo and Diplimatico Maduros. These might be tough to find over the internet or in Mexico, though. I also recommend the CAO Cameroons (Churchill, Robusto), Punch (Dominican) Gran Cru #2, and I would second the Chateau Fuentes (get the natural for a nice mild flavor).
Among Cubans, I especially like Montecristos (never developed a taste for Cohibas). The #1 is very good, the #4 is good and cost effective, the #2 . . . well, good luck finding it.
I was recommended the Anniversarios on another board. I’ve found many of the listed brands on http://secure.thompsoncigar.com/category.asp?cartid=uqfr2302&CID=3.
It has boxes of 20 Double Fuentes for $102. Does that sound like a good price? They also have the LGC’s, but I’m not sure which ones to look into.
Also, lets say hypothetically that someone were to be in Mexico and wanted to take some cigars into the US. What cigar would probably have the highest resale value?
Are you sure that’s a hypothetical question, BabaBooey? I could be wrong, but with a question like that, it sounds to me like you’re planning something along those lines.
Anyway. You should know that with only a few exceptions, Mexico doesn’t have a great reputation for legitimate Cuban cigars. You can find out more at the website and the forums at Cigar Aficionado. A word of warning for their forums: don’t ask for mail-order sources for Cuban cigars. The posters there are pretty helpful otherwise, though.
I agree that it really is a question of preferences, and for my preferences, among the non-Cubans, I agree with the others about Padron Anniversarios. Avo XO is another favourite, as are Henry Clays (both the H2000 and the maduro broadleaf). When it comes to Cubans, I like Bolivar (any size), the Romeo y Julieta Cedros line, and for something a little milder, Fonseca Cosacos.
$102 for a box of 20 double-chateau Arturo Fuentes sounds pretty good. The smoke shop at the makk sells them for like $10 each. I think I paid $8 for the last few.
Too bad I gave up smoking a couple of weeks ago!
Do not buy any cuban cigars in Mexico 99% fake…Stay away from buying cuban cigars unless you know what you are doing…IMHO you can’t go wrong with any fuente or padron cigar on the market…for online sources try holts.com or jrcigars.com or mikescigars.com cheapest prices and best selection…and for the best cigar info on the net go to cigarfamily.com…
“A word of warning for their forums: don’t ask for mail-order sources for Cuban cigars. The posters there are pretty helpful otherwise, though.”
So what, it’s like the steroid boards where they get angry asking for sources as a newby, but after time you get a couple of emails with prices on imports?
Thanks for the advice on the fake Mexican info, although I must say that I enjoyed the Cahiba that my stepfather brought in. It was a single that was enclosed in a clear plastic case, if that means anything regarding it’s legitimacy.
A cohiba in a clear plastic case is with out a doubt fake…But if you enjoyed it that is all that matters…
Agreed. No Cohiba comes in any glass or plastic case or box. As has been stated the number of fakes in Mexico is outrageous. If you can get to a La Casa de Habanos you’re more likely to get the real thing. If you’re looking to impress any Cohiba will do or the Montecristo #2 (torpedo). Of course these are the most frequently faked cigars on the planet. Without fairly extensive experience it is very difficult to distinguish real from fake Cuban cigars (or so I’ve heard).
=)
As also has been stated there are some very nice non Cuban cigars. For the newcomer I would recommend a brand called Montesino (made by the Fuentes), Padron (their Anniversario line is a bit richer and is very well regarded), and CAO (I loved the old L’Anniversaire line and I like their Brazilia line).
For sheer label impact go for Opus X (hard to find and very strong nowadays), Davidoff (smooth and fairly mild) or Padron Anniversario (can also be hard to find - rich and flavorful). I personally recommend the Fuente Don Carlos (rich and flavorful) line as well.
Maybe it is. I’m unfamiliar with steroid boards, but as far as cigar boards go, it’s because Cuban cigars (and for that matter, all goods of Cuban origin) are illegal in the United States. They (the posters over there) have no way of knowing if you are really looking for sources, or are some kind of American agent looking to intercept their shipments from overseas suppliers and charge the person to whom they are addressed, if possible.
Stay there for awhile, get to know the folks, establish a sense of trust with them, and perhaps one or two will share their source with you via e-mail. No guarantees though.
I’d be leery of any Cohiba “in a clear plastic case” because Cohibas contained in glass-topped boxes are well-known fakes. Anyway, chalicesmoke is correct when he (or she) says that if you enjoyed it, then that’s all that matters.
Do you mean consistent?
Then Macanudo is a great bet. Fuente and Padron deliver consistently as well
Do you mean strong?
Opus X, Ashton VSG, Camacho Corrojo, The new Ramon Allones Specially Selected
Do you mean flavorful?
Padron Anniversario, Don Carlos, Hemmingway, old CAO L’Anniversaire Maduros from Costa Rica
Do you mean coveted?
Pre Embargo Cubans, Opus X, Padron Anniversario, Partagas 150
mmmmm Opus Opus X. That’s a damn fine cigar. A wee bit hard to find, though.
cheapbastid listed alot of good choices, I would use that as your guide line…The only other thing I can recommend, is that taste is subjective so experiment and find out what you like in a cigar and you should be happy…
Hey bastid does the word chupa mean anything to you?
Here’s another vote for Montecristos.
To the purists, this might be considered a sin but I’ll sprinkle a little Wild Turkey in some tupperware and place my cigar in with it the night before and let it absorb the aroma.
Then again, I marinate my ribeyes so what do I know?