What Cigar are You Smoking?

[pantsBoots]

What a lovely review of the brand! I bought the Lusitanias due to a review, where it was listed in the best Cuban cigars, all a flagship of their respective brands, which were just the type to escape the political stripping of the traditional way of making cigars during the boom.

During this time Pete Johnson, who achieved local notoriety in LA during his teens for being the resident expert, and who went on to found Tatuaje and L'Atelier, said that the taste of Cubans changed so much so as not to be deserving of their name. But I don't read anything about this here. Have the problems with Cubans gone away?

Anyway, it takes me repeated tastings to arrive at a conclusion about tobacco, which I never did with the Partagas.

Problem with Pete Johnson is he had a product to sell, and he chose to denigrate the competition. Many NC manufacturers like to trash talk cubans, then try to make their brand as cuban as possible. Consider Pete's plagiarism of the Montecristo label for his Tatuaje brand, and his plagiarism of the Behike line for the L'Atelier.

Fact is, Pete had Pepin Garcia making him some great smokes, but when Garcia got into a legal skirmish with the Fernandez family (who was supplying him with all of his leaf), the quality of the Tatuaje blends dropped, IMO. I know they're still highly regarded by many folks, but if you come across an old brown label made with the Nicaraguan wrapper, there's no comparison. I gave up on Tatuaje many moons ago, with the exception of a random black label every so often.

If you're talking about an American Boy Wonder of cigars, I'd recommend Dion Giolito. Illusione cigars were and are still a revelation for me every time I smoke them.

 

[saltedplug]

No doubt Johnson's remarks were made for economic gain. But I doubt that this was his only motivation. How could he put aside the fact that there was plenty of money to he made by being a zealot of quality, which he is anyway. Yes, this is rational while lying about Cubans is irrational. And in this opinion he had plenty of company, starting even a decade earlier by warnings that Cuba's soil was being destroyed by poor soil upkeep.

While I was smoking cigars my considered opinion, which admittedly could use more consideration, or study in smoke, was that although Tats cost more, they were worth it,

 

[pantsBoots]

No doubt Johnson's remarks were made for economic gain. But I doubt that this was his only motivation. How could he put aside the fact that there was plenty of money to he made by being a zealot of quality, which he is anyway. Yes, this is rational while lying about Cubans is irrational. And in this opinion he had plenty of company, starting even a decade earlier by warnings that Cuba's soil was being destroyed by poor soil upkeep.

While I was smoking cigars my considered opinion, which admittedly could use more consideration, or study in smoke, was that although Tats cost more, they were worth it,

I never read that thing about poor soil upkeep, but my understanding is that would be a bullshit statement. Since Cuba is forbidden from conducting business with American agriculture companies, they have had to rely on homegrown sustainability. To this day, Cuba remains a great place to learn about sustainable agriculture - much of the fertilizer used on the fields is plain old horse poop and if the Cubans strip the nutrients from the soil to a great degree, they are SOL in buying agrichemicals to replace what was lost.

 

[NomadOrb]

Enjoying a Swamp Rat by DE.

 

[Skatutakee]

San Cristobal Revelation with a few years on it

 

[cshubhra]

The King is Dead by Caldwell

 

[Country Bladesmith]

The King is Dead by Caldwell

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I noticed you’ve been smoking quite a few different Caldwells lately. What are your opinions on ‘em?

 

[cshubhra]

I noticed you’ve been smoking quite a few different Caldwells lately. What are your opinions on ‘em?

I love Caldwell Cigars. The King is Dead is normally exceptional. Today I am getting all the right flavors but muted. Maybe needs some more rest, as I bought these last week.

 

[cshubhra]

@Country Bladesmith - I like all Caldwell cigars so far, but special shout out to The King is Dead and the The Last Tsar

 

[BROBS]

I love Caldwell Cigars. The King is Dead is normally exceptional. Today I am getting all the right flavors but muted. Maybe needs some more rest, as I bought these last week.

I’m gonna guess cbid? If so I’ve found most cbid orders take about 2 weeks to get healthy

 

[BROBS]

Black Pearl Morado Perlita

 

[Country Bladesmith]

I’m gonna guess cbid? If so I’ve found most cbid orders take about 2 weeks to get healthy

It depends on the cigars, but yeah, that’s mostly been my experience, too. Those Olivas were good to go right off the truck though.

 

[cshubhra]

I’m gonna guess cbid? If so I’ve found most cbid orders take about 2 weeks to get healthy

Yes, you are right. I think the boxes are healthy much sooner. Packages take time

 

[troutface]

Oliva G Churchill with a side of Old Grand-Dad 114. Wish all work weeks were this short.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Yes, you are right. I think the boxes are healthy much sooner. Packages take time

Now that I think about it, that pretty much explains my experiences so far. ?

 

[BROBS]

Now that I think about it, that pretty much explains my experiences so far. ?

Doesn’t help the shitty way they throw everything in the box. Would you expect anything different from the same company as P&C!? ?

my order that arrived today had tape all over it that said “resealed by USPS”

 

[BROBS]

Yes, you are right. I think the boxes are healthy much sooner. Packages take time

Maybe the boxes keep the moisture more evenly distributed since they are closed and then sealed in plastic? I still have let boxes rest a week at least.

 

[Rockyrepose]

Warped Don Reynaldo Regalos with a Stella Artois Solstice lager, two spectrums of flavor with a crisp, light summer touch.

 

[BROBS]

Illusione Epernay.

 

[weezell]

Cognac and a cigar...