www.CostaRicaTicas.com

From Inside Costa Rica Monday September 24, 2007

" Cuban Sommeliers Choose Best Havana Cigars

Montecristo No. 4, Churchill of Romeo y Julieta, and Lancero of Cohiba topped the list of the best ten vitolas, according to Cuban sommeliers.

The selection was made during a cigar-tasting meeting at the Hotel President in Havana by 27 experts, who have met regularly for several years to choose the best Cuban cigars.

Present at the meeting were 45 specialists, including sellers, bartenders and executives, headed by Fernando Fernandez, a professor at Cuba's High Hotel and Tourism School (FORMATUR).

Also present at the event was a delegation of Venezuelan experts who are receiving training in Cuba.

Montecristo 4, Churchill and Lancero were followed by Esplendido of Cohiba and Montecristo No.2, which ranked fourth; 8-9-8 of Partagas, Robusto of Cohiba and Serie D No.4 of Partagas.

Siglo VI of Cohiba and Montecristo A ranked eighth. On the bottom of the list were Sir Winston of H.Upmann and Exhibicion 4 of Romeo y Julieta, and Doble Corona of Hoyo de Monterrey on the tenth place.

The meeting was sponsored by Habanos S.A. and Havana Club to bring together experts to choose the best Cuban cigars."

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Interesting…

I would agree, those are some of my favorites also. Those are all “big & full flavored” cigars…kind of shows that the taste panel was a group of long time cigar smokers . My only addition would be the Hoya De Monterry epicure #1…

But...Just like wine, women and music…quality is in the mind of the individual and we all have different tastes…

Mendo

_________________
"It takes a lot of good beer to make a great wine"

I am a novice when it comes to Cuban cigars. I have had a few, but not enough to speak with authority. However, I have put together the ratings from the Cigar Aficionado website for the cigars listed above, in the order of the voting from above. You will see that CA has a different opinion than the voters.

Montecristo No. 4 Score: 90 Source: Cigar Insider Issue: Feb, 2007
A well-constructed petit corona that gives off a rich caramel aroma as it burns. The cigar is very toasty with underlying nutty flavors and a long black cherry finish.

Romeo y Julieta Churchill Score: 88 Source: Cigar Aficionado Issue: Aug, 2007
Enveloped in an oily, reddish-brown wrapper, this cigar is a slow starter, but warms to show medium-bodied cedar, coffee bean and cream flavors before the woody finish.

Cohiba Lancero Score: 89 Source: Cigar Aficionado Issue: Apr, 2007
A long lancero topped off with a nice pigtail twist. It draws well, showing steady notes of wood, sweet leather and a slight spiciness. The finish is long and leathery. Medium to full bodied.

Cohiba Esplendido Score: 94 Source: Cigar Aficionado Issue: Aug, 2007
Gorgeous and beautifully textured, this dark, oily cigar starts with a balanced, cohesive core of leather and pepper flavors that become increasingly complex taking on toasted almond and cedar notes. A very rich, full-bodied smoke.

Montecristo No. 2 Score: 93 Source: Cigar Insider Issue: Feb, 2007
Oily and well made, this chunky torpedo opens with dusty cocoa and caramel notes, then warms to show a complex range of spice, wood and leather flavors.

Partagas 8-9-8 Score: 89 Source: Cigar Aficionado Issue: Aug, 2007
Solidly rolled with a rich brown wrapper and an even burn. The consistent draw offers nutty leather flavors that build to an earthy finish.

Cohiba Robusto Score: 89 Source: Cigar Aficionado Issue: Dec, 2006
A good-looking robusto that burns and draws well. It's a woody cigar, with some black pepper notes and a short cedary finish. Medium to full bodied.

Partagas Serie D No. 4 Score: 89 Source: Cigar Aficionado Issue: Dec, 2006
An oily and attractive cigar. It's a very slow starter, but it turns spicy and full bodied with a touch of meatiness and some cherry wood on the finish. Medium to full bodied.

Cohiba Siglo VI Score: 92 Source: Cigar Aficionado Issue: Dec, 2005
Beautiful, with a reddish brown wrapper. The cigar is rich, with full flavors of leather, cedar and cocoa, with a touch of salt and nuts. Complex, balanced and elegant, with a long, full finish.

Montecristo "A" Score: 93 Source: Cigar Insider Issue: Feb, 2007
A gorgeous cigar with a perfect, oily wrapper and flat cap. It burns very slowly, delivering a balanced abundance of rich coffee, toast and nut flavors.

H. Upmann Sir Winston Score: 91 Source: Cigar Aficionado Issue: Apr, 2007
A very attractive Churchill with great oils and a nice cap. The cigar warms nicely to show rich and toasty leather and earth flavors, complemented by cedar notes and a nutty finish. A medium- to full-bodied cigar.

Romeo y Julieta Exhibicion No. 4 Score: 89 Source: Cigar Aficionado Issue: Feb, 2007
A tawny, somewhat rough looking cigar with an inconsistent draw. The flavor is rich, with cocoa bean and nuts on the palate. The finish is long and savory.

Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona Score: 92 Source: Cigar Aficionado Issue: Jun, 2006
A rich brown cigar with a lush draw. It's very rich, with smooth, toasty flavors and hints of coffee beans, almonds and cashews. A beautiful medium bodied cigar with a long finish.

_________________
Tyrus

Monte #2 is a great stick and probably my favorite cuban, but to be honest I dont get all the hype over cuban cigars. They're good but some of the high end domestic stuff is just as good and more consistent IMO. Padron Anniversary are great and the Fuente products are probably my favorite. I'll take a VSG or an OpusX over a cuban any day.

Eddie has a nice humidor at ZB with some good sticks. However, when I was there he told me an OpusX would cost $45 I opted for a cuban because it was much cheaper. I then used the money I saved to phuck pamela. So there are some instances when a cuban is the correct choice.

Just kidding guys...I love the habanos too.


Not really

That’s 13 cigars for ten places, but it’s interesting to note that the sommeliers picked only six brands (There are over 35 different brands of “premium” Habanos) in their “top ten” and only one post-Revolution brand (Cohiba). In fact, the top eight places (comprising 10 cigars) include only four brands: Cohiba (four selections), Montecristo (three), Partagas (2) and Romeo y Julieta (1). Those four, along with Hoyo de Monterrey and Quintero y Hermano, are marketed worldwide by Habanos; all other Cuban brands are marketed more selectively and not exported to all countries. Thus, they are more readily available.

Moreover, of the 13 cigars selected, ten shapes are represented with three Churchills and two Robustos on the list. And the top-rated cigar of all was a tiny – in today’s day and age – Petit Corona of just 42 ring gauge! Only one “shaped cigar” – the Montecristo No. 2 – was tabbed.

I was surprised with the Monte #4. Since the list was made by sommeliers, they may have been looking for something that went well with wine & restaurant customers. A mild/medium short smoke is apparently their answer. That, or a middle-of-the-road, no surprises, will appeal to (or at least not be rejected by) most cigar smokers. In other words, it's generally a "safe" choice that wouldn't run much risk of “blowing” the sommelier's tip.

Is this definitive? No, but it’s fun and it can lead to arguments from cigar enthusiasts who are fans of specific brands. For example, don’t try to tell a fan of Vegas Robania, Juan Lopez, Bolivar, Trinidad or RASS that the greatest robustos are from Cohiba and Partagas.

_________________
Cigar smoking doesn’t reduce us, it elevates us; It makes us more content to be alone, or it helps us to enjoy our companions. It encourages us to dwell on the simple moments and celebrate the sublime.
_______________________________________
Hung like Einstein and smart as a mule.
_______________________________________
You're not drunk if you can lay on the floor without holding on.

.....and to think that Itsaboy didn't even get a mention. I look forward to someday enjoying some fine cigars with some of you Aficionados.

_________________
My life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming...." MAN....WHAT A RIDE!!!!"

I find it amusing how some of these cigars are described.... "underlying nutty flavor... rich caramel aroma... long black cherry finish... finish is long and leathery... this chunky torpedo opens with dusty cocoa and caramel notes... a touch of meatiness (WTF)... and nutty leather flavors that build to an earthy finish."

Long and leathery... chunky torpedo... a touch of meatiness sounds like a commentary on a "gay porno"!

Could these cigars not be phallic symbols? I'm thinking that might be the case. Nevertheless, I am not a cigar smoker. You might as well roll up some dried horse shit in day old newspaper and light up. It all smells the same to me and the taste... that's where the critics come in.

Berk.... smoking some "shit" now, but it "don't look like no turd"... it's called a cigarette

_________________
FRUITCAKE... and you thought it was something you eat! Not on CRT!

Hi Guys

with all the talk on cuban cigars.. in my humble opinion.. if you took away the illegality of cuban cigars.. domincan cigars are just as good and nicaragua has been putting out some really excellent products.

In my top 5 so far

1. padron anniversary
2. davidoff number 2 anniversary
3. fuentes opus x ( ask admin about this cigar he had it over the party weekend)
4. rocky patel vintage
5. macanudo vintage
6. sancho panza cubano
7. rocky patel edge
8. CAO 10 year anniversary
9. Cohiba siglo seis cubano
10. Partagus numero 10 dominican


oops.. that was 10.. but the truth is there are so many more.. and to limit to only a few would be a crime.. I had a conversation with 1 guy once and he said.. I only smoke the fuentes hemmingway.. thats it.. I only smoke that cigar..its my favorite in the whole wide world.

I replied well have you tried a fuentes grand reserva.. or an opus x, or some other fuentes products..

he said.. NO.. I only smoke the fuentes hemmingway

i said.. being the smart ass that i am.. soooo.. with all the thousands of cigars that are out there.. you only limit yourself to that cigar.

he said yes

I said...why

he said.. because its the best cigar in the whole wide world...

I said.. why limit your palate.. its like saying there is only 1 girl that i like and no more.. the fun is experimenting and expanding and exploring..

he said.. nope... I only smoke that hemmingway.. I love that henningway.. it is the best cigar in the whole wide world..

the conversation went all for about 15 minutes.. normally I dont engage in this type of sillyness but he got me in the mood..

I said how much do you pay for that cigar back in the states

he said $6.00 to $8.00

(I happen to have a box of hemmingways in the back.. but he did not know it.. we charge a premium for domincans here since they are harder to get here on a regular basis)

I finally said.. ok.. guess what.. I happen to have a box of hemmingways..

his eyes lit up like he was ready to session with a threesome

then i said.. but the cost per cigar is $15 dollars

he said.. WHAT!!!!.. I pay only $8.00 back in the states

I said.. yes.. but here.. because you cannot find these cigars here.. i have to charge premium

he said.. NO WAY Dude... no way..

I said.. wait a minute.. you just told me.. that out of the thousands of cigars that are available.. you ONLY smoke the hemmingway

and we spoke about this for almost 1/2 hour.. now i tell you i have it.. and you do NOT want it because you can get it in the states for $8.00..


so now what you should have said.. that i only smoke the hemmingway fuentes... and ONLY if i get it at $8.00



sorry for the ramble i just found that conversation amusing..

please remember that just like women.. individual tastes will vary..

I am thinking of putting a small video production called


the beginners guide to cigar smoking

with topics like

Why You Should Smoke Cigars & Why You Shouldn’t

Shapes, Sizes and Shades, Making Sense of Them All

How to Choose a Cigar Off With Its Cap – How to Cut a Cigar

The Art of Lighting a Cigar

Cigar Storage


if i get enough interest i will work on this.. and provide it free to crt members.

Blue Coyote

Appreciate the offer BlueCoyote, keep us posted

Let’s look at the facts as we know them. You’re stating that Dominican Cigars are just as good as Cuban Cigars. The conventional wisdom is, NO. For decades, Cuban tobacco has long been considered superior to those of other nations, to the point where there was no significant tobacco grown elsewhere for a long time, or, if it was, it was not well-regarded. Of course, this has changed in the last 20 years.

As for me, I smoke all kinds of cigars, and I like many non-Cuban cigars. The Padron Anniversary (Nicaraguan Puro) you list is a great example of a very good Non-Cuban cigar. But there's something special about Cuban tobacco, especially from the Vuelta Abajo (lower valley) of Pinar del Rio. There's a flavor in there that can not be duplicated, and yet the tobacco runs the flavor gamut from mild and subtle as evidenced by the El Rey del Mundo Choix Supreme, to the thundering richness of a Partagas Serie D #4, or a Bolivar.

There's the history and mystique that plays in to it, as well as the fact that it's forbidden fruit, contraband. I believe that it IS superior to others, but not nearly as much as it used to be, and I don't believe in limiting myself to cigars from just one manufacturer or country.

IMO, great Dominican, Nicaraguan and Honduran Cigars are good, but good Cuban Cigars are special.

As for Cigar Smoking in general, it elevates us; it doesn’t reduce us. It makes us more content to be alone, or it helps us to enjoy our companions. It encourages us to dwell on the simple moments and celebrate the sublime. Smoke what you like, and like what you smoke.

_________________
Cigar smoking doesn’t reduce us, it elevates us; It makes us more content to be alone, or it helps us to enjoy our companions. It encourages us to dwell on the simple moments and celebrate the sublime.
_______________________________________
Hung like Einstein and smart as a mule.
_______________________________________
You're not drunk if you can lay on the floor without holding on.