Thursday, October 23, 2008

I've had it with Cuban cigars!

I'm officially going on the record as a cigar heretic: Cuban cigars are overrated. I have had the opportunity to smoke Cuban cigars in Mexico, in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and last week, in Vancouver. I've even had one of those, "Hey--I know a guy . . ." deals from my neighbor. Truth is, I've been disappointed over and over again. These things cost from between $15 and $35 a cigar, but they seldom smoke better than my all time favorite: the Romeo y Julieta 1875 Exhibicion No. 3, a cigar that costs $3.50 and is made in the Dominican Republic. I can buy 10 cigars for the price of one of these overrated Cubans. I think all of the cigar aficionados are afraid to say that a Cuban is not absolutely the best cigar they have ever smoked. Well, I'm not an aficionado--but as far as I'm concerned, they do not live up to their "Holy Grail" reputation! The ones I have had do not smoke evenly and their flavor and aroma is less pleasing than my favorite, the Exhibicion No. 3. So for my money, I'll stick with the Dominican and Nicarguan and Honduran cigars, and some of those from other Central and Latin American countries. By the way, my birthday is September 18. Christmas is coming. Feel free to send me a box of cigars. You can find them at JR Cigars for $83.50 a box. (http://www.jrcigars.com/index.cfm?page=cigars) (Just kidding. Kinda.)