Guantanamera

[cbob]

Aw they're not so bad.

If you spend $85 to attend a Tropicana show in Havana, the men get a gift Guantanamera Cristales (and the ladies get a flower) which merely demonstrate that Cubans not actually in the cigar industry know DICK about cigars.
Most of the "tourist oriented" cigars shops replaced much of their stocks of "real" Habanos with Guantanameras as did the "Duty Free" airport shops -where the prices are the same as in town. The tourists gobbled them up! That's what most folks want anyway: a souvenir "Cuban cigar" from their Island trip. If it's mild and cheap enough to throw away after a few puffs all the better. And Tabacuba gets to make money from all that Vuelta Ariba tobacco that no real cigar fan wants to smoke.

I felt it my duty to try them all and I wouldn't cross the road to buy any, in fact I wouldn't buy any if someone was handing them to me -as they do whenever I walk into a shop in Cuba.
But they are not so bad.
Perhaps an "entry level" Cuban smoke for a newbie.
Too mild for an experienced smoker but unmistakeably Cuban tobacco.
When I get one as a gift from Cuban friends who don't know any better but are being hospitable, I always say "muchas gracias" and enjoy the smoke in the spirit with which it was given.
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.
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But... I'd never give one to a friend.
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[Robusto]

Our allocated Welcome To Havana guide a couple of weeks ago - a native - said Don't Go Near Those Ones lol

I was given the remains of a box by some friends who visited Cuba. They were complete shite. I threw all but two away.

Interestingly, the cigar shop at Havana airport on the way back was half-filled with Guantanamera products.

How sad to bring home this cigar as a souvenir of Cuba.

My guitarist friend wanted the box back as it is decorated with a guitar.

Sorry, but for me these were the shittiest cigars of Cuban origin I have ever smoked!

[Ryan]

They smell like sick. Actual sick, from somebody who had been drinking Southern Comfort.

[daverave999]

Never tried one I'm afraid. Been put off by the majority of bad reviews. I believe they were discontinued in 2005? If they are still readily available, it doesn't bode well...

[PoohBore]

Gauntanamera =

But that's just my newbie opinion. I'm sure the more experienced guys will be along shortly

[ChrisMClark]

Now, the reviews I find online are anything but nice about anything from the Gauntanamera range...so I'm wondering what you guys' feelings are. I had a Cristale some time ago that my parents bought back, and I didn't think t was great, but it was smokable, and I actually enjoyed it, especially for a machine made stick.

So what are people's opinions of the Guantanamera range?