Cuban consistency (or lack of)

[Romeo Allones]

Generally I've had few draw issues this year, only thrice have I had to use the PerfecDraw and they were on CCs, no NCs had this issue. Burn is also generally better on the NCs.

[mcdee]

I've found that underfilled cigars seem to be more of a problem recently. Had a short churchill and a RASS that both had that issue in the last few months.

[JamesE90]

I hadn't had a poorly constructed cuban cigar in honestly about 50 and I was sure that it was a thing of the past. I was even starting to get annoyed watching Cigar Obsession on Youtube as he always moans about the construction.

Alas, on Sunday I picked up a Monte 4 and it was plugged - they're definitely better than when I started smoking about 10 years ago though.

[jerryr]

The beauty of a handmade product is no two are identical, that goes for cigars, fine glass and crystal, porcelain etc. So a box will all have a similar appearance but not identical. My only real winge with the variance between cigars in a box is how do the tightly rolled and plugged ones get through quality control. With regards to flavour I find Cohiba have a distinct flavour across the vitolas as do Upmann, and I can definitely identify the marks I’m not fond of.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Niela]

I think the problem for habanos is the limited amount of tobacco at hand. While NCs use stock that has been aged over years, they have more tobacco at hand to blend in a way that results in a specific flavour profile. The more you have to choose from,the easier it is to replicate a specific flavour I'd assume.

Sent from my IN2023 using Tapatalk

[Adamsmokes]

This was my point about the months if not years for LE/Reserva etc. of process and selection going into what the rollers produce thats supposed to normalise some of the variation. The rollers are given select bundles and told the blend to roll. But as you're saying, there are differences!

I'm actually somewhat glad my palette is very simple as it means I dont tell the subtle diffrences

So I suppose it also comes down to a variation in how the rollers are blending, even if they are told how the blend should be. I don't think my palette is is especially refined but I can certainly taste good from bad

[ha_banos]

Interesting point about the boxes not being rolled by the same person, not something I had considered at all and actually maybe this alone accounts for the inconstancy across a single box

This was my point about the months if not years for LE/Reserva etc. of process and selection going into what the rollers produce thats supposed to normalise some of the variation. The rollers are given select bundles and told the blend to roll. But as you're saying, there are differences!

I'm actually somewhat glad my palette is very simple as it means I dont tell the subtle diffrences

[Adamsmokes]

Max, as I said, I was always wanting to avoid a second close & disappointing experience, after smoking a WOW cigar, one of the reasons I try to avoid smoking the same cigar within a month or two. I think there lots of factors going on here, above the physical product. The time of day, the weather, the company, the celebration, the event. The cigar smoked prior to the one in question, the drink you matched with it ect. All these factors influence your perception of that cigar & many of these elements are likely to be different the next time you smoke the same cigar.

I guess one way to check the box if to smoke two back to back, with just an hour or so & between & a palate refresher. But even then the exactly same cigar may appear different, when perhaps the product differences are minimal.

Another thought, don't forgot a box of cigars aren't rolled by the same roller! The boxes are put together by the colour matcher so you could have half a dozen rollers products in one box.

Interesting point about the boxes not being rolled by the same person, not something I had considered at all and actually maybe this alone accounts for the inconstancy across a single box

[Simon Bolivar]

Max, as I said, I was always wanting to avoid a second close & disappointing experience, after smoking a WOW cigar, one of the reasons I try to avoid smoking the same cigar within a month or two. I think there lots of factors going on here, above the physical product. The time of day, the weather, the company, the celebration, the event. The cigar smoked prior to the one in question, the drink you matched with it ect. All these factors influence your perception of that cigar & many of these elements are likely to be different the next time you smoke the same cigar.

I guess one way to check the box if to smoke two back to back, with just an hour or so & between & a palate refresher. But even then the exactly same cigar may appear different, when perhaps the product differences are minimal.

Another thought, don't forgot a box of cigars aren't rolled by the same roller! The boxes are put together by the colour matcher so you could have half a dozen rollers products in one box.

[Emaresee]

Me neither unless they have a very distinct profile like Cuabas

not even cohiba vs say monte or HdM? or Partagas vs ERDM?

I find epi2 has a clear flavour and most cohiba are distinct. but agree there is centre ground of subtlty which is hard to separate.albeit we acknowledge its a monte as we pulled it from a monte box and it has a monte band etc...

[Adamsmokes]

I think as regards flavour/aroma consistency. I think one has to be aware of ones self also I.e. nasal congestion, condition of ones palate, oral health etc...as I’m sure these all have a bearing and contribute to inconsistencies between smokes


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A very good point

[PeeJay]

I cant recognise one cigar from another though. So generally they are good or not to my taste or bad. I just hope they are all good! They can taste different.

Me neither unless they have a very distinct profile like Cuabas

[Vitola]

I think as regards flavour/aroma consistency. I think one has to be aware of ones self also I.e. nasal congestion, condition of ones palate, oral health etc...as I’m sure these all have a bearing and contribute to inconsistencies between smokes


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Adamsmokes]

Thats a bit simplistic no?! The roller grabs a bunch of leaves that have been through months if not years of process and selection before being bunched and rolled. So all the work is done before the roller get the leaves. I would expect some work is done to adjust blends to try to get some consistency across boxes and years even. Tobacco strains change, weather changes.

So yes I would expect some consistency, but not surprised by such differences as it is a natural product .. that has gone through loads of process and selected and rolled and colour sorted blah blah.
I cant recognise one cigar from another though. So generally they are good or not to my taste or bad. I just hope they are all good! They can taste different.

I agree that no two cigars will taste the same but I guess that begs the question why (if construction is good on a given box) the inconsistency in good or bad tasting ones? I don't want uniform taste but I wish there were more boxes of uniform quality in this regard. 100% agree about cigars being a natural product and for me that is part of their charm and appeal.

[ha_banos]

Let's be realistic. The roller grabs a specific handful of leaves and bunches them together before rolling them into a cigar. Its amazing that its consistent from cigar to cigar but box to box and then year to year?

Thats a bit simplistic no?! The roller grabs a bunch of leaves that have been through months if not years of process and selection before being bunched and rolled. So all the work is done before the roller get the leaves. I would expect some work is done to adjust blends to try to get some consistency across boxes and years even. Tobacco strains change, weather changes.

So yes I would expect some consistency, but not surprised by such differences as it is a natural product .. that has gone through loads of process and selected and rolled and colour sorted blah blah.
I cant recognise one cigar from another though. So generally they are good or not to my taste or bad. I just hope they are all good! They can taste different.