Puritan Pub

Welcome to the new Puritan Pub! I enjoy both good hearty drink and fine cigars. If you’re reading this then I hope you share those refined tastes. This entry pertains to stogies… if you want to read about strong German beer, well, come back in a few days.

I’d like you to indulge me for a moment as I build up the confidence of those who wonder if the cigars publicly (that is: legally!) available in the United States are the best on the market. Nagging the conscience or tempting the imagination of many a cigar aficionado is the question, “Are ANY of these cigars even CLOSE to a Cuban cigar?”

In short, this post is primarily intended for those who’ve ever wondered if they’re “missing out” since Cubans are not readily available.

I’ll be honest… due to the mystique surrounding the legendary “Cuban cigar” I had visions of angelic choirs bursting forth in song, of enraptured delight overtaking my senses, and for the real world to sort of fade into the background of my sensory perception upon my first puff of a Cuban. However, sadly, this was not quite the case.

I’ve smoked about two dozen of them. While I was deployed to Afghanistan I was able to purchase them from stores servicing our European friends as well as from stores in Kabul.

So, what did/do I think of Cuban Cigars?

Let me say that what I’ve read in certain aficionado magazines is correct: Cuban cigars are living on the reputation they made for themselves during their glorious heyday. (Much like Westminster Theological Seminary in PA… but that’s a different matter.)

The two dozen or so that I’ve smoked have not been “bad” cigars by any stretch of the imagination. I’d say that on average they compare nicely with mid-priced cigars commonly available in any decent smoke shop. Specifically, the average quality has been virtually indistinguishable from any $5 or $6 cigar I can buy legally in America. So don’t get me wrong… the Cubans aren’t poor quality stogies. It’s just that they aren’t great, which is what I had been led to believe they would be.

While the Cubans I’ve enjoyed do compete with virtually every mid-range cigar I’ve smoked, none – and I mean NONE – of them come close to touching the premiums and super premiums that I regularly enjoy. To what do I refer? I refer to the likes of Rocky Patel, AVO, Graycliffe, Gurkha, 5 Vegas A series, Romeo y Julieta Viejo, etc…

You may be thinking, “Yikes! Those are some pricey smokes!” And you’d be accurate… but what if I told you that you can get these pricey ‘gars for more than 50% off? Stick around and I’ll share the good news with you…

Until then,

Ben