Hey! It has been a long time! I just started smoking the stogies and there are very few that I like. I have tried (non Cubans) Rocky Patel, Macanudo, Cohiba, Monte Cristo, Arturo Fuente, Drew Estate, Camacho, Dunhill, Punch, Perdomo, Romeo Y Julieta, Gurkha, 5 Vegas, Oliva, and Graycliff. The only ones I like are Arturo Fuente Hemingway and Monte Cristo Platinum.

1) Any suggestions for me?
2) Care to share your experience of the Cubans?
3) What are your favorites?
4) What's the cigar life like in HK? Any good cigar shop? They sell real Cubans? Cigar lounge? etc?

cigar are expensive in hk due to the tax,

better go to Macau to enjoy. Myself I like go the the Whisky bar at Starworld. They got a good cigar menu with good price. Better go there on Thuesday for the lady night.

I prefer Cohiba

for cigars, i like Bar Azul at Four Seasons Macau.
I'm don't often smoke cigars, still don't know how to appreciate it completely.
But i like the cigar-whisky combo that they offer at Bar Azul.
good discount when you buy cigar + whisky.
a very chill place, good to bring a lady (or a classy WG) when u want to avoid the crowd.

and i like the blueness of Bar Azul.

Good to see you, too, twiceAweek =D

Thank you for the suggestions. I will have to check them out when I go back.

calaisien: Which Cohiba do you prefer? BHK?

kaka: I hope they have the combo for cognac also.

Try the Trinidad... Recommend the short robusto to begin with...

mauvanilla: Thank you! I will keep that in mind.

I did a bit research. It seems like all the cigar shops (both in HK and Macau) are owned by PCC (Pacific Cigar Company). Talk about monopoly =p I wonder how the price compares between PCC's and the cigar bar at the hotel.

PCC is owned by David Tang, the guy who also owns chic-clothing shop Shanghai Tang. he got the Habanos SA license quite some years ago. any hotel will add some markup, but high prices/taxes mean Cubans are a pricey thing to stick in yr mouth and set on fire. however, if u buy from the legit shops, u will get a genuine Cuban. there's a shop in the Landmark in Central at ground level, but my fave shop used to be Havana Express under the Mid-Levels escalator (near Flow Bookstore). it's tiny but they have any Cuban u can think of.

i don't why Cuba produces such fine cigars, but their reputation is deserved. that said, they are strong cigars. even a "mild" Havana like H Upmann packs a punch. a Partagas Serie D torpedo will kick my ass...but, in a GOOD way!

awhile back i found a Miami company run by a Cuban emigré that produces their stogies in Nicaragua, and they make excellent cigars. so i buy them mail-order and keep them in my humidor. still have a few Cuban sticks...

Cohibas are fine cigars but IMHO are not worth the extra money. i like torpedoes and double-coronas. it's hard to go wrong with a Havana, but some of my faves:

Cuaba: yes, with an extra "u." these are hand-rolled perfectos: pointed at either end. only the best rollers can make these, and sometimes the draw can be tight, so have the clerk check for a well-rolled one. they only have one small size, then a corona gorda, then u get into the monsters. the Salomones are huge and the Diamandas...well, they come in INDIVIDUAL boxes. great for photo ops or shocking your pals. these are excellent cigars but u better be ready for one. there are other sizes so check them out. wrappers are beautiful, the guy who started this line in 1996 designed it so the blend wd start out mild and slowly pick up speed (all cigars do this by design, Cuabas just more so). at least have a look.

Hoyo de Monterrey comes in many sizes but the double-corona is The Bomb. loose draw, aromatic, medium body but backend will kick yr ass and you'll love it.

Partagas: you can't lose in any size: both the robustos and torpedos are superb. i'd prefer a HdM DC over a Partagas Lusitania tho, just my opinion.

plenty of good smaller cigars: the Partagas Deluxe is a good small corona that still packs a punch. years ago machine-made Cubans were iffy, but now the quality's improved. cheaper brands with rougher wrappers are still fine smokes, but if here on holiday, u won't have time to try everything. Trinidads and Cohibas are super-premium, u can treat yrself. it depends on what size of cigar u like: the short robustos have become popular lately, the tubes are cute, but i prefer a longer cigar. you'll find a lot of brands here u won't have heard of, like Fonseca or Diplomaticos--the latter are much the same as the Monte Cristos you'll find everywhere. in the MC line the #2 is a classic, and the newer Edmundo is very nice. but i'd rather light a Partagas or a Ramon Allones--those are quite strong, if u have time, try a corona and see what u think. Bolivars are also good--hard to go wrong with a Bolivar belicoso.

they're expensive, but sitting back with a good cigar and good company in a nice high-ceiling room with good ventilation...it's relaxing, and Hong Kong in general has less relaxation than money.

if returning to the US, be sure not to keep ANY souvenirs of Havana with u when heading for the airport. that means cigar bands, snazzy Cohiba ashtrays, etc. the way US borders are nowadays...just not worth it.

JtB

@JackTheBat - Thank you for the info. I just googled Havana Express and I guess PCC bought them out? I have heard that the non-Cubans can't even compare to the Cubans. But recently, I also heard that either the non-Cubans have caught up or the Cubans have gone down in quality. Yes, Monte Cristo No. 2 and Partagas Serie D are on my to-do-list.


I went to this Ashton cigar tasting and smoked 3 rich cigars in an hour. I don't recommend it unless you want to have a hang over right after =0 I had a VSG,a La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amore, and a San Cristobal.

Which one do you prefer and why?

i think PCC founded all the Havana Expresses in HK + Macau. but that store used to be Cigar Express, so maybe it was owned by someone else previously.

i often refer to Hong Kong as a "tycoonocracy"--if that applies, David Tang is a mid-level tycoon. some good info at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Tang

my fave: Tang is the Honorary Consul of Cuba in Hong Kong.

i don't think i've ever smoked a cigar that was opened with a punch-cutter--some people swear by them, but i like a full draw. i use double-bladed cutters: they sell them in cigar stores here at silly prices, but big drugstores in San Francisco carried an el cheapo made by "Hampton Arms," cost about US$2.5, works just as well. they do break, but i got a flash stainless-steel/titanium once from that Miami company as a freebie and it broke just as broken as the cheapies. on another order they sent a plastic single-blade diagonal cutter and i use that for coronas and whatnot.

i smoke far less cigars than before--Hong Kong is making all smoking more expensive/less convenient, of course this is aimed at those cheap additive-filled cigarettes that you inhale, not at cigars, but it's the same process. as i prefer smoking outdoors, this cold winter wasn't enticing, and i'm just getting out of the habit. in the hot/rainy season, a good hotel lounge works: some high-level hotels have cigar lounges.

JtB

[ Last edited by  JackTheBat at 29-5-2011 12:24 ]

Wow! He was on The Colbert Report? That's impressive! Yea, I was wondering how he got the title sir as indicated from the PCC website.

I think it is a pretty safe bet to buy a Xikar because they come with lifetime guarantee. Not many brand nowadays carry that kind of guarantee. I also heard of story that they have no problem to repair or replace your damaged Xikar product.

Maybe it is more feasible for you to order cigars online.

years ago, i investigated HK laws regarding importation of tobacco for personal use. it's certainly more penurious now, but it went like this: you paid stamp duty for the shipment, then the rest was taxed on weight. didn't seem a particularly good deal.

realize that both Macau and China are short train/ferry rides away. the duty-free terminal at the Zhuhai ferry, for example, has some superb deals on Havanas. but the new laws limit you to ONE cigar brought into HK duty-free. you can also bring in, get this, 19 cigarettes. but it's not like u can buy a duty-free pack, toss one and walk in, no no. you have to fill out a form to get the duty-free exemption. they're making it difficult so ppl can't go to the mainland back and forth 4-5 times a day muling ciggies (there are people who DO this, often elderly retired folks). ppl smuggle iPhones/iPads into the mainland, bring cigs back.

all this is aimed at CIGARETTES not cigars, and if you visit the mainland, you'll understand why they've enacted this legislation. the govt earns a lot from cigarette-sales and aren't too keen on creating a non-smoking culture. the culture of cheap/nasty "Double Happiness" Chinese cig-huffing is far removed from the relaxing nature of a fine Havana, but the distinction is lost on Chinese bureaucracy.

that metal-cutter i got was also lifetime-guarantee, but if u think i was going to mail it to Miami for replacement, forget it. if u live here, the high-end stores have all that stuff. they also sell the useful "jet-engine" lighters but you can buy those atTemple Street Market at 10% what the cigar-stores charge. triple-jet refillables cost US$2 or so. last time i went there i bought ten and bargained a useful discount, that was years ago and they still work fine.

might have to head out and roast a Nicaraguan tonight, finished a project i was working on so might head to my local spot under the stars...

JtB

I just ordered the Dupont MaxiJet lighter and cutter. I can't wait for it to come. I am eager to try them out and see if they are worth the $$$.

Today I have finished about 4 cigars. It was a good day. LOL They had a promotion the other day for Panacea. They are ok. I also tried an Ashton Heritage. But it didn't click with me.

sorry late to the party.

Unless I'm in the US, I only smoke Cubans. for non-cubans, I smoke the Opus X. If you're in HK and you want to purchase non-cubans, go to www.nextcigar.com. Its still cheaper than retail in the US.

For Cubans, my favorites are:
1. BHK 56
2. Cuaba 2008 LE
3. Montecristo 2008 LE Sublimes
4. Montecristo 2010 LE Grand Edmundo
5. Cohiba Siglo VI
6. Hoyo Double Corona (for golf games)

I also have some 2003 LE Cohiba Double Coronas, 2004 LE Cohiba Sublimes, 2006 LE Cohiba Piramides that I save for special occasions.

To buy in HK, you can try www.mycubancigar.com. It's cheaper than the retail shops in HK. If outside of HK, try cigarsofhabanos.com (great reco from geoduck). They are located in HK, but inside customs zone, so the cigars have not paid taxes and are cheaper if to be shipped internationally.

use both. have a davidoff scissor cutter and a xikar scissor cutter (small) for the pyramids.

and a davidoff punch cutter for those with round heads, regardless of gauge size.

i prefer to punch as i dont like having loose leaves in my mouth after i cut a cigar.

I am not a hardcore cigar guy, but when I go, i normally just pick something based off the owner's recommendation. I also have them cut it for me there.  

I have yet to try cubans, but have heard mixed things about them.

@DaBestHK - I know what you mean about the punch. I have checked out a lot of the lighters with integrated punch. But most of them have crappy design because the residue is stuck on the punch. The only one I like is Lotus 34 which has a spring loaded 8mm punch that will eject the cigar residue when you retract the punch. I just got my Dupont MaxiJet cigar cutter. It is a looker, but the cut isn't any easier or cleaner than other cutter.

How long does it take for the order to arrive from those sites?

@Bottom - I have yet to try Cuban also =D I have just tried a lot of different cigars.

after they process your credit card, they ship it out the next day via HK EMS Speedpost. It gets to me (overseas) in about 3 days. if you live in HK, i think they hand deliver it thenext day

ive never tried smoking a cigar before, how do you guys propose i start?

i read somewhere that you dont actually inhale the cigar smoke?