Interesting Take On Cuban Cigars

[AlohaStyle]

I don't have enough knowledge to from an opinion and I obviously love both CC & NC cigars. This thread reminded me of this interview with Pete Johnson a while back and thought I'd post it just to see what everyone thought about his comment. You can skip to about the 8:30 mark where the comment on Cuban cigars today.

Thanks for sharing the interview. I've talked cubans before with Pete but never heard specific cuban cigars that got him into making cigars... the first one he said in the video is Romeo y Julietta Cazadores which makes total sense. The RyJ Caz is a spicy powerhouse and would be the closest cuban cigar that I would compare to a spicy Tat.

It's interesting when he jokes about cuba having only one blend now days. By all accounts of experienced smokers and by an actual change in tobacco cuba uses, there has been a flavor change in cuban cigars since 1997. If/when an educated smoker makes a comment like Pete did, it can easily be attributed to the fact that many people preferred the pre-1997 cuban cigars and the tobacco they used then. I've heard many people say they preferred the old tobacco and cubans now days don't compare to what they did back then.

So with Pete's career being dependent on non-cuban cigars and the possibility he is comparing the old-school cubans vs current, you can take that comment with a grain of salt.

 

[Mikenice81]

Hop to about 25 minutes in to get another take on it. It is respectful to the Cuban cigar process, but explains why many feel there is a diminishing quality for CCs.

 

[AlohaStyle]

Dave is the reason foreigners the world over f-ing detest Americans. Can you blame them?

Exactly what I told some people last night... this guy is a prime example of one of the reasons I selfishly wouldn't want the embargo to end. Ignorant guys like this flocking to Cuba who would rather visit Americanized places than truly soak in, and appreciate other cultures. If the embargo gets lifted, how long would it take before the Cuban people stop being so open and welcoming? There are plenty of respectful American travelers, but as you said above, this guy comes across so ignorant and embarrassing.

 

[Craig Mac]

Dave just seems like an industry stooge. Not only is his article unreadable, but the whole description of his trip is flat, insipid, and dumb. Here's a guy who has been in the cigar industry for 30 years--so he claims. Now he takes a life-long dream trip to Cuba. His first thought about this trip, "God Bless America." But what he really means to say is, probably, "God Bless the American cigar market." I also don't believe that he got a tour of all the Habanos S.A. production facilities. Habanos S.A. is one of the most secretive institutions in the world. All of a sudden, they're going to pull down the curtain for a group of gringo tourists? No way.

This article undermines the very fundamentals of journalistic integrity. It's the reason real journalists cannot stomach the horrible influx of bloggers like this man. "Get this," Dave writes, "There is no blend." Says who? Some dopey gringo who's convinced himself of the delusion that he's a cigar expert. Anytime a professional journalist makes a statement of that caliber, they need to source it. Who's the source, Dave? Did you speak with the factory manager and he told you this? Did you speak with the current CEO of Habanos S.A., and he told you this? Or is this statement merely the assumption of a pompous and stupid ignoramus? Because that's what it sounds like to me.

That's how the intelligent and discerning reader can separate real professional journalism from nonsensical, uninformed, and presumptuous gibberish like Dave's bullshit. Judge the source! In fact, Dave is the only source in this whole article. There is no authority in the article to verify his claims other than himself. Judging by his impressions of Cuba, by the idiotic way he writes, and by his obvious lack of intelligence and brain-power, I would say Dave's article has absolutely no credibility whatsoever, and neither does Dave himself. Dave is the reason that foreigners, the world over, f-ing detest Americans. Can you blame them?

Probably the best post in this thread, right here....

 

[BenvolioMustDie]

this guy comes across so ignorant and embarrassing.

That's the word that sprung to mind when reading. Ignorant. The fact he wrote down "I did see lots of old people", as if he was expecting all Cuban people to drop dead at the age of 40, says a lot.

 

[Smoqman]

..... foreigners, the world over, f-ing detest Americans.

This has not been my experience, and I have seen a good amount of the world.

ymmv

 

[icehog3]

. And I think I am correct when I say it behooves Pete to have CCs go away completely and or suck. Therefore, I believe that this is a conflict of interest. He benefits from telling people that, take his word as the Bible, that CCs are terrible or are only one blend. That way, they'll repeat it all the while saying that Tats are way better and buying them up.

Agreed. No disrespect meant to Pete and his cigars, they obviously have a huge market for a reason. But there can be no doubt that it's wise business to dismiss the competition as inferior.

 

[Mr. McSquirelly]

This has not been my experience, and I have seen a good amount of the world.

ymmv

You're right. I was a little extreme there. My apologies. I traveled through Europe in my twenties, ten years ago, at the beginning of our unpopularity. I found most Europeans very cordial to me and very curious about our country. Pardon the generalization. I just feel that when Americans like Dave travel abroad, they judge and measure everything they see against our American standard. And if you do that, it's very easy to be condescending and critical of the way other cultures and countries do things. And sometimes this attitude offends foreigners and makes them resent us.

 

[CaptainSaint]

I'm no expert by any means but I've been to the cigar factories in Cuba within the last 4 years and I would have to disagree with what I've read about the original video. Of course the equipment is older but let me tell you these torcedors can roll the nicest cigar with their eyes closed it's actually quite crazy. Ive smoked some great CCs and some decent ones (same goes for NC). To me it's no different than brand power, sure there are better burgers, better experiences than McD's but damn me if drunk at 2 o clock in the morning I don't want a double Mc chee over anything else. Cubans have been able to keep their brand power alive and well even through the embargo aimed at ruining them. If you ever go to Cuba you'll understand. Cigars are part of their culture unlike nowhere else in the world. Rarely ever can you produce something better than where it's engrained in the roots of their history.

 

[Smoqman]

You're right. I was a little extreme there. My apologies. I traveled through Europe in my twenties, ten years ago, at the beginning of our unpopularity. I found most Europeans very cordial to me and very curious about our country. Pardon the generalization. I just feel that when Americans like Dave travel abroad, they judge and measure everything they see against our American standard. And if you do that, it's very easy to be condescending and critical of the way other cultures and countries do things. And sometimes this attitude offends foreigners and makes them resent us.

When I've traveled, people have been at least cordial… If not overly kind to me as an American. Many of them speak of traveling to America and how they love what we have, and that they love who we are as a People. Or, that they "dream"of going to America, and possibly staying...That America is the land of opportunity, opportunities that they are not afforded because of the repressed nature of their economical and social system.
The idea that foreigners detest Americans is contrary to everything that I've experienced in 51 years. Some media are extremely good at pounding their fist and stating that the world doesn't like us, that "America" and Americans are "unpopular", but I've yet to witness this (as a generality) in any way.
In my experience, "America" is the hope that others keep in their hearts and that they aspire to be part of....one day ... perhaps in their own country.

 

[Le Buzz]

This is a nice thread but may I suggest leaving out the politics or this will get derailed.

 

[Jfire]

I haven't seen that... where? The only forum mentions I got was some habanos forums I know nothing about. Must have missed something somewhere.

--- this is truly a question, as I am really interested about that fact, not a statement that this was never done, nor a way of supporting the specific B&M guy. --- (apparently we need to cover our tail-end with all sorts of explanations in this thread...)

This is the link @9min mark to 24 mins
http://thecigarauthority.podbean.com/2013/09/21/hand-rolled-cigar-and-smoking-cigar-bars/
" I sit on the board of the Ipcpr, TAA and NH board of retailers. I've been fighting the fight for 28 years. And while all you cowards sit there and complain about nostalgic packing. I say shut up and you're welcome....."
Yep, no conflict of interest here with David concerning Habanos.

 

[herfdog]

This is the link @9min mark to 24 mins
http://thecigarauthority.podbean.com/2013/09/21/hand-rolled-cigar-and-smoking-cigar-bars/
" I sit on the board of the Ipcpr, TAA and NH board of retailers. I've been fighting the fight for 28 years. And while all you cowards sit there and complain about nostalgic packing. I say shut up and you're welcome....."
Yep, no conflict of interest here with David concerning Habanos.

I tought you said he was bashing BOTL specifically.

He's not being the better man that's for sure...

 

[Craig Mac]

I tought you said he was bashing BOTL specifically.

He's not being the better man that's for sure...

He made those comments based on some comments here a year or two ago in defense of some lame packaging choices he made. Not sure how it relates to this thread, I guess he's just a big old bad man, is the point.

 

[Senor Perfecto]

"Crime is very, very low."

Until he goes back to the island some day and leaves in a non-cedar-lined box with a dull chaveta in his neck.

 

[herfdog]

He made those comments based on some comments here a year or two ago in defense of some lame packaging choices he made. Not sure how it relates to this thread, I guess he's just a big old bad man, is the point.

I didn't have those older packaging reference to understand... now it make much more sense.

 

[Mr. McSquirelly]

Here's the follow-up to Dave's article on his weekly radio show. He is interviewing Akhil from Regius Cigars. The discussion takes place from about 43:08 to 53:15. Akhil and Dave spend about 2 or 3 minutes bashing Cuban quality and flavor, claiming they're 'unprofessional.' And then Akhil describes one of his Regius cigars as "Cubanesque." WTF? So he's basically saying that his competitor doesn't make high quality cigars, but his own cigar is very similar to the competition's. Okay, Akhil, then you're just as foolish and hypocritical as Dave Garafolo.

Dave complains on the broadcast that people keep accusing him of not seeing what he saw with his own two eyes. But the problem, Dave, is that you are the only source that can vouch for what you saw. It's corroborated by nobody of any authority. Of course Akhil, just like Pete Johnson, is going to say his competitor's cigars are inferior to his own. But Dave is clearly an industry stooge. There is no way he is going to say anything remotely truthful about Habanos S.A. Which farms did he visit? What crops did he see? Habanos S.A. reps are just gonna let a fat gringo take a stroll through their crops for inspection? I don't f-ing think so, Dave.


And again, Dave's whole criticism of the Habanos S.A. production process is measured by an American standard. This is what I was talking about above. Americans going to third-world countries and saying how dirty and disgusting the places are!!! I've been to Havana as an American illegally. Yes, it was run-down. People walked around in rags half-naked. Havana itself looked like a giant slum. But there was a charm to it. It was actually quite refreshing. It was a nice little break from our OCD cleanliness standards here in the U.S.

 

[pbibby]

These guys are idiots

 

[brandoncpm]

http://www.botl.org/threads/why-would-a-retailer-do-this.69112/
Here is the old thread with comments from 2 of the 3 dbags. Proof they were dumbasses long before this video

 

[Dave]

I truly dread the day that the embargo is lifted and the entire American market opens to Cuban cigars. I do. It doesn't quite keep me up at night, but 'dread' isn't too strong a word. So......my most selfish side is somewhat content with any negative publicity about Cuban cigars in advance of the opening in the (hopeless) wish that maybe demand will be tempered, if even slightly.

My personal sense is that the author is a moron --- but except for this singular post, I won't call attention to that 'fact' again.