I think the Robert Burns are machine made. Most mm's have the hole and require no cutting. I've never tried a Robert Burns, but I know there are several here who do/have. Maybe they will chime in. Comparing habanas and dominicans is like comparing apples and Ford trucks. Totally different animals.

Try to find a Fuente, Padron, Punch, Torano or Rocky Patel made stick. Just my :2

:ms NCRM

 

There are some Awesome non cuban smokes out there.

Out of the list NCRadioMan just posted I've tried some of the Fuente, Padron, and Torano line and enjoyed them all.

 

Wrapper Color : Natural
Wrapper : Connecticut Shade
Binder : Homogenized Tobacco Leaf
Length : 5.25 Ring : 41
Qty. / Pkg. : 10 packs of 3
Country of Origin : Dominican Republic
Filler : Caribbean Basin $33.95

What got me started on cigars a long time ago. Tried one recently, sort of harsh, not a bad flavor, but the harshness was a killer.

 

I believe the cigar you bought is a machine made smoke and it's not representative of the premium hand made cigars from the Dominican Republic. I don't consider the quality of Dominican, Honduran or Nicaraguan premium cigars to be any less then premium Cuban cigars, just different flavor profiles. I always make the comparison to desserts - I like both brownies and ice cream. Sometimes a brownie sounds good, other times the ice cream hits the spot. You can't say the brownie is a higher quality dessert, but you can say you prefer brownies.
There are lots of great NC cigars out there. You may find you like them or you may not. The exploration is the fun part!

 

I couldn't agree more. :tpd:

I would also add that there are so many factors that effect the total experience that those direct comparisons become even harder. Things such as storage, age, and what not. For example A real Cohiba Esplendidos was recently compared with a Dominican of the same. Looked very similar, smelled very similar. Upon inital lighting taste was very simliar (The Dominican did not stay as consistent however)... And both were excellant cigars. No way I think I could confuse the two but taken seperately... The Dominican one did not have the age to it as the original as well as the storage time. Once it has seen some rest and or age I expect greater things from it. It's all about the journey. I think you'd do yourself a dis-service to lock out one over the other. OH and those Brazilian based sticks? Lately...... yummy yummy yummy.

 

I think the Robert Burns are machine made. Most mm's have the hole and require no cutting. I've never tried a Robert Burns, but I know there are several here who do/have. Maybe they will chime in. Comparing habanas and dominicans is like comparing apples and Ford trucks. Totally different animals.

Try to find a Fuente, Padron, Punch, Torano or Rocky Patel made stick. Just my :2

:ms NCRM

I think you CAN compare Cuban cigars to Dominicans (or any Non-Cubans) but comparing Cubans to machine made cigars is way off the scale.

I agree that while I have not had many Cuban cigars they do have a different flavor and construciton quality than many other non-Cuban smokes. That said though there are MANY MANY great non-Cuban smokes and some great ones (IMHO) from the DR.

:2

 

I live here in the U.K. and noticed that it Cuban and NC's are priced pretty equally. Afterall what makes 'em so expensive is the Taxes. I saw an AVO for the same price as a PSD4 in Bury St. Edmunds. Nut if yo enjoyed it who cares smoke 'em up! I know when I am at the pub I will often get a Hamlet (dry cured) and I enjoy them. No 7 year old madagascar vanilla here

BTW: Welcome to Club stogie.

 

Well, yesterday I got roung to smoking the Dominican Robert Burns Black watch cigar.

And my thoughts: It had a very VERY mild flavour indeed. A different taste to the big cuban's i've had, but the taste ws very mild. Not bad for a cheap smoke, but i don't think i'll buy another one.

I'll stick to cuban's

 

You go out & buy yourself a decent quality non-cuban.......don't make me come over there!

 

You go out & buy yourself a decent quality non-cuban.......don't make me come over there!

here's my :2 , my favorite cigar is a cuban montecristo #2. It's a pretty popular shape from a pretty popular cuban line. Is it a great cigar? No doubt man, but I don't think that's why it is my favorite cigar. Being an American in friggin Missouri, it is more difficult/expensive to come by genuine Cubans. So naturally, I don't get to smoke them as much. What usually happens is I get my grubby paws on a few sticks and set them in my humidor for months or years and wait for that "special occasion" on which I get to smoke them. I think the anticipation makes them that much better for me. It's definetly not my favorite cigar simply because it's cuban. The point is, NC's have definetly caught up to cubans in terms of quality and taste. Many would argue that a fair number of non-cuban lines are actually superior to even the finest Cubans. You definetly can't make a blanket statement saying that Cubans are better than non-cubans (IMHO).

 

Are Dominican's considered to be a lower quality cigar to Cubans? Because i dont' think you can beat a Cuban

I would equate it to say, apples.
Is a McIntosh better than a Grannysmith or better than a Yellow Delicious?
All are different in appearance and taste.
All have a purpose and all are good in their own way.
Cubans are just different tasting for the most part.
That unique taste generated by that unique soil is what has differentiated them from the rest of the world for so many, many years.
Dominicans have some very fine tobacco. Much of it now grown by exiled Cubans.
Just a different taste.

 

Its all a matter of personal taste. I really enjoy Cubans when I get the chance to have one but I save mine for special occasions like some have already mentioned. Since I live in the states I can easily get Dominicans, some that are harder to get than Cubans such as the Fuente Opus X. That stick costs more than some top notch Cubans and even though I have never had one, I hear its right up there on the top of the list as one of the best cigars from any origin. I would suggest trying some Dominicans such as Ashton, Fuente, CAO, Romeo and Julieta, H. Upmann and then make your judgement.

 

I would equate it to say, apples.
Is a McIntosh better than a Grannysmith or better than a Yellow Delicious?
All are different in appearance and taste.
All have a purpose and all are good in their own way.
Cubans are just different tasting for the most part.
That unique taste generated by that unique soil is what has differentiated them from the rest of the world for so many, many years.
Dominicans have some very fine tobacco. Much of it now grown by exiled Cubans.
Just a different taste.

Well put Blueface. I too live where Cubans are not contraband, and I have to say that Habanos are not necessarily the mythical objects that some think they are. Some are good, some are not that good, some are bad. They taste different than a dominican...which tastes different than a honduran...etc etc.

That being said, I paid alot for a Hoyo Dbl Corona(Cuban) when my daughter was born. It just seemed like the thing to do.
o

 

I too live where Cubans are not contraband, and I have to say that Habanos are not necessarily the mythical objects that some think they are.

They're not...?

 

>>Are Dominican's considered to be a lower quality cigar to Cubans? Because i dont' think you can beat a Cuban<<

Try it and see. Then when yer done, let us know

 

Today, i broke with tradition in my "cuban cigar" ways and bought a Dominican one instead.

I noticed a Robert Burns Black Watch cigar and for some reason i couldn't resist. I was very suprised when i opened it to find that the armoa of the cigar, is totally differnt to that of the cuban cigars i've had.

<snip>

Are Dominican's considered to be a lower quality cigar to Cubans? Because i dont' think you can beat a Cuban

I started on these over 20 years ago. While these are indeed made in the Dominican Republic, they are not at all premium cigars. If you want an excellent Dominican cigar that is comparable to the Cuban cigars you are used to, try the Fuente Don Carlos series, or one of the Montecristo (DR) series such as the Afrique or H2000. To me, the Afrique is the closest to the Cuban Montecristo that I have tasted. I would at least consider the two to be the same fruit (apple to apple). The comparison between a Burns and the Cubans that I have had so far would be the same as comparing an orange to a leek.