As I am still trying to taste as many brand and types of cigars I can to find brands I like, this is the second time I can across with German ( Germany & Switzerland) made cigars, and my experiences were awful.
My angriness is very simple: I think in any kind of cigars - even in case of machine mades - it is unacceptable to have the binder made of BROWN PAPER, and not a tobacco leaf.
So here are my questions, to the US folks in this site:
1. Do you came across German mades in the US? ( like Villiger, or Candlelight, or others)
2. Did you also experienced paper based bindered cigars? What is your view on cigars like that?
yeah stay away from machine mades unless you know someone who says they are good. 99% of machine should not even be called cigars.
I did not have any problems with the Dutch ones ( like the Agio Meharis cigarillos, or the De Olifant cigars, they are really good), but these Germans are blah...
I have had some stuff Villiger, and while not my favorite, I wouldn't put it in the "bad" category.
It sounds like you are seeing Homogenized Tobacco Leaf (HTL) binders. These are fairly common in machine made cigars.
Here is a brief article on HTL
https://cigars4dummies.wordpress.com/2015/01/20/why-are-homgenized-tobacco-leaves-used-in-machine-made-cigars-sold-today/
The best European cigar per say that I have smoked to date is the Toscano cigars from Italy. Strong and flavorful and consistent. Although they are not my preferred ring size, they make for a decent change when traveling abroad. Of the 5 or 6 blends I have tried, the Toscano Originale is my favorite.
https://www.italiansmokes.com/pages/how-toscano-is-made.html
You are maybe right, Jackal!
I have checked the pictures also on the net.....
Anyway, no cigar should have that inside :-S
As I im still learning, about 60% of my cigars are machine made, I have tried Dutch ones a lot, and except the Villiger, Candlelight and one Hungarian one, I have never seen paper binders in cigars...
(ohh btw.. I know because at the end of the smoke I like to dissect the last 3rd of the cigar to see the construction, to see if it is really medium, or shortfiller, etc....., that is why I know)
I have not been impressed with Villiger, the few I have tried are all over priced for the quality of smoke.
you should give Dannemann a try
Hey SambaDave, did you get your PM?
some time ago i read an article about cigar bunching machines. i hadn't known about them or the century or so they have been in use. anyway it was interesting to find out. not all cigars are bunched by hand so i guess they are also partially machine made.
"German made cigars" seems so much like an oxymoron
Kind of like
French military tactics
Czechoslovakian Automobiles
QuoteCfickter - 8/3/2017 3:23 PM
"German made cigars" seems so much like an oxymoron
Kind of like
French military tactics
Czechoslovakian Automobiles
I was going to try and challenge your statement about French Tactics with some modern military examples, but I am coming up empty. :biggrin:
To be honest, though, I just purchased David Galula's "Counterinsurgency Warfare: Theory and Practice". It is a pretty good manual of tactics, written by a French officer.
QuoteCfickter - 8/3/2017 9:23 PM
"German made cigars" seems so much like an oxymoron
Kind of like
French military tactics
Czechoslovakian Automobiles
Yeah that is kinda truth, but anyway it is there... like the "german cuisine"
QuoteCarlosoftHUN - 8/4/2017 12:55 AM
QuoteCfickter - 8/3/2017 9:23 PM
"German made cigars" seems so much like an oxymoron
Kind of like
French military tactics
Czechoslovakian Automobiles
Yeah that is kinda truth, but anyway it is there... like the "german cuisine"
I won't turn down beer, pretzels and pig knuckles.
QuoteCfickter - 8/3/2017 11:23 AM
"German made cigars" seems so much like an oxymoron
Kind of like
French military tactics
Czechoslovakian Automobiles
I take big exception to your comment about CZ automobiles. Tatra was lead by excellent engineers. They were innovated and ahead of their time. Tatra trucks are used in the most harsh conditions. They do very well in the Dakar rally for trucks.
Skoda wasn't too great, but the Czechs had the misfortune to be pounded first by Hitler and then by Stalin.