Nub cigars

[Doc Manhattan]

If you get cigar catalogues, you've probably seen these: Nub cigars. They're supposed to be a short cigar designed to taste like the "sweet spot" of a longer cigar, where all the flavors start to meld and develop.

Have any of you tried these? How are they? I'm intrigued, especially because I much prefer a shorter cigar.

Also: how long do they smoke? (I ask because the CI catalogue says the smoking times are closer to those of full-size cigars... denser roll, maybe?)

 

[Puff Daddy]

I have not tried them, intentionally. It's just a marketing ploy, IMHO.

The problem with their premise (the sweet spot built into the Nub) is that a cigar develops it's sweet spot in part because it has burned down a ways, letting the chemical reactions take place and develop. Different tobaccos are layered to be and not be in specific areas of the cigar - like the ligero being bunched more heavily near the foot of a cigar - so you could certainly design a cigar to present certain characteristics in a short profile, but the assumption that a sweet spot can be developed by simply making a cigar short seems like nonsense. I don't buy it. It may be a good cigar, but it's not going to do what they say it does, it's going to be a short cigar, period.

 

[Doc Manhattan]

That makes a lot of sense. I'll just stick to normal shortish cigars for the few I smoke over the summer. And if the curiosity is still killing me, I'll by a five-pack and see for myself.

 

[HistoryMajor]

Yeah, I remember hearing about them when they came out, but never really followed what came of them. Despite the fact that I don't think they're available in Canada, I wouldn't go out of my way to make a purchase because I don't like cigars with a massive ring gauge...

There are probably some reviews on Top 25 Cigar, or Cigar Aficionado.

 

[Mikem]

My robusto sized cigars that I usually smoke work great for me. Just the right size for a half hour smoke. I thought the same thing as Puff Daddy and just thought they were some kind of marketing ploy. I want my cigar to slowly build up in strength and complexity. Not just hit you in the face when you light up.

 

[That_Paul_Guy]

I picked up a 6 pack of these from Cigarmonster.com. I have to say I really enjoy these cigars! they smoke very well and are great for a short smoke packed with flavor.

 

[Handsome Dynamite]

I've tried them, they're quite good. They do have a surprisingly long smoke, I couldn't tell you exact minutes, but damn close to a Corona.

 

[happypipester]

My favorite tobacconist in my area had an Oliva cigar day (Oliva distributes Nub I believe, or Nub was inspired by them, or both, or something like that)... if you bought a box, you got (among other things) the choice of a 6-pack sampler of the Nub line or a 5 or 6 pack sampler (I think different Oliva offerings)... pretty darn good cigars. Very stout and flavourful. Even puffing at a fairly good pace I think they last about 45 mins, more slowly about an hour or so, but that might vary from person to person.

 

[adauria]

Maybe they start with a full sized cigar and smoke them down 30%, then clip off the end

-Andrew

 

[Carlos]

My local B&M is getting rid of them. I have never had one.

 

[HistoryMajor]

One of the new stores in town carries them. I haven't got around to trying one yet, as I'm not willing to fork over 25 bucks to try one. But I'll probably get around to it this summer if they haven't gone out of business...

 

[dougc905]

You have a new store in town? Wow! There's a daring entrepreneur!

One of the new stores in town carries them.

 

[HistoryMajor]

Yeah. Couple of guys opened up a couple months back. Neither of them are smokers, so I have not given them very much of my business. I expect to have some good conversation about tobacco when I go out to a cigar store, so it's a strange experience seeing rows of cigars and the guy selling them knows very little about tobacco. Good hours though, 9am-11pm, 7 days a week. But still, I've got a store that I go to, and I owe them my business after a lot of great service. I hope for the best for these guys...but I dunno how it will work out for them.

 

[dougc905]

Neither of them are smokers, so I have not given them very much of my business. I expect to have some good conversation about tobacco when I go out to a cigar store, so it's a strange experience seeing rows of cigars and the guy selling them knows very little about tobacco.

Ahh... Two dudes with money to lose...

That's actually what a lot of the shops in Toronto seem like now. You walk in, nobody's smoking because of the ban, you walk back out. Can't tell if the salesperson knows anything or not. Yippee.

 

[gonefishing]

Great little cigar for the money!! Met Sam at Corona cigar company in Orlando, great dude also.

 

[Doc Manhattan]

Got one of these as a freebie in an order--finally get to try it firsthand with low risk. Cameroon boxpressed; not really in my sweet-spot. A little "green" in flavor for want of better words... Wish I'd given it some time in the humidor.

 

[petertschantz]

Doc, try the 460 Maduro. I think that one is the best of the nubs - but I am partial to Maduro wrapper cigars...

And, they do tend to benefit from some time in the humidor.

 

[Doc Manhattan]

I'll give 'er a try when the humidor frees up some room--that freebie came with a pretty hefty order (hefty for me, at least... sometimes months go by before I touch a cigar.)

 

[petertschantz]

I understand completely. My humidor is gotten quite full since I started with the pipe, tend to pass on cigars in favor a bowl these days 8)