Cigars/JLP
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Question
Hi James, what do you know about Jose L Piedra? I just tried one and I think that was VERY nice for the price... what do you think?
Hi Daniel,
Piedra cigars have been around for many years. It's one of the oldest Cuban cigar brands (circa 1880s) but was discontinued in the early 1990s. The brand was then reinstated in the mid 1990s and became very popular for being a very inexpensive Cuban brand yet also having premium cigar sizes. (The 1996-2002 Piedra robusto was handmade and only cost $10 CAD; more than half the price of a premium Cuban robusto.) Originally, many of the mid-1990s Piedras were handmade but in 2000, they were machinemade and the premium sizes were eliminated. In 2003-04, they were being handmade again but many premium sizes are still unavailable. The cigars are short-filler which some people don't enjoy but these are excellent and affordable Cuban cigars.
I personally loved the 1996-2002 Piedras because they were available in premium, handmade sizes (Robusto, Churchill, etc.) and they were extremely affordable. Most Piedra cigars are fairly small but their Robusto (now discontinued) was excellent. Their "Cazadores" cigar is also excellent and worth trying.
Hopes this helps. As always, if you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.
Regards,
James
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James Yee
Expertise
My main area of expertise is Cuban cigars but I can also assist you with cigar etiquette, humidor maintenance and troubleshooting. Unsure of a certain cigar brand? Wondering what a certain cigar tastes like? Have any questions about Cuban cigars? Just let me know! I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. (NOTE: My main focus is on premium, hand-rolled cigars and not cheap, machine made, convenience store cigars.) IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE CIGAR OR CIGAR-RELATED APPRAISALS. If you have a vintage cigar item and you want to know if it's worth something, please contact an antique dealer that specializes in "TOBACCIANA".
Experience
I currently have 19 dedicated years of cigar smoking and counting. I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. For 5 years, I studied with Cuban torcedores (rollers), catadores (taste testers) and revisadores (inspectors) on every aspect involving the production of the Cuban cigar and I am currently writing a book that will help beginners understand everything they need to know about cigars and cigar smoking.
Publications
Maple Leaf Gardens: Memories & Dreams 1931-1999 (1999; ISBN: 0920445616)
50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do (2006; ISBN: 0452286654)
The [London] Times (October 8, 2009)
Education/Credentials
B.A. University of Toronto
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