Taboo gets the big BOO today...

[icantbejon]

So this isn't meant to be a huge slam for the entire Taboo line or anything. I've had a number of Taboo's that I really enjoy. However, today I had a terrible cigar. Lit up the Taboo LR Havana Torpedo and was instantly disappointed. The wrapper split almost immediately near the foot. From there, it was really just down hill. There were three really nasty plugged spots causing a seriously uneven burn. I contemplated many times just tossing it and moving on to something else. The wrapper cracked again up by the wrapper, but I'll blame this one on me taking the band off. To further my frustration, my lighter ran out of fluid and I wasn't able to correct the uneven burns. All and all, a very big let down from a brand I've come to like. I've had a few of the Havana Torpedos in the past with no problems, so it was a pretty big let down.

[troutbreath]

Sorry to hear about your experience. I've only heard good things about the Taboo's, but I have yet to try them.

Wow, I have smoked at least a dozen of the Taboo LR havana and have never had an issue, as a matter of fact they are one of my favorite Taboo. Sounds like you may have just got a bad one. I would bet if you contact Rob and let him know about this he would be more than happy to make it rite. Hope this helps

[TOB9595]

I guess bad things can happen with any fine cigar.
I've smoked more than a dozen of the Taboo line and not only really enjoyed the taste and stogie sensations but found them to be spot on with the construction of a top shelf stick.
I would share this experience with Rob at Taboo.
If for nothing else than constructive feedback.
I'm sure Rob will want to know the storage conditions, age, etc of the stick...for this is an unusual happening.
Tom
I have some stored at 65 and others at 70%

[alley00p]

Originally Posted by Good_Stogies_Mon

Wow, I have smoked at least a dozen of the Taboo LR havana and have never had an issue, as a matter of fact they are one of my favorite Taboo. Sounds like you may have just got a bad one. I would bet if you contact Rob and let him know about this he would be more than happy to make it rite. Hope this helps

I have to agree - I have smoked all sizes of the LRs, although my favorite is the figurado in havana and maduro. I haven't had any problems with the LRs yet, but when I did have a problem with a Twist, I called Rob, and he fixed the problem right away.

I don't mean this as a slam on you, but maybe you should bring the issue up with the company before publicly slamming them based on one stogie.
I've had many different brands/lines in my 12+ years of smoking fine cigars. I don't ever rule out a cigar due to the smoking experience of a single cigar. Even in my most expensive, trust worthy and consistant cigars I will sometimes find a bad one in the box. Not always, but there are times when a "bad" cigar will slip through quality control.
I never slam or publicly report a bad cigar until I've smoked many of them and found that there is a consistant problem in a company, brand or line. Usually the first thing I do, is make sure it's not a problem on my end such as temp/rh, my cut or light. Then I smoke another and another unitl I come to the conclusion that it's the cigar line or brand itself.
Like I said I'm not trying to slam you. I see this on here once and a while, where someone will give a low rating on a stogie based on one smoke due to flavor, burn problems etc. Everytime I see this, I always wonder if the person leaving the review/complaint has smoked more then one or has experienced an over all problem with a particular line before reviewing/complaining .

[BlackDog]

Sorry you ran into this problem. I've smoked sticks from all the LR line, and I think the Havana is my favorite. Like the others said, probably a bad stick and not representative of the line as a whole.

[livwire68]

Bad cigars happen! Since this is a public forum you are entitled to you opinion and should not be downed for it either. Many people have flavor profiles that others dont like, if you have technicial difficulties with a cigar we want to hear about it. I am not a fan of the 2 taboo blends I have had, but hey thats my taste. If its been a bad cigar, I do make some judgements based on others thoughts, but I will try once and again. Thanks for the thoughts. But I guess its ok to review a cigar for the first time as long as its a good review.

[yourchoice]

Originally Posted by icantbejon

The wrapper cracked again up by the wrapper,

I hate it when the wrapper splits at the wrapper

Seriously though, don't let one experience cause you too much disdain for the smoke. Coincidentally, I had a wrapper split on the same exact cigar last night, but you know what? The night before I had a wrapper split on a Tatuaje Havana VI - Verocu Exclusivo Lado Occidental (West Coast).

I am curious what the smoking conditions were (not the humidor's conditions, but the conditions where you smoked it). In the wintertime/colder months, I often smoke in my garage, sometimes with a little portable ceramic heater blasting. I don't know if it's the cold, or the extremely dry heat the heater produces that causes wrapper splits this time of year, but it happened to me last winter, and I'm sure it will happen to me again more this winter. I try not to fret too much about it when it happens.

And, FWIW, of the six or so lines I've tried from Taboo, the LR Havana is my favorite. YMMV

[poker]

If I placed judgement on a brand due to just one bad one, I could list virtually every Cuban cigar brand out there and a few domestics as well.

I would just say you either had a bad one or its possible storage conditions were not optimum which is usually the case with wrapper splits.

[Sauer Grapes]

Originally Posted by poker

If I placed judgement on a brand due to just one bad one, I could list virtually every Cuban cigar brand out there and a few domestics as well.

I would just say you either had a bad one or its possible storage conditions were not optimum which is usually the case with wrapper splits.

I'm with stupid here... uh... I definitely did NOT just call one of the team of 11 stupid...

As with any handmade product, you are bound to find some quality control issues every so often. If it shows up too frequently, then slam the brand.

[av8tor152d]

Maybe I am missing something in Jons post here but from what I am seeing he is not saying he is done with or will not ever smoke another Taboo just was disappointed in this one smoke.

[68TriShield]

Originally Posted by av8tor152d

Maybe I am missing something in Jons post here but from what I am seeing he is not saying he is done with or will not ever smoke another Taboo just was disappointed in this one smoke.

That's how I read it as well.

[Rockestone]

I personally have never tried a Taboo but I have heard nothing but good things about them. Here's what I would do, like anyone cares.

Pick up another one. Smoke it. Review it again in this thread. I'm curious to see the differences.

[Mark C]

Originally Posted by av8tor152d

Maybe I am missing something in Jons post here but from what I am seeing he is not saying he is done with or will not ever smoke another Taboo just was disappointed in this one smoke.

May have been worded a little strongly, but the impression I got was he was complaining about a single bad/frustrating cigar, not a bad company, or bad blend.

It really did read like a bad review of a single stick. He even said that there are number of Taboo cigars he enjoyed.

--

I hope you give this one another chance. As others have said, it's hard to judge an entire line on the merits (or lack of merits) of one stick.

Originally Posted by icantbejon

So this isn't meant to be a huge slam for the entire Taboo line or anything.

Originally Posted by icantbejon

To further my frustration, my lighter ran out of fluid and I wasn't able to correct the uneven burns.

Originally Posted by icantbejon

had a few of the Havana Torpedos in the past with no problems, so it was a pretty big let down.

This should make it easier for some of y'all to see the facts.

There is no ""low rating", there is no ""slam the company"" (read the FIRST QUOTE), it's not even a "bad review"....

It reads like a crappy friggin day and the smoke just added to the frustration.

And most of us contact Rob RIGHT HERE ON CA!!!!!

[icantbejon]

I have indeed tried many of the Havana LRs in the past, probably 4 others. I like them. That was why this was so frustrating. Smoking conditions were solid as far as I'm aware, I was outside and it was probably 55 out. Wasn't even that dry outside, as rainy season has come to Iraq. My humi stays at a constant 70/70 unless my hygro is lying to me. I really wasn't trying to bash Taboo. I've had great service and great cigars from them. As a matter of fact, Rob has already contacted me about this post. I'm not looking for him to correct the situation though, cause it wasn't anything he did. Bad sticks just happen. I get that.

For those that took this post as an offense, I would say that I thought this forum was to discuss cigars. Not just good, positive experiences with cigars. I didn't bad mouth Taboo, or Rob. Nor will I, because I have enjoyed many of his products.

[yourchoice]

Originally Posted by icantbejon

Smoking conditions were solid as far as I'm aware, I was outside and it was probably 55 out. Wasn't even that dry outside, as rainy season has come to Iraq.

Ahh, my bad bro. Should have paid more attention to your current location/deployment. Thank you for your service.

[icantbejon]

Originally Posted by yourchoice

Ahh, my bad bro. Should have paid more attention to your current location/deployment. Thank you for your service.

No worries. I don't think my being in Iraq had much to do with this post. I appreciate it though. All of us like knowing we have the support of our Nation behind us.