Any Cigar Aficionados out there?

[wyosteve]

I've been getting my Cubans from France. With their socialist regime the price is high, but they are worth it.

 

[Amianthus]

Cubans are over-rated. All the good cigar makers (masters) moved to other places (Dominican Republic, Honduras, etc. )



I have a few on hand. CAO's, Partagas, Gloria's (not crazy about them), Amoroso (more common smoker), Cohiba (pretty good), Punch, Fore (Icky-poo), Latin Gold Maduros, and some others. I usually have two or three a month. Don't really have the time to relax and enjoy one. Don't want to burn one just for burning's sake.



I'd like to try an Egg. Just to see what goofy looks I'd get. That and one of those twisty goofy looking ones (Jamaican, I think).



So if you guys are coming to LaCrosse some time and want to smoke Big Butt, I've always got some on hand.

 

[JSmith]

I love a nice stoggie and a shot of single malt scotch.

Make mine a maduro

 

[HVAC]

Maduro?

Anybody smoke maduros? Padron' is a great label.



I've been wanting to purchase one of those candela wrapper Fuentes to see what that's all about.



Amianthus, I've heard that too. It makes sense that the cigar industry would move to the DR to save itself.

 

[CumminsPuller]

HVAC and some of you other cigar experienced guys... ... . can you recommend a good book on cigars? Something to help a new guy learn a bit.



Jason

 

[HVAC]

Cigar Afficianado

When I first started to study the high end cigars (no, not swisher sweets!) I loved to read the Cigar Afficianado magazine from cover to cover. I memorized the ratings of all the various robustos or coronas or whatever they were rating that month. That is a splashy mag with huge pics, lots of celebs, and great articles about some of the cigar manufacturers.



As far as a book on cigars goes, I would call Cigar Afficianado to see what they recommend. They would be a good source. Learning about the different wrappers and filler structures of the various sizes etc is part of the enjoyment.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

The best resource I found for learning about cigars is the faq at http://www.cigargroup.com/faq . It'll tell you everything you need to know from how to store, where to buy, how to blow smoke rings ( ), etc.



I agree that Cuban cigars aren't all their cracked up to be. I've had a number of Cuban's over the years and still have some in the humidor. Some are good, most aren't that good IMO. I've smoked a couple Bolivar Belicosos that were good cigars but IMO a Padron Anniversario is a much better one. I've even had $100 Hoyo de monterreys (1 cigar) that didn't stack up to the Padron's. The cubans have raped their soil to produce as many as possible for so many years that the quality has gone WAY down. The real good cigar families are just waiting for the embargo to be lifted so they can go back into cuba and start repairing the fields and then start using that tobacco in their cigars.



I'm big on maduros. As said above my favorites are the Padron Anni's. Padron 3000's are good as well. JR makes the Ultimate double maduro that is a great cigar. I also keep a box of La gloria cubana maduro torpedo's around. I don't really like Fuente's maduros but I do like their Hemingway line and Don Carlos in natural wrappers.

 

[Dane]

Mmmmm Maduro...



I like the wrappers dark and oily like someone dipped em in diesel

 

[RBSOB]

Sitting,standing,working..... never in bed! Smoke way too many for my own good I'm sure. But I've never aquired a taste for any of the "real'' Cubans I've tried, or for some of the "heavier'' bodied Honduran cigars. Start out with a milder Dominican and just buy a few at a time 'till you find something you enjoy. Gotta agree with Steve on some of the J. R. Alternatives being great cigars, reasonably priced and some of the catalogs are an absolute riot to read. Great idea for storing a 2 month supply Steve Jim G

 

[CumminsPuller]

I lit up the Ashton 898 the other day. It was very nice. For a first smoke I really enjoyed it.



Jason

 

[jjohn]

Arturo Fuente, Maduro

consistent!

 

[The patriot]

suggestions on a mild smoke?

Anyone know of a mild quality stogie? I want to try the Ashton Churchill.

I recently found out that my brother can get cigars at a tremendous discount. He bought a store!

Eric

 

[CumminsPuller]

Mild Smokes........

Patriot... ... you might want to check out this thread on Cigar Afacianodo, it helped me out alot. http://forums.cigaraficionado.com/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=2346043451&f=6346086&m=86160201



Good luck and keep Smokin'... ... .



J

 

[The patriot]

Thanks. Will do!

Eric

 

[DKayser]

Cigars!

Okay, here is proof that I just love the TDR! I read an article in Cigar Afficionado when I had a sub. A little pretentious, but I digress! Anywho, they interviewed a guy named Oscar Boruchin who just retired from General Cigar Co. He had then just purchased Mike`s Cigars in Tampa. He remarked that they had some house brands that were cosmetic seconds of some major brand names. I got the catalog,looked for the specials and matched them up for ring size and length. Eureka, the $1. 80 #749 is actually a Macanudo Prince Phillip! This is a $6 smoke. Never had a bad bundle, just have a different label. Good way to save bucks. Enjoy $120 worth of cigars for $29. 99 plus $7 2nd day shipping!:--) Don. :--)

 

[Steve G]

DKayser,

Do they have a website or could you post their phone number? I smoke cigarettes and would like to change to cigars, thinking it might be easier to get off them if I switch.



Steve

 

[DKayser]

Stogies

Steve, Thanx for jogging my memory. Forgot the info. www.mikescigars.com Phone#1-800-962-4427 once you order, use the same clerk every time, just like the parts counter. They are % too. Super folks,accurate order fills, and lots of promos. They are the CUMMINS of cigars! Oh, get the order in before noon there time & it gets out that day. N-Joy, Don. Oo.

 

[Steve G]

Don,

Thanks.



Steve