Cigars

[TomGolden]

Ah, another fantastic thread!



I have only been smoking cigars for the last 4 years or so, and haven't had the opportunities to expirement with some of the finer brands yet...



So far my very favorite brand is Romeo y Julietta (the Dominican version). I also like the legal in the US Cohibas, Macanudo, H. Uppman, Hoyo de Monterey's, Partagas, and several others. I tedn to like the larger sizes, between 48 - 54 gauge and 6 - 7 1/2" in length. Have always wanted to try a pipe, but haven't yet... . someday I might take the that plunge as well.



Now if only my Ram had leather interior to mix with the aroma of my R & J's.....



Tom

 

[Gunny]

No Flames Intended

Any communication on this board or any other should be taken as a philosophical discussion and nothing else. I do not mean to start a flame war and hope that you don't take this exchange that way. Having said that I will say that I never had much faith in anything that Cigar Aficionado had to say, they seem to get it right about 5% of the time or less. The Cubans have been making cigars for centuries, so over the last couple of hundred years they didn't seem to need the Russians or their infrastructure to make a good cigar. Suddenly the Russians leave and now the Cubans can not make a good cigar without the Russians, that is the party line put out by Cigar Aficionado Magazine, does not make since to me. The cigars being made by the old and famous houses of Cuba, in other countries like the Dominican Republic and Honduras are good cigars. I believe that these old houses are still tied to Cuba, and owned in fact by those same people in Cuba. They moved simply to be able to market their cigars here and other places that they where unable to because of the trade restrictions. You made mention of the draw on that Cuban and used that as a reason that some Cubans had deteriorated in quality, it has been my experience that inferior draw has little to do with the quality of the tobacco and a lot to do with the quality of the person doing the wrapping. I have gotten some very good cigars that had a bad draw, never did I assume that the cigar was of inferior quality tobacco. I guess that you and I will just have to agree to disagree on this subject, maybe some day we will meet face to face and it will be my pleasure for the smokes to be on me. Gunny

 

[mimprevento]

Cubans

Well I see your point Gunny but my personal experiences have been terrible- I need to get ahold of some good ones- a friend of mine says he occasionally gets some (legally) and I will keep an open mind- as a long time smoker I am glad that the market is so full of good product at good prices- Cigar Aficionado does still have a very high opinion of Cubans and they usually get the highest ratings but my burned out palate has never been able to appreciate what all the fuss is about. If you ever get out east the Suffolk Cigar Club extends an open invitation to you to enjoy some smokes and Port in fact that goes for any TDR member!!!

 

[Champane Flight]

Crooks

I quit smoking 10 years ago, not a fanatic though. I used to enjoy a Mississippi Crook. Didn't go into the Cuban stuff. My cousin got a box of em, forget the name. But, they were too harsh for my taste.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I have several Cuban cigars in my 'dor - all known genuine (bought through La Casa Del Habanos in Canada, which is the only importer there). I haven't been too impressed with most of them - one noted exception is the Bolivar Belicoso - if you can get ahold of one of those do it, you'll love it I promise (as long as you like full bodied cigars). The problem with the cigars currently coming out of Cuba is that they have raped the soil, over planting so they've stripped the soil of it's nutrients. On top of that the best cigar people left the island because of the Castro Regime. Hopefully Cuba will be opened back up soon and the masters will be able to step back in and farm it properly. But I for one think that the very best cigars after that point will use a blend of Cuban tobacco with others. Padron will be one of the greats if that can happen. I didn't post this earlier but meant to - right now I have about 350 cigars in the igloodor, none of them have been in my possesion less than 2 years - and many of them are 5+ years old . One of the advantages of not smoking often since Sam's birth is that I have all great aged cigars to smoke. Right now I'm celebrating St. Pat's day with Jameson's Irish on the rocks and am smoking an AF Hemingway Signature, Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm !!



-Steve

 

[KPhillips]

sounds great Steve,



but I tell you what, if you need to get rid of some of them 'ol stale cigars, I'll take them off your hands real cheap ,,,,,



any of you guys ever hang out over at the Fuente Family BBS, I used to hang there alot, its a real informative place, with alot of good people, but it got old due to all the bickering, etc,



but thats been over a year ago, I don't know what its like now... seriously though, those stale Padron Anni's in there are probably taking up alot of room, so I'd be glad to help you out

 

[45A1]

I'm not really into "good" cigars, but have any of you guys tried acids? they have a web site- acidcigar.com i get them at a shop in new hampshire. if you like a mild cigar they are excellent. . they have all kinds blended with different herbs etc. . kind of pricey though, at $6-10.

 

[redneckdr]

"acids"

whoa... ... ... ... ..... i didn't know where that post was going at first

 

[mimprevento]

Acids and St Laurents 'Dor

I think these are Lars Teten- all hype and labeling- gave me a headache and they are pretty expensive- stick to the tried and true brands- as for the contents of ST Laurents 'dor let me suggest a closeout sale just to make room for some new ones of course- I will be up there taking depositions of some Phord execs soon- is there a lock on that thing?

 

[HEMI®Dart]

Are Cuban Cigars considered contraband in the US? Could a guy get pinched if he got caught with a box?

 

[mimprevento]

Cubans

Yes I have been appointed the National Cuban Cigar Contraband Liaison by Tom Ridge my first assignment is to seize St Laurents humidor and burn the offending contraband one at a time

 

[HEMI®Dart]

LOL mimprevento

 

[fest3er]

I've tried a bunch of different cigars. The nicest one I've found yet is the Temple Hall Estates Maduro #450. I keep trying others as I find them, but keep coming back to the THE.



Fest3er

 

[SS]

Fest3er,



I also enjoy the Temple Hall Estates (not the Maduro). I'm envious of the experience of some of the other guys on this post and am basically just getting started. I've also enjoyed the La Rosa Especial, Canaria D'Oro, and several others on the milder end. I will soon be traveling and I intend to try some of those listed that are not readily available in the States.



Steve

 

[The patriot]

Re: Cubans

Originally posted by mimprevento

Yes I have been appointed the National Cuban Cigar Contraband Liaison by Tom Ridge my first assignment is to seize St Laurents humidor and burn the offending contraband one at a time

LMAO. You truely are sacrificing for your country!!:-laf :-laf

Eric

 

[Amianthus]

Bad influence

You guys just reminded me how bad my stock has become. I agree with the Padron comments. Very good cigar. My biggest problem is that I have no one to smoke them with here. What a drag (no pun intended)! Got to get back into this before they are all banned (seems to be the newest movement around here). The wife's gonna kill me on the money spent. Oh well, it's only money.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Hemi, it's illegal to bring Cuban cigars into the states across a border and it's illegal to sell them within the states. You can't get popped for possesing them here though. There are some legal ways to bring Cuban cigars into the states. If you are on a "blessed" and legal trip to Cuba then you can bring back 2 boxes I believe. Since there are legal ways to bring them into the states they can't prove that the ones in your possession didn't make it here legally. There are cigar shops overseas that will ship you unbanded cigars and will send the bands and the box in a seperate shipment. I know of quite a few guys that do that, you are taking a risk that they will be confiscated though. Now since 9/11 I don't know how if it's gotten harder or not. I've never done it but I know of many that have.



Thanks for all the offers to take all my "stale" cigars off my hands :biggrin: , but no thanks! I do always bring enough to events to share. So if you guys are coming to Thunder in Muncie look me up (I'll be in the longest TT there most likely - a Fireside 35', and I'm staying at the Big Oak campground) and we'll smoke a few.



BTW 45a1, mimprevento is right - those are Lars Tetens. They are the butt of a LOT of jokes from cigar lovers the world over. Whatever you do DO NOT put them in a humidor with other cigars - they will flavor all of them. Most tobacconists won't allow Lars Tetens anywhere near their other cigars - they'll put them in a humidor all by themselves.



-Steve

 

[KPhillips]

I know what you mean about having no one to enjoy your stogies with. . None of my friends are really into cigars either, at least for the most part. there are exceptions... .



I actually keep some cheapo smokes in another humidor I have, and if a friend wants to enjoy a smoke with me and he has not appreciated (thrown out before finished, or let go out ) one of my finer cigars in the past, he gets a cheapo (which really aren't bad smoke, just alot cheaper (no more than a dollar). .



Otherwise I ask a person if they have ever smoked one before and I give them one of my good smokes based on their experience,,,,if they are a newbie, I make sure they get a mild smoke (Macanudo, Ashton,etc. ) that they can enjoy instead of one of my VSG's or some other bold cigar that might choke them their first time around and chase them off from the joy of a good cigar...



I still like to go outside (wife won't let me smoke in the house :-{} ) smoke a stogie and enjoy a crown and coke and just relax... .



I agree on some of the cuban comments, there are a few I've tried that were worthy of the praise (I had a few El rey de Mundo cubans that were very good) but I also had a few bad ones (had a few Monte Cristos that really sucked), the dominican Monte's were alot better than the cuban ones I had>>>



The good thing about cigars though is that everyone has their own taste and can enjoy whatever cigars float their boat,,,,

 

[FATCAT]

La Unica & JR's La Finca

Just placed another $100+ order this morning with JR, my stash was getting low and running out of gar's is NOT an option.



I don't go for the real expensive gar's but for the money I have yet to find anything as good as the La Unica #200 Maduro's (bundle of 20 for about $57). The flavor is a bit strong with an excellent ash, and sitting down by the wood stove with few neighbors a good cognac is what cigar smoking is all about.



My everyday gars (to and from work 1 1/2 hrs. each way) is the La Finca Valentino for about a $1. 25 each.



www.jrcigars.com

 

[mimprevento]

JRs

The guy has great prices and is right on when it comes to the overblown quality of the so-called high priced brands- the bundled La Unica is good- try Holts bundled offering- the Special Maduro or something like that they are a good value. Holts is in Philly