for the Love of a good Cigar !!

[twich54]

There was talk on another thread about the negativety of smoking, and while I generally agree ( I don't smoke my stogies in the house) there is something to be said for the pleasure of a good cigar and the commoradere that goes along with it. Heck even Robin mentioned earlier that she too enjoyed the scent of a good cigar !

Can't remember if I shared this pic or not but the "Churchill Room" aboard our cruise last year out of Alaska was a great place to enjoy a beverage of choice along with a great cigar !

My Cuban favorites:

Monte #2, Bolivar Churchill, Hoyo de Montery

Non-Cuban favorites:

Comacho 11/18, El Rey del Mundo Robusto Larga, Padron, Punch

So speak up, I can't be the only one who enjoys a good cigar !! ???

 

[Dreamer]

Same here--I don't smoke in the house, but I do like a good smoke when I'm camping, or at an outdoor cafe or concert, or just hanging out on the porch in the summer. Of course this time of year makes enjoying a good cigar a little less enjoyable--it's 28° and sleeting out there...

My favorite smokes currently are all vintage. I have some 1999 La Gloria Cubana (USA) Corona Gordas that are just fantastic. I have about half a dozen Fuente Hemingways that I bought in '00 that are astounding, and getting better every day. And the Padron 2000 Coronas Maduro are really smooth and chocolatey, perhaps the best Maduro I've ever smoked. And you knnow, those "Counterfeit Cubans" that J&R sells are really pretty good--especially the coronas. And at the price, they are a very smooth, complex, enjoyable smoke. They go REALLY well with Mexican beer and food too--I had my last one this past fall, sitting in an outdoor Mecican cafe in Ellicot City MD. Yummy.

Cubanos? Don't get them that often, ever since I lost my State Department contact, but when I do, I like H.Upman Coronas, Bolivar Robustos, and pretty much anything from Partagas or Punch.

So anyway, here is a shot of my "Igloo-dor", (humidor made from an igloo cooler) and yes, that box in the lower left-hand corner is an unopened box of Partagas 150 "D" smokes. It has increased in value 10 times since I bought it. Just can't bring myself to smoke them, with that sort of ROR...

--Richard

 

[twich54]

Richard, La Gloria Cunbano was one of my all time favorites, I got to meet Ernesto Carillo in Chgo back in the early Nineties, back then he had 17 rollers in "Little Havana" Miami and was turning out his best product ever (my smoke was the Charlamagne) but once he sold out to General Cigar and moved operations to the Daminican Republic it has taken quite some time to recapture the 'Old Magic' !

I too buy from JR's as well as supporting my Local cigar shop, If youre ever up in this area let me know for we have a great lounge area in the shop, cigar locker storage and a cigar friendly restaurant next door !!

 

[Dreamer]

Richard, La Gloria Cunbano was one of my all time favorites...

That box of La Glorias was bought sometime around 1999, so they are, I believe, pre-sellout. Every time I fire one up, they get better and better. Cigars are like good Scotch--if you store them right, they just get smoother and more complex...

I too buy from JR's as well as supporting my Local cigar shop, If youre ever up in this area let me know for we have a great lounge area in the shop, cigar locker storage and a cigar friendly restaurant next door !!

My sweetie's family lives in Fayetteville NC, so we drive by the big J&Rs in NC on I-95 every time we visit down there. We almost always stop, because that is the BIG J&R outlet, and they have a HUGE "books on CD" section, and she loves to listen to books when she drives. She flips through the CDs, I wander through the Humodor Room, and we both walk out with bulging shopping bags and big smiles!

Not many cigar-friendly establishments here in the "People's Republic of Maryland" anymore. There are a few in Baltimore, but from what I've heard, the nicest one is also the most snooty and pretentious one. I may have to go over there one evening, pull out my hand-made leather cigar case with a few vintage Cubanos in it, and then pull out a 15-year-old Wheeling Marsh Stogie, and fire it up, just to see who says what... I LOVE to tug the leashes of pretentious, uppity people. I used to be in the business (ran a cigar concession with a friend at one of THE billiard clubs in Northern VA at the peak of the cigar craze), and I probably have forgotten more about fine cigars than most of those "trendy smokers" will ever know...

I'll extend the same invite to you that you have to me. If you're ever in the Baltimore area, drop me a note, and we'll try and arrange something. If it's in the summer, we can just meet at my place, have a few smokes and maybe a good Scotch out on the porch, and then listen to the Sequels. Hopefully, by summer, I'll have my analogue setup all put together and dialed in (looking at a Clearaudio/BenzMicro setup, with an ARC phono pre). I'm still working on the digital end right now though (Oppo, Krell, and ARC, or maybe EAD)...

--Richard

 

[HsvToolFool]

My favorite sticks are the big, spicy, sun-grown Dominicans
by Fuente: Opus, Don Carlos, Ashton VSG, Diamond Crown
Maximus, etc.

I also don't smoke indoors, or for that matter, very often.
Spring and Fall offer the only pleasant outdoor smoking
days around here. A perfect Spring Friday evening is a
medium-rare Filet with mashed 'taters at my favorite pub's
bar, followed by a choice single-malt and an aged stogie
on the back porch.

I also didn't participate in the anti-smoking-law thread.
There's not much left to say on the pervasive nanny-state
mindset. Marxist "for the common good" dogma now rides
a popular wave and the majority is too ignorant to recognize
the dead-end.

 

[HopelessDFilms]

MMMMMmmmmmmmmm.......Yummy!

I am an avid Cigar fan! I find myself getting more into the aging of cigars to the near antique level (give or take around 10 years) I have a pretty large assortment currently in the humidors...mostly consisting of Cohibas - sadly the picture doesn't do it justice, a 19k limit forced me to shrink it soo much. But theres a Cohiba Sublime in there which is the limitada edicion. I also have some Montecristo #2 and #3....on the end theres a La Gloria Cubana Churchill roughly 5 years aged now....in the other cabinets there is a multitude of Hoyo De Monterrey, and others.

THE #1 MOST DIFFICULT THING FOR ME TO DO IS NOT SMOKE IN MY LISTENING AREA!!! So what I did was put my lesser gear in an area, which still well ventilated is reserved for my 'other' hobby....

Almost forgot to mention the La Flor Dominicana and Romeos and and and and........

For those who are just getting into cigars or are into them I have found this place to be very helpful and the cheapest place to go for purchasing....

http://www.jrcigars.com the other place I've seen is thompson, but I don't like them anywhere near as much...

 

[MotorToad]

Oh yeah, I do love cigars. Right now I'm smoking my xmas presents... Torano Signature, 1916, and Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumarta. Some of my other faves are Hoyo's Excaliber and most any Fuente. Smoking outside is a lot easier in teh south... at least in the winter!

 

[Dreamer]

For those who are just getting into cigars or are into them I have found this place to be very helpful and the cheapest place to go for purchasing....

http://www.jrcigars.com the other place I've seen is thompson, but I don't like them anywhere near as much...

My in-laws live in Fayetteville NC, so when we visit them, we drive right by the main J&R outlet store in Raleigh NC on I-95. Talk about a REAL fun place, aside from all the other interesting outlet stuff they have there (from cologne to CDs to clothing to local boutique wines) their walk-in humidor room i sbigger than most cigar stores! You go through the doors with "SHOOOOSH", and step into this pleasantly-lit cavern of a room with wall-to-wall smokes of ALL types, and the aroma is simply heavenly. Great prices too. I HIGHLY recommend the J&R brand "Counterfeit Cubans", especially in the thick ring gauges, and if you don't want a smoke that takes forever, the Counterfeit Cuban corona is one of the best corona-sized cigars I've ever had, from ANY country. If you're ever travelling down I-95 through North Carolina, and are a cigar fan, the J&R outlets are a MUST-STOP...

--Richard

 

[HopelessDFilms]

Muahahahaha

My in-laws live in Fayetteville NC, so when we visit them, we drive right by the main J&R outlet store in Raleigh NC on I-95. Talk about a REAL fun place, aside from all the other interesting outlet stuff they have there (from cologne to CDs to clothing to local boutique wines) their walk-in humidor room i sbigger than most cigar stores! You go through the doors with "SHOOOOSH", and step into this pleasantly-lit cavern of a room with wall-to-wall smokes of ALL types, and the aroma is simply heavenly. Great prices too. I HIGHLY recommend the J&R brand "Counterfeit Cubans", especially in the thick ring gauges, and if you don't want a smoke that takes forever, the Counterfeit Cuban corona is one of the best corona-sized cigars I've ever had, from ANY country. If you're ever travelling down I-95 through North Carolina, and are a cigar fan, the J&R outlets are a MUST-STOP...

--Richard

Oh man....I was always scared to buy teh JR brand sticks, but after your review I think I will have to try some of them......that is to help me keep the aging goin on, the more I can take my mind off the delicious sticks I have sitting a matter of feet away from me the easier it is to continually age them.... thanks for the review of JR, too bad there isn't an outlet for them in the chi area, i would work there. Period.:rocker:

 

[zzvelik]

Wow, that's the first time I heard someone else who tried a Bolivar Robusto. If you like a rich, flavorful cigar, that's the one! They're very hard to come by, even in the land where they're made. On the other end, I recommend Leon Jimenez. I have a funny story about that brand. I visited the Dominican Republic back in 1997 and drove to Santiago where they have the Aurora factory. When we got there, we actually parked in Leon's parking spot, only to realize it later. One of the reps gave us a grand tour of the factory where they had a large hanger like room with about several dozen people hand rolling cigars. The one thing I found out later is that the same boxes that I bought were considerably less in the US than the taxed prices I paid over there. I even found the Arturo Fuente factory, but it was located in the tax free zone and they weren't allowed to sell it to anyone as it was for export only. Oh well, I've gotten my share of good deals in duty free shops when travelling overseas.

I still have a small collection of Cuban and Dominican cigars in my humidor although I don't smoke them like I used to. These days, I enjoy the hookah pipe with the apple flavored tobacco. If you've never tried it, you have to give it a shot. Only problem, you can't smoke them while listening to your logans. At least we can still enjoy a good bottle of scotch!

Same here--I don't smoke in the house, but I do like a good smoke when I'm camping, or at an outdoor cafe or concert, or just hanging out on the porch in the summer. Of course this time of year makes enjoying a good cigar a little less enjoyable--it's 28° and sleeting out there...

My favorite smokes currently are all vintage. I have some 1999 La Gloria Cubana (USA) Corona Gordas that are just fantastic. I have about half a dozen Fuente Hemingways that I bought in '00 that are astounding, and getting better every day. And the Padron 2000 Coronas Maduro are really smooth and chocolatey, perhaps the best Maduro I've ever smoked. And you knnow, those "Counterfeit Cubans" that J&R sells are really pretty good--especially the coronas. And at the price, they are a very smooth, complex, enjoyable smoke. They go REALLY well with Mexican beer and food too--I had my last one this past fall, sitting in an outdoor Mecican cafe in Ellicot City MD. Yummy.

Cubanos? Don't get them that often, ever since I lost my State Department contact, but when I do, I like H.Upman Coronas, Bolivar Robustos, and pretty much anything from Partagas or Punch.

So anyway, here is a shot of my "Igloo-dor", (humidor made from an igloo cooler) and yes, that box in the lower left-hand corner is an unopened box of Partagas 150 "D" smokes. It has increased in value 10 times since I bought it. Just can't bring myself to smoke them, with that sort of ROR...

--Richard

 

[greg_slo]

emjoy the hookah myself...

apple is definately the go to for myself (and friends)...one of my roommates is quite 'angry' that we can no longer smoke in the living room...but the hookah and logans are mine so he can pipe it! hehe (perhaps i think that is punnier than it really is)?..you should try guava...fantastic if you like the single fruits...mandarine is pretty good as well...a good funky flavor is cola...pretty sweet, but good in smaller doses!

ive smoked cigarettes for a few years, and have always been curious of cigars. any suggestions for a first good cigar (and there is a cigar shop in down town san luis obispo)?


im convinced ill find a way to smoke in the same room as my logans one of these days so that the smoke and smell goes away as to not mess anything up...some day...some day

~greg

 

[HsvToolFool]

any suggestions for a first good cigar...

A good shop will steer you right. If the guy uses the phrase
"full bodied", that means the cigar is so strong it will get
you high. A full-bodied cigar will make you room-spinning
sick if you smoke on an empty stomach. Don't ask how I
know this.

My first brands were H.Upmann and Macanudo, which
generally are very mild. Davidoff is relatively expensive for
what you get, but are also pretty mild. Milder smokes now
have little to no taste to me, so I usually don't bother. I
don't smoke often, but I want fireworks when I do.

Last Saturday was a nice afternoon, so I drove the Mustang
down to the local shop. Saw a Padron 1926 Anniversary
box-press that looked very interesting, so on a whim I
grabbed one to smoke right then in the shop.

Yikes! Talk about sticker shock. It was an $18 cigar!!
But I said 'what the heck' and splurged.

What an awesome cigar. So awesome that I'm seriously
considering going back tomorrow to buy the rest of the
box if any are left. Rolled so tight it was like solid wood
but still had a perfect draw. Lasted a good hour, despite
being only about 6-inches long with a 50-ish ring guage.
If I hadn't just eaten, that cigar would have knocked me
on my butt. May be the best smoke I've ever had.

 

[twich54]

HSV, Good evening, Be aware just cause some one says "full bodied" dosen't mean it's a good cigar and that it will 'knock you silly'. You will find that most long time cigar smokers (I started the summer of '76) have gravitated to 'fuller bodied' smokes. Usually with the fuller body comes more complexity that further satisfies ones sensory pallette.

You discovered a real winner in the Padron, well made and with a finish that lingers oh so well !!

If you get a chance and your local shop carries Don Papien "601" (Toro size 6x50) you owe it to yourself to give it a try. A Conneticut shade wrapper cigar that is absolutely FULL of flavor. Next to Rocky Patel probably the hottest cigar out there right now. Rolled in 'Little Havana' Miami buy but a handfull of skilled rollers it's a beauty !

 

[twich54]

Ok guys, enough of you have read / seen the beginning post to this thread and I know there are some car nuts amongst us.......... do you recognize anyone in the picture ????

 

[aerius007]

Ok guys, enough of you have read / seen the beginning post to this thread and I know there are some car nuts amongst us.......... do you recognize anyone in the picture ????

The guy in the black shirt sitting down, its Henry Ford:haha1:

Sorry, I cant help it.

 

[HsvToolFool]

HSV, Good evening, Be aware just cause some one says "full bodied" dosen't mean it's a good cigar and that it will 'knock you silly'.!

Certainly, but it's good enough definition for a new cigar
smoker. Start using language like "chocolate", "pepper",
and "nutty" and a new smoker thinks you're crazy.

I'm a relative noob. Adopted single-malt scotch and cigars
about 10 years ago after I caught my then-fiancee' cheating
and dumped her. I figure if I'm gonna be a grouchy old
bachelor I might as well play the part well.

You will find that most long time cigar smokers (I started the summer of '76) have gravitated to 'fuller bodied' smokes. Usually with the fuller body comes more complexity that further satisfies ones sensory pallette.

Agree 100%.

You discovered a real winner in the Padron, well made and with a finish that lingers oh so well !!

I honestly can't believe that I'm seriously thinking about
going back to spend $100 for 5 cigars. That's how good it was.

Weird thing though: the Padron 1926 isn't mentioned on
their web site. I kept the band, but I can't find similar
cigar on their site to determine the exact name.

If you get a chance and your local shop carries Don Papien "601" (Toro size 6x50) you owe it to yourself to give it a try. A Conneticut shade wrapper cigar that is absolutely FULL of flavor. Next to Rocky Patel probably the hottest cigar out there right now. Rolled in 'Little Havana' Miami buy but a handfull of skilled rollers it's a beauty !

Not heard of Don Papien, but I've been meaning to try
a Patel next time some arrive. I want to take a nice selection
to the beach in late April.

 

[HsvToolFool]

Ok guys, enough of you have read / seen the beginning post to this thread and I know there are some car nuts amongst us.......... do you recognize anyone in the picture ????

Sorry. The only car-celebs I'd recognize offhand is Carroll
Shelby and Jackie Stewart.

 

[twich54]

I honestly can't believe that I'm seriously thinking about
going back to spend $100 for 5 cigars. That's how good it was.

Brian, Keep those for special times, there are plenty of great cigars under $10, my favorite every day smoke is the El Ray DelMundo Robosto Suprema a 7 1/4 x54 muduro, $5 stick here in Pa.

Try the 'Edge' when you get a chance and let us know what you think.

Oh, BTW the guy standing to the right in the black w/stripe polo shirt is Marty Reid, ESPN motorsports anouncer. Great guy, down to earth and enjoys a good cigar !!

 

[HsvToolFool]

Arrrgh! The owner said the Padron were sold out the next
day. Shoulda known better. But he said he should have
some more 1926 and 1964 specials in soon.

So I bought his last Avo 80th Aniv. (heh). Also a couple of
Partagas I'd never tried. They didn't have any Patels or
other brands I've been meaning to try.

It's a gorgeous night, so I think I'll eat a big dinner and
follow it with a scotch and smoke on the back porch.

 

[twich54]

It's a gorgeous night, so I think I'll eat a big dinner and
follow it with a scotch and smoke on the back porch.

Brian, You lucky dog !!!! it's goona get down to about 6 degrees here tonite !! Oh well, I got myself a new bottle of Talisker, 'The Distillers Edition' 1992 that I can't wait to try.....so tonight will do just fine !

Bummer about not being able to get any Rocky Patel's, oh well do try a Don Papien 601 like said eralier if you get a chance, also Camacho 11/18 is a superb treat if you can find them.