Any cigar aficionados here?

[Handsome Rob]

I'm a big fan of the Caridad brand, an in-house brand for FamousSmokeShop.com, especially the Dominicans.

I also keep a few CAO MX2s in the humidor for a rich, chocolatey smoke. 

 

I'm a very occasional cigar smoker, however & I've not been smoking cigars long. Right now, I'm still buying mostly sample packs & remembering which I like from each pack. The Dominicans & Hondurans I've tried so far have all been nice. 

I've had a fair few [i]real[/i] Cubans & honestly, I really don't see what the fuss is about. They didn't & don't seem to be any different from any other cigar & most have been very harsh & acrid compared to many of the better Dominican/Honduran/Mexican or American sticks I've tried.

Edited July 9, 2013 by robtattoo

[RobertNashville]

I'm a big fan of the Caridad brand, an in-house brand for FamousSmokeShop.com, especially the Dominicans.

I also keep a few CAO MX2s in the humidor for a rich, chocolatey smoke. 

 

I'm a very occasional cigar smoker, however & I've not been smoking cigars long. Right now, I'm still buying mostly sample packs & remembering which I like from each pack. The Dominicans & Hondurans I've tried so far have all been nice. 

I've had a fair few real Cubans & honestly, I really don't see what the fuss is about. They didn't & don't seem to be any different from any other cigar & most have been very harsh & acrid compared to many of the better Dominican/Honduran/Mexican or American sticks I've tried.

With regards to Cuban cigars; the cigars of today simply aren't what they were, at least not in my experience.

 

I think the primary reason for this is that as Castro was taking over, all the really great cigar makers took their seeds and most importantly, their knowledge, experience and craftsmanship to other countries including the U.S., and many SA countries.  A good Honduran cigar today is every bit as good as Cubans used to be.

[DMark]

With regards to Cuban cigars; the cigars of today simply aren't what they were, at least not in my experience...... 

 

Agree.

 

However - - - I still enjoy Burning the Enemy's Crops!  :dirty:

[173rdABN]

Tabaks are AMAZING. At 2 this week already.

[Mike A]

Sorry in advance for the verbosity. I consider myself an enthusiast rather than an afficionado although I’m sure that’s my damage rather than Webster’s.

 

A close friend of mine told me years ago that if a cigar is well constructed and burns well, everything else is personal taste. I believe he’s right. Nothing wrong with the offerings from the big companies like General (Macanudo, Punch, etc.) and Altadis (Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, etc.), but I tend to gravitate toward the smaller / boutique manufacturers (Oliva, Padron, Tatuaje).

 

At the risk of getting on a soap box, I try to support the brick and mortar cigar shops over the e-tailers. I don’t want to tell anyone how to spend their money but I think I could write a longer post than most would want to read about the parallels between the brick and mortar cigar shop and the local gun store. I suspect a lot of us at times pay a premium to do business with the local gun store because we appreciate the value they add beyond the goods purchased and we want to support businesses we’d miss if they went away. I feel the same way about the brick and mortar cigar shops.

 

The sales folks at a good cigar shop help the cigar enthusiasts (especially the newbies) navigate the plethora of product out there. Most cigar shops have a lounge where you can smoke indoors. Tennessee isn’t at least as of yet as restrictive as other states (e.g., California, most of the northeastern states) but smoking isn’t exactly politically correct and finding a public place to smoke indoors isn’t as easy as it was a few years ago.

 

As for the premium paid to do business with the local cigar shop, I’d suggest it’s not as large as some might think. Granted you can save some scratch on low end (and no I don’t mean to sound like a snob with that term) premiums made primarily, if not exclusively, for e-tail but when you move up a little in price point the difference shrinks considerably. When you factor in that most shops offer some type of loyalty program (e.g., discounts for locker members) and run at least occasional specials (e.g., deals at vendor events) the difference shrinks even more.

 

We’re lucky in middle Tennessee that we have a number of good shops. I realize this when I travel. Not meaning any slight by the exclusion of the other fine shops in the area but I personally frequent Big Star Cigar (Mt. Juliet), Uptown’s (Green Hills) and Smokey Cigar (Hendersonville). If you’re in Chattanooga, both Burn’s locations are great (downtown and east).

[mikegideon]

Well... at least this thread caused me to do some much needed humidor maintenance. Finally installed a cigar oasis humidifier in my smaller humidor. I've had is for years. Just never installed it. The big one has had one for awhile

[TGO David]

Well... at least this thread caused me to do some much needed humidor maintenance. Finally installed a cigar oasis humidifier in my smaller humidor. I've had is for years. Just never installed it. The big one has had one for awhile

 

My new humidor is seasoning now.  I'm hoping I can put my cigars in there in a few more days.  Until then a few bundles are still shrink wrapped from shipping and my few loose ones picked up locally remain in my travel herfador.

[mikegideon]

My new humidor is seasoning now.  I'm hoping I can put my cigars in there in a few more days.  Until then a few bundles are still shrink wrapped from shipping and my few loose ones picked up locally remain in my travel herfador.

 

I can season a humidor in an afternoon. It's the ONLY thing I learned from my second ex-wife (except to not marry crazy women). Anyway, I learned over the long term that I'll normally fiddle with my humidors and keep the humidifiers juiced, until I don't. The cigar oasis humidifiers are well worth it if you store cigars for years, like me. They'll scream at you when they run out of water.

Edited July 10, 2013 by mikegideon

[vontar]

Never smoked one, but if I become a father I plan on having cigars to pass around to friends.

 

Seems that tradition has been going away.

[mikegideon]

Never smoked one, but if I become a father I plan on having cigars to pass around to friends.

 

Seems that tradition has been going away.

 

Don't be one of those goat ropers that passes out King Edwards. Those things are really just mosquito repellent. Get some real cigars.

[JWC]

By God my dad smoked em. He had one here and there after he quit smoking cigarettes after they found his cancer. Just occasionally when he was relaxing or coming off chemo.
After surgery and chemo they told him it was back and it was terminal and he probably had 3 months or so. i was in there when the doctor said "well I think at this point in time it's reasonable to say you can have all the milkshakes, donuts, and smoke as many good cigars as you want." And he definitely followed the doctor's orders.

He smoked many kinds and pricier ones too but he actually liked Victor Sinclair 55's Maduro factory 2nds the best. They were cheap too. Which was good because I ordered about 6 boxes a month for him every month for the next year. He told people what his doctor said and that they ought to go to his doctor, lol.

My nephew, brother-in-law, and I still smoke one of them every holiday. I don't know crap about cigars and I ain't a smoker but I like those.

[Guest Hound]

Im relatively new to smoking myself.  I do it anywhere from a few times a week to once ever other month.  I prefer to do it socially.  as far as where?  ive smoked a few times at cigar shops which is always interesting with the people who are there often but i like to do it on my back porch mostly.

[runco]

I quit several years ago, but I enjoyed Arturo Fuente's.  I use to buy my through J&R.

[Beretta Bob]

There are lots of good cigars out there, as previously mentioned.

Some of my personal favorites: Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur (I prefer Natural wrapper, but they also come in Maduro), Romeo y Julietta Reserva Real, and CAO (who used to be headquartered in Nashville).

A couple of favorite cigar shops in Franklin where you can buy a cigar and have a beer in their lounge: Woody's Smokes & Brews on Mallory Lane (smokesandbrews.com) located next to/behind Cool Springs Wine and Spirits, which is next door to Academy Sports; so you can pickup some ammo on your way to get some cigars :). And, Stogie's Ales and Fine Cigars (stogiesinc.com), located on Carothers Pkwy. Franklin Cigar Humidor & Hops is just down the road from Stogie's, but I've never been there.

I buy from these shops some to support the local businesses, but JR Cigar is usually much cheaper, and their catalogs can be pretty entertaining at times.

[Moped]

Complete cigar noob here!  So you can't purchase JRs locally?  A friend of mine gave me one to try a couple of weeks ago and I went to the shop he frequents, but they had none.  Explains that!  I was looking for a JR Edicion Limitada Montecristo.  I did pick up a Padron 3000, a Room 101 Serie San Andres and a Rocky Patel Sumatra for this weekend's festivities.  We are camping!!! :)

Edited July 11, 2013 by Moped

[RobertNashville]

Complete cigar noob here!  So you can't purchase JRs locally?  A friend of mine gave me one to try a couple of weeks ago and I went to the shop he frequents, but they had none.  Explains that!  I was looking for a JR Edicion Limitada Montecristo.  I did pick up a Padron 3000, a Room 101 Serie San Andres and a Rocky Patel Sumatra for this weekend's festivities.  We are camping!!! :)

Really good cigars can sometimes be difficult to find...just like a great wine, there is only so many grapes or so much of the appropriate tobacco to go around at any given time plus good cigars take time to make...others are supposed to be limited production so once they are gone, they're gone.

 

Sometimes you just have to be patient and persistent. ;)

Edited July 11, 2013 by RobertNashville

[enfield]

I bought samplers from Thompson and Cigars International until I found a few brands that I really liked and could afford.  Now, when I'm running low (which means that one of my small humidors has room for 10-20 more cigars), I shop for the brands/sizes I like on Cigarbid.com.

 

There aren't any cigar shops within 50 miles of me.

 

PS - a travel humidor is a good thing to have.  Look up "Herfador".

[Hershmeister]

You just can't beat a Cuban - like wine, the terroir makes the cigar. Any te
You travel overseas make it a point to find a cigar shop - be careful to shop at legitimate stores - otherwise you may be buying a crappy counterfeits



I do recommend the Arturo Fuentes Short Story. Used to love the Miami made la Gloria Cubanos but I think they're not around anymore

Lastly / try getting some dark chocolate covered macadamia nuts to eat while you smoke the stogie and sip your bourbon
Yum!

[TN-popo]

Never smoked a cigarette in my life, but I love cigars.  So many greats out there (Avo, Fuente, Partagas, CAO, Montecristo,  etc).

+1 on JR's.  Thompson's is only good if you want to get a humidor with one of their combo deals. 

I smoke Cubans when I go to Mexico, but feel they're a bit overrated.

My favorite cigar drink is good, dark coffee (first) or dark beer.  I love Bourbon, but I'll take coffee or beer with a cigar.

Edited July 13, 2013 by TN-popo

[Guest Keal G Seo]

Can't believe with all this good cigar talk no one has mentioned Gurkha yet. If you like the heavier smokes, Evil and Holy Grails by them are good choices.

[TGO David]

Several Gurkhas reside in my humidor at present.  So far I've yet to try anything from that brand that I didn't like.  The latest was a Gurkha Seduction but I have an Ancient Warrior, Evil and Cellar Reserve waiting for me.

 

Stogies in Franklin is a great cigar bar and has a massive selection of good beers.  I'd be up for a meet there sometime with a few of the locals.

[enfield]

Just bought some La Gloria Cubana Serie N.  I've smoked them before and found them excellent.

[subsonic]

Some favorite brands of mine lately: Ave Maria, Gran Habana Vintage 2002, Onyx, Bolivar. Cigars International is a great online source, friendlier than Thompson's and very good prices.

[Stegall Law Firm]

Never mind won't let me upload a picture.

Edited September 13, 2013 by Stegall Law Firm

[mikegideon]

I keep some Mexican cigars around. Te-amos.