SmokyFontaine

Am I right in saying Cohiba seems to routinely do poorly? I'm sure the recent prices play a factor, but is it a trend that perhaps they're overrated? For me, a great Lusi is the finest cigar in existence.

For me Nicaraguan, Cuban, and Dominican are my favorite smokes, in that order. Ironically I'm not a huge fan a white pepper which can be prominent in younger Nics. Now of course many sit for months/years before shipping out, but with a bit of age the white pepper goes to nutmeg, and the black pepper and leather go to chocolaty. I loooove that combo. I have been getting it at about 4yrs in my possession.

It's all value-based for me. Was spending $6 on a Cuban robusto with a far higher chance of construction issues worth the allure of a phenomenal and unique smoke? Yup. Is it at $12 for me? Nope. I'll smoke a $6 NC that I know I like, will taste like each one I've smoked before, and have great consistency. I'm glad I stockpiled when I did, and personally I'm sitting out until/if value becomes reasonable again. Still strikes me as so shortsighted.

An absolute legend. He played most of the instruments on it if I'm not mistaken. What a talent.

So communist Cuba, sold part of their cigar company to Communist China, and now are trying to figure out how to employ capitalism to gouge all customers near and far. How do I invest!?

The three cuban cigars I'll choose from if I need something consistent and outstanding are a BBF, Connie A, or Lusitania. Maybe in that order.

$20/cigar in a box purchase was my threshold for the absurd. In all humility, I could afford to go big, but I don't want to. Between inconsistency from cigar to cigar in a box to smoking a cigar to enjoy, sometimes a half, sometimes to the nub - if it's an $80 cigar, I'm smoking that thing until I puke, then smoking it even more. That's not a pleasurable hobby, that's a job. I need great value in a cigar, and in the time I choose to invest smoking. Cohiba and Trinidad, and really a lot of Habanos products, have priced me out from a value perspective. And I think I'm mostly ok with that. I kinda want a brand to compete for my business. Right now Habanos is making it clear that's not a priority.

Eid mubarak bro! Sadly my month was cut 3 days short thanks to COVID, but in that is a blessing too. Always look forward to your post!

That is EXACTLY where I am. I love variety and I went big the last 3 years. But the value in CCs is quickly approaching "not worth it" territory for me. Almost $20 for a Monte 2? Robustos routinely at $10-12. And the inconsistency factor? Just insane.

I've never had a poorly constructed cigar became good because of the wrapper, nor have I had a well constructed cigar turn bad because of the wrapper. The combination of good and good can make for great, but I'm in the minority camp that the impact of the wrapper is closer to "bro science' than it is objectively more impactful than the higher amount of filler. Would love to smoke one "great" wrapper then follow it up with a bad one on back to back days. But for now, I mostly light them on fire and hope they aren't badly underfilled.

As someone who is trying to learn guitar, the chord progressions, the combination of instruments, the vocals. Absolute musical genius. George Harrison was one of the most interesting people of the last hundred years. I didn't come to appreciate the Beatles for all they were until quite recently. Brilliant.

My first Lusi is the greatest cigar I've ever smoked. I could only get 3 x 10's, but it might be the only cigar in Habanos lineup that I'd pay $20 for and be happy.

I had an infrequent cigar smoking friend come over. He's a notorious "you got a cigar for me? two puffer and set it down" type of guy. I have him a dog rocket and a cutter, and slowly toast my Bolivar. "Ah man, I think I effed it up!" He had tried to cut the foot. I told him to try the other end, and that managed to work better. Maybe he was the brains behind the marketing operation for the pic above!

These and maduro 1964's or natural 1926's are the cigars I can grab and know I'll love every single time. Such great consistency.

RASS - for about 15min I love them, then they fall off a cliff. QdO 50 - I have brown paper bags. I could've saved a lot of money if I smoked them instead, and would have experienced comparable flavor. Cohiba Siglo I/II - have had exactly one of each that was Earth shatteringly grand. Have had exactly everything else that was Earth shitteringly awful.