Popular Post Quint Posted March 25, 2015 Popular Post Posted March 25, 2015 Many moons ago I made my first foray into the world of Cuban cigars. It was probably around mid 90’s or so when I took it upon myself to find a way to buy Cubans. My dad was a cigar smoker and we would share a smoke together and I found myself enjoying the hobby and got more interested and invested more time into it. I started going to cigar dinners and events around the area and became a regular at some local B&Ms etc., but I digress. So much to my surprise, after scouring the internet I found that you could by Cubans online and they would ship to the states! I had absolutely no experience with Cubans didn’t know anybody who actually smoked a Cuban, and knew nothing about Cubans. All I knew was the folklore out there, how they were the best cigars in the world, the forbidden fruit, illegal in states, only the rich and famous in the secrecy of their home or special clubs could get them. Yet there they were on the internet for sale. So what did I do, I bought a box. All the while thinking I hope I don’t get caught, what will they do if I do get caught, my wife was all paranoid. Three weeks or so goes by and there they are at my door step. My heart leaps, I look around, is it a sting? I bring them in the house, open the box and there they are, the forbidden fruit, looking so beautiful. I can’t wait any longer, out one comes, I feel, I sniff, I caress. Out the door I go onto my patio, snip, and light, anticipating an experience like no other. Hmmmmm, not bad, nothing to write home about, what’s all the hype, damn. Then I get to the 1/3rd point, flavors I’ve never tasted, somewhat complex, what’s this, not just tabaco, but cream, nut, almost buttery, others I can’t quite identify. DAMN, this is a good cigar. Unknowingly I put the rest away for special occasions, months go by and I light another up, WOW, I don’t remember it being this good, holy sh*t, this is a damn good cigar! I smoke a few more over the following weeks and suddenly ½ the box is gone. I start to panic, I’ve got to pace myself, I put the box away again. Six months or so goes by, I’ve had the box now for about 18 months, it’s time to have another, HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!! This cigar is FANTASTIC, UNREAL, I blow thru the rest in about 2 weeks and feds be damn, I go ahead and order 2 more boxes. It was the beginning of the end, I joined forums, Club Stogie I think was my 1st. Became part of a community, met other brothers in my area, a whole new world opens up to me. I started gaining trust of the “old timers” and the almighty, super protected, ultra secret sources were revealed. I was in, in the elite club, now you’re talking. It was full steam ahead after that, coolidors, humidors, building stock, aging stuff from the mid 90’s. Hoarding new stuff, as much as I could, from the early 2000’s, thirty boxes, forty boxes, on and on, I loved the hobby, loved the brotherhood. Then the company I worked for started to falter, I was in the high tech semiconductor business and it was taking a hit. We designed and manufactured very expensive capital equipment, costing 7 or 8 million dollars apiece. We go hit bad, slowly bleed to death over 4 or 5 years, the writing was on the wall. The first thing that had to go on the home finances was my cigar budget. It was a company that I was a part of for 15 years as a startup, I was emotional invested and was not going to jump ship, besides that my industry was suffering so there was not a lot if anything out there anyways. So buying cigars came to a screeching halt, only for a year I said to myself, we’ll pull out of it. One year, two years, three, four, my stock is depleting all that good aged stuff going going gone, he newer stuff slowly going away. I’m thankful I had some mush that I could still enjoy the hobby but bummed that it was all going away. I smoked my last box about 2 years ago. During that time I stopped frequenting the forums, lost touch with many of my brothers and lost touch with what was what cigar-wise. Fast forward a couple of years, I get into a new and exciting high tech industry which will remain anonymous because you all will hate me, but things are good AND I finally talk my wife into agreeing that I should have a charge card JUST for cigars. I’ve ratcheted up my forum participation again, and I am now in a mode where I can start on my collection again. So having said all of that and being out of it for so long what should I start buying to fill my coolidors. Some old favorites were BBF’s, PSD4s, VR Familiar, BRC, BPCs, PLPC, SCdlH la Punta, Triny Fundadors, ELdM Choix Supreme, Monte #2s, Monty Especial, Monty Edmundo, Party 898’s, to name a few besides the LE’s and regionals of the day. So having an idea of my taste profile what is smoking good these days, what should I stock up on for aging purposes, and what’s good right out of the box so I can start smoking some Cubans again without waiting 2,3, or 4 years for my stock to come of age? Sorry for the long boring story I should have just written the last paragraph and be done with it. Thanks for reading 7
PapaDisco Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 Nice tale! It's wonderful to be able to buy not just a box, but two or three and lay something down for future years. As to ready-to-smoke; Habanos SA does have an aging program that El Pres can access for you. I've picked up a few boxes of Hoyos and Punch that way. I've liked the aged boxes but must say that Rob's hand picked program gets you sticks that are just, or nearly just as ready to smoke as the Habanos program. The current Sir Winnies are like that: excellent ROTT with legs to run for years if you decide to put them into the coolidor for 5. The PL Encantos Rob has are also outstanding right now and will only get better. PSD4 (on you list) is almost always ready to light, as are the Epi's and Punch Punch. The Punch DC also is doing well for me with or without age. Good luck with rebuilding the stash. Here's hoping your humidor is big, and your credit card is bigger! 1
Sophistic Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 a high tech industry that people hate...hmmm, fracking or military drones.
Quint Posted March 25, 2015 Author Posted March 25, 2015 a high tech industry that people hate...hmmm, fracking or military drones. LOL Not quite let me rephrase...My company has 2 divisions, medical where we design and manufacture CT scanners, medical x-ray, and ultrasound systems to name a few, so hopefully saving people...we also have a security division that manufactures equipment and scanners that keep people safe around the world and in airports etc., so just a small community of people won't like it...
iGrizz Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 a high tech industry that people hate...hmmm, fracking or military drones. I thought drones. Even then there's no reason to be ashamed of that. Have to put food on the table like the rest of us.
Hash Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 Interesting the ups and downs of life. May be you should try the R&J Churchill or the Wide Churchill , these cigars are having great reviews recently. 1
moryc Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 Very interesting read, thanks for sharing. Great to hear things have turned out great for you. I always have this in the back of my head, that the time will come when I won't be able to buy cigars. Right now the wife and me both work making decent money and we run a successful small business. This gives us extra cash to spend on pleasures; her clothes, purses, shoes and such and myself cigars and such. We are planning to have kids and when that time comes and we are operating on a single salary without the business I know I will have to cut the cigar buying at least for a while. I am preparing for this day.
airtrade Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 Every smoke on your list is still a staple and a great start. Careful on the fundidores though make sure to go hand picked. I'm enjoying the current BBF,BRC and LA Punta fresh. 1
DWC Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 I thought drones. Even then there's no reason to be ashamed of that. Have to put food on the table like the rest of us. I thought NSA surveillance systems.
iGrizz Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 At least this high tech industry wasn't something like working for the ATF here in the states cracking down on contraband from Cuba.
oliverdst Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 I want to hate you: what do you do for a living?
Quint Posted March 25, 2015 Author Posted March 25, 2015 At least this high tech industry wasn't something like working for the ATF here in the states cracking down on contraband from Cuba. How do you think I'm stocking up so quickly...
Quint Posted March 25, 2015 Author Posted March 25, 2015 I want to hate you: what do you do for a living? Now why would you want to hate me???
oliverdst Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 Now why would you want to hate me??? I am kidding. Just curious. 1
iGrizz Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 Lol man I wish I had the ability to just buy whatever I saw. Every purchase I make hurts more than the last.
Hunter1974 Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 Ok I remember those days just a few months ago lol I too was looking for the sting to happen !!! Awesome story unfortunately I haven't had many aged myself I can honestly say I would rather have a Cheap Quintero right of the truck than one of my aged padrons no it won't match the padron cosmetics or its construction but the padron doesn't have that Cuban cream nuff said . No it's not the taboo of Cubans it's the flavor that you'll only find in the sweet addiction of a habanos
ToothlessCog Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 A dedicated charge card just for cigars! That is awesome!! Thanks for sharing your story. Great read.
UpInSmoak Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 I have a similar story, buying and buying cigars without a second thought. Then bam......buying hiatus. Except mine was not job related, but two other financial drains.....my two sons. Well three drains actually if you count the wife. Hopefully I stocked up on enough sticks to get me through their college. I only have experience with a few of what you used to enjoy. BBFs are smoking great now 898s, PSD4s, Monte 2 are great with minimal age And one of my favorites PLPCs need 4yr or more. Enjoy and welcome back! 1
Oscar300 Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 Great read thanks, ryj wide churchills are a fave of mine
Habana Mike Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 At least this high tech industry wasn't something like working for the ATF here in the states cracking down on contraband from Cuba. Actually I believe it is CBP and ICE that do the cracking down during transit. ATF would get involved in sales within the States.
Quint Posted March 25, 2015 Author Posted March 25, 2015 The Trini may be better with Laphroig though Love Laphroig and love Trini, I've use to pair them frequently
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