What's your latest NC purchase?

[JohnS]

A 15-count box of Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story. It also comes with a humidipak suppled...

[rabidraccoon]

On 5/28/2021 at 10:55 AM, Wetduck79 said:

Really enjoying the Fuentes, it’s funny I wasn’t the biggest fan when I was smoking cigars 10 years ago but now I really like them.

tried the af rosado r54 tonight and it was great.  Picked up an extra for the coolidor and another chateau Fuente sungrown.

Right there with you I used to not care for Fuente at all. The funniest thing is I actually hated Cameroon wrappers and right now I'm in love with them. Oliva G, Fuente Hemingway, Don Carlos. Not sure if I have changed or they have improved or both

[BoxPSI_ed]

On 11/2/2022 at 12:45 PM, rabidraccoon said:

Right there with you I used to not care for Fuente at all. The funniest thing is I actually hated Cameroon wrappers and right now I'm in love with them. Oliva G, Fuente Hemingway, Don Carlos. Not sure if I have changed or they have improved or both

This was my first go to cigar back in the day, I still really enjoy them. 

[TR]

VSG, Symmetry and Fuente Casa Cuba

.

[Cigarsmoker81]

Got the opus x 20th anniversary from Dubai duty free (never tried it hoping it’s good ). The rest are singles from b&m. Glad to hear how good the rare pinks are.

 

[Chris P. Bacon]

On 11/2/2022 at 12:45 PM, rabidraccoon said:

Right there with you I used to not care for Fuente at all. The funniest thing is I actually hated Cameroon wrappers and right now I'm in love with them. Oliva G, Fuente Hemingway, Don Carlos. Not sure if I have changed or they have improved or both

I’m in that club as well! My father gave me a Hemingway about 10 years ago and I thought it was terrible. I revisited the Hemingway line a couple years ago and I instantly fell in love with the flavors.

[JohnS]

Below is a new sampler product from Oliva that only came out last month in October, I believe. The reason it appealed to me is because I have been highly impressed with Oliva of late, especially with the Serie V and Melanio lines. I have sampled and like the Oliva Serie V Lancero; this new sampler product includes the new Oliva Melanio Lancero with Natural and Maduro wrappers. These two new Melanio releases are available only in this sampler release, for now.

From left to right; Oliva Serie V Melanio Lancero, Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill, Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado, Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Figurado, Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Churchill and Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Lancero.

[Capn_Jackson]

About time I got some of these.

[gormag38]

Some singles found at my B&M 

AF Short Story 

AF Don Carlos Presidente

X2 Opus X Petit Lancero

AF Rare Pink Short Story 

AF Rare Pink Work of Art 

[Low]

Big ol 30c bag of Double Coronas from my local blender. Only wanted 25, but every 5 bought nets you a freebie so I can't complain. 

 

[nKostyan]

[Bigkahuna]

5 hours ago, nKostyan said:

When did vacuum sealing cigars start ? And why do people keep doing it ? It destroys the wrappers and limits aging. Makes me mental lol 

[Wfriar]

Came across Oliva 2022 Cigar Advent calendar and didn’t know where to post about it to share the find.  This type of thing was news to me.  To be short, 25 Oliva cigars and a slim torch lighter.  Found it priced low even for NCs.  Hope somebody finds this exciting. It’s set up like an advent calendar.  Opens like a book.  

[nKostyan]

When did vacuum sealing cigars start ? And why do people keep doing it ? It destroys the wrappers and limits aging. Makes me mental lol 

There is no vacuum in the traditional sense. Here is the packaging from which the excess air was pumped out. This protects against mold during travel.
As for the aging of cigars - a good cigar does not require aging. If the cigars requires preservation for long periods of storage, so the "vacuum" packaging saves tobacco from oxidation.

[Russell]

2 hours ago, Wfriar said:

Came across Oliva 2022 Cigar Advent calendar and didn’t know where to post about it to share the find.  This type of thing was news to me.  To be short, 25 Oliva cigars and a slim torch lighter.  Found it priced low even for NCs.  Hope somebody finds this exciting. It’s set up like an advent calendar.  Opens like a book.  

Tatuaje came out with two this year as well. The 2021 had issues last year so it got released with the ‘22. That’s dope the Oliva one comes with a lighter too!

[Russell]

Just had one of these recently and had to p/u a box.

[Bigkahuna]

2 hours ago, nKostyan said:

There is no vacuum in the traditional sense. Here is the packaging from which the excess air was pumped out. This protects against mold during travel.
As for the aging of cigars - a good cigar does not require aging. If the cigars requires preservation for long periods of storage, so the "vacuum" packaging saves tobacco from oxidation.

We can agree to disagree on all the above. As far as aging, that is plainly false. All cigars benefit from aging. The length can vary but all cigars benefit from aging regardless of its 1 yr or 25. 

[nKostyan]

As far as aging, that is plainly false. All cigars benefit from aging. The length can vary but all cigars benefit from aging regardless of its 1 yr or 25. 

What does benefit mean? There is no benefit here. Someone likes fresh cigars, someone aged. By aging, you adjust the taste and strength to your preferences, nothing more. But in the process of aging, the cigar decomposes - this is a well-known fact. Those who want to preserve the taste of rare releases for many years, keep them at low temperature and vacuum packaging. Otherwise, the cigars will lose all taste.

[Edicion]

Will put away for 30 days and can't wait to have one soon again.

[yossie]

13 hours ago, Edicion said:

Will put away for 30 days and can't wait to have one soon again.

I'm thinking to purchase the cigars. I hope Rob is still an honest business person.

[Enduin]

On 11/10/2022 at 6:53 PM, nKostyan said:

What does benefit mean? There is no benefit here. Someone likes fresh cigars, someone aged. By aging, you adjust the taste and strength to your preferences, nothing more. But in the process of aging, the cigar decomposes - this is a well-known fact. Those who want to preserve the taste of rare releases for many years, keep them at low temperature and vacuum packaging. Otherwise, the cigars will lose all taste.

While it's true that taste is subjective, relativism can't be applied without limitations, otherwise all products would lose their identity. I'm sure there's someone somewhere who likes ammonia in a cigar, it doesn't mean that cigars that taste like ammonia are "just as good" as cigars that don't because someone likes them. There are also many people who like the taste of young wines so would you also argue that there is no benefit to aging wines? I don't think so.

Cigars DO benefit from aging, obviously up to a point and some more than others, same with wine, whisky, and a lot of other stuff. And with benefit I mean the development of flavors that are historically considered desirable in relation to a specific product. This is a well known fact. Now, your personal preference? That's a whole different story.

[Ardan]

Tried both of these and liked them so much I ended up buying a box of each.  So far, I have liked everything Foundation Cigars has put out.

[alloy]

3 hours ago, Ardan said:

Tried both of these and liked them so much I ended up buying a box of each.  So far, I have liked everything Foundation Cigars has put out.

So give us a flavor profile. I like to explore new stogies. 

[Boss Hog]

Now this is what I call starting the week off with a bang.

Difficult enough as it is getting your hands on one full box of these, yet alone two.

Arturo Fuente Opus X Belicoso XXX (Power Ranger)

Arturo Fuente Opus X Fuente Fuente

[Ardan]

On 11/12/2022 at 8:44 PM, alloy said:

So give us a flavor profile. I like to explore new stogies. 

Both cigars share the same underlying notes of coffee, chocolate and spice. The Claro however is my opinion is a more mellow and better balanced cigar, whereas the Maduro is a bit bolder in flavor and would probably pair better with a spirit. The Claro comes ahead by just a bit, while both are exceptional.  For those who smoke other foundation cigars, it is not fair to compare with the tabernacle or Wiseman series, although there is some similarity with later.  These other cigars sort of lack the spice and a bit of sweetness that the olmec has.  I was also impressed by construction and burn but that is standard for this cigar maker.  Finally, a friend of mine I shared these cigars with noted that they tasted very similar to the God of Fire cigars, but at a fraction of price. I have never had a god of fire so I can't validate his observation.

Final note:  I have a heavy Maduro bias with new world cigars, however this is the 2nd brand after Oliva where the non Maduro version is in my opinion the better of the two.