Come on FOH! lets have a bit of CC positivity.......

[99call]

We all like to have a bit of a winge, but it would be nice to tap a seam of positivity about CC's. Theres been a wave of negativity recently, so lets hear your success stories of the last few years. 

Strictly no negativity....it's a challenge I know

My thoughts are as follows.   Great additions in the last 5 (or so) years include, RAS, RACA, HURR, QDO 50, QDO 54, PE2s, PL Picadores, Connie A's.  Great to see the heritage of the Noella's being put on the shelves, (even if they are staying on the shelves). Lots of love being shown for the resurrection of Quintero, and Vegueros.  

I have little interest in RE LE, (apart from the upcoming ERDM UK skinny)  but others chime in. 

We give CC's a lot of crap, and a lot of it is legit, but lets hear it guys&girls..... a bit of positivity................

[Islandboy]

Reading some recent posts, I’ve been thinking the same thing. I know I’ve only been enjoying CC’s now for almost 3 years, but I honestly can’t relate to most of the negative stuff. Although I hardly purchase any these days, I have a fair stock of NC’s I’m still smoking through - my weekday smokes. Man, I can’t wait for Friday to come, when I get to stand in front of my humidor and pick out a Cuban cigar - and lose myself in the wonderful aromas and elegant tastes. I don’t know what I’m doing right, but my CC’s rarely disappoint, and I find myself constantly amazed at just how much better the whole experience is when I’ve got a Cuban in my hand.  

[HarveyBoulevard]

Every night after I put my 1 and 5 year old to bed, I kiss the wife, grab my gear, and head out back for a cc.  Every night for about an hour and a half I get to enjoy some much needed quiet time and decompress from the day.  I work with my wife so she is happy to have some time to herself while I am out back.

I have a great vendor...I have excellent storage conditions...I have all the tools I need to rectify any problem should it arise...problems almost never arise.

Someone once told me that the key to happiness was that you must always have something to look forward to, even if its small.  Every day I look forward to my evening cc (among other things, family, etc.)  I am usually in a good mood and feel generally happy and one of the reasons I am sure is that I have a wonderful cc to cap off every day, good or bad.

 

[99call]

3 minutes ago, HarveyBoulevard said:

Every night after I put my 1 and 5 year old to bed, I kiss the wife, grab my gear, and head out back for a cc.  Every night for about an hour and a half I get to enjoy some much needed quiet time and decompress from the day.  I work with my wife so she is happy to have some time to herself while I am out back.

I have a great vendor...I have excellent storage conditions...I have all the tools I need to rectify any problem should it arise...problems almost never arise.

Someone once told me that the key to happiness was that you must always have something to look forward to, even if its small.  Every day I look forward to my evening cc (among other things, family, etc.)  I am usually in a good mood and feel generally happy and one of the reasons I am sure is that I have a wonderful cc to cap off every day, good or bad.

 

This is one of the all time great posts on this forum, Hats off mate.  well said

[OllyBond]

21 minutes ago, Islandboy said:

Reading some recent posts, I’ve been thinking the same thing. I know I’ve only been enjoying CC’s now for almost 3 years, but I honestly can’t relate to most of the negative stuff. Although I hardly purchase any these days, I have a fair stock of NC’s I’m still smoking through - my weekday smokes. Man, I can’t wait for Friday to come, when I get to stand in front of my humidor and pick out a Cuban cigar - and lose myself in the wonderful aromas and elegant tastes. I don’t know what I’m doing right, but my CC’s rarely disappoint, and I find myself constantly amazed at just how much better the whole experience is when I’ve got a Cuban in my hand.  

I am even newer than you to cubans. I still smoke and enjoy NC's, but smoking a good cuban steals the cigar show for me too.

[Stump89]

The cheap and cheerfuls have been a huge positive lately for me.  PLPs and RGPE have been of very good quality for a while from what I've seen. At around 3$ per stick, I find these to be top value in the CC world. Plenty of other great sticks coming out of Cuba too.

[99call]

7 minutes ago, Stump89 said:

RGPE have been of very good quality

Yep, I'm currently hoarding, lovely cigar, and one of HSA's best bargains. 

[kalibratecuba]

Cuban cigars have given me greater opportunities to observe tobacco beetles in action. I do love the little critters. I don't have any kids.

Ultimately, I love Cuban cigars because no matter the marca or vitola, I will encounter what a cigar is supposed to be. No dyes. No infusions. No overly bold claims about increasing my sexual prowess. Cubans are virtually free of pretension because of their single origin. It gets a little pretentious when they age the tobacco, something the majority of NC view as essential!

Someone will disagree with me. I, too, would prefer you take out your anger on me, rather than the remedy that is CC...and more cowbell.

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[zeedubbya]

Night before last I went over to my neighbors house and we enjoyed a cigar together and talked about many things. Bulk of the conversation was about society losing sight of the “common good.” A very stimulating conversation. Like it is every week.

We get together about once a week and sit for about 2 hours and have a great talk. He’s about 30 years my senior so the advice he has given me about life is priceless. He’s a General Surgeon, but I would argue he’s also a great Psychologist, Sociologist and all around awesome person. My weekly session with the Doc. We put the phones away (unless we’re showing each other something relevant to the conversation.), the wives leave us alone, we laugh, we reflect, we complain, we argue sometimes....he drinks a bit of scotch (Islay mostly), and eats olives. I drink Coke or Water. I took two Cohiba Medio Siglos for this round. He had Lusi on the mind so I smoked mine very very slowly. I showed him the black light on the seal trick and he gave me an OBM code 2017 Magnum 46 that was majorly over-humidified—I didn’t say a word. It’s a PSP for sure.

On the daily smoke thread I posted that the Medio Siglo was forgettable and it was. Not because it was a bad cigar, the conversation we had took the wheel and the cigars rode in the back. The cigar was unimportant.

This is the essence of living I think. I always feel like a million bucks after spending time over there. Tonight I’m sure I’ll peek over and see if he’s out. If it’s dark he will see me and take a long drag on his cigar so I can see he is....I’ll grab a PC and pop over...for another session with the Doc. Maybe I’ll smoke this one....it’s been dry boxing for 2 days now...



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[ayepatz]

I love that smoking a cigar is a time commitment. Time to relax, time to chat, time to unwind, time to let your problems just slip away...

[JohnS]

Cuban cigars have afforded me the opportunity, as @El Presidente has often said on our forum, and amongst us fortunate enough to have caught up with him for a cigar, drink and laugh or two, to spend time with the finest, funniest and most generous people I know. And for that, I am ever grateful.

[cigaraholic]

Cuban cigars are far and away the best cigars on the planet.....perhaps the universe, they have made me a kinder more patient human being.....I can’t thank them enough!

[prodigy]

The siglo 3 from the most recent cohiba siglo sampler is a real treat! I smoked a siglo 1 from a clearance box this morning and it about knocked my socks off.

I like going to my NC stock exclusively for a few days. It makes a good Cuban exponentially better!

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[El Presidente]

There are always wet blankets seeking to impart a chill. 

I will always take a punt at excellence over certain mediocrity. 

[Jimmy_jack]

I’ve been lucky in my smoking adventures and had only one plugged cc. A HDM Petit Robusto. That’s been my only negative. The rest have been great. Maybe I’m lucky.

[El Presidente]

36 minutes ago, Jimmy_jack said:

I’ve been lucky in my smoking adventures and had only one plugged cc. A HDM Petit Robusto. That’s been my only negative. The rest have been great. Maybe I’m lucky.

Agreed. I haven't had a dowel in long time. 

Loose draws are more problematic. Then again I have come to understand that what I consider to be a loose draw is the exact type of draw that others are looking for 

[cfc1016]

BRCs/BCJs and principes never fail to bring a smile to my face. 

No disappointments can outweigh that joy for me. 

[BlackFriar]

I've been smoking cigars for 20 years and the most memorable cigar was a box of aged Sir Winnies.  I can still remember the feeling (if not the taste!) I had smoking that box with my friends.  I took a break for about three years from smoking CCs because of moving and switched to Davidoff NC almost exclusively.  They were the closest thing I could experience to a CC, but they just didn't have that magic.  CC's remind me of French wines.  Yes there are the dogs but those are anywhere.  More often than not what I find is a marriage of delicate flavors you cannot get anywhere else, even in the cheapest vin de table.  What other countries' cigars having have you concentrating to divine the unique flavors that come off CCs?  Now I find myself at the next step of the journey where I have turned to Bob for a temp/rh controlled humidor and to FOH for a sizeable stock of cigars to age.  Seriously, what other than CCs has anybody else ever committed themselves to such a cigar journey?

[Ken Gargett]

2 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Agreed. I haven't had a dowel in long time. 

Loose draws are more problematic. Then again I have come to understand that what I consider to be a loose draw is the exact type of draw that others are looking for 

didn't we throw away a couple of LEs planned for a vid recently because they were dogs? 

but on the positive side, we both threw them superbly. watching them arc off into the creek was a thing of beauty. 

[El Presidente]

Just now, Ken Gargett said:

didn't we throw away a couple of LEs planned for a vid recently because they were dogs? 

but on the positive side, we both threw them superbly. watching them arc off into the creek was a thing of beauty. 

yours was plugged apparently, Your grandma lungs couldn't cope. It robbed you a Quill and Pen article for sure

On the positive side....The wine was good and you discovered the great cheapie Mille Fleur!

[Ken Gargett]

4 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

yours was plugged apparently, Your grandma lungs couldn't cope. It robbed you a Quill and Pen article for sure

On the positive side....The wine was good and you discovered the great cheapie Mille Fleur!

my grandma lungs! nice. that from the bloke who has been supporting the australian health care system for the last 12 months with every ailment under the sun. i saw the old fawlty towers episode the other day, with sybil in for an ingrowing toenail. thought of you.

and if i recall, both cigars were pitched. i am positively sure of that.

and yes, i enjoyed the whatever it was we had. i am equally positive that my memory is shot. 

[El Presidente]

1 hour ago, Ken Gargett said:

and if i recall, both cigars were pitched. i am positively sure of that.

 

True I pitched mine so we could start on the second. I couldn't take your crying any more. On that I am positive

I am positively back to being hale and hearty (excuse the pun).  

 

[Ken Gargett]

4 hours ago, El Presidente said:

True I pitched mine so we could start on the second. I couldn't take your crying any more. On that I am positive

I am positively back to being hale and hearty (excuse the pun).  

 

i am positive that truth apparently went over the balcony with the cigars! 

delighted to hear you are well - you and the marlboro man. 

i look forward to the vid tomorrow. i did have a world first for you to try but sadly the mob sending it decided that 'brookfield, Queensland' meant 'brookvale, sydney'. so it will not arrive. i suspect john S might be able to guess what it is, but no spoilers, john! 

[Puros Y Vino]

Good thread.  On the positive side, I always look forward to a CC whether alone or with friends.  It can be a regular production, double or triple bander and I'm happy.  Now that Habanos has found gold with bigger "luxury" cigars, more bands, etc. I'm glad there's been some decent new (relatively affordable) releases such as the PL Picadores, Connie A's, HUHC, QdO No. 50 and Trinidad Vigia.  And while I don't want to give them kudos for not doing something, such as continuing to decimate the long and skinnies.  I'm happy that I can still grab P898's and RyJ Cazzies.  I'll be happier if more cigars < 50RG and > 5 inches start appearing.  

[Lotusguy]

Regular production CC are still cheaper than most NCs for me so that’s definitely a positive

Given that California keeps raising the tobacco tax, I don’t see that changing anytime soon either.