Beginners Sampler Pack - Am I missing anything? ... (or doing something stupid)

[gustavehenne]

I introduced my mate to the Epi 2 a few months back after telling me that he was physically sick after smoking his first cigar. Of course, he tried his first cigar at 2am after around eight litres of beer, countless shots and it was likely a Bolivar or Opus X Double Corona type thing that just blew his head off. He fell in love with the flavour of the Epi 2 and is now keen to get into cigars.

His birthday was a few weeks ago and I've been busy picking out cigars from my collection to put into a humidor that comfortably fits up to 40 sticks. I've put my first pass list below but wanted to see what others thought and whether I am missing anything obvious or whether I'm putting in anything ridiculous.

Sorry if this has been done before but a basic search yielded nothing specific... From the list below assume I'm planning to put one, but maybe two of some cigars:

• El Rey Del Mundo Choix Supreme
• El Rey Del Mundo Demi Tasse
• Padron Damasao No. 8 (Corona Gorda)
• Portagas Series D No. 4
• Punch Punch (from 21)
• Por Larrañaga Petit Corona
• Por Larrañaga Galanes
• Cohiba Robusto
• Quai d'Orsay 54
• Montecristo Especiales No. 2
• Punch Short de Punch
• Montecristo Edmundo
• Hoyo de Monterrey Hoyo du Depute
• Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 1
• Hoyo de Monterrey Hoyo du Rio Seco
• Hoyo de Monterrey Elegantes
• San Cristóbal de La Habana La Fuerza
• H. Upmann No. 2
• H. Upmann Mag 50
• Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Presidente
• Trinidad Reyes
• N3 Carlotas (both shades)
• Rafael Gonzalez Perlas

Any comments are greatly appreciated/welcome.

 

[Nevrknow]

I've always done a PLPC, PL Monte Carlo if you have them, Reyes, and Epi 1 or Monte E2.

No complaints yet. It's after they go thru those they start wanting to try others. 👍

[gustavehenne]

1 minute ago, Nevrknow said:

I've always done a PLPC, PL Monte Carlo if you have them, Reyes, and Epi 1 or Monte E2.

No complaints yet. It's after they go thru those they start wanting to try others. 👍

Interesting. I've got a few boxes of the PLMC but I heard they needed a few years on them to become excellent - all of my stock is 20/21. Thanks for that recommendation!

[Nevrknow]

I'm deep on them for that reason. But I do appreciate them right now also.

[KCCubano]

I would be elated to receive those for my birthday! Great selection and very generous of you to boot

[rcarlson]

Needs a couple of JLs and RAs to round out.  

[gustavehenne]

3 minutes ago, rcarlson said:

Needs a couple of JLs and RAs to round out.  

I've got some RASS lying around in a 50 cab that I could put in - good idea!

JL - not too strong for a beginner?

[RichG]

This is an awesome gift, kudos! Monte 2 was one of the first cigars that really grabbed my attention. 

[Chas.Alpha]

My 2 pence, brother-from-another-mother! 😀 Some of those would probably be wasted on a young cigar palate. As an excited new smoker, I would expect him to burn the CORO, followed by the Rio del Seco, Monte Edmundo and HU50 or #2. Your choices are excellent, but maybe fill his new humidor 8 sticks at a time?

I burned thru 2 boxes of R&J Churchill’s and 2 boxes of Espy’s back in the 80’s before I had any idea what my father had brought back for me... 😔

[ha_banos]

Throw out the Reyes. They are dead to us now. How about a JL2 or Monte 4/5 instead?

[gustavehenne]

4 minutes ago, ha_banos said:

Throw out the Reyes. They are dead to us now. How about a JL2 or Monte 4/5 instead?

😂😂😂😂 I always liked the Reyes at whatever price it was before but they just didn't cut the mustard so would be happy to throw them in, if even to give him a whiff of what Trinidad is like. You're the second person to say Juan Lopez so I'll throw one in.

I actually have no Monte 2-5 - I've really only got the Monte 1 (my favourite vitola), A, Especial, Especiales 2 and the Edmundo range. I'm not sure I'd part with my dear Monte 1's

5 minutes ago, Chas.Alpha said:

My 2 pence, brother-from-another-mother! 😀 Some of those would probably be wasted on a young cigar palate. As an excited new smoker, I would expect him to burn the CORO, followed by the Rio del Seco, Monte Edmundo and HU50 or #2. Your choices are excellent, but maybe fill his new humidor 8 sticks at a time?

I burned thru 2 boxes of R&J Churchill’s and 2 boxes of Espy’s back in the 80’s before I had any idea what my father had brought back for me... 😔

Evening BROMO Which would you recommend chucking out first? I can't work out which ones to discount first (other than going by what the current market value is) but the list I put together was representative of lots of different flavours. Difficult choices!

7 minutes ago, RichG said:

This is an awesome gift, kudos! Monte 2 was one of the first cigars that really grabbed my attention. 

I don't really have any... It's not a vitola I buy too much of but something along the Monte lines is a great idea. Thanks!

[Dr Process]

Nothing to add that hasn’t been said. 
 

let me say that this is an awesome present!

[Cazador]

The Padron Damaso seems like an outlier as one of 2 NC.   I’d say put in either more NC, or a better representation of them like a Padron X000 series. Doesn’t need to be fancy, but he’ll think all NC are like CT wrapper.

[Ford2112]

Give him a Bolivar Gigantes and tell him to pull up his big boy pants,followed by a Padron 1964

[Ford2112]

Just now, Ford2112 said:

Give him a Bolivar Gigantes and tell him to pull up his big boy pants,followed by a Padron 1964

Or just give him some Epi 2s and Monte 4s

[gustavehenne]

4 minutes ago, Cazador said:

The Padron Damaso seems like an outlier as one of 2 NC.   I’d say put in either more NC, or a better representation of them like a Padron X000 series. Doesn’t need to be fancy, but he’ll think all NC are like CT wrapper.

I was trying to find some lighter NCs but I've totally run out of Davidoff No. 2 and most of my NCs are in the medium to full section (e.g. Padron 26/64, Ashton VSG, ESG, Fuente Opus X, My Father etc.). I could leave them out and am tempted to do so but wanted to show him there is more to cigars than Cuban.

Just now, Ford2112 said:

Give him a Bolivar Gigantes and tell him to pull up his big boy pants,followed by a Padron 1964

HA. I've never myself had a Gigantes and if I did its unlikely I would part with them. From what I've heard they sound seriously impressive.

[GaryK 54]

What a generous and thoughtful way to introduce a friend to our passion. You have compiled a great list and have already received plenty of good advice from our community. The only other stick I might suggest is the SLR Regios. Can’t go wrong with the honey and stone fruit profile. I find these to be a good introductory stick, mild body and very flavorful… much like the HdM Epi 2. 

Cheers to you mate for exemplifying what enjoying the leaf is all about!

[Fuzz]

Cohiba Siglo VI

Cohiba Esplendidos

Cohiba Lanceros

Cohiba Genios

Cohiba Behike 52/54/56

Cohiba Medio Siglo

Cohiba Piramides

 

Just kidding!

[gustavehenne]

1 minute ago, GaryK 54 said:

What a generous and thoughtful way to introduce a friend to our passion. You have compiled a great list and have already received plenty of good advice from our community. The only other stick I might suggest is the SLR Regios. Can’t go wrong with the honey and stone fruit profile. I find these to be a good introductory stick, mild body and very flavorful… much like the HdM Epi 2. 

Cheers to you mate for exemplifying what enjoying the leaf is all about!

That's a fantastic suggestion and thanks for your kind words

One of the things I love about cigars is sharing them and having some great chats over different types of sticks... It's probably the best community I've ever been involved in and I really do love contrasting and comparing with others.

1 minute ago, Fuzz said:

Cohiba Siglo VI

Cohiba Esplendidos

Cohiba Lanceros

Cohiba Genios

Cohiba Behike 52/54/56

Cohiba Medio Siglo

Cohiba Piramides

 

Just kidding!

Brilliant. Why not add the Cohiba Double Corona and Robustos Supremos while you are there  

I'm counting on some of those boxes to pay off my mortgage in a few years time!

[Nevrknow]

3 minutes ago, Fuzz said:

Cohiba Siglo VI

Cohiba Esplendidos

Cohiba Lanceros

Cohiba Genios

Cohiba Behike 52/54/56

Cohiba Medio Siglo

Cohiba Piramides

 

Just kidding!

Hell yes! And no he’s not! 😂

[MossybackR]

That really is a great idea and wonderful birthday gift, @stevenhaugen. Well done. I’d add an Epi 1

[Ford2112]

15 minutes ago, Fuzz said:

Cohiba Siglo VI

Cohiba Esplendidos

Cohiba Lanceros

Cohiba Genios

Cohiba Behike 52/54/56

Cohiba Medio Siglo

Cohiba Piramides

 

Just kidding!

Upcoming Fuzz Sampler on 24:24?

[Fuzz]

8 minutes ago, stevenhaugen said:

That's a fantastic suggestion and thanks for your kind words

One of the things I love about cigars is sharing them and having some great chats over different types of sticks... It's probably the best community I've ever been involved in and I really do love contrasting and comparing with others.

Brilliant. Why not add the Cohiba Double Corona and Robustos Supremos while you are there  

I'm counting on some of those boxes to pay off my mortgage in a few years time!

If you have any of those 2003 Cohiba Double Corona LE, I would not ever sell them!! Still one of the top 3 cigars I have ever had.

As for the Robusto Supremos, I was never a big fan of those.

[rcarlson]

1 hour ago, stevenhaugen said:

JL - not too strong for a beginner?

Not in my opinion, especially JL1.  I'm puffing one right now, and I find it bready, creamy, rich and smoooove.   

Frankly, I don't find any CCs that strong though.  But I think JL would acceptable for a beginner.  Not too complex, which is wasted on a beginner, and still gets to the essence. 

Party shorts might be a good one for the list too.  Not intimidating, gets to the sweet spot fast, and really captures the Partagas profile without requiring much patience.  The D4's are a hell of a good Party rep, and you've got that, but petite coronas are an easy grab for a virgin palate.     

[Rhinoww]

First what a great gift. Why not break it into two sets. One that you give to him - smaller Vitolas and some of the classica and keep some of the big dogs in your humi in a ziploc w his name on it and tell him you will talk cigars when you smoke those together. Beyond giving him great cigars he can get a few chats about cigars -  how they are made, types of tobacco, perhaps a flavor wheel etc. bring him along as someone to smoke cigars with would be an added benefit. 
 

And give the poor man a Boli Pc. Everyone needs to try one.