I can see clearly now the rain has gone.....

[El Presidente]

that Jimmy Cliff classic 

 

There are cigars that it took me years "to get".  It is a little like finding the golden key. It normally took one magnificent  cigar experience to unlock years of confusion. It is hard to explain unless you have experienced the same. 

 

Here are my  Jimmy Cliff nominees.

 

la Gloria Cubana medaille D'Or Number 2

Fonseca Number 1

Quai D'Orsay Imperiales. 

Quai D'orsay Corona

 

I struggled for years with each of these. Then one day, one cigar experience opened my eyes and I never looked back. 

 

Let us know yours 

 

[rcarlson]

Punch.  All of them.  Then along came the recent Punch Punch and PSdP.  I have seen the light.    

[JohnS]

Bolivar. All of them. Initially, there were times whereby these sticks were so 'Earthy' I thought I was licking gravel. I guess in recent times they haven't been quite as 'Earthy', in general, as I remember them. Anyway, I've had plenty of great examples of Bolivar cigars in the last few years.

[oneizzzz]

Definitely Sancho Panza.  It took me a year or two of focusing on other Cuban brands before appreciating the Sancho taste and what it offers in distinction.

Padron.  Another one that I appreciate based on what it offers in contrast to the average Cuban.  I had tried a few before getting into Cubans and was unimpressed.  Now they scratch a particular itch perfectly.

[MickVanWinkle]

Having only gotten into CC’s the last few years, my sense of adventure has waned, given the risk/reward proposition of today’s prices.  I’ve been blessed/cursed to be armed with enough info to make reasonable bets on what I will like and too darn scared to stray too far all at once.

That being said, for the longest time I was always in the 50-56 gauge camp. Never understood smaller gauge cigars, but lo and behold my favorite vitolas now include petit coronas and corona gordas

[Chucko8]

Punch and RYJ for me.

[tywindsor44]

I’ve brought this up in a couple of my reviews.. but I’m on the same page as a couple others here. I’m relatively new to cc’s (3-5years). So I’ve been around the block but I tend to stick with what I know I like.

For me, I can’t seem to wrap my head around anything RyJ or Cuaba. A lot of people get cherry and peanut butter out of those and I can’t pull anything but a spiced heavy tobacco.

With that said, I can’t say I’ve let them age or had any that were more than 1-3 years old.


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[tywindsor44]

Bolivar. All of them. Initially, there were times whereby these sticks were so 'Earthy' I thought I was licking gravel. I guess in recent times they haven't been quite as 'Earthy', in general, as I remember them. Anyway, I've had plenty of great examples of Bolivar cigars in the last few years.

This is crazy to me John! My very first Cuban was a Bolivar and it flipped my world upside down (in a good way). I was so impressed with the flavor profile I never looked back and bought up all I could afford. Glad you’re enjoying them now.


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[jakebarnes]

Punch Punch--they were having a rough go when I got into cigars. Now I 100% get them and also the PSdP. Revelations. 

VR Unicos-- They were having a rough qc run. Everything was plugged. I love these now. 

QdO Coronas- I am with you here @El Presidente. I didn't get them at all and then one day it was like a light switched on. 

[Ford2112]

Romeo Y Julieta. I didn't get the cherry thing until recently. I smoked them back in the day and they were gnarly!

[jazzboypro]

Never got anything from RASS after 2 boxes so no point in trying anymore. 

[Doctorossi]

Wow. The Md'O 2 took me about 2 seconds to "get".

And then I just wanted to get more and more of them. 

[Lamboinee]

On 3/13/2023 at 7:03 PM, El Presidente said:

Quai D'Orsay Imperiales. 

Quai D'orsay Corona

Did you struggle with both of these cigars for the same reasons?  Did the same key that opened one of them also open the other?  Curious if there are any similarities across the line with these two QD's. 

[El Presidente]

2 minutes ago, Lamboinee said:

Did you struggle with both of these cigars for the same reasons?  Did the same key that opened one of them also open the other?  Curious if there are any similarities across the line with these two QD's. 

Initially I was smoking them too fresh and too fast. I think modern QD Corona are a different animal to those of the 90's that had a "grassier" element to them.  That "dry grass stalk" element was a nemesis of mine for some time across the LGC/QD lines. They all needed a little time down, they all needed to be smoked  s l o w l y.  When I provided the opportunity for the deeper sweeter edges to arrive, for the mid spine of these cigars to evolve......they were different beasts. 

[Lamboinee]

58 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

dry grass stalk" element

I also loathe this element, almost always.  Bitter and green are generally not in my wheelhouse.

A friend share a QD Corona with me, I can't wait to try it in a month or so.

[GoodStix]

1 hour ago, El Presidente said:

they all needed to be smoked  s l o w l y.

I’ve heard different views of what smoking slowly means.  Some say take a draw less often, no more than once a minute.  Others say the same plus physically draw the smoke in quite slowly.  @El Presidente what do you mean please when you advise smoke slowly?  Both?  (as you’ve written re QD and Fonny 1)

[El Presidente]

16 minutes ago, GoodStix said:

I’ve heard different views of what smoking slowly means.  Some say take a draw less often, no more than once a minute.  Others say the same plus physically draw the smoke in quite slowly.  @El Presidente what do you mean please when you advise smoke slowly?  Both?  (as you’ve written re QD and Fonny 1)

intentional/physical Slooooow draw. Take in the aroma. once a minute is about right. 

[GoodStix]

Cheers

[Fuzz]

17 hours ago, JohnS said:

Bolivar. All of them. Initially, there were times whereby these sticks were so 'Earthy' I thought I was licking gravel. I guess in recent times they haven't been quite as 'Earthy', in general, as I remember them. Anyway, I've had plenty of great examples of Bolivar cigars in the last few years.

Lucky bugger. I'm still licking gravel.

[Ford2112]

I smoke painfully slow according to my dragon puffing running tunneling cigar brethren. I hope they enjoy their hot nasty acrid pepper bombs. I'm trying to train my friend to slow down. 🐌  😤 

[LordAnubis]

On 3/14/2023 at 7:34 PM, JohnS said:

Bolivar. All of them. Initially, there were times whereby these sticks were so 'Earthy' I thought I was licking gravel. I guess in recent times they haven't been quite as 'Earthy', in general, as I remember them. Anyway, I've had plenty of great examples of Bolivar cigars in the last few years.

You converted fuzz yet? Or is he still a bolivar hating heathen?

[LordAnubis]

8 hours ago, Fuzz said:

Lucky bugger. I'm still licking gravel.

Ohh just saw this 😂😂😂