I smoke cigars – tyically 1-2 a week except in the coldest months (from Thanksgiving to early March, probably). I’ve got two small humidors with about 200 cigars. But strangely, in the last 3 years wine and spirits seem to have put me at my capacity for “collecting” in terms of the hunt. While I’m always looking for new and interesting wines (and whiskeys) and really like variety, I now prefer sticking to my 4 tried-and-true favorites for cigars. No idea why; I used to buy 5 packs of new cigars to try on a regular basis. But my cigar collection is now almost entirely composed of:
Cohiba Robustos (Cuban)
Montecristo #2s (Cuban)
Oliva Serie V Torpedo
My Father No. 1 (Robusto)
Pretty boring, but I love each of those cigars and almost never grow tired of them. I have a small smattering of Partagas, Rocky Patel, and Macanudo (mostly for guests who like them), but I haven’t purchased a cigar other than the above 4 in two years.
All four are good cigars but im sure you know there is a whole world of choice out there, what seems weird to me is that your choices are all totally different in flavor profile
Cohiba - typical Cuban, earthy with cocoa notes, very smooth
Monte 2 - very mild, well liked but not that flavourful
Oliva V - Great cigar, smooth full bodied smoke
MF #1 - typical Garcia, lots of spice and pepper, nothing like Oliva or a Monte # 2
If you like such a wide range of flavours why not branch out ?
Alan, legitimate question, but I can’t really answer it. I don’t know why I don’t care to branch out given my history and practice when it comes to wine and other beverages. But your observation about my 4 favorites is both spot-on and intentional. I do like different-tasting cigars under different circumstances – and like to be able to offer a range of flavors and intensity to guests – and I basically boiled my inventory down to the 4 listed above to give me 4 very different profiles to choose from.
Obviously your point is true: if I like such different cigars, there are certainly lots of cigars out there that I would like (maybe even more than my current rotation) and would offer yet another profile to enjoy. Again, I’m not sure why that doesn’t move me – maybe someday it will – but for now I’m happy buying boxes of my 4 favorites, aging some of them, and knowing I’m going to love my cigar every time. Maybe the best answer I can give is that right now, cigars are for me not really a hobby or something I’m enthusiastic about in the way wine is so much as a part of my weekly routine. I’d say habit, but that has connotations that I don’t think are consistent with my 1-2 cigars weekly.
Also, on the MC #2, it’s the cigar I’ve had more than any other cigar. I’ve probably smoked 150 of them over the years. I also had the chance to go to Cuba (legally, in fact) in 2004 and brought back several boxes (along with some Cohiba Esplendidos and Robustos), and as a result they have a sentimental attachment as well. I agree that they are mild and not that “exciting,” but I don’t agree that they are not “flavorful.” I think they have a mild but very distinct flavor – strangely, I think it would be easier for me to pick out blind than the much more forward My Father #1 for example – that justifies its place as one of the world’s great cigars.
Visited the Cigar House in Old San Juan, PR these past 8 days and enjoyed many cigars. I thoroughly enjoyed a My Father No. 1, a few (guilty pleasure) Padron Family 50 Maduros, My Father Bijou. I decided to have an Oregon (don’t recall name) IPA wth the MF No1; with the Padron 50 I had a Elijah Craig 12 and with the MF Bijou I brought my own Green Tea (love Green Tea w/ cigars.)
Cuaba Salamones, very good medium cigar
Padron 45 Natural, fabulous cigar wonderful flavours and a perfect draw
Siglo 6, actually a let down after the Padron I was surprised, the Siglo came across as a little grassy and did not have the earthy creaminess expected to match the Padron
The Cuaba was I think 11 or 12, I buy from Switzerland and always get older boxes and I know ive had these at least two years. It was a fully integrated cigar with no greenness and a great burn.
My experience with Cuaba is that 2-3 years is good so I might be tempted just to hold off a little bit but if you cant I don’t think taking a huge risk
Good to know. I have one in the humi but have no recollection of where I got it. Must have been part of sampler or a throw in. I think I have had it for a while so I might put it on deck.
Crazy month so I haven’t been totally keeping track but here are a few.
El Triunfado - These are made by Pete Johnson. I had my first one about 18 months ago and just thought, meh but after getting some time in the humi, I enjoyed this. A very nice smoke.
Kristoff Galerones DR4 - I was a little underwhelmed by this but still enjoyed. Good for the price.
La Flor Dominica - Suave - Insurrecto - I can’t keep my hands off these cigars. So easy to smoke and mighty tasty.
Headley Grange by Crowned Heads (Eminentes - 5 1/4″ x 44) - These guys make some terrific cigars and this is right in line. Medium/Full in strength. Leathery and nutty. I really enjoyed the flavor all the way through. About a 50 minute smoke. The downfall of this stick was the difficult draw. I am hoping it was just this particular cigar.
Has anyone had the Jose Piedra Cuban Cigars. They interest me because all of the tobacco comes from the same location. There seems to be a La Casa de Cubana where I am going and I wanted to pick up some new Cubans to try.
