Re: Age & Experience
 

I started smoking about 3 yrs. ago. My favorites:
NC
Tat
Monte White
5 Vega "A"
AVO XO
In no particular order
CC
Punch RS 11
Hoyo Petite Robusto
Dip #4
Hoyo Du Prince
Monte #4

Re: Age & Experience
 

Blame is not the word I would use. Cid, on the other hand....:r

Re: Age & Experience
 

I smoked my first cigar in 93 or 94 and had one every now and then until around 2003 or so when I got my first humidor.

My favorites change all the time, but I dig the Oliva V line, Sancho Panza EF for a value smoke, Taboo, and LFD. In addition, the dark side has been speaking to me lately, but no favorites from them yet.

Re: Age & Experience
 

I have been smoking almost two years now. Where does the time go??

I am still trying different cigars and trying to find what I like. Some of my favs are H.Upmanns, Ramon Allones and Por Larranaga. :ss

Re: Age & Experience
 

Since the summer before I went away to college. That makes it 3 years, almost 4.

I've only had 1 or 2 CCs unfortunately. However, my palate is starting to develop a little bit, I can now distinguish between "good" and "bad." See... only three years to make it that far?

Some of my favorite sticks:
Rocky Patels (Edge, Vintage '92, Olde World Reserve)
Tatuaje
Oliva
Padron X000
AF Hemingway/Short Story

Looking forward to continuing my delicious, albeit expensive odyssey into the cigar world.

Re: Age & Experience
 

I have only been smoking for 2 years this summer. My grandpa used to smoke in the summer, but smoked those nasty Dutchmasters. He passed away a long time ago but started, kind of, due to his influence.

favorites are

Rocky Patel Sungrown
Padilla Obsidian
Olivia G
Don Pepin Black Label
Punch Champion

Cliff

Re: Age & Experience
 

Smoking since early 90s. Buffalo Traders in G.R. Mich. was my tobacconist, sold Punch and Hoyo and Don Thomas Roths for under a buck each. Then the boom years and the prices..."OY!"...Kids, you think S-CHIP is bad...You young people are spoiled and weak with your epods and Kanye West!!!! Anywho...

My favs are always changing but lately it's (all NC, which I assume to mean Non Cuban):

La Gloria Cubana Wavell M
La Aroma De Cuba
El Rey Rectangulare EMS
5 Vegas Miami Knuckle
Saint Louis Rey Series G

I know what you guys are saying about the Fuente's. I was a fiend for 'em way back but lately when I have one..."meh". Except for the Opus X robusto I had Friday! Wow! One of the few stogies that is worth the hype, I'd say.

Re: Age & Experience
 

very short time, less than 4 mos.


NC,
Camacho
CAO Brizilla
Padron


but the only thing I keep at home is gerbils (cc)
right now i would say
Bolivar pc
H. Upmann MAGNUM 50

Re: Age & Experience
 

some of us old bastids might remember the original El Rico Habanos.

Holy schitt that thing would melt your socks.

some other old favorites...

CAO Trois Diamante (if your humi was too high, you couldn't get them out of their box!)

CAO eXtreme

Mayorga Hi Octane (^%$%&^% pyramid box...)

Belinda Blue Bands....(gawd I'm getting old)

El Paradiso (best friends House Blend from their old store)

Oliva Cloth Bands (the toilet seat box!!)

La Vieja Habana - The Early Years Silencio (back when they were boxes of 40)

Okay, now that I feel ANCIENT in here......

Re: Age & Experience
 

They still make them, but couldn't tell you if they are as full-bodied or flavorful as they used to be.

I remember ordering El Credito cigars directly from Miami. I remember getting the El Credito line, which were seconds of the LGCs. When you got some, you wanted to see if they were rolled in Miami or DR.

Re: Age & Experience
 

Been smoking for just about two years now. A couple more weeks I think. I've had a blast with the cigar culture, and meeting all the people I've met throughout this. Also managed to pick up a bunch of new hobbies with it...pipes, coffee, liquor (bourbon and rum are favorites). Between this place and my time at the other site, I've had a total blast for the past two years.


Some of my favorite cigars are:

NC:
Padrons
Oliva Vs
Tatuajes
Cabaiguan
Pepin

CC:
Partagas
Bolivar
SCdlH Principes
Montecristo
LGC MdO

Re: Age & Experience
 

They were re-blended about 4-5 years ago and they are nowhere near as strong as they were before. I miss those.

Re: Age & Experience
 

That is too bad. They were a very tasty smoke. Of course, strength isn't everything. If the change in the blend produced a bit smoother smoke, but still on the fuller side of medium-bodied, that wouldn't be a bad thing. I remember them as having a tendency to get a bit harsh.

Re: Age & Experience
 

At a charity golf tournament 3-4 yrs ago I spotted
a humi with Excalibur and RyJ on the Pro Shop counter.
It was a creamy smoke, and I wondered if all cigars
had that trait. Been looking to repeat that experience
ever since.

My favorites are:

AF Hemi maduro
Ashton San Cristobal
Gurkha Ancient Warrior
RP Olde World Reserve
PAM

Chemyst :cool:

Re: Age & Experience
 

Smoking about 3 years...

Padron (got me going in cigars)
Tatuaje (kept me going)
Cabaiguan
Illusione
DPG (Blue, Black & others)

CC's
Bolivar
Monte
Juan Lopez
Cohiba (when I can afford 'em)
Party

Re: Age & Experience
 

Shoot, I haven't been in the game long enough to even say really. Been smoking for almost a year now, but since about December I kind of dropped my NC experimentation for Dark Side experimentation. So as for non-Cubans, I haven't done much but sample around a bit. But here's what I've been attracted to with so far on the NC side, in no particular order:

Tatuaje
Joya de Nicaragua
Oliva
Padron
Saint Luis Rey
Romeo y Julieta

Re: Age & Experience
 

I've been smoking cigars for about a year. My favorites:

Tatuaje
Padron (64,26)
A.Fuente
Cohiba (cuba)
Oliva (any of 'em)

Re: Age & Experience
 

Have you tried the Excalibur and the RyJ again - from a different vendor?

Re: Age & Experience
 

I was a cigarette smoker for 40+ years. Gave them up in July 2007. ( Yep, I'm an old guy)Started smoking cigars last May. I work with 2 younger guys who are very knowledgeable cigar smokers. They have led me on the right paths to enjoying good cigars. My favorites to this point:
601 Green Oscuro
Oliva V
La Aurora Gold Preferido
Oliva "O" Maduro
Padron 3000 or 4000

Re: Age & Experience
 

I smoked maybe half a dozen a year until I quit smoking cigarettes
6 yrs ago.
Thought I would smoke a few cigars again about 5 months ago.
Well with the help of Smokin Gator, BigAsh, and others, along
With this place and the devil site, I now smoke at least that a week.
Even bought my first 'box'

My favorite so far is the CAO LX2

Re: Age & Experience
 

Well, I'm one of those Geezers who's been doing it off and on for over 30 years, ...On for the last 20 at least ... Used to smoke a lot Munimakers, Toppers, King Edwards, A&C's ... That stuff. ... My how my tastes have changed! ... My Favorites?? ...Hmmmm...
La Aroma de Cuba
Padron Aniversary (Actually ANY Padron!)
Tat's
RYJ Habana Reserve
And my newest Fav. ... San Cristobal! (Thanks John!)
But other than that, Hell ...I'll smoke a tree branch if it tastes good! :cb

Re: Age & Experience
 

I've been smoking since the divorce in 2007. I smoke a lot of variety thanks to the passes, trades and cbid, but I have only a few real favorites...

Perdomos
Pepins
Padrons
JdNs
RP 1990
Casa Magna

My taste isn't all that, and I have a lot to learn and a lot to try yet. I have to say that I got a Diablo Picante in a pass, and I really liked it. Bought a box on clearance from Famous, and they are very much to my liking, more than any other dominican I've had. Probably indicative of my inexperience. But as you can see, I'm a solid Nicaraguan fan.