Good question..... My answer, at least....where I sit....if I am following the gist of your thread....
Have been smoking cigars for 3.5 years.
All my purchases are related to recommendations from this forum/members here/blogs of those on here ect. Most blind purchases....by the box....which is how I buy almost everything. Things like Padron Anny's, Tat brown label, Illusione, a lot of Tatuaje B&M specific shop releases, AF Don Carlos...bla..bla..bla... I did buy a box of AB Tempus Terra Nova's, that I really liked when smoking one from my B&M(where I never go anymore, probably haven't been through the doors in 18+ months?). It's been fun, have yet to purchase something that I wish I didn't & I'm enjoying what I smoke. Every once in a while, I'll grab a 5er from the B&S forum and that may spark a purchase as well.
I have also had the pleasure of doing a bunch of box splits from elsewhere.
I have never smoked the specific cigars you mentioned above. I have had plenty of ERdM Choix...
So I guess in a nutshell.... Yes, my purchases are 100% related to what appears popular on here and what is being reviewed on people's blogs.... For better or worse, those cigars do tend to be flavor of the month(as almost all my NC box purchases have been, maybe not AFDC?, no idea how long those have been around?)