Evolution & Tastes

[shilala]

I agree with you too, Mike. So that's three times this week.
I've been very picky from day one. It has to do with time. I don't get much opportunity to smoke, and when I do, I don't want to suffer through a rocket.
I like dark smokes. Maduros, mainly. I enjoy an occasional Corojo wrapper.
It's funny that just last night I found out that my favorite JJ Maduro has a Corojo Maduro wrapper. I never knew that, and it's made me want to seek out more cigars with corojo maduro wrappers.
I've found such a large range of smokes that I very much like that I honestly have a few different choices for every mood.
That cuts in hard to my desire to "try new stuff" unless it falls in my range of cigars I like. I just got in an Old Henry Maduro box split because everything about that cigar says it should be something I will really enjoy. It's worth a try, even if the experiment fails. But I weighed the components of the cigar carefully against my likes and odds are very good that I'll be pleased. That makes it fun.
Conversely, I'm not going to spark up another Natural Connecticut wrapper. Ever.
I'll taste every cc I pick up before I spark it (to see if the wrapper is bitter).
I also smell everything cautiously because my nose is very sensitive to ammonia and I can sniff out a sick smoke very easily.

I'm not so sure it's an evolution as it is an education.
I've smoked cigars since I was a kid, albeit a very small range of smokes. In a year's time I've waded through a huge assortment of cigars to a point where I can actually pick something I'll like from a million-brand internet humidor.
That's a pretty good education. If I pay attention to what I've learned, I enjoy this hobby a whole lot more, and that makes it even more fun.