Age & Experience

RevSmoke · 03-24-2009, 08:01 AM

I am one that has smoked fo 28+ years. I have seen some cigars come and some go. I have sometimes enjoyed my pipe more often than cigars, and so my humidor kept me happy for a while during that time, without having to visit a cigar shop or the internet. Then, a few year ago, I found cigar forums online, and I have noticed since finding them, a couple things that intrigue me.

I remember the 90s boom years, there were a number of brands that popped up, and then died soon thereafter. Some stayed for awhile and have flourished - Padron (wasn’t in the US market til ‘97), Perdomo (La Tradicion came out in’95), and La Flor Dominicana (‘94) to name just a few of the more successful ones. There are some others that are still around, they’ve weathered the storm, but not quite as successfully. For example Cupido was a great smoke came out and was and incredible smoke, rich, sweet, on the full side of medium - they’re sill around, but what happened to them. Then there are some that make you scratch your head, like Cremosa - introduced in ‘94 and for some unknown reason, still being produced. And then, there are those that have gone the way of the dodo.

What interests me is the variety of cigars out there, and the new faces in the cigar world that seem to have cropped up and are making themselves popular. Names that were unfamiliar to me before I found CA (and before it, CS), and seem to be the best of the best, make me curious about their pedigree and staying power.

What is more, I am curious who is smoking them? Are they long-time smokers, seasoned smoker, or neophytes.

So, I’ve organized a poll to see how long people have been smoking. And I’m taking a straw poll in the thread - what are you 5 favorite brands. If you want to mention in the thread how long you’ve been smoking, that would be nice. Curious what the old-timers versus the relative newbies are smoking. Are we in the midst of a new boom, with some names that will fade like the wind? Or are some of the new names here to stay?

I ask, because I was seriously out of the cigar loop from mid-2000 until 2007, I smoked almost exclusively, my pipes. I had enough cigars that I hadn’t bought any from 1999 till 2007. (I think being a reviewer for SMOKE magazine for most of 1999 may have burned me out for a while.) And then moving to Embarrass, Wisconsin - with no B&M to hang out at, I had no place I wanted to smoke, and nobody to smoke with. I even traded cigars for some quality pipes. There were months I’d go without a cigar, and other times, I was smoking only about 2 cigar every month. A box can go a whole year at that rate. So, basically out of the cigar loop for those few years, I come back and there are some names that seem to dominate that I didn’t know.

Rocky Patel came on scene in the 90s, but with Indian Tabac - since then he’s done his own lines and is still going strong. Jose Garcia didn’t come on the scene domestically until 200?? Ernesto Padilla went into cigars with Perdomo, and didn’t get his own company going until 2003? Pete Johnson is also immensely popular on CA, but he also is a relative newbie to the cigar scene.

My 5 favorites:
Moore & Bode Flamboyan
Padron (PAM 64s & X000s)
Oliva V
Taboo HSGs
Punch (Rothschilds)

What is interesting with my list is that 2 of the 5 I discovered after the boom, 2 during the boom, and 1 I have smoked for 28 years. What is interesting is that I used to smoke almost exclusively; AF Chateaus ($15 a box) and AF ($18 a box) & Punch Rothschilds ($40 a box). When I had some extra $$, I’d pop for a box of AF Hemi Short Stories ($60 a box). Notice what cigars are not on my list anymore?

How long have you been smoking?
What are your 5 favorites?

View Poll Results: How long have you been smoking
less than a year	36	11.88%
1-2 years	60	19.80%
2-5 years	95	31.35%
5-10 years	33	10.89%
10-20 years	51	16.83%
over 20 years	28	9.24%
Voters: 303. You may not vote on this poll

03-24-2009, 08:01 AM	#1
RevSmoke Ain't Never Gonna Leave Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Todd Location: Northcentral woods of Wisconsin Posts: 6,819 Trading: (51)	Age & Experience I am one that has smoked fo 28+ years. I have seen some cigars come and some go. I have sometimes enjoyed my pipe more often than cigars, and so my humidor kept me happy for a while during that time, without having to visit a cigar shop or the internet. Then, a few year ago, I found cigar forums online, and I have noticed since finding them, a couple things that intrigue me. I remember the 90s boom years, there were a number of brands that popped up, and then died soon thereafter. Some stayed for awhile and have flourished - Padron (wasn’t in the US market til ‘97), Perdomo (La Tradicion came out in’95), and La Flor Dominicana (‘94) to name just a few of the more successful ones. There are some others that are still around, they’ve weathered the storm, but not quite as successfully. For example Cupido was a great smoke came out and was and incredible smoke, rich, sweet, on the full side of medium - they’re sill around, but what happened to them. Then there are some that make you scratch your head, like Cremosa - introduced in ‘94 and for some unknown reason, still being produced. And then, there are those that have gone the way of the dodo. What interests me is the variety of cigars out there, and the new faces in the cigar world that seem to have cropped up and are making themselves popular. Names that were unfamiliar to me before I found CA (and before it, CS), and seem to be the best of the best, make me curious about their pedigree and staying power. What is more, I am curious who is smoking them? Are they long-time smokers, seasoned smoker, or neophytes. So, I’ve organized a poll to see how long people have been smoking. And I’m taking a straw poll in the thread - what are you 5 favorite brands. If you want to mention in the thread how long you’ve been smoking, that would be nice. Curious what the old-timers versus the relative newbies are smoking. Are we in the midst of a new boom, with some names that will fade like the wind? Or are some of the new names here to stay? I ask, because I was seriously out of the cigar loop from mid-2000 until 2007, I smoked almost exclusively, my pipes. I had enough cigars that I hadn’t bought any from 1999 till 2007. (I think being a reviewer for SMOKE magazine for most of 1999 may have burned me out for a while.) And then moving to Embarrass, Wisconsin - with no B&M to hang out at, I had no place I wanted to smoke, and nobody to smoke with. I even traded cigars for some quality pipes. There were months I’d go without a cigar, and other times, I was smoking only about 2 cigar every month. A box can go a whole year at that rate. So, basically out of the cigar loop for those few years, I come back and there are some names that seem to dominate that I didn’t know. Rocky Patel came on scene in the 90s, but with Indian Tabac - since then he’s done his own lines and is still going strong. Jose Garcia didn’t come on the scene domestically until 200?? Ernesto Padilla went into cigars with Perdomo, and didn’t get his own company going until 2003? Pete Johnson is also immensely popular on CA, but he also is a relative newbie to the cigar scene. My 5 favorites: Moore & Bode Flamboyan Padron (PAM 64s & X000s) Oliva V Taboo HSGs Punch (Rothschilds) What is interesting with my list is that 2 of the 5 I discovered after the boom, 2 during the boom, and 1 I have smoked for 28 years. What is interesting is that I used to smoke almost exclusively; AF Chateaus ($15 a box) and AF ($18 a box) & Punch Rothschilds ($40 a box). When I had some extra $$, I’d pop for a box of AF Hemi Short Stories ($60 a box). Notice what cigars are not on my list anymore? How long have you been smoking? What are your 5 favorites? __________________ Todd__ "Smoke what you like, and enjoy it!"