I think I've come to the end of my "trying cigars".

[TheTraveler]

Here's an idea.

You're pretty talented at making humidors. Make yourself a nice humi, pick up to five cigars, stock and smoke only those for 1 year. Don't touch the other stuff except to monitor humidity and temp. Then next year have a sampler weekend. Break out the good liquor, plan a big steak dinner or BBQ with friends, make a weekend out of it. About a week before the big day start rummaging around in the untouched humis, start getting an idea about what's in there, stuff you may have forgotten about. I'll bet there will be an adventurous spark in your eye by the time you've picked your cigar menu.

Maybe not even a year. Maybe try the "strict diet" for only 3 months.

Anyway, I'm happy you have a cigar to be more than simply satisfied with ... I'm glad you have a cigar that still sparks genuine interest for you.

[RevSmoke]

Scott - what about the LGs and Coronados?

I have personally found that I only smoke so many cigars a week, usually 4-7. And so, I smoke what I really like. And then someone sends me a bunch to try. I want to be respectful and do so, but as they are unknown quantities they sit and wait.

When I grab a stick, I have an idea of what flavors I want from it, for I am pairing it with a mood, or a beverage, or a...

And, as I smoke only so often, it has to be a cigar that really sticks out in my mind. There are a lot of good cigars out there, don't get me wrong. When I grab one, I usually want something that I know is going to "WOW" me. There are some less expensive sticks in that list, and some more expensive cigars. But, I hear where you're coming from.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by shilala

If I can smoke one or two ten or twelve dollar sticks a week rather than eight sh!tty $3.00 sticks, that fits the way I smoke.

This is my philosophy as well. I usually only find time to smoke on weekends, so we're talking somewhere between 1 to 3 cigars per week, 4 at the very most. no reason to waste precious smoke time on budget sticks.

I also find myself trying new cigars less frequently. I feel like I'm missing out on some of the fun you other guys on the board enjoy, but more often than not, I'm just disappointed.

There are only a handful of brands that have stood the test of time for me and I tend to stick to those. Fuentes, Padrons, and CCs make up the majority of what I smoke. I find other cigars that I enjoy occasionally but as I mentioned, I'm usually let down by most smokes.

I should mention though, that I will probably never stop trying new cigars completely, especially Cubans.

[tenbaseg]

Damn you Scott. Now I have to try a '26.

[gvarsity]

I'm with you. I go through phases of exploring and phases of comfort. I have a humidor full of cigars I have been waiting try but often times I prefer to go with an old standby. Sometimes it is just because I don't want to think about my smoke and enjoy what I know.

I think it is particularly hard to go to new cigars if you aren't smoking a lot of cigars. Whether it is due to choice like you or lack of time like me, when your cigar smoking time is at a premium you don't want to waste some of that time on something that is not satisfying. Not to say that a new cigar may not be good but it may not be what you want.

Originally Posted by tenbaseg

Damn you Scott. Now I have to try a '26.

Don't! They suck.


Welcome to the Padron Anniversary as an everyday smoke club Scott.

I find myself smoking the '64s and '26s almost daily. I used to love the Oliva V but hardly touch them anymore.

[DPD6030]

Well said Scott. To each his own on tastes. I find myself reaching for the same cigars more often than trying different ones as well.

So many good cigars, why limit yourself to just a few kinds? Everything I have a box of is something I would smoke all the time. Sometimes I want a yard-gar. Sometimes I want a Churchill. Sometimes a Lancero, etc. I don't care what Mean Darrell thinks about them.
I feel lucky if I can smoke once a week.

[akumushi]

I feel you and I don't Scott. I have never had a Padron Anni so I'm missing the bliss you're getting, but I definitely have arrived at a point where sub-par cigars do not suffice. I find myself oscillating between the premium Nicaraguan/premiun Cuban axis; about the time I get fed up with a few consecutively poorly constructed CCs I switch to some premium NCs and I'm digging their chocolaty spiciness, and then after a while they taste flat and I switch to CCs and have a few that are off the chain and woo me back. Then I get a couple of crappy ones and switch back to the Nics until they taste flat and uncomplex. At least when you swing between the extremes you always have a place to go, so about the time you get bored you can change it up. I wish i could convince you that CCs are worth it, but I think our palettes are just too different

[shilala]

Clayton, if I were smoking your cc's, I think I could definately make habit out of it. The ones you sent me, every single one was excellent.
The thing with Padron anni's is that they are ever-consistent, and always perfect. Never a bad flavor, never a bad burn, never a plug, never an unravel. The flavors are consistent and perfect. They are incredible rott, and are meant to be smoked that way. They age beautifully if a guy can't smoke them quick enough, and I've been fortunate to try a lot with varying numbers of years on them.
The fact that they are best rott is a real cincher. I don't have to stress "getting them ready to smoke".
I've had good fortune to smoke some awesome cc's, and if they even closely resembled the quality and consistency of padron, I'd love to rotate them in.
I know guys enjoy "the hunt" and it's fun going through box after box to find that one box that's mind-numbingly good. I don't enjoy that. It just pisses me off.
I'll always try different cigars, I suppose. I can't imagine not trying new ones at b&m's and herfs, because that's tons of fun. I'm certainly going to try the sticks that my brothers share with me, too. I'm sure I'll find new "rage" sticks that are enjoyable.

Todd, the LGD stuff is always going to be in my humidor. So will a few others like JLP's and Cohiba maddies and just a handful of others, because I really enjoy a "mood" smoke sometimes, too.
I'm just scaling way back. I'm gonna smoke what I like, hoarde what I like, and hoarde far less. It'll be a lot easier on me, and I'll enjoy taking care of lots less smokes.

Originally Posted by akumushi

I feel you and I don't Scott. I have never had a Padron Anni so I'm missing the bliss you're getting, but I definitely have arrived at a point where sub-par cigars do not suffice. I find myself oscillating between the premium Nicaraguan/premiun Cuban axis; about the time I get fed up with a few consecutively poorly constructed CCs I switch to some premium NCs and I'm digging their chocolaty spiciness, and then after a while they taste flat and I switch to CCs and have a few that are off the chain and woo me back. Then I get a couple of crappy ones and switch back to the Nics until they taste flat and uncomplex. At least when you swing between the extremes you always have a place to go, so about the time you get bored you can change it up. I wish i could convince you that CCs are worth it, but I think our palettes are just too different

I was in the same boat as you not to long ago. Since I have started smoking the Padron's I have lost taste for other cigars that I used to smoke before. I have four that I smoke on a regular basis. Of those four sticks, two of them are the Padron Anniversary sticks..

[shilala]

Todd, you'll be happy to hear I went back to the LGD's and Coronados.
The only reason is that I ran out of '26's Friday.
Then I ran out of cigars altogether and had to go to a cigar shop here near Nashville. I had to get some Padron lonsdalish things and they were okay. I grabbed an Oliva V lancero, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
Oddly, I had an anejo 46 the other night at the fire and it didn't do it for me at all. The last dozen or so have been disappointing, I think I've grown out of my anejo whore stage.

Originally Posted by RevSmoke

Scott - what about the LGs and Coronados?

I have personally found that I only smoke so many cigars a week, usually 4-7. And so, I smoke what I really like. And then someone sends me a bunch to try. I want to be respectful and do so, but as they are unknown quantities they sit and wait.

When I grab a stick, I have an idea of what flavors I want from it, for I am pairing it with a mood, or a beverage, or a...

And, as I smoke only so often, it has to be a cigar that really sticks out in my mind. There are a lot of good cigars out there, don't get me wrong. When I grab one, I usually want something that I know is going to "WOW" me. There are some less expensive sticks in that list, and some more expensive cigars. But, I hear where you're coming from.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[OHRD]

If you can afford the Padron Annis on a regular basis, then $$ may not be an issue, but for me the Nica Libre as a great everyday smoke for folks on a budget - I like the Principe the best, around $2/stick and lasts around 30 mins.

[longknocker]

Scott; I Used To Chase Every New Cigar Out There, Only To Be Disappointed By Most Of Them. I Would Be Happy With BGM, Cohiba, PL, & R&J Tubo #2's For CCs. For NC's, I'll Take Any Tats, Padron Anny's, VSG's, Aged Famous Nic 5,000 & Tampa Sweethearts!

[Doctorossi]

I actually prefer not to experience "perfection" every time- makes it more special when I do have a "perfect" stick.

[nick2021]

Padrons are tough to beat, but can empty my wallet just as fast as I smoke them...I know the feeling though...there was a point in time where I ended up throwing a lot of smokes halfway through because they couldn't compare to other smokes I've had. I try not to let it stop me though from trying other smokes.