Age & Experience

[icehog3]

Been smoking cigars over 20 years, more "seriously" for the last 8. "Discovered" Cubans about 6 years ago and primarily smoke those now.

Favorite Brands:

Partagas
Por Larranaga
Bolivar
H. Upmann
Ramon Allones

Favorite NC brands would be Fuente and Tatuaje.

As an aside, the absolute worst "Boom" cigar I smoked were Don Mateos....nasty chit.

[kgoings]

I was smoking in the mid 90's but then stopped. I picked it up again a bit over a year ago.

If we are only talking NC's

PAM's
AF Hemi's
Oliva V
DPG

I cant think of a fifth NC that ranks right up there.

My fav CC's

H. Upmann
LGC
Partagas
Por Larranaga
Bolivar

I started smoking cigars in 1995 or 96. I was a casual cigar smoker (12-15 sticks a year) at best until about a year ago. My tastes have changed over the years. I used to really enjoy a mild to medium conn shade wrapped smoke. Now, I prefer a medium to full bodies smoke. I have yet to meet a CC that I didn't like, so I am not going to include them in my favorites.

My favorite NCs are (in no particular order)
Punch
5 Vegas Classic
AF Anejo
Hoyo de Tradicion
Casa Magna (newly discovered this outstanding cigar)

Other NCs that I really like are:
Hoyo de Monterrey
FFOX
Trinidad
Olvidados by ERdM
Tatuaje Miami

[Coz77]

Going on 6 years here.. The 3 P's have yet to disappoint!

Pepins
Padron
Perdomo

[G G]

Smokin for about 2 years.

Favorite Brands
Oliva V, O, G
Taboo mostly SFBC and BC
Punch
5 Vegas A
Camacho

[markem]

I've been smoking cigars since 1976 and pipes since maybe 1980. I used to be more of a pipe guy and cigars a few times a year, but now it is just the opposite.

I don't smoke many NCs anymore and am very picky about the ones that I do smoke. I'll smoke Tatuaje noella, petites and blacks, Pepin blue and black labels and Padron 64s and 26s. That was it until quite recently when I discovered MiraFlor (Andy's on CA) and Andy's new Goviado marca (I've had the chico). I'm way into whatever Andy is rolling as they are all great!

But I've become a CC whore and these are my faves:

Partagas - pretty much any size
RG
HdM - particularly the small ones like du family

I also like Punch, especially the Punch Punch and Black Prince

Oh yeah, the LGC MdO #3s are incredible ...

wait, let's just say I'm a CC whore and leave it at that.

[Raralith]

Mostly Cubans:
Bolivar
Cohiba
Trinidad
Montecristo
Punch

I normally don't smoke NC's but if I do it's:
AF Hemmingway or Opus
Padron Anni or X000
Tatuaje

Going on my second year smoking.

In no particular order I like:

The Griffins
Arturo Fuente Between the Lines/Don Carlos
Cohiba's past the sick period that have mellowed slightly that are "ON"
Partagas 898 new and old / Shorts with 3+ years on them
Hoyo, love the des dieux, petit robustos, psd4's with a few years

[Footbag]

Been smoking for 12 years now. I would say four serious years of smoking.

Went through a lot of NC brands. Padron was my major goto. But more recently, I've been smoking some spicier cigars. Tat's and DPG's.

I've also discovered my likes from the island. Smoking a lot of Partagas and Bolivar recently.

[ActionAndy]

1-2 Years (It'll be two years this summer, I think. I'm bad with time though.) I really can't pick top 5 brands because Davidoff is the only brand that I consider a favorite. Other brands have sticks I like, but twice as many sticks I'll never buy again. That being said I like a lot of Camachos and all the CC Bolivars I've had so far have been great.

[mosesbotbol]

Been smoking cigars since early 90's and I do not have any favorite brands.

I wonder about some brands that were popular in the 10+ years ago that I do not see like:

Don Juan
Don Thomas
Tempe Hall
Santa Cruz

In terms of Habanos, they seem to me they have become milder over the years, but better made. Internet and forums have made them far more accessible then relying on Euro vacations and friends to do my bidding... Never thought I'd have as many cigars as I do now, even though I have liked them just as much a while back...

[Ashcan Bill]

Smoked my first cigar around 1969, maybe 1970. It was on the Huntington Beach, CA pier.

Since then I've bounced around between pipes, cigs and cigars. Actually it's probably been close to thirty years since I've smoked a pipe. For the last three years it's been strictly cigars and that's how I plan to keep it.

I smoke mainly Cubans now, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy NCs. Certainly that's where the bulk of my cigar smoking history is.

So, leaving CCs out of the equation, my favorite NC brands, in order, would be:

Don Pepin
Fuentes
LFD
Padron

No fifth place. If I'm going to have a NC, it'll be one of the above unless I'm trying something new.

I've only been smoking cigars for about a year. I started after my friend's (the groom) father gave all of us a really nice cigar. I can't remember what it was, but I know that it was fantastic. I finally understood why people smoked cigars. That was the initial push. Although it was mainly through this forum (and CS) that my slide became a free fall.

My current top 5 (in no order):
Padron Anniversary Series
AF Hemi's
Tatuaje
Illusione
Oliva V

[shadow king]

What a great post. I love reading stuff like this and hearing everyone's life work of cigars

I've been smoking cigars for 6 years now. I wouldn't consider myself a hardcore smoker either. It's really weird for me because I will go a whole week where I have at least 1 cigar a day then I will hit a dry spell where I don't smoke one for 2 weeks. I suppose when and where have huge impacts on my passion.....


Even though I have 6 years under my belt, I'm not sure I have even scratched the cigar surface as far as variety. So far in 2009, I'd say I have broadened my horizons as much as ever.

My top 5 would probably be:

1. any CC brand -they have pretty much spoiled me as far as NC's go. But I will not give up NCs.
2. H.Upmann
3. Torano
4. Partigas
5. La Aurora -first thing you think of when you hear this name is $$$$. But I have stumbled into what may become my favorite cigar over time. The Principe!! They are dirt cheap and really hit the spot for a short smoke.

[Hitagain]

Less than a year.

Favorite NC:

CAO Brizilla
Rocky Patel Connecticut
Rocky Patel Edge,
Pardon 3000
CAO CX2, MX2

Favorite CC:

I wish.............

[688sonarmen]

I started smoking 4 years ago when I would stand lookout on my first submarine. I figured if the officers can smoke them so can I. It turned out to be a good idea, some of my most memorable cigars were up in the bridge at night a blanket of stars above us with the ood and it made me see that those guys down at heart were just sailors too. Probally the best was when we surfaced thru the ice near the north pole the cigars tasted like ass because of the dry cold but it really did not matter. I soon found cs and cbid and bombs and banannas and well some of you know. I then found myself with 2 full coolidors traveling with me as my orders changed from Norfolk to Groton to Newport news and back to Groton. I
have met many freinds thru cigars and has made my dad and I much closed since he smoked for as longs as I can remeber.

1. Padron x000
2. Famous nic 3000
3. Jfr
4. Mx2
5. Robusto pearla habana

[14holestogie]

20+ years for me.

I've gravitated more towards CC's in the last few months, so they'd top my list:

Partagas Mille Fleurs
Punch RS #12
Monte #4

and still exploring others...haven't had a bad one yet.


NC's still on my radar:

Perdomo Champagne (if and when I can find them)
RP Vintage & Fusion
Taboo Twists (and others)

Funny how my more expensive tastes began at about the same time you got back into cigars a bit more heavily. Coinkidink? I think not.

[RevSmoke]

Originally Posted by 14holestogie

Funny how my more expensive tastes began at about the same time you got back into cigars a bit more heavily. Coinkidink? I think not.

Is that directed at me? Are you trying to blame me for your weak constitution and your lack of will-power? Me???

[14holestogie]

Originally Posted by RevSmoke

Is that directed at me? Are you trying to blame me for your weak constitution and your lack of will-power? Me???

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

[RevSmoke]

Originally Posted by RevSmoke

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?

I remember those prices from Iwan Ries during my college years.

I just grabbed a 1995 JR catalog. Here are the cigars I had highlighted as possible to order:

AF Chateaus - $29.00
Rothschilds - $33.00
ERdM Robustos - $40.00
JdN Conuls - $31.00
Punch Rothschilds - $54.00
Punch Super Rothschilds - $38.00
H. Upmann Pequeno 100s - $36.00

Got and idea of what size/shap I liked in those days?