what the hell are YOU smoking???

[VanillaThunder]

anyone on the boards a cigar smoker/aficionado? if so, what are you currently smoking? anything interesting lately?

personally, i've been really enjoying Cusano 18 Double Connecticuts (robusto) and Montecristo Serie C's.

 

[melensdad]

4 very recent smokes

Cohiba Corona Especiale
Padrone 4000 Natural
Carlos Torano Exodus 1959 Churchill
Gurkha Triple Ligero
​

Last week I might have smoked a real Bolivar, but as it is illegal to possess real Cubans I think I might be mistaken that I actually smoked it?

 

[VanillaThunder]

i'm pretty sure it's only illegal to IMPORT cubans....not 100% on that tho...

how was that Gurkha? i still want to try one of the Gurkha His Majesty's Reserves, but i dont think i will ever have that much disposable $ to **** away for a smoke....

 

[45calibre]

why are cuban cigars illegal?

 

[Bigum1969]

Swisher Sweets!

Just kidding. My wife absolutely hates cigars, so I don't smoke them often anymore.

 

[Scutter01]

why are cuban cigars illegal?

Because the US has embargoed imports from Cuba since 1962.

 

[melensdad]

how was that Gurkha?

Gurkha makes some very nice cigars. Not sure that all of them are worth the cost. In fact I think that the Gurkhas over $15 are over priced. I've tried several of their cigars most are good, but you may notice that most are also absent from having high ratings by the cigar magazines. Not that they are the only way to judge a cigar, but they do offer a somewhat definable standard.

The Triple Ligero is a good cigar, the wrapper is a piece of tobacco artwork. Pitch black, very oily, elastic and very smooth with no thick veining or flaws. Its got one of the nicest maduro wrappers I've ever had the pleasure of smoking.

The Torano Exodus 1959 is a better cigar. Ranked in the top 5 cigars ever by one of the magazines. I can understand why. Its also less expensive than many of the Gurkhas.

Have you tried any of the Rocky Patel Old World Reserves? Or the CAO Anniversary Cameroons? Both are nice smokes, I've got some of the CAOs in a corona size, great flavor, great smoke, especially when you don't have an hour to sit and smoke. The RP Old World Reserves I have are Pyramids, but short in length, about a 5x50. Also a nice smooth smoke.

 

[epsylum]

<---- waiting for Disposable Heart to chime in.

 

[Seancass]

I'm a pretty light smoker, but i have to recommend Stogies on Columbia in downtown lafayette. Check it out. Tons of pipes, pipe tobacco, and cigars. If only i could convince them to carry guns and some alcohol, it'd be heaven.

 

[Turtle]

I quit ciggs 6 years ago.... But find a good cigar sweet and relaxing on rare occasions. But it has to be like a $5+ stogie..... none of that 68 cent ghetto cigars.

 

[SavageEagle]

I've been hooked on the little Prime Time things. Cinnimon is my poison. They're cheap by the pack. Like 2 bucks. I don't really smoke cigars, just cigarillos from time to time. I was big on Black and Milds but I would strip the "Cancer Paper" out of the inside. A lot of work to smoke one but they taste much better. Currently I roll my own smokes and save TONS. I use ZIG ZAG.

 

[haldir]

It is illegal to import, possess, consume Cuban cigars. It is even illegal for a US citizen to smoke a Cuban cigar while out of the country. This would probably be difficult to enforce though.

My main smoke is a LaFinca (Nicaraguan). I have a box of Hoyo de Monterreys and a partial box of H. Uppmans in the humidor right now in addition to the LaFincas. I still have some Flor de Baloneys also which are surprisingly good cigars from JR Cigar.

 

[RogerB]

well...not right this minute, but maybe this weekend...

Some brisket and baby back ribs

edit: and some BACON!!!

 

[Seancass]

Roger, thanks. Now everything i eat is going to leave me wanting some ribs. oooo those sound so good.

 

[melensdad]

I have a box of Hoyo de Monterreys ...

I recently picked up a bunch of boxes of Hoyo de Monterrey, one is their Grand Sumatra in a Chuchill and the other is their EMS Governor, got a third variety, can't recall its size. Haven't tried them yet. They are on my short list of new cigars to try, everyone seems to rave about them but I've not had time to break open a box and relax with one of them.

*** Disclaimer, after taking early retirement I opened up a small cigar/cigarette store in Merrillville, IN called the PIT STOP SMOKE SHOP. I now have a store in Valparaiso and another in St John. The stores a small holes in the walls, but each has a couple 4' wide by 8' tall humidors stocked. I plan to open a smoking lounge/cigar store in Schererville before the end of the year with a flat panel TV, game table, and comfy seating (if the town will let me). So while I smoke cigars because I enjoy them, I turned my cigar smoking into a new post-retirement career (now if I could figure out how to make money at it it would be great, it might require work and I don't actually do that anymore so ...).​

 

[PapaScout]

I'm a bit of a cigar wh*re and will smoke just about anything. I like Punch, Cohibas, Acids, even the cheapo A.F. Curly Heads on occasion. A bit of whisky/scotch and a cigar around the bonfire with my friends. Color me happy.

 

[Mike Elzinga]

For my birthday last week I got some of my favorites.

~ Box of Fuente Short Story's
~ Box of Cuesta Rey Centro Fino Cortez's
~ Handful of Rocky Patel assorteds. 1 old world reserve, 1 vintage 1990, 1 edge lite, 1 10th anniversary.
~ and 1 Opus X Perfection A

I've been on a Punch Champion kick lately too. Also had several Perdomo Cabinet selections lately that were very nice. As soon as I can find a box of CAO Criollo it shall be in my humidor. As well as a box of RP vintage 1999, which is my all time favorite cigar ever.

If anyone wants to do an Open Carry/Cigar venture, put the word out. I know a great shop in Michigan City where a fellow shooter works and I am certain they would be glad to have us.

 

[Disposable Heart]

I have worked in Tobacco for over 6 years, smoked for roughly 8. I have been there and smoked that (up to roughly a box of cubans smoked and can spot them VERY easily now ). I hate to be a pompous ass, but this is one thing I know and have a passion for (I like guns, but mostly as a hobby).

Recent smokes (this week):
Relaxed with a nice vanilla cavendish from Dunhill last night after the gym (I am a pipe smoker too).
Monday, a very simple Olivia O series I had cooking for roughly 3 years (well worth the wait).
Tuesday was a light burley I recieved from a friend I had aged for 3 years in a wonderful cognac (once again, well worth the wait).
Last week, I enjoyed a Rigoletto Black Arrow that was (literally) older than I was by about 2x. Properly taken care of, it was a magic smoke. Very dark, husky, like a German woman but not as dour .

Things I have learned:
Brand is nothing
If one knows what they are doing, infusion is an easy, but long process
If one knows what they are doing, a cigar is more than a status symbol
If one knows what they are doing, aging a cigar is an easy, but long process.

I know guns a little, but my cigar knowledge is on a level along with Doug Koenig and revolvers (very intimate).

Incidentally, Epsylum, when are we going to have a smoke sometime, my treat! I do mean this in all seriousness!

 

[Disposable Heart]

Have you tried any of the Rocky Patel Old World Reserves? Or the CAO Anniversary Cameroons? Both are nice smokes, I've got some of the CAOs in a corona size, great flavor, great smoke, especially when you don't have an hour to sit and smoke. The RP Old World Reserves I have are Pyramids, but short in length, about a 5x50. Also a nice smooth smoke.

We had those in a shop I used to work at. Quarter of the box gone as we ran an introductory sale on the RP. Witghin three hours, 5 boxes gone and backorder list about 3 pages long. Not a fan myself, but damned good smoke if people like em that much .

I am a cameroon fanatic. I dislike most of the new world grown (cameroon seed) wraps, but the CAO and Hemmingways are great. Unfortunately, I have taken from the newer Hemmingways as they have become lacking in an already low oil content; I'm guessing demand is diminishing the quality a little. CAO has never disappointed me, with the exception of their "Soprano" series. Great marketing idea for wanna-be goombas, but terrible smoke, very dry, acridic for a very dark maduro/oily wrapper.

 

[CarmelHP]

Hoyos and Punch are my two brands of choice, solid, good value, not pretentious and flavorful. I like La Gloria Cubanos a little more but they got trendy and the prices got unreasonable.