SmokyFontaine

One of these days I'll get in quick enough to pick up BBFs. Today was not that day. Haha.

Rookie mistakes. Either buying samplers with the mindset that more cigars were better than fewer, better cigars, or tastes changing over the years. It's a mix of dog rockets and decent stuff. Usually use those for handouts with non-smoker friends. I've purchased a few CC boxes that have been absolute turds. Probably give them a couple more years before I even try them again because they've been so consistently bad. By memory I think it's a box of Siglo II, Punch Punch, and RASS that have been really bad in either flavor, burn, or both. I'll drag one out every once in awhile from those res

You described me exactly. I could not buy and smoke for several years. I probably have a couple hundred cigars I don't plan on ever smoking. Winter climate is rough for smoking, each year I take a full month off. Between changing careers and taking a lower paying job and the absolutely ridiculous annual price increases from Habanos, it makes me less interested in dropping dough on boxes of cigars where 10-20% minimum are going to be poorly constructed, too young and end up half smoked (or less). Having said that, I'm probably buying a couple boxes a year, down from 10-12. It is nic

This is a fascinating thread. I'm surprised wrappers aren't cracking. I wonder if a quick, light water spray before sealing would be better or worse. Either way, this is tremendously interesting!

I did in August. Left a really good paying job, and a company I played a key role in building, that then got acquired. Was probably on borrowed time as I really didn't want to make the new owners who showed really poor ethics, located in a country notorious for non-existent ethics and that I have huge moral objection to, more money. Started in a new industry and at about a month in realized I was really badly lied to about the profitability and performance of the company. Took a paycut thinking I would make it up on the backend if I could impact the business the way I thought I could. Worst pr

RAT JAN20.

If not on queue, I think I'm smoking a Quai D'Orsay right now, but I'm not entirely sure as it feels so spongy, and has absolutely no resistance on the draw that this one is surely missing a leaf or something. Maybe it's just a Quai D' and the Orsay is still on the roller's table. I would explain the flavors, but at an inch and a half in, three full relights, and pinching the thing down to about half it's diameter I taste a little tobacco, plenty of char, but more distinctly, ten American dollars evaporating. The first from my box of ten, but if any others in the box even approach the shittine

I wouldn't say I've fallen in love with them (I probably own 60/40 NC but in the past couple years purchased 90/10 CC) but the first one that struck me was a Siglo II which was AMAZING. I picked it up flying through Dubai. Since, I've smoked about 15 more and they've been anywhere from OK to not good. The inconsistency from Cubans is ironically what keeps me coming back. If I know I want a relaxing, reliable experience, I'll grab an NC because it will be just as good as the previous ones I've had. If I want to play cigar roulette and see if I'll have a phenomenal cigar or one poorly rolled and

PSP on the top, HQ on the right, Clearance on the left? Or are Cohiba boxes better with less sheen. Ah hell. So stressful!

Exactly what I was thinking. Really neat from an historical perspective, but from a safe smoking perspective, a tad bit scary. Regardless, I too would love to hear how they turn out. Good luck!

They absolutely can not. Every single one I've ever had, both of them, were filled with used werewolf tampons. Plus I heard the wrappers are actually painted banana peels.

I'm a total sucker for good packaging. It's why I tend to "try" a new cigar by buying a box. It's insane, irrational, and ends in occasional buyer's remorse... then I keep doing it.

There is a step up from 26's and 64's, so I can't speak to nKostyan's grouping, but with a large supplier like Padron, they farm a region, harvest their crop and ferment it according to their recipe. It's a Nicaraguan puro. A robusto (natural or maduro) of their base line (the "thousand series" is like $6-7 bucks. Probably closer to $10 in a shop. There are a number of Cuban Robustos that are right around $7. So those $7 cigars are...Cuban loss leaders? The economics don't make any sense. I don't wander too far from the well known NC brands like Padron, Fuente, Oliva, My Father, so I thi

You're definitely one of the most experienced voices here, but with all due respect...Padron isn't painting wrappers on any line. One of my favorite cigars is a 1964 Padron Principe Maduro. The thick, sandpaper-like wrapper feels darn near industrial. Fuente Anejos (maduro), same thing. Maybe it's my preference, but I have several hundred NC's, and I doubt 15% of them are maduro. My understanding (and I could totally be wrong) is that with maduro meaning "ripe", they are fermented longer- a luxury NCs have. In Cuba there are far more pressures to go farm to table so leaves fermenting lo

The Surgeon is nailing it for me. Lol at the idea that NC manufacturers somehow haven't unlocked the mysteries of how to grow a crop, and that only the mystics of Cuba understand how to age and blend cigars. I mean, who is this "Padron" character? What would he know about making his cigars? I'll bet you get a box, and half or more just won't burn, are plugged, and need to rest for 5 years to hopefully lose ammonia because they were underfermented. 🙄 Taste is totally subjective of course. Personally, I would never choose just one country's product when so many have great tobacco. But to pr