Cigar and Pipe thread

[cmbarny2]

Some cigars that I personally like that aren't too expensive, and aren't too punchy for newbies (I smoke rarely so I like something milder myself):

- Arturo Fuente 8-5-8
- Oliva Connecticut Reserve. Oliva makes a bunch of cigars that are good for their price point, I think.
- Foundation Charter Oak Connecticut
- Joya de Nicaragua Antano CT (just a bit pricier but worth it IMO)
- Illusione Rothchildes

There are others but these are some that I always try to keep around. One note of caution, in my experience Connecticut shade cigars can get bitter if you light them wrong. Don't light them like a cigarette. (All cigars will to a degree, but it's more noticeable with lighter Connecticut cigars I think)

I grabbed a Buenaventura BV600 the other day and while it was an alright smoke it was bigger than I liked at 6x60 and took forever to get through. I grabbed a Oliva Connecticut Reserve I smoked the day after and it was fantastic. I will probably grab more of those. I have a sampler pack and an acrylic humidor and Boveda pack that gets here this week I'm looking forward to. I also grabbed a Perdomo Habano Connecticut Robusto that I'm going to have tomorrow. I've really just been walking into different cigar stores or lounges as I find them and grabbing one. Once I got the humidor I can start picking up more than one at a time.

[perlslacker]

I grabbed a Buenaventura BV600 the other day and while it was an alright smoke it was bigger than I liked at 6x60 and took forever to get through. I grabbed a Oliva Connecticut Reserve I smoked the day after and it was fantastic. I will probably grab more of those. I have a sampler pack and an acrylic humidor and Boveda pack that gets here this week I'm looking forward to. I also grabbed a Perdomo Habano Connecticut Robusto that I'm going to have tomorrow. I've really just been walking into different cigar stores or lounges as I find them and grabbing one. Once I got the humidor I can start picking up more than one at a time.

Glad you liked the Oliva! Have fun trying out new stuff, that's half the fun.

[parishioner]

[cmbarny2]

I've added a Perdomo Habano, a Macanudo Cafe Hyde Park, a Punch Clasico, and a CAO Gold to the list I've tried so far. The Perdomo and Macanudo were alright but nothing special to me. The Punch was rather good but the CAO Gold I really enjoyed. I will most likely pick up more of those at some point. But if you guys had to make a list of 5-10 for someone new to the hobby to smoke to get a bigger grasp of the different styles and such what would you suggest? I've stuck mostly to a mild/mild-medium so far and would like to give a try to some of the other side too in the future.

[perlslacker]

I've added a Perdomo Habano, a Macanudo Cafe Hyde Park, a Punch Clasico, and a CAO Gold to the list I've tried so far. The Perdomo and Macanudo were alright but nothing special to me. The Punch was rather good but the CAO Gold I really enjoyed. I will most likely pick up more of those at some point. But if you guys had to make a list of 5-10 for someone new to the hobby to smoke to get a bigger grasp of the different styles and such what would you suggest? I've stuck mostly to a mild/mild-medium so far and would like to give a try to some of the other side too in the future.

It's kinda tough to narrow it down that much since there's so much variation based on the various leaf types that make up the wrapper, filler, and binder, the tobacco's country of origin (like Nicaraguan tobacco has a "funk" that I can taste), construction, vitola (size & shape), etc. Maybe I just haven't smoked enough to be able to take a birds-eye view of the whole industry idk.

I was going to recommend this sampler but it's OOS at the moment: https://foxcigar.com/shop/cigars/sam...af-tasting-kit They're all one brand but it's a mix of different types of cigars, and (in my opinion) they're all very good examples of the different types.

This is a list off the top of my head:
- Dark, full-bodied (Foundation Tabernacle, My Father Le Bijou 1922, Drew Estate Liga Privada #9)
- Medium-bodied Dominican (Arturo Fuente 8-5-8 or Don Carlos, AVO Classic)
- Full-flavor Nicaraguan cigars (Padron generally, Joya de Nicaragua Antano). Keep sugar around to counteract the nicotine spins with the JDN Antano.
- Corojo cigars (Foundation El Gueguense, Guardian of the Farm, and Oscar Corojo). I gave them their own category because I just really like Corojo-wrapped cigars.
- Budget cigars for puttering around the yard or gun range (Oliva samplers from CigarBid freefall auctions. Lots of folks like Brickhouse Fumas and Drew Factory Smokes but I haven't tried them)

[cmbarny2]

I just realized Fox sold singles to pick up. I also realized today that I work maybe 10 minutes from a Cigar International store which means I'll be hitting that up. I want to try a Magic Toast as it keeps being recommended to me.

I had a Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story the other day that I rather enjoyed. I then had a Romeo y Julieta Vintage #7.5 that came in my sampler pack I had picked up awhile back and I was disappointed. It had seemingly no taste to it, hardly even a normal tobacco taste really. Currently in my humidor I've got an Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro, two Perdomo 10th Anniversary Maduro's sitting along with some more from the sampler still.

I turn the 30 here in a couple months, so I'm looking to try something on the higher end come then which will only give something a few months of sitting tops. Ideas? I thought about maybe a Davidoff but wasn't sure if 3 months is really worth anything high quality sitting and aging such a short time.

[RoyGBiv]

If you like a bold cigar, my favorite non-Cuban is the Ashton VSG line.

[Elwin]

Second on the Ashton VSG. Their Heritage Puro Sol is also a great option. Those would probably be my go-to sticks for spending more money on, though obviously there's plenty more expensive out there (I've just never had them because Ashton is about my limit).

[cmbarny2]

Well I've tried a bunch since my last post while massively enjoying CAO Brazilia, AB Magic Toast, Padron 2000, My Father Le Bijou 1922 (Just ordered my first box of cigars and it was this one), and Liga Undercrown Maduro. Tried a good bit of others I was either only okay with or didn't like.
I have a VSG for a nice little celebration smoke for my 30th next month I've had sitting, but now I need a true celebration smoke to celebrate my wife being pregnant with our first kid. What's some further recommendations? Padron and Davidoff I know of.

[parishioner]

Goodnight.