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Have I been doing this wrong, aging my cigars? Yes, I get that in the 6x60 format, the Flathead Big Block whatever ranked an impressive 95, #3 on CA's cigars of the year list. However, the 5.5x54 format has ranked 87, 88 and 90. Then CAO offers one with LESS aging and the starting price on Power Hour is $124.50 (someone in California apparently really loves these or needs to stock a shpo) in a 5.5x50 format for a box of 20. Meanwhile, with a little over 2 days remaining on a box of 24 of the original 5.5x54, the going price is $68. For the same blend, slightly larger ring, 4 more cigars, and more fermentation time.

Maybe I haven't been paying enough attention to the cigar market since $10 has become a pretty common price, and $20 cigars are fairly common. What did I miss that modern-day cigars get better with less age? And what happens if I cannot smoke them all in a few days or weeks, do they start to taste like the original?

Maybe I'm just out of touch. I didn't really get into premium cigars until maybe 15 years ago, when cigars typically cost about half of what they do now, and aging (the cigars, not me) was a good thing. Back then, Nestor P was making a lot of inexpensive house and contracted lines (some actually pretty good) and his cigars weren't running $17-20, so I am not just looking to single out CAO.

There are fivers of BLTC Boondocks on a few other sites fyi.

I had the v660 and liked it. Not sure I'm on board with the v19. Read/watched a few reviews and wasn't impressed.

Crud. Sorry, but as you know, I don't see very well. Aside from the one blind eye, on days when I am fighting an allergy (something set me into fits of sneezing and other issues today), I have trouble reading even with a magnifying glass in hand. Now that I've had some Nasacort (I cannot seem to tolerate any pills these days), I see that the V19 actually has MORE aging after LESS fermentation time. I'm curious as to how that plays out. Not $124.50 curious, but curious nonetheless. If a cigar maker can elevate a good cigar through natural caretaking and technique, I have no problem seeing a higher price on the elevated edition. That is, on days I can actually see. And yes, I got my flu shot, over a month ago, so I'm reasonably sure it's not the flu (crosses fingers).

#7 Yeah, couple of Benjamins on a flier is too rich for my blood. I can still recall getting some pretty damned good smokes on this site for $50 or less per box. Then again, college tuition as of last year had risen over 700% at one place where I got a degree, and around 800 at the other, and that's in 30 years for one and 33 for the other. I have a nephew in law school where his scholarship only covers about 2/3 of his tuition, and that scholarship would have more than covered tuition and books for my entire 3 years. Still, cigar prices seem to be based on current muscle car-like horsepower wars, like it's a prestige thing to charge enough for a box of cigars that a buyer would probably have to sell a kidney. Patience and a willingness to wait can help if you're willing to take a chance (what is the MSRP on the Cohiba Mascara or whatever the hell it is, like $30 per, and now going for a fraction...and Habana MSRPs are probably about what a car runs you in Cuba).

Oh, and GET OFF MY LAWN, EVERYBODY. :)P~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You lost me when you said CAO........once General and STG merged, and Huber and others left........meh..

But then, the Brazilia is the best cigar in the world.........where in the heck has GNF been???

I see you have never been in the dungeon, with the sound of spiked heels bringing a cold bucket of water to dump on you..........

#8 Yeah, if you can ever catch them at the right time, you can score some relatively decent-priced rarities and HTFs. Got a sampler a couple years back that included a couple Eye of the Sharks, and need to clean out my office and tubs to find the damned sampler. Didn't want to try them until I feel better, but they should have gone in my big cabinet humi. Something about needing to hide them from an armed wife sent them into hiding.

#9 I see someone bought Abu Ghraib: The Home Game.

if you don't buy them, you're life won't be worse.

Meh. General still has a good one here and there, IMO. Trouble is, beyond things like them buying CAO, Davidoff purchasing Camacho (which also was not a positive move for the line, IMO), it's tough to tell who's putting out what these days. I think DE got bought, but I can't even be bothered to check. I never cared much for the early wrappers that came out of Brazil (ariparica, mata fina, mata norte), but folks have been growing all kinds of leaf out there. Also, I liked the Sopran...er, Consi.,..Consi...whatever they are called now. Mine are either gone or back from the CAO days, so I haven't smoked any new ones. Torano (another family that sold to a behemoth) used to make a couple Brazil wrapper cigars I liked. Now you have the Laranja, some Habano leaf, all kinds of stuff being grown in Brazil (plus whatever that Andulo stuff is).

I probably have enough to last me until I die. I'll keep an eye out for the more promising new stuff, but I'm well-stocked [*sniff* adjusts crotch]. I mean with cigars. Plus, we have that "other" kind of leaf sold around here, and as it turns out, as I figure out more things that were making me sick (peanuts, as it turns out, is the newest) and I'm finding out why high THC content matters. Whoooo!

One infrequent poster once called the CAO Brazilias the best cigars in the world. In the real world they are not even in the top side for all Brazilians. But then, your taste and appreciation may vary.

Got you. Thanks. I've had a couple of Brazilians over the years. One was truly gorgeous but had a temper, the other was painful as hell. I'd not recommend it.

I'll let you know how the smokes come out.

I love Brazilian wrapper, sweet not too spicy and none of the heavy earth you get from SA schit.

I've smoked a lot of cigars, but I'd say maybe in the four figure range. I don't know how many a Brazilian is, but I don't think I've smoked that many.

BTW, there was a brief episode of a cross-breed called the Britalia. Brazilia & Italian. Neat hat and logo. Forgettable cigar. For me, the best CAO..I would say tie between the Soprano (a better Braz. wrapper cigar) and the Black, which is a connie with some oomph to it.

Again for Nathaniel

I dunno if this was the Genesis of it but might be close.

Well one of those classy folks had to taste and therefore state it first. I can only assume they did it with style

Been a while since a good GNF posting