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What should I be trying? There’s stuff here on cb that I’ve never had a go at so I’m throwing some brands out there. Some I’ve tried over the years but my palate has changed and I’m open to giving them another shot.

Hoyo de Monterrey
Joya
Itc
Punch ( it’s been decades since I had one )
Aladino
Diesel ( had one or two over the years and didn’t love them)
Latitude
Trinidad
Gurkha (kidding but still would take under advisement)

What I love are My Fathers, Perdomo, Olivas etc. just really looking for stuff that I see around here. I get the more esoteric stuff stuff elsewhere

What’s the take on these and maybe some others?

I know as of late CAO is mostly a miss more often then not, but im impartial to the Steelhorse line. In my opinion as a whole theyvare much better then their Flathead #ed line cousins. They can also be had cheaper then the Flathead line as well. The "Handbrake" and Apehanger" are both favorites and have age well.

There are also some Charter Oak Rothschild up right now that I'd consider

I used to smoke Diesels…………no longer..
Used to smoke 5vegas…….no longer…
Used to smoke Punch (nc)……no longer
Used to smoke JdN……. no longer….
NC HdM never impressed me……..I’ve tried a few…..that was enough
I could go on…

I have 15-20 lines I buy…..a few from here…….most at other places.
My trying new stuff days are pretty much over.

My free tip of the day…
Get a box of Jaime Garcia Robs, or Toros, and bury them for at least 3 years.
They can still be had for under $100 for a box of 20.
I stashed a few boxes, currently working on one that is 6 years old…………excellent.

About 6 weeks ago I tried my first Flathead and I liked it very much and smoked 4 and traded the last one in the noob PIB. I think I had received them in the mail from CB about 3 weeks prior. I really liked them and bought some to put a little age on them. I’ve got a fiver of The Handbrake but I haven’t tapped it yet. Now you got me looking forward to it.
Also, I saw you mentioned Whistle Pig Rye and I looked it up on the internet. I chickened out when I saw the price tag. I’m not a drinker, it would be just to pair with cigars. I don’t want to get stuck like Chuck holding a bottle that I can’t drink. How’d you get introduced to Whistle Pig?

I like the Cohiba Black Robusto from here. It's a Dominican/Mexican long filler with Dominican sun grown binder and a black toothy Connecticut broadleaf wrapper. The price is right at around $3-4 here but you need to let them sit for a while to get down to low 60s%RH then they smoke really well. When they're at the right RH they have a nice easy draw, perfect burn, and smoke for quite a while. It's a medium-full bodied cigar and very tasty IMHO.

Among the things you mention:

Joya

Punch (especially, Bareknuckle, Estate Collection, Gran Puro)

Aladino

Diesel (especially, Rage, Wicked, Whiskey Row)

Trinidad

I like the Ave Maria lines too (especially, Argentum, Divinia, Immaculata, Reconquista)

Not that long ago, you could get all of the above for $3 or less per cigar, except maybe the Aladino and Trinidad.


They used to have more Aging Room and Asylum selections. Maybe they'll get some of those back.

I dont even know what's on cbid anymore. MAP and Swedish Match ruined this place. Also they hit me with state excise tax so even if I get a deal, it ends up costing more than elsewhere.

But something I learned early on and often find myself slacking on is the beauty of post-roll aging. I can't think of any cigar I like that isn't improved with age. Age won't make a bad cigar good, but it can make a mediocre cigar good and a good cigar excellent. Like DMV said, I don't know for sure but I suspect Padron anniversary are post roll aged. I'm not a fan of the padron profile but an aged x000 tastes an awful lot like the $20 anniversary cigars.

Several years back I started intentionally aging cigars. I would isolate 2-3 from every 5 pack, I'd take the last 3-5 from every box, label them with dates or keep track however, and not touch them until at least a year. Keep adding to the tupperdor with every purchase and eventually had hundreds of aged cigars. In 2018-19 I pretty much stopped buying altogether because I had so many cigars, I'd already tried all of them at some point so there was no burning desire to try a new cigar, and when I took one from the aged stock it was so much better than a new one.

Keep trying things, look at the whatchu smokin thread, cigar reddit, halfwheel.com, katman, others. Avoid reading sponsored reviews and retailer descriptions. Find the crowdsourced and independent information. Most reviews are ads. CA ratings are ads.

Honestly, I went to the store and saw the name. Sounded cool so I bought it. I'm not sure which one you saw, but they can be had starting around $60 or so. IMO, its well worth it.
Another I love and I recombed to non-drinkers looking to try is Michter's Single Barrel Straight Rye. Its a little lower proof but just all around good. IMO it drinks like a much higher priced rye, and I've seen it as low as $40

TRY MOST EVERYTHING AT LEAST ONCE!