I am somewhat new to the wonderful pastime of enjoying a fine cigar, and I have come here looking for some advice. What I would like is some suggestions of decent cigars to try that encompass a large spectrum of tastes and relative strengths. If any of you fine people would be willing to give me a list of five or so cigars that range from mild to "Knock you on your ass" I would greatly appreciate it.

I will give you my five picks and a price range per box (these are in no particular order):
1)Cohiba Lonsdale Grande with Cameroon wrapper-medium taste with a few flavors for the palate $187 per box
2)Perdomo La Tradicion Cabinet Series with Rosado wrapper-medium to light strong with hints of choclate and nuts $160 per box
3)Mayorga Gordita with Natural wrapper-medium with a few flavors that compliment each other $45 per box
4)CAO Gold Label with Natural wrapper-mild with a creamy taste and hint of nuts $85 per box
5)Romeo y Julieta Vintage #5 with Natural wrapper-mild with a soft woody taste with hint of roasted almonds $225 per box
I have many others I enjoy too, but these are a few that stick out. I have a choice of value cigars you might say also I enjoy if you would like that list.

one of my first cigars and still in the top three of my favorites are Puros Indios, these can be enjoyed by anyone, a flavor that is easy to enjoy, without having to sit there and analyze what flavors one is experiencing, they can be aged or most often smoked right out of the box, and inexpensive.

Thanks for the info. I have tried the Mayorga (Robusto),and I too thought is was wonderful - not to mention a great price. Your list pretty much has cigars I have been considering to buy. Seeing as how I only have about one cigar a day it may take me a while to get through them, but I look forward to it. Thanks.

Medium Smokes: Hoyo De Monterrey Excalibur (Preferably the Epicure or #2)-an exceptional smoke, lots of flavor..feels like a million bucks when smoking one..Very satisfying with a long finish...Don Tomas Rothchild Both maduro and natural wrappers)-A good everyday consistently good smoke..some spiciness..Stay away from the Don Tomas Special Editions (S.E.)..Yuck..and of course the La Tradicions and Perdomo lines as Mtsheron said..You can't go wrong..As far as full-flavored cigars, I'd recommend Bahias (any line, but the Gold line is exceptional), Henry Clay Toros & Brevas (Maduro wrapper), but not the Habana2000 wrapper..Lots of flavor and spiciness, a long finish..Looks like something that Clint Eastwood would be smoking in a spaghetti western..Re: the Habana2000 wrappers on the Hanks, no real flavor to them (IMHO of course), and CAO L'Aniversaire (especially the Maduro lines).

Grayne, I am a relative newbie to the cigar smoking experience. It was a little over a year ago that I jumped on board. I am now "hooked". Being new to the sport, I did not want to spend all my savings to enter the game. I still have a beer budget with champaign tates. A few reasonably priced lines that I can recommend are: 5 Vegas, Mayorga, Puros Indios, La Aurora, and Padron. I try to stay under 3 bucks a stick since I smoke so darned many. My lasted find is the Maria Mancini Magic Mountain. (not really a find, because Smoke and CA gave it high marks) You will want to leave 'em in the humidor a little while, but boy is it worth it. Happy herfin' !!

Been smoking cigars over the past 4 years, past 1.5 years more intensely. Before finding Cigar International and Cigarbid, I was purchasing cigars at the local tobacco shops without expert advice or direction. The following list reflects that experimentation and trial/error processing:

Hoyo de Monterrey Excaliburs(Medium flavor)
Romeo y Julieta Cetro #1(Medium flavor)
Dunhill Domincan Valverde (Mild to Medium)
Henry Clay Breva (Medium)
La Luna LHB (Little Havana Blend) Robusto's (Medium) good value!
Punch Chateau M (Medium)
Partagas Almirante (Medium - Full)
Hoya Yellow Band (Medium - Full)

Avoid IMHO:
Don Tomas
Hoja de Nicaragua
Te-Amo
Victor Sinclairs
Double Happiness

LaLuna is an excellent cigar line. I have never had a bad LaLuna. The sister site to this one, CigarsInternational.com, has a special on bundles of LaLuna. It's THE cigar buy of the year.
The LL Maduro Fuerte line is a lot stronger and an awesome cigar.
The LL 1996 Reserva "R" is my all time favorite cigar.

Miyares cigars are an excellent medium bodied smoke. They have some here for auction every once in a while.

Henry Clay tastes pretty darn good to me.

Punch Rothschild double maduros are excellent smokes. Short cigars but firmly packed and tasty.

The La Aurora cigars that I've smoked have been very good.

Happy herfin'.
Pork Chop

I'll have to ditto on BigBubba's avoid list: Don Tomas, Hoja de Nicaragua and Te-Amo, I'll also add Aroma de San Andres, and any Thompson Catalog brand bundles.

Since you're new (welcome Grayne) and probably want to start out inexpensive, try out the La Luna Little Havana Blend cigars ($19 for a bundle of Robustos on Cigars International), Cinco (or 5) Vegas, Indian Tabac, Puros Indios, and La Flor Dominicana (although these have gone up in price lately). I'd suggest the Romeo y Julieta Cedro Deluxe No. 5 (one of my favorites) and the La Flor Dominicana El Jocko #2 Perfecto (my father's favorite, he just started out as well). I hope this was helpful. Happy herfing 🙂

I would also like to recommend the La Luna LHB as a bargain and a nice smoke. I would also recommend the Miyares, Cinco Vegas and Mayorga. I have also enjoyed Fat Cat cigars with some age on them. For someone experimenting with different cigars I would recommend bidding on some five-packs, an excellent way to try some new smokes.

WOW...I'm really suprised at the amount of suggestions that I have received. I am rather pleased at the responses I have received because with all of the input I am able to put together a list of cigars that seem to keep popping up on peoples "favorites" lists. I know that different people have different tastes, but by picking the names that keep popping up I am pretty sure that I will be trying the best of the best.
So here is a list I have come up with: 1) Romeo y Julieta. 2) Perdomo. 3) Mayorga. 4) Puros Indos. 5) Henry Clay. 6) Partagas. 7) 5 Vegas..What I have found very interesting about this list is that the so-called premium "cream of the crop" cigars such as Davidoff and Montecristo seem to be absent. Although some on the list I have compiled are not by any means cheap, it shows that the most expensive is not always the best. Thanks for all of your inputs. I am always looking for more suggestions.

You mentioned 2 very tasty yet MILD MILD MILD cigars that were absent. Sure, they are good...but not at all worth the money they command. You forgot to add La Luna to your SHOULD BUY list.

Yeah, what Timinator said.

If you buy some LaLunas and decide you don't like them, you will have no problem trading them away. I bought 10 bundles at $19.95 but I could use some more.

Pork Chop

This old thread was a bit of fun for noobs to interact with more experienced smokers. What would your answers be?

Oliva connecticut reserve for mild
Esteban Carreras 211 for med
LFD la nox for strong
Foundation Tabernacle broadleaf maduro for strong
LFD Double ligero digger to knock u on your azz
But I could go own, so many out there. So hard to choose even 5

Lfd double Claro for candela
Illusione hl candela
Fuente 858 Claro candela

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Grayne:

Get your hands on some Henry Clay -- HONDURANS.
Enclave Broadleaf
Just about any Perdomo
Avoid cheap maduros!!

You may want to check out the date of the original post. 🤔

what're the odds he gets a reply? Million? Billion?

I reopened the thread because I wanted to hear what you guys had to say. It has been very helpful for me.