Best cigar you have had?

So...

I have recently gotten re-involved with an old hobby of trying every cigar I can afford to buy. For years I have stuck with Casa de Garcia Maduros.

Recently while at my local shop, I bought a new cigar case, and the owner gave me a "JFR" for Christmas to try out.

Holy... hell... best $5 cigar I have probably ever had. It's too bad the whole box sold out in under 2 weeks. By the time I went back for a few more, he only had 3 left, so I promptly grabbed them up.

So now, after 2 weeks, I am reverting to my "gimme one of everything" mentality to support my habit while I wait on them to restock the JFR's...

I ask you ATS'ers that are of the cigar-smoking crowd... what is the best smoke you have had? And what do they cost?

I have had everything from $1 Quorums that got the job done, to $20 premiums that made me wonder what the hell I just paid for.

Just for note for those that are curious... the JFR's have a very nice leathery smoke with hints of cocoa and pepper throughout. Every one I have tried has seemed a little different, but they are always enjoyable. The burn isn't always straight, but the draw is always awesome.

Cheers and happy New Years.

too bad bill clinton isn't here to answer that question.

me personally...not a cigar smoker...but i've never had bill's cigars, either...

reply to post by ICEKOHLD


I prefer dipping mine in Brandy, but I hear Clinton prefers the more expensive Monica...

Zing!

Well, I'll tell you the worst I ever had. Of course you can;' easily get Cuban cigars here, so I found myself on the Isle of Crete in a fancy restaurant in Heraklion. After dinner a friend and I saw we could get what looked like very nice Cuban cigars for 15 Euros apiece. We went out in the cold night air and attempted to enjoy our smoke, but after about a third of it we both looked at each other, snuffed them out and tossed them. I was very disappointed. I guess anticipation was part of it. I thought it would be outstanding, so I set myself up. Probably my fault, but a clear waste of 20 bucks.

reply to post by schuyler


I have been to Cuba for a student film project and I must say...

I prefer almost any Honduran/Nicaraguan blend that I have had compared to what I sampled in Cuba.

Favorite is
Avo - most all series are great.

Second favorite has to be Ashton (VSG).

Started smoking Olivia recently. They make a descent cigar. Also I heard great things about My father, having had one but a few friends thought it was good.

Also I've smoked monti cristo and cohiba (Cubans) and I must say that the Cubans are way to over rated and overpriced.

I've never tried the JFR's but Ill see if the cigar shops around here carry them.

I don't smoke a lot anymore but have a fair bit of experience.

La Flor del Caney are good for the dough. Cameroon wrapper and medium/full body, honest smoke imo.

The Arturo Fuente Hemingway series is an old standard with the short story being one of my favorite cigars of all times. They aren't cheap but not crazy either. Padron is hard to beat for a fuller cigar, the standard line isn't too expensive but the anniversary stuff is quite spendy. Probably one of the best cigars made though.

And while on the subject the best cigars I've ever smoked came off the family farm of a Cuban gentleman my mother used to work with. These things were rolled by the farmers and looked it but no kidding tasted like chocolate.

reply to post by beezwaxes


I used to smoke the Arturo line for a few years. They all just taste so... ordinary?

I prefer uniform characteristics in my smokes, but I like the body and flavors to build and change through the course of the cigar.

My favorite part of a smoke is the transition from the first to second third of the smoke... never knew why.

I will definitely try a Caney though, thank you for the heads-up!

reply to post by ICEKOHLD


LOL...."mmmmmm, that tastes good"! LOL CLASSIC!

There used to be a cigar shop on the strip in Vegas.
It was near the MGM.
You could go in, get your shoe's shined,watch the Cuban exhiles with curved knuckles roll your blend, and hang with the owner and smoke fresh rolled.
They were NOT the best blends.
(Anyone ever burp cigar smoke or WORSE later? Too fresh)

Great Memories, which is part of the experience.

I think my best was a short Cristo in Dana Point.

I tryed to be hip with Macanudo's a couple of times. I bought them from the wrong stores. Stale. A good humidor definatley holds moisture and flavor for extended life.

GREAT thread!

I wanted to start doing Cigars over cigerettes again.

LOL As they say "it's not about the size?" A good cigar can prove that.

This is in favorites before I go out to buy. Thanks guys!.

Let me start by saying that I am in my late 30's. I started smoking cigars around the age of 15 and was weened on the Phillie Titans and White Owls that I could get a the local 7-Eleven. When I got to college I was able to have some older associates located some real cigars for me.....

After college my first job allowed me to travel the U.S extensively, and every time I touched ground in a new city I searched out a good local tobaconist... they always had something that my local didn't carry. For years I sampled anything and everything different. My habit was to alway take the band of a newly smoked cigar and slip it into my wallet..... I had an empty cigar box at home that I would put them into. By my early 30's I had over 4 boxes full of non-repeatable bands, somewhere along the lines of 500 different ones.

That being said, I have come to one conclusion....... "Enjoyment is in the hand of the cigar-holder".... there have been many times that I have enjoyed a good cigar just to find that a friend hated it.... and visa-versa. As a Result, I have grown to love the good old tried and trues.

I will turn 180' from my computer, go to my humidor and tell you some of the things that are there right now...

First and Second Shelf: good old smokes, not fancy, but enjoyable smokes on a consistent basis.
Bock y Ca, Camacho Corojo, Excalibur 1066, Perdomo, Punch Champion (only Punch I like), Fonseca, & Onyx

Third shelf: more expensive smokes but not any better in enjoyment
Cuesta Ray Sun Grown, Joya de Nicaragua, Rocky Patel, CAO, La Gloria Serie R, & Arturo's Sun Grown

Fourth Shelf: a ton of "one-off's" that I picked up along the way and have yet to enjoy & decide on.

On a side note: I had the chance to spend 3 weeks in Hong Kong at few years back. As the plane was landing all I wanted was a legal, authentic Cuban. During the time I was there I smoked approx. 20 different Cubans.... Boy Was I Dissapointed!!!!!

To this day my top (3) favorites: La Gloria Serie R #5, Joya De Nicaragua, and the little respected Onyx.

Smoke Well My Friends and Enjoy

I started keeping my bands a long time ago, and started labeling them 1-5.

1 for I will never buy again...

5 being anything I thought was un-beatable for the price.

It's impossible to remember all the cigars you smoke, and I found it a great help having something to refer to. I will still once in a while, go through and find an old brand I have marked a 4 or 5 and try again, just to see how my tastes have changed.

Often times I still find them very enjoyable... but once in a while you get the "what was I drinking that night?" thought after trying what you thought was a 5.

Couldn't stand it, just sparked up an Ashton Heritage from a little bunch I've been sitting on accompanied by a good IPA. Taste better than ok to me.

reply to post by YouAreLiedTo


Mango Swisher packed with Strawberry Cough

reply to post by YouAreLiedTo


I have to be honest here...the only cigar that I have ever had
was a bubblegum cigar.I use to buy them and candy cigarettes
back in the early 1960's!

I just reread this thread.

I'm going down to the Cigar Shop inside the old Caesars Palace now called Mnt Bleu here in Tahoe and watching the second game of the playoffs today.

Great journalist reporting here. Thanks again.

reply to post by schuyler


Shuyler, Put the tin foil hat on that cool looking spaniel and ya got something.

I'm just here to help.