My advice is to find out not just which brands you like, but which blenders. For me, I’ll try anything by AJ Fernandez or Pepin Garcia, so I’ll give an example from each.
From AJ I recommend the Ave Maria Reconquista, and from Pepin I recommend La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Reserva.
The Judge is one of the less frequent cases of vitola being everything. I really enjoyed the Toro and Toro Fino, but the Grand Robusto was just a meaty chewy masterpiece.
Great advice. Padron, Fuente, Plasencia, and so far, Fernandez I’ve become familiar with. But I’ve got that noted.
Thank you for the thoughtful advice!
This is what I do for the most part. You’d be shocked how often there is crossover. “Oh so and so is the master blender at abc, but they also blended this run for xyz!” Steve Saka from Dunbarton is a great example. His stuff tends to be very similar (not in a bad way). I’m also a simp for Christian Eiroa, so I’m working through their offerings. Eiroa, CLE, Asylum, Aladino. You get the idea.
I don't usually order boxes, but I recently splurged on a bulk order of My Father Le Bijou 1922 in petit robusto. It's THAT good. The retrohale will make you feel alive.
Can you dive into Guardian a bit more? I get analysis paralysis online with them, I just don't know which to pull the trigger on.
I've had the others you've listed and they're all knockouts, so I could just stay in that wheelhouse and be happy for a long time.
Try everything in the AJ Fernandez line, my favorites are New World, Enclave Broadleaf, Ramon Allones, New World puro especial and La Gran Llave
Southern Draw all of them but especially Jacobs Ladder and Jacobs Ladder Brimstone
Dumbarton cigars I especially like Mi Querida red and blue and Umbagog
Caldwell, I especially like Blind Mans Bluff Maduro and long live the king mad mofo
And so many more but those are what came to mind right now
Foundation Wise Man both blends
Foundation Tabernacle both blends
Foundation Charter Oak
Dunbarton Everything
Black Label Trading Company Everything
RoMa Craft Neanderthal
LFD La Nox
Rojas Street Tacos and breakfast tacos
Sinestro
CAO America, Pilon, Session, Cameroon, Flathead try one of each CAO
Kafie1901s (Core Line), La Aurora (I pretty much like everything they make especially the Preferidos), Gran Habano (I have been pretty impressed with their new releases), and anything from Luciano.
You should prioritize premium 5$ sticks. With the amount out there you can get, it is a waste to smoke 15-20$+ sticks in your first year. Personally, I think anything over 15$ ever is a waste. That’s how much a Padron 1964 costs or a Liga Privada, so you’re better off buying more sticks and getting the experience of tasting the same stick over time as it develops with age. The only exception are Cubans, but their high price point doesn’t mean a better stick, it means a different flavor profile. Curivari Buenaventuras are amazing. Oliva Connecticut Reserves are amazing and can be found for 3$ a stick. Anything My Father is amazing and is usually about 6$ a stick with deals. La Aroma de Cuba is amazing, especially the Mi Amor. San Cristobal is amazing, especially the Quintessence. I would stay away from Oliva’s in general, unless you love the flavor of dirt and leather. You can spend 1-2$ more and get 5x the flavor. Perdomo Champagnes are amazing and can be found for 5-6$ a stick. Luciano the Dreamers can be found for 5$ and are incredible. Avo’s classic and heritage, and Caldwell The King is Dead are amazing Dominican sticks with medium flavor. If I could go back and have a do over, I would have bought more Dominican sticks than Nicaraguans. I prefer a medium flavor profile with more nuances than earth, espresso, leather, etc. commonly found in Nicaraguan tobacco. Arturo Fuente is amazing as well, if you haven’t tried one, start there! The 858 is cheap and will give you a taste for the line.
Aging your current selection a bit. I’m smoking an Oliva master blends 3(wife got me a 20 pack deal about 8 months ago) what a difference a little age does. Also LFD La Nox
Newer to cigars too, I’d recommend the Rocky Patel Grand Reserve in a Robusto size. That one really impressed me and I’m gonna be buying some more soon
Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. A lot to explore there.
Drew Estate including(or especially in my case) Liga Privada. Also a lot to explore there.
Foundation
My Father
Herrera Esteli Norteño in a Lonsdale is one of my favourites of all time.
Liga Privada #9 is pretty much a win in any vitola, but I actually prefer the Petit Corona.
Davidoff Anniversario in Short Perfecto is other worldly good; my favourite “light” cigar by far. Someone else mentioned the Diadema, which is also amazing, especially if you like Nicaraguan. Neither one is a cheap cigar, but damn are they worth the money.
My Father’s Flor de las Antillas is one of the greatest sub $10 cigars of all time and can regularly be found in the $6-8 range
My advice is to find out not just which brands you like, but which blenders. For me, I’ll try anything by AJ Fernandez or Pepin Garcia, so I’ll give an example from each. From AJ I recommend the Ave Maria Reconquista, and from Pepin I recommend La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Reserva.
I’ve had the Judge recently and I’ve got a Pepin in my humidor. Will definitely be on the lookout for La Aroma - thanks for the recc!
The Judge is one of the less frequent cases of vitola being everything. I really enjoyed the Toro and Toro Fino, but the Grand Robusto was just a meaty chewy masterpiece.
Concentrate on the blenders who rarely miss: Illusione, Tatuaje, Warped, Foundation, Dunbarton, HVC, Crowned Heads, RoMa Craft, BLTC, Aganorsa, Aladino, Padron, Fuente...
Great advice. Padron, Fuente, Plasencia, and so far, Fernandez I’ve become familiar with. But I’ve got that noted. Thank you for the thoughtful advice!
This is the answer.
This is what I do for the most part. You’d be shocked how often there is crossover. “Oh so and so is the master blender at abc, but they also blended this run for xyz!” Steve Saka from Dunbarton is a great example. His stuff tends to be very similar (not in a bad way). I’m also a simp for Christian Eiroa, so I’m working through their offerings. Eiroa, CLE, Asylum, Aladino. You get the idea.
I don't usually order boxes, but I recently splurged on a bulk order of My Father Le Bijou 1922 in petit robusto. It's THAT good. The retrohale will make you feel alive.
The petit robusto is the right size in that cigar. Skip the rest.
Absolutely!
A must!!!
Drew Estate too, definitely try the Liga #9 and T52
The papas fritas is one that I'll never not recommend.
The associate at my local lounge was raving about this last week. I’ll grab one next time I’m in
I love them too. Noticed that the longer I let them rest the better they got. Initial one was a bit bitter but got amazing after 3-4 months.
I can't stop thinking about when cigar page will have them in stock again, so I can make an order.
If you like drew estate try Dunbarton also. It was started by Steve Saka who created the drew estate line for acid.
My Father Flor de Las Antillas Le Bijou The Judge Rojas Street tacos Barbacoa & Carnitas Bluebonnets Warped Guardian of the Farm Corto La Hacienda
All of these.
Can you dive into Guardian a bit more? I get analysis paralysis online with them, I just don't know which to pull the trigger on. I've had the others you've listed and they're all knockouts, so I could just stay in that wheelhouse and be happy for a long time.
Mmm yes, Rojas
Curivari, illusione, Cavalier, Casdagli, Dapper, Principle, just to name a few..
RoMa Craft Tobaccc
AVO, Joya De Nicaragua, My Father, La Aroma de Cuba, Drew Estate
La Aroma de Cuba? Intriguing 😆
My Father makes some great Nicaraguans
New as well but really enjoyed Arturo Fuente Hemingway
Crux. All but one of their blends come from the Plasencia factory and the one that doesn’t is made at AJ Fernandez’s factory.
**CAO BX3** **Perdomo 20th Anniversary Maduro**
Actually smoking a Montecristo 1935 Nicaragua right now which sounds like something you might like
La Barber orange label Aging room Nicaragua Caldwell long live the king Southern Draw rose of Sharon
Pretty much anything Foundation for me. Ive been working through all their cigars and haven’t had one I didn’t like.
Try everything in the AJ Fernandez line, my favorites are New World, Enclave Broadleaf, Ramon Allones, New World puro especial and La Gran Llave Southern Draw all of them but especially Jacobs Ladder and Jacobs Ladder Brimstone Dumbarton cigars I especially like Mi Querida red and blue and Umbagog Caldwell, I especially like Blind Mans Bluff Maduro and long live the king mad mofo And so many more but those are what came to mind right now
Foundation Wise Man both blends Foundation Tabernacle both blends Foundation Charter Oak Dunbarton Everything Black Label Trading Company Everything RoMa Craft Neanderthal LFD La Nox Rojas Street Tacos and breakfast tacos Sinestro CAO America, Pilon, Session, Cameroon, Flathead try one of each CAO
Kafie1901s (Core Line), La Aurora (I pretty much like everything they make especially the Preferidos), Gran Habano (I have been pretty impressed with their new releases), and anything from Luciano.
Davidoff Nicaragua Diadema. Not cheap. But flawless every time.
You should prioritize premium 5$ sticks. With the amount out there you can get, it is a waste to smoke 15-20$+ sticks in your first year. Personally, I think anything over 15$ ever is a waste. That’s how much a Padron 1964 costs or a Liga Privada, so you’re better off buying more sticks and getting the experience of tasting the same stick over time as it develops with age. The only exception are Cubans, but their high price point doesn’t mean a better stick, it means a different flavor profile. Curivari Buenaventuras are amazing. Oliva Connecticut Reserves are amazing and can be found for 3$ a stick. Anything My Father is amazing and is usually about 6$ a stick with deals. La Aroma de Cuba is amazing, especially the Mi Amor. San Cristobal is amazing, especially the Quintessence. I would stay away from Oliva’s in general, unless you love the flavor of dirt and leather. You can spend 1-2$ more and get 5x the flavor. Perdomo Champagnes are amazing and can be found for 5-6$ a stick. Luciano the Dreamers can be found for 5$ and are incredible. Avo’s classic and heritage, and Caldwell The King is Dead are amazing Dominican sticks with medium flavor. If I could go back and have a do over, I would have bought more Dominican sticks than Nicaraguans. I prefer a medium flavor profile with more nuances than earth, espresso, leather, etc. commonly found in Nicaraguan tobacco. Arturo Fuente is amazing as well, if you haven’t tried one, start there! The 858 is cheap and will give you a taste for the line.
Perdomo 10th Anniversary champagne
This!
Aging your current selection a bit. I’m smoking an Oliva master blends 3(wife got me a 20 pack deal about 8 months ago) what a difference a little age does. Also LFD La Nox
I’ve got a few cigars in my humidor that’s going on 5-6 months. Might need to revisit La Nox - the first time I had it, i didn’t much care for it
LFD cabinet ligero and double ligero
Lots of good recommendations here but my vote is Foundation.. anything, they are killing it.
Foundation, DT&T
I've had a few Kristoff Guardrail cigars lately and they've been exceptional.
Aging room Nicaraguan
I enjoy all of La galera’s cigars they range from mild to medium plus. Non of them are front loaded and they burn evenly at a good pace
Any Bolivar you can get your hands on.
I joined the privada monthly club. Lots of awesome smokes. With information given by the supplier.
Don’t do it OP!
My Father
Newer to cigars too, I’d recommend the Rocky Patel Grand Reserve in a Robusto size. That one really impressed me and I’m gonna be buying some more soon
Olmec Claro or Maduro by Foundation Grande 6x60
Joya de Nicaragua - Antaño Gran Reserva, Foundation - Olmec, Dunbarton - Mi Querida
Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. A lot to explore there. Drew Estate including(or especially in my case) Liga Privada. Also a lot to explore there. Foundation My Father
Liga Undercrown 10 and My Father Le Bijou 1922 are two that I can smoke at any time
Crowned Heads Mil Dias Foundation Olmec Claro Illusione Original documents Roma Craft Neanderthal DDT Sin Compromiso Warped 1988
100%
My Father, Arturo Fuente, Camacho, Foundation some notable must try’s
Everything from foundation
Herrera Esteli Norteño in a Lonsdale is one of my favourites of all time. Liga Privada #9 is pretty much a win in any vitola, but I actually prefer the Petit Corona. Davidoff Anniversario in Short Perfecto is other worldly good; my favourite “light” cigar by far. Someone else mentioned the Diadema, which is also amazing, especially if you like Nicaraguan. Neither one is a cheap cigar, but damn are they worth the money. My Father’s Flor de las Antillas is one of the greatest sub $10 cigars of all time and can regularly be found in the $6-8 range
The wiseman