Padrón is probably the only ultra popular large brand I haven't thoroughly explored, so I got the sampler to try out the 1926 and 45 yr maduro. Now I'm more excited about that 3000. I don't think I'll be able to wait the few yrs I was planning to rest it.

I've definitely seen toothier wrappers in pics, but had never seen this much physically, definitely not so evident.

Started with roasted beans, creamy cocoa, toasted nuts, and a lovely honey-like sweetness. The middle stayed beautifully balanced, with subtle woody notes and rich, creamy flavors. The final third brought some leather and a touch of coffee, while remaining surprisingly smooth. Not the most complex cigar, but easily one of the smoothest and most enjoyable Cohibas I’ve smoked in years. Absolutely loved this one.

Enjoying the Don carlos this morning after the heat wave we had in SoCal these last couple days. Even if I don’t agree with how af markets some of their sticks, they do make some damn good ones. Haven’t had the opus x lines yet but if I never do I wouldn’t feel like I would miss much with the don

First cigar I really didn't enjoy. Fortunately only had the one.

A little bitter throughout the stick. Occasional flashes of spices, nuts that would last a puff or two. Got better in the last 3rd, if it had been that way throughout would have been a decent smoke

Had to touch it up a couple of times. Real veiny tended to burn around them. Med-Full strength.

Maybe I had a bad stick. Any others of theirs that you would recommend trying? I am working my way through a couple of brands.

I was perusing at the bottom of my humidor and found a couple of these Cromagnon 4 x 46 Pestera Muierilor (such a catchy name) beauties that had probably been sitting there for the last 3-4 years. These were delicious and still intense, with notes of leather, chocolate, earth and lots of pepper.

So I brought out the motherlode of strong rums that I have. I think I gave it maybe 3 sips during the whole smoking session, but this was an amazing pairing.

I have been smoking cigars for several years now and am becoming increasingly frustrated with my lack of being able to figure out retrohaling.

I want to start experiencing the flavors and notes that I am missing out on.

I have watched YouTube videos, tried to practice, etc. I just cannot figure it out.

Anyone have any hacks or tips on how they learned?

Got this cigar along with another one yesterday in the post and this one came like this.

Starting the morning with a Rocky Patel Decade and a strong cup of coffee. An intentional pairing, and one that worked pretty well.

The Decade is a smooth, creamy smoke with some earthy notes and a little spice. Nothing particularly bold or complex, but that’s part of why I thought it’d work well with coffee.

The richness and bitterness of the coffee balance out the creamier notes of the cigar, and neither really overpowers the other.

Not necessarily a stick I’d reach for on a special occasion, but a solid choice for a slow morning and a hot cup of coffee.

Any favorite coffee and cigar combinations?

I was looking at cigars international, and was thinking about putting in an order, Will I have to be home to receive my package/ do I have to be there to sign for it?

I'm hanging out in the garage tonight trying a brand I think I've overlooked but have seen some good reviews here.

The Aladino Classic is a Honduran puro and a nice one at that. Habano wrapper, corojo binder, habano and corojo fillers.

Dry draw was a little tight with a heavy bread note. The draw remained a bit tight but smokable. The cigar opened a bit heavy but quickly transitioned to a doughy bread, creamy molasses, white pepper. Later, a toasted oak flavor entered and the pepper and spice became more pronounced.

For an $8 cigar, this was very enjoyable. I'll have to keep my eye out for more Aladino. Eiroa family did a nice job on this one.

This cedar like really refined cigar is an excellent pairing with aberlour 18, one of my favourite whiskyes

I enjoyed this. Super smooth draw, even burn and smooth flavor.

Picked it up a few months ago from CP build your own pack.

The first third I thought I wasn't going to like it. Was a little more rough in flavor but as it progressed into 2/3 territory it smoothed out and it was a cruise to smoke the rest of the way.

Not at the top of my list in the price point but would love to pick it up again for friends or Friday evening after work smoke.

I noticed some of the logo wrappers are black, is there a difference with these or just older design?

Also, Founders Porter is pretty killer.

I can only find a full box, singles without the coffin, or five pack packs. Anyone know of a website or store or willing to part with one? Thanks!

From north cyprus duty free, budget friendly but unexpected flavour. Especially much better than zino. Strongly recommend.

I do smoke Davidoffs... Grand Crus, Winston Churchill original series, Nicaragua, and some zodiacs and LEs. I know Reddit loves the Late Hour but i had it before and found it mid.

Today I decided to try again. Glad i did. Damn this is supremely nice smoke. Not sure what is different today... Not thinking about flavour notes, just enjoying the day, the smoke, the life.

Stuck between the colibri v cutter and the hammersmith v cutter. I want the deepest v cut possible. I also want something that feels good in the hand, nice feel, longevity and value for the price. Which one is the better option? Would you spend the extra for the colibri or save and go with hammersmith? I dont smoke every day but I do have at least a few every week now. Im also planning on traveling soon and the v cutter i currently use is built into my torch but I dont want to chance tsa confiscating it and being stuck on vacation without a cutter. I dont wanna spend more than I have to but if its really worth it im not against it. Is the hammersmith as deep as the colibri? Also is the 2 in 1 colibri with both v and straight cut, as deep as the colibri v cutter? Open to other recommendations as well but as far as v cutters these seem to be the 2 best options I came across

I haven't really smoked much in the past few years, but I was talking to a guy who will likely be my brother-in-law at dinner and cigars came up. He's a 21 year old who does security work for arenas and venues while going to college for a bullshit degree he will likely give up for law enforcement. He mentioned that he had smoked a few cigars, but was interested in going deeper.

Now, here's the question: Should I be spoiling him with a travel humidor, a lighter, and a bunch of cigars from my humidor? Should I just get him an ash tray and a few yard sticks? What would you do?

For deeper context he is the child of a broken home who seems to be fully estranged from his dad for a while, somehow his new father figure is my soon to be father-in-law who is a "backwoods grape with a miller" type of guy. He doesn't have many older guys in his life to show him what his 20s can be. I'm also the guy who typically keeps gifts below $50 for the family if not lower. The FIL gets a beer he never drinks from my head stash or a board game to play with his girlfriend (mother of the young man), MIL gets wine because she sells anything else I get her, 2 SIL get gifts related to their jobs. Getting him something that isn't just beer like last year is going to be a challenge, and I would like to get that sweet sweet NJ PBA card to get me out of small tickets.

By far my favorite Plasencia of all time. Not my usual vitola for it but it might be now. Definitely more cream and sweetness also way smoother

Box Date: Jul. 2019

Quick smoke on a crisp fall morning.

Firm, clean construction. Mostly smooth wrapper. Timeless band. Tight draw. 

1/3

Smooth start with cocoa, cedar, nuts, and leather. The slightest hint on pepper on the nose and throat. Burn is wavy but the ash is a great color and firm. Mild so far. 

2/3

Ash Ave burn aren't pretty but the flavor is excellent. Nuts, dried fruit, light red pepper in the nose, cedar, cocoa, black pepper on the throat, a hint of Cuban earth and twang. Very smooth. Mild medium flavor, medium body, mild strength. 

3/3

Approaching the band and I'm getting flavors that remind me why I smoked a couple boxes of H. Upmann coronas major back in college. Cocoa, sweetness, just a tickle of spice in the nose. Wood, leather, coffee, and earth. Draw is still tight but it's making this small cigar last longer. Almost half an hour to the band. I touched up the burn right before taking off the band. The coffee flavor got richer and I'm really enjoying it. The band came off cleanly and I settle into the nub. Very Cuban on the finish. Refined, subtle, twangy. Cool and slightly squishy through the nub. 

85/100

Well above-average flavor, tight draw and high price combined for a respectable score. If money wasn't a factor, I'd call this a nearly perfect breakfast cigar. However, the low availability and high price for such a small cigar means I'll likely smoke many Illusione Epernay le petites before another one of these. 

My first time trying a Kristoff. Didn’t really know what to expect so I was very pleasantly surprised to find that it’s a smooth flavor bomb!

Perfect draw and construction with a ton of smoke production.

I got a ton of sweetness, roasted nuts, leather, cedar, and a little dried fruits. No pepper at all. Very little spice.

Really enjoying the Brazilian Arapiraca Maduro wrapper.

Overall I would give it a 8/10

Just arrived today. I do not have any of these brands in my humidor so I'm looking forward to some new stuff to try. Looks good on paper, but let me know. Value appears to be 35% more 👀. I'll let them rest a couple of weeks... but let me know what's your favorite on here

Rocking out sonically to the sounds of Chevelle’s (Comfortable Liar) while pufferating on my Porchador with a La Flor Dominicana Chapter One. This flavorful offering is composed of a Brazilian Maduro wrapper, Connecticut Broadleaf binder, and Dominican fillers producing notes of earth, cedar, spice, leather and coffee on a full-bodied, full-flavored finish.

Vitola: Double Corona

Wrapper: Ecuador

Binder: Domincan

Filler: Dominican, Nicaragua, Peru, USA

First third. Opens with cream and honey in spades, tiny bit of salt, macadamia nut, cinnamon. Heavenly. Towards end of the third creaminess remains, honey transitions to like a condensed milk sweetness, along with blanched almonds and baking spices.

Second third. Still creamy, but with the sweetness dropping back a little and baking spices coming to the fore. Some cedar and a hit of citrus. Later sweetness returns in the form of very milky hot chocolate.

Final third. The cream abides. Baking spices, lemon curd, graham cracker, coffee.

What a smoke - the DNA of the Traditional line is present (the Grand Cafe is one of my all time favourite smokes) but this offers a really refined expression and the fruitiness of the final third is an unexpected delight. Smooth and easy smoking whilst being rich and dynamic - not many blends pull that off. I often shy away from this vitola as I can find I get bored, but the 25th demands (and rewards) attention from start to finish.