I think about what cigars tasted like when Columbus met the natives for the first time. Well, I guess you couldn't consider them "cigars" in the sense we do today, but they were still tobacco that was smoked. They must have been terrible. And then, I think about the incremental advances that made cigars slightly better and better. Through the 1800's, no quality control, no geeks, no cigar of the year contests... Somewhere along the way, thru trial and error, luck, and creativity, people figured out just the right mix of ligero, seco, viso, and how long to age them. Somehow we arrive at today, where you have guys like Steve Saka, Dion Giolito et. al. mastering their craft. You have the finely refined process, precise blends, specifically sought after genetic makeup of strains of tobacco, sun grown, shade grown, aged... Each lesson learned, incorporated, passed down, improved upon.
When I smoke a Padron, Opus, MF, etc., it's not just the process from seed to my humidor I appreciate; it's the history and how we even learned to make and enjoy a fine cigar.
The really cool thing, is my obsessive need to monitor my RH and temp, and the rest and aging in my humi is a part of the process.
