Hi all and thanks for warm welcome !
What kind of cigars i prefer ? hmmm, this is a question kind of complex to answer if you like smoking and as well discovering ! So it will need more then a line to answer, sorry.
Well i was a cigarette chain smoker over 10 years ago, but totally stopped 10 years or so now. Appreciate a cigar now and then for the last 20 years.
I am often invited in nice Casinos in Europe and Asia and the good cigars are given away free.So i was only smoking Cuban Cohiba as i liked the lightness and taste of those, for near 20 years...
I was neighbor with main Cuban Cigar importer in Lebanon, around 1998 and at that time i tried few Partagas or Monte Christo and Romeo's + other but ended back to only like the Cohiba.
Whenever we met he just handed me few Cohiba over as he was knowing i only appreciate those, he tried diversify me but no success at that time...
My wife comes from up in the Philippino Cordillera where the old women smoke a hand rolled unpressed cigar, i gave it a try and was totally amazed by this tobacco !
I now try a bit of all, Philippines tobacco is quite mild, i reviewed all what is made in Philippines and the Don Juan Urquijo is excellent, my preferred.
1881 and some 1898 Independencia, some Antonio Gimenez are real good cigars too...
The very best one i had lately is an aged cigar called the 130, made out of 19 year and 12 year old tobacco, amazing experience to smoke this one, a mix of Brazil and Philippines, similar composition to the Don Juan Urquijo, but with the GRAND CRU, aged tobacco aspect. The best cigar i had over the last few years, far far.
I just ventured lately to get my cigar tasting in action, some Zino and Hojo the Monterey and Cohiba, all i can say is that the 130 stands way out. Those were all great smoking experience but learned that aged tobacco really develops scent and taste and special strength similar to what can be found in great aged red wines, somehow.
I am now much more open for trials and each cigar is a different experience, so variety is good, i could no more only smoke one and only type or brand.
Other real good stuff is to come, i make some Boutique cigars and have over this last few years gathered the info, stored aged leaves and made the trials to reach something splendid for my taste and i hope it will be possible for many more to appreciate this, a nice Boutique Cigar.
To go over the festive days i got few 130 in stock for myself and this is extremely great!
Wish you all Merry days ahead and excellent year 2012, year of the Dragon !
