My current favorite : Onyx Churchills. Rich, leathery, full-flavored. Anybody try the Onyx Reserve Churhills yet?

Can't find 'em. Onyx's seem hidden from my market. I've read up (Cigar Afficionado has a good website of reviews; but crap their HTML sucks!!) on them and want to try one (or several). I like something dark, leathery, chocolatey, but NOT NOT NOT spicey, and I find it hard to figure out a strong cigar that is also not a spicey cigar. Example: I hate Fuentes, whether A or C or any other letter in the alphabet.

My current smoke is a Victor Sinclair Bohemian. They have a cute little pyramid with a twist that goes for about $4 here in Tampa, or I can usually handle one of the Lonsdale-sizes. Big ol' Churchills are too much for me. I smoke Excalibur 1066's quite often, as well.

Glad to see someone had the wise idea of discussing cancer tubes.

Book:
It was BluesTraveller's bright idea, I just goaded Hombre into making it into a separate topic (thanks H!).

Fuentes jsut aren't richenough, IMHO. Strong, but no other tastes. Onyx's are not to spicy, Ciagr Afficionado rates them as 94 and says they're "choclatey", but beauty is in the eye of the beholder (i.e. reviews are mostly bullshit).

Something I just smoked yesterday and enjoyed was about 4x52 in size and called "El Rey del Mundo". Love the name, and it tasted great, just the flavours you described. I'll have to find some (yesterday's was a present) and smoke some more before giving an opinion, though. Anybody ever had them?

BS

El Rey del Mundo's are very good.

Badseed - if you like strong w/out spicy, try calling 800 JRCIGAR and ordering the Belindas in your favorite size. They're inexpensive, and age very well. After 1-2 years they're very good. After 5 years, they're awesome.

Cuban Romeo & Julieta is an exceptionally rich cigar w/out being harsh. I have several Cuban cohibas, but they tend to knock you on your ass. Cuban Trinidads are some of the best I've ever had.

Although they're very difficult to get and rather pricey, I suggest a box of Padron Anniversarios. The box pressed robustos are very similar to the Onyx you like, only far superior in every way. Back order them if you have to - it's worth it.

DG:

Where are Rey del Mundos from? As I wrote, I had my first yesterday at a friend's house (yes, I have freinds, I'm an asshole, but some people actually appreciate that). And I love Padrons, I'll try and find the Anniversarios you suggest.

BS

H.Upmann No. 2
H.Upmann Sir Winston
Montecristo Especiale No. 2
ERDM Choix Supreme
Hoyo de Monterrey Churchill

Badseed

ERDMundos are Honduran. Any of the internet cigar vendors should have them.

Speaking of the Padron cigars, many of the inexpensive Nicaraguan cigars will be robust. Ask JRCigars if they have any nicaraguans in stock for $1/stick and you should be pleased.

As a rule, here's a general idea of what countries produce stronger cigars, in order from milder to stronger.

1. Honduras
2. Dominican
3. Nicaraguan
4. Cuban

Again, this is just a generalization. As of the past year, many countries have recognized that more robust cigars are becoming popular and they're all trying to produce them.

BookGuy:
Try some of the national and internet vendors and order your cigars. It beats paying more at your local cigar store, and the selection is often much better.

How long have you guys been enjoying the leaf?

Agree with Dongringo regard JRcigars, jrcigars.com, as they have the best prices and selections. If I don't find something there, my 2nd source is 2guyssmokesshop.com.

Badseed, you can pick up any box of ElRey at JR for under $68/box of 20. My fav ER line is the Beliscos - 6x50, individually wrapped in thin paper or condom wrapper. If you like ER, you might want to try some Punch or Punch Rare Corojo. The Pita size, 6 1/8 x 48 is selling for under $80/box of 25.

Here are some of my favorites Robusto size:

Daily Smokes: Punch, El Rey del Mundo, Puros Indios, Hoyo de Monterey.

Special Occasions: Perdomo, Bolivar, Partagas, Padron, and Indian Tabac. I take the Perdomo Reserve over any Cuban including Cohiba and Partagas.

If you like it dark (maduro) and spicy, check out the Indian Tabac line up.

Wooohooo, chicks dig the aroma....

Indian Tabac, as in Nacionales?
BS

Una marca de puros, a brand of cigar. The wrappers come with either Habana2000 or Maduro. The filler is a combo of Hon, Nic, and CostaR leaves.

Its strongest line is the Super Fuerte in oily, dark wrapper with a spicy peppermint flavor filler. Not recommended for the faint of heart.

Yeesh you boys smoke a LOT o' stick. I personally only light up about twice a weekend total, and can go whole months without smoking. So, buying by the box is not my usual method. Would someone like to trade in some of my individuals for some of their boxed? Heh ... it's getting as complicated as buying guitar strings. I order them, and condoms, off the internet, too ...

I had a little 6 inch (about 42 or 44 ring) Cuban Fonseca a few days ago, which I only kind of enjoyed at the time, but now it's really growing on me. It was light, almost "airy" with a lot of smells of incense (sandalwood, myrrh, that sort of stuff) or "island spice" (cinnamon, nutmeg; as differentiated from "hot spice" jalapeno or black pepper). I would have rated it about 85 / 100 day before yesterday; today I am craving another and would call it a 99.999 / 100.

PS. Personal favorite trick for lighting up an individual impromptu stick ... Drop by a Starbuck's and snitch two or three wooden coffee stir-sticks from their cream-and-sugar kiosk. Light them in a bundle like the classy folk do with cedar sticks: a home-made spill!

I am new to cigars but just try Backwood's and like it.
Any other brands that are sweet and aromatic similar to this?

rock2times, never heard of Backwood's but sounded like a flavored cigar. Try the Bering Sabor line up at jrcigars.com. A bundle of 10 in 6x50 costs under $15. They come in Vanilla, Rum, Irish Cream...Glucks.

BookGuy
JR has a special running through today on your Onyx cigars.
http://www.jrcigars.com/index.cfm?Page=cig_view_cell&ItemCode=ON97SC

Rock2Times - it was a LONG time ago, but I cut my teeth at college poker games smoking Wolf Rum Crooks. See if you like 'em. If not, you won't be out much money!

LOL ... college poker, ah yes ...

I smoked my first drugstore King Edward playing Hearts and Rummy and Uno for nickels when I was in High School. Three or four of us guys would hide out at one of the guys' older sister's apartments, and she'd put up with us for some God-unknown reason, hollerin' "UNO!!!" late into the night. When we got good and toasted, we'd play like strip-poker, except the penalty wasn't that you had to undress, it was that you had to CHEW the cigar. Then we'd leave the spit-cups in her freezer for her to discover in the morning ... ah, we were FULL of class when we were in High School, I'm tellin' ya!

PS - Dongringo, thanks for the link but I'll have to pass. Buying by the box is too much of an investment for me (lacking humidor) so I'm gonna have to hunt and peck for the Onyx in my neighborhood. Anyway I'm goin' onna trip soon, gotta save up fer some REAL stick-action ...

For next time any of you are in Brazil, I've been pleasantly suprised by one of Brazil's better-known domestic brands - Dona Flor. They are made in Bahia, by the Menendez family (Cuban exiles), using native Mata Fina leaf. Same leaf everybody else uses to spice up their cigars, so I was expecting these sticks to be ultra-spicy. Not so, they were full-flavoured, but not overly "bitey", and I enjoyed the right down to the band - my own mark of a good cigar... They come in the usual sizes (Petit Corona, Corona, somthing medium, Churchill) and in two different wrappers - a mild Sumatra light-colored leaf, and a Brazilian Maduro leaf, obviously the Maduro is stronger. A box of 25 Maduro CHurchills cost US$46 in Sao Paulo in September, probably a bit cheaper out in other cities. If you buy a box, let them rest a bit (1 month) after you get home, good advice for any cigar actually. The first 5 sticks me and my friends smoked out of the box were inconsistent -almost tastely mild, then extremely peppery (which I like, but this bordered on (too* much), and then became unsmokable for the last third.. but after a month's rest the rest were great. And, at less than $2 a stick, it's a fine cigar and a great deal.

BS

My new smoke is a pipe. That's right, just like your grandfather. You get to buy all sorts of gadgetry -- a cleaner stickie thingie, and some little wormy fluffy pipe cleaners in a cute 99 cent bundle, and some pipes (and no there's no rule, you just get to be vain and decide which one makes you look the most like James Bond!), and a rack for your mantle, and a tobacco jar, and it's just GREAT fun. Oh, and an angled "pipe lighter" too.

I am enjoying my first pipes-fulls of tobacco. It's less tobacco than a typical cigar, and you inhale less of it than either a cigar or a cigarette (both good on the cancer front), and your reeking smell is more like flavored spices than a musty shag carpet (good for the women front). For all this "less," it nevertheless gives you "more" time to smoke per episode! But it requires sitting down and pulling out the whole tackle box and gettin' all set up to smoke, which will miff some.

Anybody know about choosing tobaccos and the like? I learned about perique, Louisiana's last indigenous crop, on my last trip to NOLa. Other comments about the whole Cavendish oeuvre?

Has anyone tried Mona Lisa's? These are Cuban made and excellent from what I have been told.
I plan to find them and bring some back as a special gift for a friend.
Thanks, CFK

CFK, If they exist, I'll find them for you in Havana...

Here are several sources I have found to be useful for ordering.


http://www.bestcigarprices.com/davinci-cigar/

http://www.shopwiki.com/La+Fontana+Mona+Lisa+Cigars

http://www.bonitasmokeshop.com/da_vinci_cigars.htm

http://www.jrcigars.com/index.cfm?page=itemDetails&itemcode=DVML

CFK, since you mentioned the Mona Lisa to me I have looked for them wile traveling I have never seen one or met someone who has tried one, I couldn't even find them in the Cigar Aficionado lists. I guess I will have to stick with my Cohibas, Upmanns, and Partagas (Cuban of course) one of which I will smoke in your honor after finishing my emails for the day. Don't worry I am sure that you will be able to buy Cuban cigars in the USA soon.

You just will not be able to smoke them anywhere

Iswal,

The Mona Lisa's are somewhat similiar in taste to the Cohibas, I'm sure you will enjoy them.

I will keep an eye out for them. On my trip to Colombia I stopped off in the States. (trip report awaiting editors revue) Wile in New York I bought a new Humidor for $64.00 I just finnished Curing it which took about a week and today I transferd my current stock into it Cohiba Esplendidos (6 year aged). Romeo Y Julieta Coronitas (2 year aged),Montecristo No.4s. and Partagas petit Corinos Especiales (=2years aged) as well as asorted "walk the dog" cigars and a few packs of Cohiba Clubs.
I am not as big a cigar smoker as I once was so on the bright side my cigars last a lot longer.

Wish I could say the same. I'm smoking at least a Siglo VI a day. Lately I've been fiendish for the Montecristo Sublime. A pricey hobby...

Joesie
A pricey hobby, on the bright side its cheaper then being married and when you watch your money go up in smoke at leased you are enjoying the experience.

Nice to see everyone burning Castro's crops one leaf at a time. FYI, for those without a Humidor you can put them in your freezer for storage.

Smoke 'em if ya got 'em

CFK
That is sacrilege, a zip lock bag with a small piece of damp sponge or the green bricklike stuff they use in florists works better. Even short term storage of cigars in a freezer will dry them out. Opium storage temperature and humidity for cigars is 20 degrees centigrade and 70% humidity.

Isawal,

I stand corrected!! [Go buy a humidor with a hygrometer and store the cigars in that with a cedar lining]

The smoking light is lit..........

(Message edited by copperfieldkid on June 12, 2009)

Isawal,

What are you doing getting yourself involved with opium storage? It sounds like you're spending too much time mongering in Afghanistan. Yes, those mullah mamas are something, but really!!

You're better off sticking with the cigars.

(Message edited by LAguy on June 12, 2009)