Starting a Collection (and smoking stash)

[Staxed]

Yeah, I was down your way last November, 95 to 40 to Wilmington and I saw at least ten or 20 JR billboards on those roads so I was going to say "WTF is the matter with you, how can you miss the billboards on 95?" but since you don't know me I wasn't sure how well you'd take to me busting your stones then I'd catch $hit for being mean to the new guys so I decided to be nice which is out of character for me, LMAO! I did have to laugh though because JRCigars is probably one of the largest mail order cigar places in the country/world and you have one of their retail outlets almost in your back yard so you're luckier than most.

On our way back, I wanted to stop in but the wife said "NO" I've heard the retail outlets are huge and I'm sure they're loaded up with sales associated who you can spend all day talking to about cigars. I also wouldn't buy whole boxes yet if I were you, try lots of different cigars. Personally, I'd avoid the real cheap crap. As they say "Life is too short to smoke cheap cigars." Now I'm not saying you've got to smoke only $20.00 cigars but concentrate on the mid-priced stuff, $4.00 - $15.00 per cigar. Oh, and don't be afraid of maduros, they may look strong and powerful to a new cigar smoker but the taste of the wrapper is generally sweeter than natural leaf so I think they taste better.

awesome, thanks!

Right now, I think I'm looking at getting something like this to start off with, and just saving the rest of the cash for when I start to get a feel for what I like. I'm hoping this will give me a good taste of most different blends/styles of smokes, any other suggestions I should try and add on for areas I may be missing?

Nub Top Ten Sampler
Best of AJ Fernandez Sampler
5 Vegas Historical Collection
Motherlode No. 11 Sampler
...all from CI.com

and the Best of Arturo Fuente Sampler from famous-smoke.

And I'll probably take a trip to JR later this week and spend some time there.

[badwhale]

Ditch the Nubs, and get some Padrons.

ETA: Ditch "the motherlode" sampler too. I usually cringe when I look at all the shitsticks in those combos.

Will

[Staxed]

Ditch the Nubs, and get some Padrons.

ETA: Ditch "the motherlode" sampler too. I usually cringe when I look at all the shitsticks in those combos.

Will

I've smoked a few nubs, and I know I like them, so I can't ditch those as I'd like to try them all out. (and my brother smokes them, so have to share). I will add some Padrons to the list though.

Also, I skipped a few of the combo deals after reviews, etc, but the motherlode looked like it has quite a few recommended sticks in it?

2 - Cohiba eXtra Vigoroso 652 (6” x 52)
2 - Gurkha Beast (6.5” x 56)
1 - Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Corojo Toro (6.5" x 52)
4 - Partagas Black Clasico (5.25" x 54)
1 - 5 Vegas Gold Maduro Robusto (5” x 50)
4 - Macanudo Maduro Hyde Park (5.5" x 49)
1 - Cuba Libre Magnum (5.5" x 55)
1 - 5 Vegas Classic Robusto (5” x 50)
1 - Alec Bradley Maxx The Fix (5" x 58)
1 - Rocky Patel Connecticut Toro (6" x 52)
2 - La Gloria Cubana Serie R #5 (5.5” x 54)
4 - Cu-Avana Maduro Toro (6" x 50)
2 - Gurkha Centurian (6” x 60)
1 - 5 Vegas Gold Robusto (5” x 50)
4 - Fonseca Habana Cosacos (5" x 48)
1 - El Mejor Emerald Torpedo (6.5" x 54)
4 - 5 Vegas Limitada ’09 Belicoso (6.25" x 52)
2 - Gurkha Black Dragon Imperial Presidente (7” x 52)

[craig]

Holt's has some decent samplers. Motherlode is not the right word for that assortment. A few okay cigars and a bunch of yardgars and fertilizer is a better description. However, I guess experience is the best teacher ... we all smoked some of that crap at one point!

[badwhale]

I've smoked a few nubs, and I know I like them, so I can't ditch those as I'd like to try them all out. (and my brother smokes them, so have to share). I will add some Padrons to the list though.

Also, I skipped a few of the combo deals after reviews, etc, but the motherlode looked like it has quite a few recommended sticks in it?

2 - Cohiba eXtra Vigoroso 652 (6” x 52)
2 - Gurkha Beast (6.5” x 56)
1 - Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Corojo Toro (6.5" x 52)
4 - Partagas Black Clasico (5.25" x 54)
1 - 5 Vegas Gold Maduro Robusto (5” x 50)
4 - Macanudo Maduro Hyde Park (5.5" x 49)
1 - Cuba Libre Magnum (5.5" x 55)
1 - 5 Vegas Classic Robusto (5” x 50)
1 - Alec Bradley Maxx The Fix (5" x 58)
1 - Rocky Patel Connecticut Toro (6" x 52)
2 - La Gloria Cubana Serie R #5 (5.5” x 54)
4 - Cu-Avana Maduro Toro (6" x 50)
2 - Gurkha Centurian (6” x 60)
1 - 5 Vegas Gold Robusto (5” x 50)
4 - Fonseca Habana Cosacos (5" x 48)
1 - El Mejor Emerald Torpedo (6.5" x 54)
4 - 5 Vegas Limitada ’09 Belicoso (6.25" x 52)
2 - Gurkha Black Dragon Imperial Presidente (7” x 52)

The bolded ones are the only I would remotely consider trying. Remotely

Will

[CoventryCat86]

The bolded ones are the only I would remotely consider trying. Remotely

Will

I dunno, I see a few more in there that aren't so bad. I don't like Ghurkas but quite a few people do. Those Partagas Blacks aren't so bad and the 5 Vegas maduro isn't too bad either for a cheap maduro. The Macanoodle maddies are usually well received by guys who are new to cigars (I remember that Macanudos were one of the first non-gas station cigars I ever smoked 20 years ago and I liked them back then).

Hell, most of the Herfer's Paradise guys would be lovin' that whole bunch of ceegars. I'll bet you'll find a good bunch of those on K7's regular smoking list.

[craig]

I thought you looved El Mejor green things - didn't you post a pic once? And I KNOW you lusted after the Black Dragons I won at QSH!

The OWR is okay - at least, the original release was okay.

(My "okay" means okay as a $3 cigar. I wouldn't buy any of the listed cigars now.)