Over the past few months, I’ve found myself going back to cigars that I haven’t smoked in quite a while that I used to smoke a lot. I’ve been smoking cigars for about 15 years and we all started with some affordable cigars. Luckily, or unlucky, I started smoking during the first cigar boom where there were a lot of cigars around, but not always the best quality. My first premium cigar was an Ashton VSG robusto that I purchased at Crescent City Cigar in New Orleans and I still revisit that cigar often. I recently posted a picture of a La Aurora double corona I was smoking on my Facebook page and a good friend of mine commented that we sometimes forget the classics with all the new ultra rare, flashy new releases. That was a very good point. Here are some of my classic cigars that are constant fixtures in my humidor. What are some of yours?
Hoyo De Monterrey Excalibur I
The Excalibur is one of the cigars I first started smoking in the infancy of my cigar enjoyment. Really good price, excellent flavor and easy availability, it easily became my first staple in my humidor. Really nice woody, creamy and nutty flavors with medium body, it could appeal to a large segment of the cigar smoking community.
Ashton VSG
Like I said earlier, this was my first premium cigar I ever smoked. Full bodied with a nice woody, spicy, leathery flavors and excellent construction, this is a cigar I smoke on a regular basis. I have at least a few every week with the robusto, more the Pegasus lately, being my go to size. A complete winner.
CAO Brazilia Gol
Short and fat, this cigar definitely doesn’t miss on flavor. Rich flavors of coffee, cocoa, spice and wood, this cigar was a hit from the very beginning.
La Aurora
I recently was given this double corona as a gift and this is the cigar that generated the comment on Facebook. I haven’t smoke one in quite a while and it after I smoked it, I asked myself, why not? I had no answer. Just a nice mild-medium body cigar with flavors of cedar and white pepper with a nice creaminess.
La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero
This one is probably the newbie of the bunch. Not many people know that when LFD first came about, they produced very mild cigars. As the times and cigar smokers palette changed, so did LFD. They started producing more heavy cigars. This is one of them. Excellent full flavored cigar with notes of bitter cocoa, espresso, raisin, rich wood and spice.
Padron Maduro
Whether it’s the 2000, 3000, Londres, etc, you know what you are getting with Padron. The Padron maduro will never win any beauty pageants, but it wins on flavor. Cedar, black peper, chocolate and coffee, it’s the original flavor bomb. It’s probably the most lost cigar in the bunch, especially when your big brother is the Anniversary 1964 and Anniversary 1926.
Torano Exodus 1959
This was the first box purchase I ever bought. Excellent construction and burn with flavors of oak, black pepper, earthiness and a creamy cocoa note. An excellent all arounder.
Punch
Out of all the cigars listed, this might be the most smoked. Oscuro robusto or natural robusto, Elites, Punch Punch, Gran Puro edition, Gran Cru….take your pick. I still smoke these…a lot. This is my comfort cigar.
Ben,
I must admit that I am surprised not to see any Fuentes on your list. For me, my first real cigar love affair was with the Hoyo De Monterrey Oscuro Rothchild.
As far as comfort cigar go, I would say Oliva O robusto.
Cigars I like to have on hand:
J. Fuego Origen
Xikar Criollo
Torano Exodus Silver
Joya de Nicaragua Antano
Joya de Nicaragua Celebracion
Cigars I need to revisit: Punch Champion, the Chateau Fuente line.
Thanks for a great post, Ben. It’s nice to be reminded that we don’t always need the newest, hottest thing to satisfy us, and sometimes an old and often forgotten standby is just what hits the spot.
Great Post Ben, its good to see the everyday sticks that got us all started in this crazy mixed up world! Thanks for bringing back some classics.
Ben, I agree with your choices, of course to me you can’t go wrong with a Feunte they are always a classic
Yes, I didn’t put Fuente in there because of two reasons.
1. I never really smoked them when I first started smoking. I felt the regular Fuente line couldn’t compete with the cigars above that I was already smoking. I did smoke the cuban corona a bit, but the Excalibur was much better in my opinion.
2. The one Fuente I did smoke a lot back then and still do occasionally is the Hemingway line. I didn’t add it because I didn’t have a picture of one because I haven’t smoked one lately, but if I did add another one, it would be there one.
Anthony,
That’s a good list. I think the JdN Celebration is an under appreciated cigar.
Ah I see Ben, anyway its a great list I agree with the Torano Exodus
Really enjoyed this post and the topic, Ben. Does anyone else remember Punch maduro rothschild back in the 90’s? I remember them being fantastic and smoked a lot of them. Today’s blend just doesn’t compare. Perhaps that’s another topic to explore?
Excellent post – Some of the classics for me include
Torano Exodus 1959 – but I prefer the copper band
Punch Champion Oscuro – Can’t beat a box of these for $80-90
Fuente Hemingway Short Story – love the newer Maduro version too
With all the new Pete Johnson lines, I still like the original Red and Brown labels
I like the Ashton VSG too, but especially in that petite corona size.
San Cristobal – all great but love the lancero
Padron 2000 maduro – maybe the best bang for the buck out there