Cigar Afficianado Top 25 for 2013

[TEN-32]

Interesting list. We've had some of these discussed here...If you just want to know the #1 without clicking, its the Monte Cristo #2 Torpedo from Cuba.

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/top25/show

[El Jefe]

Ah yes, the venerable Monte #2. Probably my next box purchase. :)

Some of that list seems kind of whacked to me. I've never smoked an Aging Room stick, but I have a hard time believing its better than a Behike. :cigarsmoking:

[El Jefe]

You can get Monte #2's from Switzerland for $256 for a box of 25. So basically $10 a stick. Now, stop and think of some of the crazy prices you see on non-Cuban smokes. Hard to justify.

[TEN-32]

You can get Monte #2's from Switzerland for $256 for a box of 25. So basically $10 a stick. Now, stop and think of some of the crazy prices you see on non-Cuban smokes. Hard to justify.

Yes it is. I've never had a Monte #2. The raters have videos up with their reviews of each of the cigars. I find them interesting.

[CigarGuy]

Good to see the venerable Monte 2 has regained it's luster.

[El Jefe]

Good to see the venerable Monte 2 has regained it's luster.

Stan, I've had a few guys tell me that the entire Montecristo line has been top shelf these past few years. I know I've been digging the Edmundo's. ;)

[TEN-32]

Stan, I've had a few guys tell me that the entire Montecristo line has been top shelf these past few years. I know I've been digging the Edmundo's. ;)

I tossed one of those bad boys in the box pass. MrK commented on it as outstanding. I still have a chub for the Behike though.

[El Jefe]

I tossed one of those bad boys in the box pass. MrK commented on it as outstanding. I still have a chub for the Behike though.

I think they're similar, which speaks well of the Edmundo. I do think the Behike is superior tho. I haven't smoked one since we we're in Colorado, think I'll break one out for the Chiefs playoff game. I'm sure it'll bring them luck, or make them losing easier for me to bear. I've been a Chiefs fan since I was 10, most of that has not been easy, ugh! :)

[El Jefe]

Thought I'd resurrect this article. #21 on their list is the Bolivar Royal Corona. I had gone through a couple of boxes of the Bolivar Belicoso Fino's this past year or so and wanted some more Bolivar's. I just thought I'd try something different. Well, for some reason I remembered this list that Matt had shared with us and thought; why not.

Anyway, I got them in today and just had to fire one up! ;)

Damn good, but stronger than the Belicosos Fino. They're about the same size, but these have more punch! Same general flavor profile, but more of it and definitely more nicotine. Been a while since a stogie made me light headed. Heh. :)

http://s27.postimg.org/9shbwakhv/bolivar_fonseca_bulliet_rye_005.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

I also got a box of Fonseca's. No idea what they'll be like.

http://s22.postimg.org/b692eozep/bolivar_fonseca_bulliet_rye_003.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

Weird deal is; I had placed a different order with the same source about 4 days earlier, and they haven't showed. You just never know.

I've paired this bully boy with some Bulleit Rye. I'll have a review later.

[ready]

I'm gonna add some Bolivars to my next order. Never tried rye but I do like rye bread so why not, right?

[TEN-32]

Thought I'd resurrect this article. #21 on their list is the Bolivar Royal Corona. I had gone through a couple of boxes of the Bolivar Belicoso Fino's this past year or so and wanted some more Bolivar's. I just thought I'd try something different. Well, for some reason I remembered this list that Matt had shared with us and thought; why not.

Anyway, I got them in today and just had to fire one up! ;)

Damn good, but stronger than the Belicosos Fino. They're about the same size, but these have more punch! Same general flavor profile, but more of it and definitely more nicotine. Been a while since a stogie made me light headed. Heh. :)

http://s27.postimg.org/9shbwakhv/bolivar_fonseca_bulliet_rye_005.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

I also got a box of Fonseca's. No idea what they'll be like.

http://s22.postimg.org/b692eozep/bolivar_fonseca_bulliet_rye_003.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

Weird deal is; I had placed a different order with the same source about 4 days earlier, and they haven't showed. You just never know.

I've paired this bully boy with some Bulleit Rye. I'll have a review later.

Excellent. I was discussing this spotty quality issue and spotty delivery issue with a friend that regularly orders contraband sticks. He related similar experiences. Some boxes showing up and some getting lost and some getting seized by customs. Apparently you get a notification letter if they seize something. Sometimes they just "hold" a shipment for a specified period of time and then release it. Weird.

He was also telling me that in recent Ramone Allones boxes there are usually 2-5 sticks that are plugged and cannot be smoked.

I really like the Boliovars. Looking forward to your review.

[El Jefe]

Excellent. I was discussing this spotty quality issue and spotty delivery issue with a friend that regularly orders contraband sticks. He related similar experiences. Some boxes showing up and some getting lost and some getting seized by customs. Apparently you get a notification letter if they seize something. Sometimes they just "hold" a shipment for a specified period of time and then release it. Weird.

He was also telling me that in recent Ramone Allones boxes there are usually 2-5 sticks that are plugged and cannot be smoked.

I really like the Boliovars. Looking forward to your review.

Hey, my brother. :)

Yeah, there is no free lunch. I'll be in touch when when I'm sober. ;)

[TEN-32]

Hey, my brother. :)

Yeah, there is no free lunch. I'll be in touch when when I'm sober. ;)

No worries. Check your inbox. I pinged you a couple days ago.:cool1:

[El Jefe]

No worries. Check your inbox. I pinged you a couple days ago.:cool1:

Oh yeah, bromide. Did you not get my rebound???

[El Jefe]

I'm gonna add some Bolivars to my next order. Never tried rye but I do like rye bread so why not, right?

Um, Ready, pm me. These are uh, contraband. ;)

[mrkalashnikov]

You can get Monte #2's from Switzerland for $256 for a box of 25. So basically $10 a stick. Now, stop and think of some of the crazy prices you see on non-Cuban smokes. Hard to justify.

Theoretically speaking..*cough*...wouldn't it be nice if a handful of afficianados pooled their resources & purchased a box (or more) of said heaven?

[El Jefe]

Theoretically speaking..*cough*...wouldn't it be nice if a handful of afficianados pooled their resources & purchased a box (or more) of said heaven?

What you got in mind? I've ordered 5 boxes these past three weeks.

[ready]

Ohhhh, I just punched bolivar into the ole interweb and came up with these.

https://www.jrcigars.com/jr/mobile/index.cfm/hurl/evt=itemDetail/itemcode=BFBE/BOLIVAR-COFRADIA-BELICOSO-FINO.html

[TEN-32]

Oh yeah, bromide. Did you not get my rebound???

Nope.

[El Jefe]

Ohhhh, I just punched bolivar into the ole interweb and came up with these.

https://www.jrcigars.com/jr/mobile/index.cfm/hurl/evt=itemDetail/itemcode=BFBE/BOLIVAR-COFRADIA-BELICOSO-FINO.html

Right. Almost all of the Habana brands have a non-Cuban counterpart. Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Honduras, Mexico on and on.....

I've never tried the non Cuban Bolivar's. They well may be superb, but they'll be different from these. :)

[CigarGuy]

They well may be superb,

They are not. I, personally, don't like ANY of the domestically available, Habano-named cigars.
There are too many boutique makers that make stuff I like.

[El Jefe]

They are not. I, personally, don't like ANY of the domestically available, Habano-named cigars.
There are too many boutique makers that make stuff I like.

Stan, just for fun let me quiz you about something. When you smoke a cigar, how much of the smoke goes through your nose and thus over your olfactory system?

[CigarGuy]

It does not come "naturally" to me, and, thus, I have to REMEMBER to do it.
IF I do, no more then 3-4X a cigar, though.
Now, BEFORE lighting I do a lot of wiffing and dry drawing.

[El Jefe]

It does not come "naturally" to me, and, thus, I have to REMEMBER to do it.
IF I do, no more then 3-4X a cigar, though.
Now, BEFORE lighting I do a lot of wiffing and dry drawing.

Interesting, and telling. When I smoke a cigar, a good 30 to 50% of the smoke goes through my nose. Hell, probably 10 to 20% spends a short time in my lungs. This might explain why we like a different profile in smokes.

[CigarGuy]

Interesting, and telling. When I smoke a cigar, a good 30 to 50% of the smoke goes through my nose. Hell, probably 10 to 20% spends a short time in my lungs. This might explain why we like a different profile in smokes.

<nodding> You might be onto something, there. A "strong" cigar seems "stronger" to me through the nose then on the palate.

[El Jefe]

<nodding> You might be onto something, there. A "strong" cigar seems "stronger" to me through the nose then on the palate.

For me, if I couldn't for some reason use my nose, I probably wouldn't smoke cigars. 99% of the good flavors I notice as its going through my nose, in and again as I exhale. I know some are perhaps horrified, but if I'm going to smoke then by gawd i'm going to smoke!

[El Jefe]

<nodding> You might be onto something, there. A "strong" cigar seems "stronger" to me through the nose then on the palate.

Also, yes.

[TEN-32]

For me, if I couldn't for some reason use my nose, I probably wouldn't smoke cigars. 99% of the good flavors I notice as its going through my nose, in and again as I exhale. I know some are perhaps horrified, but if I'm going to smoke then by gawd i'm going to smoke!

I'm with you here Rick. I push as much out the nose as I can in pursuit of the flavor profiles. I know I end up inhaling some, unintentionally. :cigarsmoking:

[ready]

Hmmm, interesting. My nose doesnt move much air. Ive had it fixed a couple times but I still dont smell things the same way my wife does. They smell completely different to me.

[El Jefe]

I'm with you here Rick. I push as much out the nose as I can in pursuit of the flavor profiles. I know I end up inhaling some, unintentionally. :cigarsmoking:

Theres no free lunch. ;)

[El Jefe]

Hmmm, interesting. My nose doesnt move much air. Ive had it fixed a couple times but I still dont smell things the same way my wife does. They smell completely different to me.

I knew a guy in high school who took a discus off the beak. He couldn't hardly smell anything after the corrective surgeries he needed. Damn shame.