I have a confession

Vulchor

Ok here goes...I dont like house, internet, off label brands of cigars.....There I said it

I will say I LOVE the Ruination, LHCOF, and Verdadero (at least for a mild stick I like). HOWEVER, I dont like the rest. I have tried, believe me I have. I tried 4 different cigar.com blends, 3 different CI Legends blends, All 5 Vegas's, Sol Cubano, Park Ave, Gurhka internet blends, Diesel.....justa bout all of em. While a few were decent at best...the majority I truly thought were bad. I want to like these because I love Cigar.com and love a bargain when I can find one but it just seems for sticks, if they are under 5 bucks at a minimum...I can really taste the difference. Does anyone else have my troubles, or at least able to sympathize with my plight?

bigharpoon

I can sympathize a little bit in that I'm not all that crazy over house labels, although I haven't tried the sungrown yet. I don't like most Gurkhas too much either but I can't draw the line as boldly as you have. I definitely like Diesel and some 5 Vegas and many others. What cigars do you smoke regularly (just curious)?

martymcg43

l ike the 5vegas triple A others not too fond of. i however loved the Diesel. wasnt a huge fan of the brazilian label Ccom blend. i thought the Sungrown was decent. one of those "for 2 bucks it's pretty good" kinda cigars. but not bad.

Vulchor

I tried 2 sungrowns...had to put them out. Diesel is OK, 5 Vegas Relic is OK----again, just saying the vast majority are average or worse...ie the Cuban Legacy. My usual smokes are LFD Double Ligero, Ruination. Anejo, El Triunfador, CAO Soprano, Punch Rare Corojo, RP Edge, Diamond Crown Maximus, CAO Italia, RP Sungrown, Opus, GAR, RP Decade, La Gloria Cubana, St. Luis Rey Series G-----just to name a few.

cabinetmaker

Jeez, when I read the title I thouight you were gonna say you love Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and the tea party.

phobicsquirrel

Did someone say TEA? hehe, mmmmmm...

Not to sound like a nut here, but where you reviewing these sticks or commenting... ;-)

mrpillow

Well seeing as nearly all of the CCOM house blends, and most of those you mentioned, are blended/manufactured by AJ Fernandez, I think it'd be safer to say you just dont like most of HIS creations, which is perfectly understandable. I myself have been let down by the Diesel, Man O War, and LHCOF, but I love the CCOM Brazilian, Nica Libre, and Man O War Virtue.


Taste vary from person to person, smoke what you like and forget the rest

Russ55

It's just personal taste. I'm sure everyone could name at least one popular stick that they don't like. For me, the Decade comes to mind. I think I fell asleep the last time I had one. The regular Padron line doesn't really do it for me either. I still need to give the naturals another chance though. But those are both really well liked and sought after sticks.

Edit: Oh jeez, I almost forgot. Almost everything made by Oliva/nub. I like the V though, but everything else they make I don't like. I do think they are well made sticks and worth trying, just not for me.

Vulchor

cabinetmaker:

Jeez, when I read the title I thouight you were gonna say you love Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and the tea party.

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL-----That was actually my idea Cabi----I was wondering how many would come on and say, "I knew this liberal f@g was lying all along". Sorry for the disappointment in that area...but not as sorry as I am to say what I did in the post.

dennisking

if you smoke Anejos regularly, it's hard to find something that stacks up.

TheDrifter

I'd agree on most counts, didn't like any of the MoW save for the Virtue, the Diesels I could take or leave and the CCOM Brazilian label was meh at best.

I will say my local B&M's house brands are great, they have a maduro that's under $5 a smoke that's fantastic.

Hawk55

+1 Dennis...Vulchor just looking at your regular smokes they seem to be full bodied and for the msot part full flavored. Lots of spice and kick. If these are your Regs, you are probably spoiled for the "ordinary" stuff.

phobicsquirrel

dennisking:

if you smoke Anejos regularly, it's hard to find something that stacks up.

true!

Lasabar

I have a confession too... But the statue of limitations won't let me say it juuuust quite yet

Nick2021

dennisking:

if you smoke Anejos regularly, it's hard to find something that stacks up.

+1

sightunseen

Lasabar:

I have a confession too... But the statue of limitations won't let me say it juuuust quite yet

+1.

Garhead

We all have our own different tastes. Hell, sometimes my palate is off and the cigar tastes like damn LIVER...yes, liver. Gag. Never figured out why, maybe allergies. I hate Graycliff Turbos, they're disgusting....I love Blue Labels, excellent cedar bombs after a few months......Davidoffs are a waste of money, they're like smoking hot air.......Montecristos and Cohibas (non-Cuban) aren't all they're cracked up to be and a waste of money, but damn you might look good with that band on at a bar.......Ruination #2's are incredible, but B&M people look at you like "what the hell are those?".........To each his own cigar.

fla-gypsy

The great thing about this pastime is it is all about the individual smoker. Your probably just spoiled from smoking costly sticks. I cannot afford to purchase the upper echelon and am completely happy smoking some house blends like the Ccom Sungrown, 5 Vegas AAA and anything AJ blends for that matter. Sure I love DPG, Padron, LFD and Camacho too, just don't get to burn as many of those.

phobicsquirrel

Garhead:

We all have our own different tastes. Hell, sometimes my palate is off and the cigar tastes like damn LIVER...yes, liver. Gag. Never figured out why, maybe allergies. I hate Graycliff Turbos, they're disgusting....I love Blue Labels, excellent cedar bombs after a few months......Davidoffs are a waste of money, they're like smoking hot air.......Montecristos and Cohibas (non-Cuban) aren't all they're cracked up to be and a waste of money, but damn you might look good with that band on at a bar.......Ruination #2's are incredible, but B&M people look at you like "what the hell are those?".........To each his own cigar.

really? a dumbfounded look over a MOW? wow. What do they smoke? The last time I was at my bar I smoked a V maddy and people had no idea what it was, I had a few people ask. Though I guess not everyone spends their time online like I do..

ironhorse

It's funny, but up untill about a month ago. I didn't know that CCOM had exclusive cigars except for the house blends. Whenever I walked into a B&M and didn't see any 5 Vegas or Man o War's I just thought that the brand wasn't big enough for the B&M to carry or something. I never asked the owners. So I am like the opposite in that I get 99% of my cigars online and also had no idea that some brands/blends were ONLY for B&M's. Look at everything I am missing out on!
back on topic....I don't really dig the house blends all that much either. I can pretty much take em or leave em. But I will say that I dig AJ's stuff. Some of my favorite everydayer's are Sol Cubano CC, Diesal, and all the MOW's. I am sucker for just about any cigar thats unflavored and constructed well though. For me, cigars are like coffee. As long as its fresh, hot and unflavored, I'll drink it and enjoy it. Some I like more than others, sure, but its all something I enjoy

Alex_Svenson

Its all a matter of taste. I can tell you that premium house blends use the same materials as the national brands which sell for double the price, but that does not necessarily mean they are something people like. At the end of the day, cigars a personal preference. I would however suggest that it may not just be house blends. Sounds like you like about 5% of the house blends out there. However, with hundreds and hundreds of national brands, it sounds like you only like 5% of those also. I only suggest this possibility as I am the same way. Of the 30 or so brands that came out this year at the show, only about 2 would be something I would say I really liked. My house brands I of course love but I made them so I am biased. But when I smoke other company's stuff the proportions are about the same as my national brand preferences.

phobicsquirrel

Alex, I would agree with you. Out of the many cigars I smoke only a select few I stick with.

Vulchor

Thanks for the reply Alex, and after I wrote this I actually was concerned that I came off saying that I thought the house blends were crap or cheap or something----and that was not the case at all. It is no doubt a matter of taste and personal preference and am quite aware you guys are making quality sticks. I, like yourself, do say "no" to MANY more cigars that I enjoy when trying new sticks. I love to try new sticks though and try many, many more new things than most I know. I tried to get out of that some last year and stick with what I know I like------but even if I dont like the new sticks, I just love trying to cigars too much to change that. Money and cigars can certainly be overrated though, I agree. I would take a Verdadero over a Greycliff or Davidoff and a Cuesta Rey over a Cohiba----just a matter of taste I guess. Thanks for everyone else for your replies as well.

fla-gypsy

Vulchor:

Thanks for the reply Alex, and after I wrote this I actually was concerned that I came off saying that I thought the house blends were crap or cheap or something----and that was not the case at all. It is no doubt a matter of taste and personal preference and am quite aware you guys are making quality sticks. I, like yourself, do say "no" to MANY more cigars that I enjoy when trying new sticks. I love to try new sticks though and try many, many more new things than most I know. I tried to get out of that some last year and stick with what I know I like------but even if I dont like the new sticks, I just love trying to cigars too much to change that. Money and cigars can certainly be overrated though, I agree. I would take a Verdadero over a Greycliff or Davidoff and a Cuesta Rey over a Cohiba----just a matter of taste I guess. Thanks for everyone else for your replies as well.

I agree with Vulchor, cost is not necessary indicative of good taste, they are just over priced. I love trying anything i haven't had before as long as it is not a "flavored" stick, I hate those. well, flavored with cognac or some other fine spirit might be alright

Vulchor

Or suckin down a fine spirit (or several) with it my gypsy friend:)

Alex_Svenson

Vulchor:

Thanks for the reply Alex, and after I wrote this I actually was concerned that I came off saying that I thought the house blends were crap or cheap or something----and that was not the case at all. It is no doubt a matter of taste and personal preference and am quite aware you guys are making quality sticks. I, like yourself, do say "no" to MANY more cigars that I enjoy when trying new sticks. I love to try new sticks though and try many, many more new things than most I know. I tried to get out of that some last year and stick with what I know I like------but even if I dont like the new sticks, I just love trying to cigars too much to change that. Money and cigars can certainly be overrated though, I agree. I would take a Verdadero over a Greycliff or Davidoff and a Cuesta Rey over a Cohiba----just a matter of taste I guess. Thanks for everyone else for your replies as well.

Dont be concerned my good man. This is an open forum filled with BOTL with a wide range of preferences. I actually picked up a guide to cigars someone wrote in the 1980's. It is amazing to see how few brands were out there prior to the 1990's Customers really could only choose from partagas, punch, montecristo... you get the idea. Even those brands had only one line. now look at them, there are more montecristos out there I have lost track of all of them. My how 20 years can change even an entire industry. I am just grateful as a cigar lover like the rest of you that we have so many options.

Theedge

There are people who would swear up and down they'd rather drink Budweiser than say Grolsch. I do sometimes wonder if it's some strange form of reverse snobery, but who knows.

gmill880

dennisking:

if you smoke Anejos regularly, it's hard to find something that stacks up.

My favorites ...cant wait for their release this year. Still have a few from 08 and some from 09 as well.

docedwards

Confession? Wait, let me get my collar. As for preference as related to price, 2 of my favs are the Indian Tabac Limited Reserve at $2 ea. and the Nica Libre at about $2.75 ea. (Yes, I'm singing the Limited Reserve praise song again)

Vulchor

Agreed with the Tabac.....Nica Libre, dont get the hype.

Fourtotheflush

Vulchor, I agree with both you & Alex here, for the most part. Theres only about 1-5% of Rocky or Ghurka I like. I think its even less of the house & 5 Vegas. The % goes up when we start talking Diesel & MOW, as I like most of those blends. I have to say that most of the higher end premiums I have smoked, Hemmingway, GOF, Ashton I have really liked. Theres only been 1-2 of high end premiums that havent worked with my taste profile. In most cases I really think it is "you get what you paid for" That being said, I still think most of those premiums & super premiums are way overpriced.