Ok, this topic started ages ago so perhaps I should start a new thread but here goes my 10 cents worth.
I have been smoking cigars for two or three years and am still trying out the basics that everyone else seems to already know about ( Just tacked on 2 monte number 2's to a group purchase I'm doing ). I get sucked into too many of those butique brands I guess, but I digress. I also read on the subject some from time to time and its hard to argue with the fact that there is good and bad produced everywhere. A person could generalize though that ISOMS are traditionally stronger so a person that enjoys stronger smokes will love a strong smooth ISOM as many will be. Personally I like milder cigars in general but always up to try things new, but I digress again.
Its very hard to deny though that Cubas woes have lead them to terribly over produce in the persuit of hard currency causing a lot of problems in the cigar lines, IE no time for aging, and poor construction particularly too tight draws. I have never had a dealer sugest against a non-cuban stick but have had more then one refuse to sell an ISOM because the quality wasn't as expected.
This would contrast to the non-ISOMs that have been working extreamly hard to overcome the cubans reputation and have an advantage in diversity that comes from drawing on resources from the rest of the entire world. ( Diversity wouldn't nesesarily be seen as advantage to a pure traditionalist though. )
What does all this boil down to then??
NOTHING!!
If you like tradional ISOMs then its true there is litterally nothing like them, for good or bad. If you like a wider range then there is noway ISOMs will fit the bill, they can't.
Just as a side story to illustrate the point. When I first started smoking hand mades I read everything I could find on the subject and was in aw of the ISOMs. I had just smoked an Ashton Cabinet Select I loved and was wanting an ISOM for my birthday so I placed an order. The guy discuraged me from the COhiba esplendidos I wanted and refused the Cohiba Siglo 4 I think it was because he was getting to many back. I got an order in though and had both an esplendidos and a monte robusto maduro limited edition that he threw in for free. The Cohiba was just OK and the Monte was too strong to be fun to somebody so new to cigars and overall I was very disapointed. I have had ISOMs I have liked very much since then, but I will never forget just how poorly they lived up to all the hype that very first time.
My advise is to keep trying everything you can as long as you can and don't be complacent with the same old things. Your great next memorable smoke may be tomarrow no matter where it happens to be from.
I have been smoking cigars for two or three years and am still trying out the basics that everyone else seems to already know about ( Just tacked on 2 monte number 2's to a group purchase I'm doing ). I get sucked into too many of those butique brands I guess, but I digress. I also read on the subject some from time to time and its hard to argue with the fact that there is good and bad produced everywhere. A person could generalize though that ISOMS are traditionally stronger so a person that enjoys stronger smokes will love a strong smooth ISOM as many will be. Personally I like milder cigars in general but always up to try things new, but I digress again.
Its very hard to deny though that Cubas woes have lead them to terribly over produce in the persuit of hard currency causing a lot of problems in the cigar lines, IE no time for aging, and poor construction particularly too tight draws. I have never had a dealer sugest against a non-cuban stick but have had more then one refuse to sell an ISOM because the quality wasn't as expected.
This would contrast to the non-ISOMs that have been working extreamly hard to overcome the cubans reputation and have an advantage in diversity that comes from drawing on resources from the rest of the entire world. ( Diversity wouldn't nesesarily be seen as advantage to a pure traditionalist though. )
What does all this boil down to then??
NOTHING!!
If you like tradional ISOMs then its true there is litterally nothing like them, for good or bad. If you like a wider range then there is noway ISOMs will fit the bill, they can't.
Just as a side story to illustrate the point. When I first started smoking hand mades I read everything I could find on the subject and was in aw of the ISOMs. I had just smoked an Ashton Cabinet Select I loved and was wanting an ISOM for my birthday so I placed an order. The guy discuraged me from the COhiba esplendidos I wanted and refused the Cohiba Siglo 4 I think it was because he was getting to many back. I got an order in though and had both an esplendidos and a monte robusto maduro limited edition that he threw in for free. The Cohiba was just OK and the Monte was too strong to be fun to somebody so new to cigars and overall I was very disapointed. I have had ISOMs I have liked very much since then, but I will never forget just how poorly they lived up to all the hype that very first time.
My advise is to keep trying everything you can as long as you can and don't be complacent with the same old things. Your great next memorable smoke may be tomarrow no matter where it happens to be from.
