Newbie Top 10

[MX]

If you had to reccomend 10 sticks for a newbie to start with what would they be? This is open to everyone FOG's, Established, other Newbies...

I would like to keep it to only non-ISOM's.....for now

I will be using this intel to help me place an order for myself and a few friends that have decided to take up cigar smoking.

Please give as much of the full name of the stick as you can, and remember that price IS a consideration, but not a huge one...


Tim

 

[wasy]

I'll keep it affordable too.

1 Short Story AF
2 Cuban Belicoso AF
3 Padron Delicias Maduro
4 Padron 3000 Maduro
5 Tatuaje Havana VI Angeles
6 Do Pepin Black Robusto 1979
7 CAO Brazilia Gol
8 Fonseca Cuban Limitado Beli (the small beli)
9 LFD Chiselito Maduro
10 Partagas Black Clasico

I think all those boxes can be had for between $60 and $110

 

[Devil Doc]

Need to know more about the newbie. Is he a former cigarette smoker? Does he turn green easily. Does he have any idea what he likes? Is he a drinker? Important stuff when trying to recomend cigars.

Doc.

 

[Brickhouse]

Like Wasy, I made this an "affordable" list. It only makes sense for a new smoker. So don't look at this as my top 10 favorites.

1. Tatuaje Noella
2. Tatuaje Regios
3. Tatuaje Havana VI (any of them)
4. Don Pepin Blue Label
5. Don Pepin Black Label
6. Padron 2000 Maduro
7. Arturo Fuente Short Story
8. Arturo Fuente 858 Maduro
9. Arturo Fuente Cuban Belicoso
10. Ashton VSG Tres Mystique

 

[mmburtch]

While there are some great cigars on the list above, I would consider a number of them more mid-level than newbie. There are a couple on there that still occasionally turn me grean and I'm a daily smoker. There are also some cigars on that list that have complexities that make them good cigars, but might easilly just pass by a smoker with an in-experienced pallete.

If your goal is to start to appreciate different flavors and complexities, then I would reccomend buying a variety of <$5 sticks with various different wrappers. Pick from some of the standby manufacturers you see mentioned most often here. Padron, Rocky Patel, Feunte, CAO, Ashton, and even some of the bundles can be good for starting out. I would avoid the stronger cigars, until you start to get a better idea of the flavor profile you like, otherwise, it will just be a niccotine high, with no flavor pleasure.

Just my opinion

 

[MX]

I know that I left it very vauge....and there a lot of things that are considered when you judge a Cigar.
I was just looking to try and get to the starting line. I might have picked the worse time to become a cigar smoker, all I can get local are knock-offs that are over priced and dry....

I have my wife sending me some sticks that the local B&M helped pick, and I plan on making an online order in the next week or so.

Thanks
Tim

 

[BlindedByScience]

Like Wasy, I made this an "affordable" list. It only makes sense for a new smoker. So don't look at this as my top 10 favorites.

1. Tatuaje Noella
2. Tatuaje Regios
3. Padron PAN64 Exclusivo
4. Don Pepin Blue Label
5. Don Pepin Black Label
6. Padron 2000 Maduro
7. Arturo Fuente Short Story
8. Padron 2000 Natural
9. Arturo Fuente Cuban Belicoso
10. Ashton VSG Tres Mystique

A couple of changes. Added a Padron natty so the "beginner" can taste natural and maduro cigars in the same blend / vitola. And, a PAN64 makes a great "starter" high end stick....along with the VSG.

While there are some great cigars on the list above, I would consider a number of them more mid-level than newbie. There are a couple on there that still occasionally turn me grean and I'm a daily smoker. There are also some cigars on that list that have complexities that make them good cigars, but might easilly just pass by a smoker with an in-experienced pallete......

Just my opinion

Agree and disagree. There's nothing in there that's known as a hands down "ass kicker". This is indeed a "mid+ level" starter kit but one of the benefits of asking someone's experienced opinion about smokes is....their experience. If a guy is such a rookie that he "doesn't care" what he smokes, there are lots of decent bundles out there that should get the job done pretty well. By the time they are to the point where they are asking for some advice, I think the smokes in that list are appropriate....

One mans opinion - B.B.S.

 

[Devil Doc]

Ok, lets assume you are a Virgin. I would not recommend any of the cigars that have been mentioned. Memories of newbieness are sometimes short. Some of the cigars mentioned would probably lay you away. Start with CT. Shade wrapped Dominican cigars. Remember that at one time CT. shade wrapped cigars were the most popular in the U.S and for good reason. They come in every price range and quality. The original blend Montecristo, although expensive for what you get, is a good start. So are the Ashton CT shade. There are many others. If you tolerate these well and are looking for a more robust smoke, move to the sungrown wrapped cigars like Rocky Patel's and AF sungrowns. This should keep you busy and broke.

Doc.

 

[JHolmes763]

I know you asked for a list of ten, but if you're starting off like I was, the samplers were always my favorite to try some different kinds of cigars. CI has a bunch of them at decent prices...

Rocky Patel 'Taster' Deal - I'm a huge Rocky Patel fan, so I wouldn't mind getting this one myself to try the Edge Lite and lighter-wrapper Patel blends.

Alec Bradley Maxx Sampler - Gives a good selection of cameroon, corojo and maduro wrappers. I really like the Trilogy and Ovation line and they're pretty cheap, too.

La Aurora Sampler

CAO Sampler

Torano Sampler - I personally haven't had many Torano that I've liked, but this offers a variety of wrappers and sizes to try.

There are many others here. Give it a look. There are plenty of other sites that offer samplers, too, so I don't mean to just plug CI.

Good luck.

---John Holmes...

 

[MX]

Romeo y Julieta 1875
Fonseca Vintage
Gurkha Doble Maduro
Connecticut by Rocky Patel
Carlos Torano 1916 Cameroon

I know this only 5, but is it a good start? What do ya think?

 

[wanlail]

Romeo y Julieta 1875
Fonseca Vintage
Gurkha Doble Maduro
Connecticut by Rocky Patel
Carlos Torano 1916 Cameroon

I know this only 5, but is it a good start? What do ya think?

I haven't had a RyJ in a long time, so i can't comment on those... The Fonsecas are nice and consistant. The same goes for the CT, I love their silver label which you can find for cheap off of cbid. Personally, the RP Connetticut is too light for me.

 

[mmburtch]

Like Wasy, I made this an "affordable" list. It only makes sense for a new smoker. So don't look at this as my top 10 favorites.

1. Tatuaje Noella
2. Tatuaje Regios
3. Padron PAN64 Exclusivo
4. Don Pepin Blue Label
5. Don Pepin Black Label
6. Padron 2000 Maduro
7. Arturo Fuente Short Story
8. Padron 2000 Natural
9. Arturo Fuente Cuban Belicoso
10. Ashton VSG Tres Mystique

A couple of changes. Added a Padron natty so the "beginner" can taste natural and maduro cigars in the same blend / vitola. And, a PAN64 makes a great "starter" high end stick....along with the VSG.

While there are some great cigars on the list above, I would consider a number of them more mid-level than newbie. There are a couple on there that still occasionally turn me grean and I'm a daily smoker. There are also some cigars on that list that have complexities that make them good cigars, but might easilly just pass by a smoker with an in-experienced pallete......

Just my opinion

Agree and disagree. There's nothing in there that's known as a hands down "ass kicker". This is indeed a "mid+ level" starter kit but one of the benefits of asking someone's experienced opinion about smokes is....their experience. If a guy is such a rookie that he "doesn't care" what he smokes, there are lots of decent bundles out there that should get the job done pretty well. By the time they are to the point where they are asking for some advice, I think the smokes in that list are appropriate....

One mans opinion - B.B.S.

So I have been pondering this all day. Two things have altered my original opinion. The first, is my memory of the posts you have made recently. You have been openly requesting advice. To me this indicates that you are in it for the long haul, and would prefer not to make mistakes. The second is your location, which I missed originally.

I would still recommend some of the better bundled cigars like Tampa Sweethearts or Connies for those times when you are doing something else while smoking, and to throw at friends that you are trying to get interested. For those times though, when you get to sit back, relax and smoke a cigar with friends, I would recommend that you smoke the best cigar you can afford, and learn through it how to appreciate all of what makes it a great cigar.

 

[tsmckenney]

1. Fuente Short Story
2. Padron 2000 Maduro
3. Ashton Classic Robusto
4. Gurkha Master Select Presidente
5. Fuente Sun Grown Cuban Belicoso
6. La Gloria Cubana Serie R #5
7. Fuente Don Carlos #4
8. The Edge Torpedo Maduro by Rocky Patel
9. Don Pepin JJ Belicoso
10. Tatuaje Regios

 

[MX]

So I have been pondering this all day. Two things have altered my original opinion. The first, is my memory of the posts you have made recently. You have been openly requesting advice. To me this indicates that you are in it for the long haul, and would prefer not to make mistakes. The second is your location, which I missed originally.

I have learned through the course of my life that there are 2 main ways to learn and grow
1. Trial and error
2. From a good teacher

I am trying to avoid as much of number one, buy using you guys to fulfill condition two. I know that I ask a lot of questions, and I hope that I am not being too needy, but I am just trying to establish a sort of base line to start with. Make no mistake though, I am looking forward to some trial and error…well more trial, with less error anyway. Most of the advice I get goes into a note book so that when the time comes I can draw on the years of experience given to me in these forums and hopefully make some wise choices.

Tim

 

[devin112]

some med to full and even full bodied recommendations out there.... not so sure about that.

I think u should keep it at medium bodied, something with flavor.

Perdomo Champagne
RyJ reserva real
casa torano
rocky 1999 connecticut is a lot better then the plain connecticut
fonseca vintage
Palencia organica
rocky vintage 1992
cao gold
cusano double connecticut
macanudo MADURO, don't get the nat
oliva series G, maddy or nat
montecristo white and classic

 

[MX]

After some research, and thinking about all the selections and advice that was give to me, I have made "The crowd goes mild" top 10 smokes that I want to try as a noob to get started....here they are in alpha order

1. CAO Gold - Corona Gorda
2. Cohiba (Domin) - Lonsdale Grande
3. Fonseca Vintage - Robusto
4. Gurkha Vintage - Churchill
5. H. Upmann - Petit Corona
6. Partagas Spanish Rosado - San Agustin
7. Punch Grand Cru - Superiore
8. Rocky Patel Connecticut - Robusto
9. Rocky Patel Edge Lite - Torpedo
10. Romeo y Julieta Viejo - "R"


What do you guys think....

<edit, someone didn't know his alphabet....>