The Cuban cigar that hooked You

[Ryn165]

RyJ Churchill tubo in 1997

[bresdogsr]

I was gifted an 06 BPC that was outstanding. That was a year and a half ago. I have sold off most of my NCs and have stocked up on cubans. Enjoying the journey.

[earthson]

HU Mag 50. Still amazed when I find one that starts mild and builds with every puff to a full-flavored crescendo.

RASS were the one that really got me spending my coin.

[PapaDisco]

My first cigar ever was the classic Monte #4. I'd been buying boxes of these for business gifts for some time and eventually thought I ought to try one. It was instant, "Wow! I GET it!"

The first CC that turned be into a box code hound was a Punch Punch. In Hong Kong duty free I picked up a box of Punch Punch tubos, this was before I ever knew what a box code was. Boxes get 'lost' in the back in HKG duty free (they fail to rotate them or something) and this box was 5 years old at that point and man what a dark chocolate flavor those sticks had! For a whole year after that I would spend my two hour layovers in HKG rummaging through the duty free humi!

There are several current faves, all the result of having El Pres pre-select the stock; it means you're getting seriously good stuff every time. One that really stands out is the Punch DC. Cracked a box of 2012's open last summer at the club encampment. Late night, live jazz playing and when my buddy and I each lit up we just looked at each other like, "Holy s##t that's good!" and we burned through that box like damn chain smokers!

[fingerburner]

For me it was a VR Unicos. Probably a combination of mood, setting, mates, drink etc.. but it was utterly sublime. Been sadly chasing the dragon on these ever since.

[habanolover]

My hook was actually 2 cigars. My very first Cubans -RASS immediately followed by a PSD4. So damn good. I spent the next hour or so spinning with nicotine sickness, but oh so worth it.

My very first Cuban box purchases were RASS and Monti2. I know now that they were absolute MONSTER boxes of each and for a while I had to lay down after smoking them I've been on the quest for that quality and depth of flavor every since. Of course, in my continuing quest, my tolerance for vitamin N has increased significantly since then

[subport]

My very first cuban was an RyJ tubo. It did not hook me at all but it was entertaining enough to try other marcas. (I dont own any ryj boxes and if I recall it right, never did)

Later on PSD4, Mag 46 and Monte 4 just hooked me totally. There was no coming back then haha

[smokenj]

Older Parti SDN4 gifted from my father years ago.

[madmarvcr]

VR Unicos got me hook, always have a box, one of my favorites

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[vatche03]

RASS for me. Had a Monte 4 and Monte 2 and PLPC before it. They all were OK but probably needed more rest. The RASS blew my mind. Still have a couple left from that cab... good lord.

[cigcars]

*To be honest, I can't really say any one particular CC hooked me; I was "hooked" just based on their reputation and being long sought after by us folks who did not have ready access to them. The first real Habano I'd had was gifted to me by a tobacconist, and I believe it was a Montecristo Especial. It did not do JACK for me as far as flavor or satisfaction. I mean I was happy as all get out to finally be given one to sample, but it was more of a "meh" stick to me. But that's probably because I'm not a long and skinny lover. I still continually sought them out and have had outstanding Heaven sticks since then. I love them all - particularly Bolivars, Ramon Allones, Partagas and Cohibas. But not the Partagas Serie D seleccions. And the Montecristo No.2 I'd had (the first authentic one anyway) had me going, "...and on the 8th day God created these!"

[CanuckSARTech]

"The Cuban cigar that hooked You..."

I've heard of twigs, sticks, pieces of paper, bugs and the like found in Cuban cigars sometimes, and even might have had it or seen it in cigars myself.

But, if you're finding hooks in there, they must be really desperate for rollers if they're using fishermen now!!!

[Kyoung]

Monte 2! (starts tumbling down the slippery slope that is cuban cigars)

[charlesod]

Monte3

[kevfi]

It was the spring of 2012. I was a few years into a 1-3 cigar a week habit. We travelled to Mexico with friends and were staying in a resort near Cancun. A vendor would come in each evening and sell fresh rolled cigars and Cubans on a table in the rear courtyard. I purchased 3 PSD4's for 3 for $60(U.S.) hoping that they were real. (I talked him down from $25 each thinking that I was getting a great deal) I gave one to each of 2 buddies, we lit them up and the journey began.

While skeptical, I knew that this was the best cigar that I had ever smoked. I returned the next 2 nights and purchased 2 each night to enjoy before my trip ended. The last night there, I asked the guy what he would sell me a box of them for and he said that he didn't have a full box. Ironically, he had 18 left in the box which meant I had already purchased the 7 that were missing. He agreed to include a few Epi2's, H.Upmans and Rass (if I recall correctly) and sold me the box for something like $300-$350.

As I sit here while I write this enjoying another incredible stick from that 2009 box, my only regret is that I am down to only 4 more left. Since I have found FOH and my hero the "mighty Rob" and his team, I have no worries on finding quality smokes, but I owe it all to that vendor in his efforts to make a few bucks on a clueless tourist. I am gonna miss these when they are gone.

[joeboxer]

Mine was a RyJ no. 1 tubo that my father had been aging for about 13 years. It blew my mind away. I will never be the same. I had smoked a fresh RyJ no. 1 years before and enjoyed it but didn't believe there was a huge difference between CC and NC so never pursued Cubans. I was terribly mistaken. Since that experience with the aged RyJ, I have begun investing time and money into acquiring and smoking CC and have not been disappointed.

[cottierm]

A machine-made (at that time) Partagas Aristocrat.

[iGrizz]

Bolivar Royal Corona. A box of 10 tubos I ordered after discovering I could actually obtain the forbidden fruit. ?

[LeafLover]

Monte 2. Was amazing. Have never smoked a 2 or any vitolas in the marca that was it's equal. Failed time and time again. Now it's my least favorite marca.

But that first one was life changing.