Along with my cigar hobby, I have others as well, but I’ve found that cigar forums I’ve joined are much like guitar forums. There are lots of gatekeepers. There are so many people who vocally express their disdain for the mainstream manufacturers and that the only equipment comes from the boutique builders.
It’s bullshit of course. I can’t tell you how many boutique items I’ve purchased that suffered from quality issues and didn’t last more than a couple of months. There are others that sounded absolutely horrible in my signal chain. And make no mistake, when you buy boutique, you pay a premium. On the other hand, I’ve had very few quality issues with mainstream gear. They’re reliable and I can count on them to work when I power them up.
But that said, I have a mix of mainstream and boutique gear in my signal. Why? Simply because I buy what works for me. To me, good is good, no matter the price or who makes it.
The same goes for cigars. I have a mix of boutique and mainstream cigars and I have lots of sticks from makers that garner a lot of negative feedback on the forums. For instance, I love every single Rocky Patel cigar I’ve smoked. One of my new daily favorites is the RP Cargo. It’s consistently good. And it’s cheap. I’ve also never had a Gurkha that I didn’t like.
And as far as cost is concerned, more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better. I’ve had a few Cohiba Behike’s. They’re excellent cigars. But all things being equal, I can name several other sticks I’d smoke over a Behike because they appeal much more to my palate.
Here’s the thing: I don’t have a favorite cigar! I simply smoke what I’m in the mood for. If I want something exotic-tasting, I’ll smoke an Oliva Master Blends 3. If I want something dark and brooding, I’ll grab a Gurkha Widow Maker. Nutty? A Roly or Cusano M1. Bright and uplifting? Montecristo White Label.
To me, that’s the beauty of cigars. There’s so much variety. Granted, since I’m still in my discovery phase, I’ve rarely come across cigars I didn’t like, and even when I have, I keep an open mind. And I’ve learned from my other hobbies to never gatekeep as everyone has their own preferences.
Unco B's Stogie Diary 