What Cigar are you smoking? (2026)

Sid.Stavros

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Salutes from Athens-Greece, we have sun and 62 'F here.

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El Viejo Continente.
 

WillQuantrill

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The MSRP on Cigar Aficionado's 2025 Cigar of the Year is 7,500 cents. Whether or not it's good will remain a mystery to me.
At that price it better come with a lapdance! I've often wondered what is the maximum price a cigar is worth before we cross the line into remorse or the thought of "no smoking experience is worth this price". My high dollar amount currently at $15/stick is in the realm of very very nice/enjoyable cigars. Wish I could say I haven't overpaid for the $30 cigar but turns out Im a sucker for Anniversary sticks so the marketing works. The only time I could say that this... Cohiba Behike (for example) is worth $50 was because it was gifted to me. Haha
 

Madmountain

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Just rolled some scraps to test new wrappers. Lighter two are ISA Broadleaf from LO and darker two are Aged Pennsylvania from LO. My go to wrapper is Nicaraguan, but I don’t want to use it all and at the same time want to try some “local” options.
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WiscoGold

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I’m not too keen on infused cigars but I’m partial to a Kuba Kuba from time to time. I recently discovered Cigar Bid so have some really nice cigars in my humidor that I couldn’t otherwise afford as a daily smoke. For instance I 5 Alec Bradley Nicaraguan Tempus box pressed toros and 5 Cohiba Nicaraguan robustos for $22. The Cohibas arrived to dry to smoke right away but the Tempus arrived ready to smoke and to date are my favorite cigar.
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WiscoGold

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ow that I finally take a picture it’s when I’m smoking the only one that wasn’t absolutely perfect lol…it’s canoeing on me unfortunately and out of the 5 I’ve had it’s the only one to have an imperfection and it’s more than likely user error and not that of the cigar itself.

I’m relatively new to this amazing hobby (who am I kidding it’s not a hobby, it’s a way of life now!) but this cigar is delicious! I was trying to space them out and let a few age to see what else they might have to offer with time to develop but they’re just to good imo so this is the last one and now I’m on cigar bid hunting for some more.

I still have some other cigars I haven’t tried yet in the humidor and quite literally countless other ones I’ve yet to buy. Which is a bit of a conundrum for me because if there’s better cigars out there than this (to my palette of course) then I’m stoked because I never knew a cigar could taste this good…. But if I really have found what will be the best cigar I ever taste and nothing will top it, I’ll be a little disappointed. Not knowing is exciting in its own way though!IMG_3288.jpeg
 

WiscoGold

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Felt like a morning smoke so having my first ever Oliva paired with some coffee with a splash of heavy cream…very well constructed, smooth draw, my ash has been “toothy” since the start )and I could tell it would be just by looking at the wrapper). I’m not sure if that really plays a role in the flavor but I see it mentioned and think it looks cool.

My palette is still “learning” if you will, but accenting the very mellow tobacco flavor I pick up hints of cream, hay, and a very light almost nutty note. Smoothest retrohale I’ve ever experienced as of yet.

It is a good cigar and albeit a little lackluster. I was expecting the flavor profile to build, (probably because I’ve seen it hyped up quite a bit) but it stayed pretty consistent throughout. I will definitely purchase more for the right price at some point in the future and it’s piqued my interest as to what the rest of the Oliva lines have to offer.
 

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The Haroo ln

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I have the serie ls O in my humidor. I always get a lot of spice on the retrohale. They taste like a fuller strength cuban to me. Its amazing to see how different people can get competely different notes from the same cigar.
 

WiscoGold

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I have the serie ls O in my humidor. I always get a lot of spice on the retrohale. They taste like a fuller strength cuban to me. Its amazing to see how different people can get competely different notes from the same cigar.
I agree, a couple buddies of mine and me get together once in a while and we take turns each buying the cigars for that occasion and then smoke them and discuss the cigar (and life in general) almost like a book club and some of the times we all pick up widely different flavor notes.

For instance we smoked the Punch Classico double maduro a little while back. For me it was a spice bomb, an in your face full bodied, spice, pepper, earthy, with maybe a hint of bitter chocolate and to one of my friends it was more mellow with chocolate and coffee coming through stronger and only hints of spice and pepper.

Are there any cigars in the Oliva line that you would recommend I try next? From smooth to bold I like all cigars, there’s just so many I have a hard time picking.
 

WiscoGold

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Thank you both for the recommendations; I think I will try the V Melanio next and Gilberto Reserva next. Cigar bid has samplers with both of those series right now so will see if I can’t bid snipe them for a steal this evening.

Today’s stick was the Cohiba Nicaragua robusto that I had to let sit with a Boveda for a little over a week before I thought it was ready to try. Was a very good stick overall, with a lot of spice upfront followed by hints of earth and oak. Definitely looking forward to the rest of them.
 

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TigerTom

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I wasn't able to snap good photos while I was smoking them, but today I was fortunate enough to enjoy a few tasty sticks.

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The Aladino Corojo is quite tasty. It's purportedly "100% Authentic Corojo", and from what I understand it's the original strain no longer grown in Cuba due to disease resistance (or lack thereof). Whatever it is, they do a good job of it.

The Oliva Master Blends 3 is a favorite. It's CT Broadleaf over Nicaraguan Habano ligero. On paper it might seem overpowering, but it's very well balanced and smooth. I've only ever bought a whole box of one cigar, this one.

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Plasencia Reserva Original. My first Plasencia. Just below medium strength. It was unusual for me in that it started with an obvious but not overpowering note of burnt toast. Burnt toast isn't something I typically enjoy, but this was good. It settled down and about halfway through more of the typical Nicaraguan spiciness I'm accustomed to showed up and stayed to the end. One I'll gladly smoke again.

(Edited to add missing punctuation.)
 

The Haroo ln

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Night off work, just had a lovely pizza and chips and now finishing the night off with a tatuaje corojo. Definitely different flavour from the 'standard' tatuaje line. This tastes like a toned down version of some kind of AJ fernandez blend. Just enough leather and nuttiness to keep it somewhat within the tatuaje portfolio though. Lovely cigar!
 

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Madmountain

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My current blend is very enjoyable. I’m rolling 48’s with half and half Dominican seco and ligero, with one half leaf each of Nicaraguan Jalapa seco and ligero. Binder is Nicaraguan as is the wrapper.
This may be my go to blend from now on.
Also my experiment with stacking the ligero and seco in the same storage bag, alternating leaves has done very well. This allows the flavors to blend while waiting to be bound. This really seems to help reduce aging time. I don’t have to wait a month to enjoy them.
Alex
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Fleabag

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Currently smoking a Micallef - Herencia Maduro Londres. Pretty standard flavour, mild, tasty, not as much of the thick ripe flavour I like but still nice. Good smoke and nice draw. Very peppery on the retro.

My childhood best friend passed away and I haven't caught up with him for years. Enjoying this cigar and remembering the adventures we had.

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The Haroo ln

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Avo xo notturno. Something new here in the UK (or atleast at the shop where I buy). Dominican filler/binder with a connecticut shade wrapper. Corona format. Supposed to be a medium-full strength cigar but definitely starts off on the mild side of the spectrum and doesn't really go much past medium. But thats typical with most dominican blends and shade wrappers. The only shade wrapped cigar i've smoked thats on the fuller end was the camacho connecticut. Any way back to the smoke at hand, its very very smooth. I wouldnt call it complex as there are very individually singled out notes of slight spice and cedar. Then theres the creaminess and slighlty nutty taste of the wrapper. Not much oomph on the retrohale but i would say it is a Beautiful morning smoke! Almost reminds me of the davidoff no 2. Back when the kelners were the producers and it was a 'competitively' priced stick.
 

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