Smoking some domestics

[ivo]

  As my CC stash has thinned of late, I've had to make some hard choices when it comes time to smoke.  Lately, I've been opening my NC humidor more and more and more....

  I decided to try some new(to me) sticks that were supposedly 'aging,' and this is what I've been able to surmise:

  Padilla is not for me.  15 minutes into this cigar, and I was already debating chucking the damned thing. Just heavy, overly sweet- that may not be the most accurate way to describe it, but it's what I remember, and it wasn't anything I was looking for in a cigar.  Padilla 1932.  Torp.  No thank you.  Have a double robusto-ish with the same band still sitting in my humi.  And its gonna [i]stay[/i] there.

  PJ/DPG-  You know, I've had a number of these, from tat red label(forgive me if I get some of the names wrong, I don't follow the 'kool-aid,' so-to-speak), tat cojonu, la verite, DPG black label, San Cristobal, and so on...  Guys, I have tried.  And I do not see the light.  ...okay, there were a couple, being the tat red label and the la verite, that were [b]acceptable.[/b]  Until you consider [u]the price for a la verite.[/u]  The rest were forgettable.  Granted, they didn't garner the reaction I had with the Padilla.  But I don't get it.  I guess I should be thankful, as there's not much left in my wallet to be acquiring new favorites.  There is a DPG lancero left in my humi.  I'm actually curious as to what the flavor will be like- there aren't many lanceros I've met that I didn't like.

  La Flor Dominica- I really didn't expect much from the 2 "double ligero" samples that were gifted to me in one of my first trades on CF.  One was a lancero, the other was a 'chisel' torp.  The lancero was fired up last thursday.  The first half was so strong I had to get some coffee as a chaser.  However, the second half was a welcome surprise.  It was heavy, don't get me wrong, but there was at least some dark chocolate notes that I remember.  A welcome surprise.  So I had my hopes up 2 days later when I fired up the 'chisel.'  Not as strong as the lancero, of course, but not disappointing, either.  the same heady notes, especially the last third.  Very enjoyable.  Thank you, Sheldon.  I did not expect to be delighted as I was when I was finishing that lancero. 

  Finally, I've run out of my former go-to cigar, the AF chateau sungrown.  Had some doubles and robustos, but alas, they are no longer populating the humi.  I was even wowed by a 5-6 year old rothschild.  I guess you never outgrow your first favorite.

  So I'll say that still, [i]still-[/i] AF is hard to beat on the domestic front.  The consistency of their chateau and hemingway lines are unmatched, IMO.  I know there are those of you who will swear by Nicaraguan tobacco, but I will go ahead and just say that its me, not you.  Let's just be friends.

[randomhero1090]

Hard to beat AF Chateaus for overall value.

[tksamtec]

I am curious to see what you think of the DPG lancero you have... I have smoked all of the DPG line, some fresh from the local B&M and some aged a few years... and I don't think that stuff ages well.  I smoked a 5 year old DPG Series JJ Salamone a couple months back, and it was not good at all... jsut an ashy big assed smoke, with no other flavors... just ash.  I do think the DPG Lancero collection (2 of all 5 types) I have has aged well though, and the 2 of them I have smoked thus far have been very good.

I completely agree with you... the AF line, especially the Hemi's and Chateau Sungrowns are great smokes... they always burn great, and are very consistent with alot of really nice flavors.  I always keep my Fuente stash fairly stocked, and to me, they are always a nice go to smoke.

[Knuck42]

Interesting post ivo.  A buncha years ago I would have disagreed with you, but right about now I find that I have to concur.  I think several varaibles play into this. 

First, the most popular names pumping out cigars rolled with Nicaraguan tobacco have whored out their name(s) to the point where blends have suffered.  Say what you will, but a DPG Blue Label today ain't the same smoke it was 5+ years ago, at least not to me.  (And this is to say nothing of construction issues).  The same may be said of many of the other popular Nicaraguan lines as well. 

Prior to the explosion in popularity of these Nicaraguan brands I mostly smoked Cuban and Dominican cigars, the vast majority of the latter were Aturo Fuente products.  Then the Nicaraguan explosion came and the Dominican smokes took a back seat and somewhere along the line they were all but pushed outof the car alltogether.  Then came the nicaraguan backslide in QC, and now the vast majority of what I smoke is only Cuban. 

Recently I smoked a Fuente Double Chat and I found that it was like connecting with an old friend.  As soon as I lit it up fond memories came flooding back to me of times and places where I used to smoke these regularly.  I really enjoyed that smoke!  And while I don't see myself smoking these, or any Dominican cigars for that matter, with the regularity that I once did, I think they may well find a place in my rotation that they have not occupied in quite some time.

YMMV     

[ivo]

  Smoked the DPG lancero about a week ago.  Sort of one-dimensional, but you know what?  It was good.  Dare I say, delicious.  Surprising. 

  So there you go.

[jimbobber]

Even though my tastebuds are too shot to really appreciate the milder cigars, the flavors of Nicaraguan tobacco seem too overwhelming to me most of the time; but if I need a strong nicotine blast I'll reach for one regardless. I think, even then, I really only like them in the 6-month to 2 y/o range.

[canadianbeaver]

Thank you for starting this thread. It is such a great topic. I also have Cuban and n/c humidors and love to dance between the two.

My favorite n/c sticks are La Aurora. And I have become such a Cuban smoker of late that n/c's really have to perform beautifully from beginning to end. I will pay top dollar for smokes since we only have so long on this earth and Matthew says, "Ok Lisa, what are you picking for us to smoke today?" Oh the pressure!

Add PJ Cabaiguan to list too please. And of course, Opus X.

CB

[Scott From NY]

I love Chat and Double Chat SG, my go to daily smokes. always have a box or two around.

[Fuente Fan]

Everyday smokes in domestics are AF Cuban Beli, AF Queen B, 858 SG (I like Sun growns), Mag R 44, Hemingways, and PAM.

[Gee-Man]

Domestics have been:
Illusione
Hemingway Sigs
Everything Padron. :bigup: