I have been smoking since the day I turned 18 in 2003, and had missed some great cigars from before my time. As a result I made myself a list of special cigars that I wanted to hunt down and buy to try and thought it would be cool to see what u guys have on your lists. I have been fortunate enough to have smoked all varieties of rare Fuentes (except the new opus UAE only cigar), My Father, Tatuaje and Padron cigars as they were released so you may not see some of the ones I have been fortunate enough to have on here.
1. Padron millennium maduro: this was my number one to find and try and was finally given one by a very generous friend for helping out with his family lol. It was amazing and lived up to my own built up hype but the best part was enjoying it with my friend who gave me one while he had his own.
2. Padron family cigar: I don’t know how to write this one up because it was given to me by the padrons and had only a band which had the serial numbers. The family knows I am a big fan and collector and when they gave it to me they just said enjoy. I cut it and smoked it right there and the funniest part was that they then told me they thought I was going to keep it in my humidor and not smoke it lol
3. Oliva masterblends 1, 2, 3 culebra (unreleased). Thanks to my family’s dear friend Bert (all longtime Florida smokers know who he is) was given two and he was kind enough to share one set with me. It’s unbanded and since Bert passed away, I have decided to keep it to remember him by and smoke it only on the most special of occasion.
4. Tatuaje Frank original release: I thought I missed out on this because none of my stores were part of the original “unlucky 13” but then a friend went to DC and told me to call a store. I gave my info and then a box came in the mail with the stores last 2 sticks. I loved the cigars but tracking them down is what made it make my list.
5. Partagas 150: my fathers all time favorite cigar so I had heard so much about them and had only ever seen a few in private collections. Finally I handled some legal work for a client who I had smoked with numerous times and he gifted me one for myself and one for my father which was so special to share with him
6. Davidoff intenso robusto: my friend in college worked for nearby Coronas and he kept telling me about a sold out cigar that was so unique for davidoff that made me go crazy hunting for it. Finally Jeff who owns Coronas had me and a few friends over to the grand opening pre party for his second store and gave me one which was so enjoyable, but have not been able to find more
7. CAO Millennium: I didn’t know about it till too late but was so lucky and somehow found one and even though it didn’t live up to my own hype I created around it, it was still great
8. CAO Super Bowl: another cigar that I managed to track down after a short but tough hunt lol. It was a huge letdown for some reason though. It was super plugged and had an odd, almost sweet flavor. My friend smoked one with me and his description still sticks with me after more than 10 years, he said it tasted like a glazed donut lol. That being said, I am still so happy to have had a chance to smoke it
9. Fuente destino: my parents sent my friends and I on a trip to Vegas for my 21st birthday. I actually beat the odds and did well and spent all my winnings on cigars in casa Fuente lol. One cigar I decided was too expensive was the destino with a price of $125 and went home thinking about the missed opportunity. To make matters worse, Patrick Ewing was there and was comped 25 bundles of them lol. When my parents went to Vegas a few weeks later, my dad called me and told me he was there to buy the Destino but the employee had no idea what he was talking about, I got on the phone with her and told her where they were and my dad came home with one for me. He used a small travel humidor and so much pressure from flying caused the humidor to be unopenable without tools, so there was a few insane moments of anticipation, hoping that I didn’t damage the cigar with the tools I had to use to open it lol. It ended up being great and since then have actually had 2 more which my cousin brought me after graduating law school. This cigar is so unique for Fuente and might be one of my all time favorites.
What I am still looking for with little to no luck lol
1. Ashton VSG ER. I have found these on eBay but was told not to buy them as they were likely fakes with reused bands. I was so disappointed but let the auction get away. I have asked all of my Ashton contacts for help and none have been able to do so
2. Fuente Liana wedding cigar: I don’t know if this is a different blend but a few friends went and showed me pics of the cigar and band and said it was incredible
3. Fuente Opus X Amor Del Desierto: the newest cigar on this list, I have already began my hunt with literally 0 luck lol. I have called tons of stores in Dubai and none have it and it seems very hard to find so far
4. My Father special white box version. My family and I are good friends with the My Father family and have known Pepin and his entire family for about 25 years. We go to the office fairly often and they have a box of 3 there but they couldn’t open it because it was only for pictures lol. I do have a few red boxes and a single green box though
I’m sure I’ll be adding more as time goes one and I think about others but I can’t wait to see some of your guys lists.
1. Padron millennium maduro: this was my number one to find and try and was finally given one by a very generous friend for helping out with his family lol. It was amazing and lived up to my own built up hype but the best part was enjoying it with my friend who gave me one while he had his own.
2. Padron family cigar: I don’t know how to write this one up because it was given to me by the padrons and had only a band which had the serial numbers. The family knows I am a big fan and collector and when they gave it to me they just said enjoy. I cut it and smoked it right there and the funniest part was that they then told me they thought I was going to keep it in my humidor and not smoke it lol
3. Oliva masterblends 1, 2, 3 culebra (unreleased). Thanks to my family’s dear friend Bert (all longtime Florida smokers know who he is) was given two and he was kind enough to share one set with me. It’s unbanded and since Bert passed away, I have decided to keep it to remember him by and smoke it only on the most special of occasion.
4. Tatuaje Frank original release: I thought I missed out on this because none of my stores were part of the original “unlucky 13” but then a friend went to DC and told me to call a store. I gave my info and then a box came in the mail with the stores last 2 sticks. I loved the cigars but tracking them down is what made it make my list.
5. Partagas 150: my fathers all time favorite cigar so I had heard so much about them and had only ever seen a few in private collections. Finally I handled some legal work for a client who I had smoked with numerous times and he gifted me one for myself and one for my father which was so special to share with him
6. Davidoff intenso robusto: my friend in college worked for nearby Coronas and he kept telling me about a sold out cigar that was so unique for davidoff that made me go crazy hunting for it. Finally Jeff who owns Coronas had me and a few friends over to the grand opening pre party for his second store and gave me one which was so enjoyable, but have not been able to find more
7. CAO Millennium: I didn’t know about it till too late but was so lucky and somehow found one and even though it didn’t live up to my own hype I created around it, it was still great
8. CAO Super Bowl: another cigar that I managed to track down after a short but tough hunt lol. It was a huge letdown for some reason though. It was super plugged and had an odd, almost sweet flavor. My friend smoked one with me and his description still sticks with me after more than 10 years, he said it tasted like a glazed donut lol. That being said, I am still so happy to have had a chance to smoke it
9. Fuente destino: my parents sent my friends and I on a trip to Vegas for my 21st birthday. I actually beat the odds and did well and spent all my winnings on cigars in casa Fuente lol. One cigar I decided was too expensive was the destino with a price of $125 and went home thinking about the missed opportunity. To make matters worse, Patrick Ewing was there and was comped 25 bundles of them lol. When my parents went to Vegas a few weeks later, my dad called me and told me he was there to buy the Destino but the employee had no idea what he was talking about, I got on the phone with her and told her where they were and my dad came home with one for me. He used a small travel humidor and so much pressure from flying caused the humidor to be unopenable without tools, so there was a few insane moments of anticipation, hoping that I didn’t damage the cigar with the tools I had to use to open it lol. It ended up being great and since then have actually had 2 more which my cousin brought me after graduating law school. This cigar is so unique for Fuente and might be one of my all time favorites.
What I am still looking for with little to no luck lol
1. Ashton VSG ER. I have found these on eBay but was told not to buy them as they were likely fakes with reused bands. I was so disappointed but let the auction get away. I have asked all of my Ashton contacts for help and none have been able to do so
2. Fuente Liana wedding cigar: I don’t know if this is a different blend but a few friends went and showed me pics of the cigar and band and said it was incredible
3. Fuente Opus X Amor Del Desierto: the newest cigar on this list, I have already began my hunt with literally 0 luck lol. I have called tons of stores in Dubai and none have it and it seems very hard to find so far
4. My Father special white box version. My family and I are good friends with the My Father family and have known Pepin and his entire family for about 25 years. We go to the office fairly often and they have a box of 3 there but they couldn’t open it because it was only for pictures lol. I do have a few red boxes and a single green box though
I’m sure I’ll be adding more as time goes one and I think about others but I can’t wait to see some of your guys lists.