Where do you start?

[Robusto]

I found my way from cigar books before the web. Reading was the entry.

I started with Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No2 - my first quality smoke - and was instantly hooked on the taste and smell. Downhill from there, really.

I have no idea where you are, but I'd advise any London-based Brit to visit one of the main cigar stores for some personal pointers.

Why not put on a blindfold and play lucky dip in the humidors at Davidoff or la Casa, Teddington?

[Lee Nub]

For non cubans, any of the Rocky Patel ranges, Pepins smokes are great and some of them are a very decent price. Padilla's , Perdomo and my favourites Nubs. All great brands. I suppose it depends on what wrapper you like too, if you prefer a lighter wrapper go for a Nub connecticut or a padilla champagne. For a darker wrapper try the Nub Habano or Cameroon, both of those are great flavoured cigars and 2 of my favourites

If you want a smaller cuban smoke, try the Cohiba Secreto, great little cigar full of Cohiba taste

Drop me a line and I will see what I can dig out for you

[senor_robusto]

hey moppy,
i'm just catching up with this thread!!!! i see you've already jumped into the deep end with the bolivar royal corona!!!! repect man, that's one mother of a cigar

as someone starting out, here's a couple of (sub ?15) cubans i'd recommend for you! in no aparticular order.......
1. romeo y julieta short churchill (approx ?13)
2. montecristo no. 4 (approx ?10)
3. cohiba maduro secretos (approx ?12)
4. partagas shorts (approx ?7)
5. cuaba traditionales (approx ?7)
6. trinidad reyes (appox ?9)
7. cohiba siglo 2 (approx ?12)
8. hoyo de monterrey epicure no. 2 (approx ?13)
9. partagas serie d no. 4 (approx ?13)

all are great smokes, around an hour each, plus a nice variety of sizes and flavours/ strengths!!!! i guess you'll not be smoking everyday, so you'lll be able to afford one or 2 at a time, leave 'em in your wee tupperdor for a week or two then enjoy them!!!!

btw, welcome to the fold!!!!

alex

[tippexx]

samplers are a great way to try a wide variety without spending too much...

I agree with Shuckins .... variety is the way in which to eliminate those cigars which you don't much like so you might eventually arrive at those which you do.

Samplers may as you say contain the occasional 'dud' ... but 'one mans meat' ... and not that you have to take-up the shop suggested samplers ... most allow you make up your own.
Also, it's far better you know what you don't like by tasting one cigar than by buying a box of 25 on the strength of someone else's taste.

I don't particularly like big or overly strong cigars. These are some of my favourites and which most UK retailers will be able to supply fairly cheaply as singles.

1) HdM du Marie
2) Bolivar Bonitas
3) Trinidad Reyes
5) Montecristo No.5
6) La Gloria Cubana M?daille d'Or No. 4
7) Juan Lopez Petite Coronas
8) RyJ Coronas
9) Partagas Shorts
10) HdM Petit Robusto

[SeanP]

If I were you I would get a few samplers and smoke whatever I could get my hands on for the first 6 months to a year. Smoke as many different blends, brands and vitolas that you can. In that time you will find a few that you will go back to immediately and others that you will absolutely cast off and not look at again. You should do this without regard to price or band and smoke what YOU like, not what happens to be in fashion at that time.

The reason for this is you don't have a developed palate yet. Smoking a variety and cigars and keeping a detailed list and notes will help you develop this. You may smoke a cigar tommorrow that you hate but will revisit months later and like. And you might find a cigar that you can't get enough of that you would not even consider smoking in a years time.

Have fun with it and enjoy the ride!

[Simon-JG-hr]

Okay then, here are some of my recommendations:

I share quite a few opinions with EugeneSax, amongst which is the belief that a brands petit corona can be an excellent example of its style.

I think that there are a few brands which are really well suited to those just starting out, primary of which is probably Romeo y Julieta. The great thing about RyJ, in my opinion, is the diversity within the range. There are a few different flavour profiles, but all fall quite comfortably within the medium strength category. So here's my recommendation of RyJ cigars:

• Tubo No1 - can't remember the exact experience, but it was my first ever cigar, and it was lovely. Got me well and truly hooked.
• Tubo No3 - really enjoyable cigar, slightly vegetal. Great with a really hoppy beer.
• Cedros No3 - delightful little smoke - obviously has some nice cedary flavours.
• Short Churchill - you've just got to - a great robusto-ish sized cigar, it's a classic for a reason. Somewhere between the Cedros No3 and Tubo No3 in flavour.

Some other excellent cigars that I would recommend for you include (where I've written a review of the cigar, I have linked to it):

• El Rey del Mundo Petit Corona - possibly one of the best cigars I've smoked. Lovely and light with fresh flavours. Excellent for a lovely summer afternoon. (Also worth considering the Lunch Club and Choix Supreme by ERdM - possibly my favourite brand). Review
• Vegas Robaina Famosos - what an excellent brand VR is, and what an excellent cigar the Famosos is. Great bitter chocolate flavours, smoothness and hints of leather and cocoa. Review
• Juan Lopez Seleccion No2 - a great cigar. I thought the other guys on the forum were exaggerating when they typed of this mystical cigar, they weren't. A great robusto - very remincent to a great Bordeaux wine in the mouth. Stepping up the strength scale, but only slightly. Review
• Diplomaticos No2 - the big boy of my recommendations. I had not enjoyed every other Dippy I had smoked, but the No2 is a different beast entirely. Great flavour development, great construction. Medium strength, but be warned, if you smoke it to the nub, it will definitely catch you lbw... Review
• Cohiba Exquisito - there are so many great Cohibas out there (there are also so many expensive Cohibas out there). A really creamy, smooth cigar - one of the nicest experiences with a stick I have had. I've had a lot of these, and they have all been absolutely flawless. (Also worth trying something from the SIGLO line as they have a different flavour profile in my experience).
• Trinidad Reyes - a great cigar with nice woody spiciness. I've only had two, but a perfect complement to a good, strong coffee in the morning.
• H.Upmann Corona Junior - not a brand I'm overly familiar with, but really enjoyed the Corona Junior I smoked a couple of weeks ago.

I've not smoked a lot of non-Cubans, but of those I have, the best would have to include Rocky Patel's Decade series of cigars and Davidoff's Special Range of smooth and delicious cigars (especially the Entreacto, a very short cigar, and the Special-R, a robusto).

A couple of non-Cubans which I'm looking forward to trying (but haven't yet), include: Oliva SerieG and Padron 1926 80 Years edition.

Hope those few ideas are helpful. There are just so many Cuban cigars out there (and even more NCs) that it is a very difficult task to narrow down a small selection to try out.

[whisky77]

Samplers.

Samplers are undoubtedly the way to go if you are unfamiliar with the diffrerent taste profiles available from the different brands.

This wil give you an idea of your personal preferences without laying out cash for an entire box.

[moidoid]

I'm surprised that no-one has mentioned the Saint Luis Rey Serie A. This is one of my favourite reliable cigars and comes in at about ?12.50.

[tippexx]

I'm surprised that no-one has mentioned the Saint Luis Rey Serie A. This is one of my favourite reliable cigars and comes in at about ?12.50.

That's the only trouble. If we keep recommending Moppy's gonna end up a pauper within a fortnight!

[senor_robusto]

well, as simonjgriffithshr has already said, you can't go wrong with the romeo y julieta brand, especially as a starting point!!!! and, as he so rightly put it, you just gotta try the short churchill, a proper classic habanos in my opinion!!!! the RYJ tubos no. 2 is a great wee smoke for a beginner......

okay, so i'll chuck in another suggestion (bearing in mind the guy's a student on a budget):
*check out your local asda, they normally carry the H upmann corona junior for about a fiver (and the punch coronation for about ?6), as simonjgriffithshr also said, a pleasant wee smoke!!!!
*i wouldn't worry too much about cohibas for now, they're quite expensive and i reckon that the other brands have better, cheaper options (e.g partagas, bolivar, h upmann)

so far, from what i know, you've had a montecristo petite tubos (tubed no. 4) and a bolivar royal corona, two great cigars, yet poles apart in terms of size and strength!!!! what size were you more comfortable with?

also, what about the bolivar tubos no. 2? one of the richest, best petite coronas out there, a bargain at about ?10!!!!

hope this helps,

alex

[moppy]

Alright just to make some things clear:
- Im not planning on buying a box of 25 of any cigar just yet
- The list is just to put together a list of reasonably prized cigars that will allow a beginner to enter the world of cigar smoking. Depending on what he/she wants in terms of size/shape/strength, they can order 3/4 cigars of something they like the sound of and try it out.
- This thread is hopefully not just for me, but for everyone else who is just starting out and would like to know in which direction to go for their first order
- To those of you suggesting to buy samplers, thats precisely what this is, depending on how you want to buy, you can either have 25 different cigars to try or 2 of 12 different cigars etc.

And I am taking down every cigar recommended so far and checking its price and availability on the biggest online cigar retailer I know CGars LTD. The original post will soon be updated with a beautifully formatted and ordered list of cigars so far recommended

[satch]

Looking forward to finding out what you buy, Moppy.
I like: HdM petit robusto, PL PC's, Trini Reyes. Just this weekend had a Nub Maduro from Lee Nub. Not too strong, ash fell off with an audible thud!

[cjlawrie]

I look forward to seeing the list!

[Kdot]

here's my list for a good start

Hoyo Epicure 2
Partagas D4
Juan Lopez No.2
Monte no.4
Cohiba Siglo IV
RyJ Churchill

Non Cubans try to get some:
Padilla 1948 Robusto
Olivia V

All great cigars imho, cant go wrong.

[spivy]

Just keep trying new cigars. Eventually you will figure out what you like. Don't give up with one stick of one brand. Try a couple sizes in each brand. Eventually you will develop a liking for a certain type of cigar and certain size. And you will go from there. Or as some put it, you will fall off the cliff.