My wife wants to try a Stradivarius, Davidoff, Diamond Crown or other "fancy" cigar. I have not had any of them as I would rather spend my money on other sticks. She is okay with medium body/strength. Any recommendations?
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Diamond Crowns and Davidoffs are highly regarded and I have yet to see a negative review of either. I have not had either one so I am not speaking from experience but if I were in your shoes I would probably lean toward the Diamond Crown based on what I have read about them. You or your wifes tastes may be different. I would try and read a few reviews of each stick your interested in and see which may fit your palettes best.
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Diamond Crown would be a good choice based upon what you said... I would skip the Maximus for now. :-)
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I would go with a perdomo Lot 23 for starters
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Davidoffs. The ones I've had have been nice and smooth.
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Strad is not worth the $$. I'd second the Davidoffs myself.
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A nice aged Monte Especial is a nice balance between what you get and what you spend at sub $ 25. Strad in cigars = $ 200-600 a stick depending upon your opinion of the appropriate analogy.
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She had one of those and liked it. It is a good cigar but I think she wants to try something with a fancy name and reputation to see what the fuss is about.
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AVO's are a bit milder than Davidoff's at all levels, and are truly great high-end cigars. Davidoff's are excellent as well but a bit stronger, more truly medium in strength and flavor, than not. For the money, the AVO is a better value, at least IMHO, and I've smoked a whole lot of each. Don't get me wrong now, I am not knocking Davidoff, it's only that they are pricier than AVOs. I am very well healed with both!
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Nice and smooth but IMHO, lacking in body and flavor. Pricey too.
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I would also suggest the Winton Churchill cigars which are made by Davidoff and are a nice smooth medium body.
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Davidoff for me - Diamond Crown doesn't have much of a "reputation" compared to Davidoff. Very mild, but tasty. Go for a 1980's Davidoff 1000 :-)

But Davidoff is harder to come by. Go for a Diamond Crown maduro if you don't care as much about reputation and more about flavor and "fanciness." The Romeo y Julieta Edición Limitada is real fancy and probably pretty mild, but I can't say I've seen anything positive said about them. Red dot Cohibas have a very well-known name and a "fancy" air about them, and they're an okay cigar (completely and blatantly undeserving of its hijacked name, though). That said, Diamond Crown or Davidoff :-)
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Davidoff Millenium's and Short Perfecto's are great smokes. Samplers can be found at reasonable prices. Diamond Crown Maximus is also a very nice maduro. :-)
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Out of those choices, I would go with the Davidoff. I have never had the Strat, and never plan to, but I have smoked the DC Maximus and it was not at all impressive.
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The Maximus is a whole different animal...I don't like it at all.
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That's right, cigars are like people. :-)
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