Marcas I always assume are 'not for me'...

CAO, Ghurka, Macanudo (although I broke my rule and smoked a 1968), DR Cohiba, DR RyJ, Playboy (heck, most Altadis stuff)...
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I'm with Bob. If I tossed a whole brand every time I got a cigar I didn't like I wouldn't smoke anything, probably. Especially most CCs. So unpredictable. Same goes the other way. If I find a really good cigar I don't attribute it to the whole brand. Or for that type, year after year. No brand loyalty here.
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I have not been to impressed with Rocky Patel either but I got to tell you, do not pass up the RP decade, probably his best smoke in my opinion.
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Not exactly the question, but I hate companies copying the Cuban brands/bands. Like LGC, aren't you well known enough know that you don't have to copy the Cuban labels? I don't buy many NC's nowadays, but I really don't buy these. :-)
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Gurkhas suck. :-)
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Rocky Patel I'll still give it a fair shot when a new one comes into the shop (or at least try to). I just don't like it.
I used to be this way with CAO and it was really hard for me to get over I thought they were all flash and no go for a few years. But this new LX2 blew me away. I got about halfway through the stick grabbed my staff pick of the month thing from the cubao and put it right onto it. I just tried the America reverse wrapped perfecto from the sampler pack yesterday and it was phenomenal. But I used to just see CAO and refuse to even try it.
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Cigars to change you mind.(Or at least open you to the possibilities)

CAO-Extreme, Waiting to try the LX2
RP-Edge Sumatra
Macanudo-1968
Gurkha-Shaggy

Neither the 1968 nor the Shaggy are great smokes, but they are different enough from the regular line to merit a try if the humi is empty. :-)
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Perdomo, they dry my mouth out and leave a soapy taste. It didn't help when the Perdomo rep gave me a hard time about not liking them during an event at the local B&M awhile back. I'm still trying to find a RP to like, so they are on the list.
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NO: Sinclair, Reyes, Gurkha

All other I'm game for.
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CAO.

I try to be fair with them, Gurkha is the same way.

While I normally will try a CAO and be let down trying to be fair, I don't even touch Gurkhas.
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I tend to avoid Toranos like the plague. Absolutely horrible, every one of them. I can count the number of Gurkahs I have had on one hand and did not care for them at all, so I really cant slag them that badly. but please can we toss Torano under the bus?
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:-):-) RP Decade is tasty. Philip Gregorio and Drew Estates are probably 2 I stay away from.
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I'm the same way. I don't care what the reviews say, what other people say, or how well they sell. When I found out that those companies weren't actually extensions fo the cuban brands it just seemed like such a cheap move to me. I stayed away from them for a long long time (relative to how long I've been smoking that is).

Then I was gifted an HdM Excalibur Legend and the stogie really knocked my socks off. I love it and wish I could smoke full-bodied cigars more often cuz they'd be a staple for me then. I'm now more open to trying things from those brands but I still don't feel like it's a classy move to copy a brand image.
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Macanudo
Victor Sinclair
Cohibas from DR
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x2

that and R&J's...:-)

I'm surprised to see so many CAO's but it's understandable, I've never been a huge fan but have only had a few.

I honestly thought this was going to be a Drew Estate bash fest...
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Perdomo
Avalon
Nub
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Victor Sinclair
Cu-Avana
Don Diego
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I can't stand CAO's futuristic bands/logos and as a result I'm negatively biased towards everything they put out.

lets see, what else..

this guy just looks like he's saying "my cigars are really shitty"

Image
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Anything Rolando Reyes makes (Puros Indios, Aliados, Cienfuego, etc) is pure :-)
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oh jesus, I smoked a puros indios once and it was so bad I still remember the taste; like grass or hay. yuck
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