I've personally seen Scotts "stash" Todd. :-)
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An exceptional brother. :-)
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I've only had the Undercrown, No. 9, T52 and FFP. Of those, the Undercrown and the No. 9 are the only cigars I'm willing to pay for regularly. The FFP was very good, but too expensive. The T52 was average and not worth the cost. The Undercrown, while not as refined as the No. 9, is better than most cigars in its class. The No. 9 is just delicious all around.

I do agree with you that they aren't as complex as some cigars, but for me, the sheer deliciousness of the No. 9 and Undercrown make up for it. I can't afford to buy and smoke them often, but when I do, I feel like it was worth the money. It's not much different from a pricey special occasion meal at a classy restaurant.
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True dat! However, just look at what a wonderful conversation we got going here. Wasn't that cool!

I'd like to seriously think that my tastes have refined past the bold and sassy, in order that I now appreciate subtle nuances. I like my pepper in cigars and bold spiciness, but I want some complexity and subtle flavors to be present as well to keep my interest.

By the way, I am also one who likes my spicy food to really turn up the heat.

Interestingly, many pipe smokers show an interesting progression. (The following is painted in broad strokes and is just something I have noted with many pipe smokers I know. Remember, not all travel this progression and many ultimately enjoy all 5 of the "types" of tobacco I will describe)

1. They start out with Aromatics, very stong and bold tasting. Often, that taste is derived more from the flavorings which are applied to the base tobacco, than from the tobacco itself. And furthermore, oftentimes that tobacco is substandard since it really is just about the flavorings.

2. They move to English blends. Again, a very bold flavor is evident, most often derived from the presence of Latakia. It has a bold flavor derived from the smoked curing process this particular constituent tobacco endures.

3. Oriental or Oriental/English blends are next. Here the Latakia is either absent entirely or much reduced. Natural flavors of the constituent tobaccos predominate, but orientals have some strong aromas and slightly spicy flavors.

4a. Virginias are all natural, but come with the highest natural sugar content in them, they must be smoked slowly and the flavors are subtle and nuanced. These and Burleys which have the lowest natural sugar content, which are predominantly nutty, are often seen as that final step, where pipesters are smoking them for the subtle nuances derived from the tobaccos themselves.

4b. Virginias w/Perique and/or Burleys w/Perique or other light-handed additions of Latakia, Oriental, or even Virginias would also be classed here. Again, the flavors are subtle and nuances need to be savored by slow smoking.

Many of the flavors in 4a. or 4b. are very "mild" (I use that term loosely). They require a clean palate to taste them. Interestingly, many cigar smokers who take up the pipe never really appreciate them, looking for "more" flavor, more smoke.

Personally, Virginias and Virginias w/Perique are my favorites, although I like a good English and a "clean" Aromatic. I have never really appreciated Burleys, nor Orientals.

Peace of the Lord be with you.
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Like has been said in probably every post before mine, "different strokes, for different folks."

I can understand where you are coming from Todd. At times we share the same tastes and 100% agree on flavors and subtleties (anejos, padrons, and coronados for example) and others we disagree (illusiones).

Is it a novice vs. veteran issue? Is it an issue of taste buds? Is it because you've been smoking longer than I have been alive and are just stuck in a nostalgic rut?

It may be all of them. Personally I think the best part of cigar smoking is the variety. There is literally a cigar out there for everyone. So you don't like LPs enough to buy them all up? Fine, here's a Coronado Double Toro I know you love. (Wish I actually had one to give to you! :-) )

Cigars are hyped for many reasons. Whether it be due to reputation of the brand/manufacturer, a good marketing scheme, the the cigar itself is actually everything everyone says it is; the hype is often muddled.

Don't worry about "missing something". We all miss the flavors our tongues weren't meant to taste. As long as you give it a shot you've done your utmost for trying.

Anyway, I'm rambling now. In short: YES it is you, but don't sweat it. Life's too short to worry about it. :-)

Shalom.
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I concur with what the good Reverend has stated. Both to the WOAM and the Blue Cloth Band. I seem to remember we had smoked another Blue Cloth band that was somewhat better, but nothing to write home about.

You're starting to sound like Moochburg over here.

That boy's a bad influence!
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Smoke what you like, like what you smoke.

Illusiones seemed to be loved by every Asylum member other than me. Same with Fuente. I don't let it bother me. I buy what I like. :-)
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You've been smoking long enough to remember the cigar boom. I remember Dominicans and Hondurans were all the rage. ERDM's/LGCs/Fuentes etc were highly regarded and high-priced. I even remember Puros Indios at my local shop going for 16 bucks each! The Nicaraguan cigars were the red-headed step-children of the bunch. Padrons were the only exception. There does seem to be a big steer in the direction of strength over complexity in cigars. I really enjoy a Tat or Viaje once in awhile but I can't get the Liga Privada to save my life. My tastes have changed to a point where I'm about ready to spend the summer pipe smoking vs cigars as they are all tasting the same to me. I'm sure we all go through stages. Mine tend to be extreme.


MCS
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The last T52 I smoked was pretty good but not 15 a stick great. I definitely prefer many less pricey sticks for a fraction of the cost. The Perdomo Noir is pretty much a mainstay smoke of mine and I really like the 5 Vegas A alphas alot. I've branched into some Padillas and for the money, great sticks. I got some 5 Vegas relic perfectos that are good smokes, too. The
LFD airbenders have earned my trust as well. The baccarats I used to like now are absent from my humi since I've branched out into more complex smokes. The best little cigar I've found is a chasedown between the Oliva V no. 4 and the Perdomo limitada cameroon.

Tastes change. The Brickhouses I used to love just sit in the humi. I have had no desire to pick it out and smoke it.
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Ah, yes. You have entered the holy of holies.

I was just teasing you both, I hope your understand?
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MJ, you have I have shared a bunch of cigars together. As you said, sometimes we agree. In fact, I'd say more often than not.

I know that my taste buds are different, and that I need to enjoy what I am smoking, and smoke what I enjoy.

I am not worried about it, but I am curious about it though. I just wanted to start a thread to discuss it a bit to see if there might be a reason for it.

I wonder if there might be correlations to other things? Do people that like hot, spicy, burn-your-mouth-out food, also like the stronger cigars?

I cannot speak for others, but I am one of those who love that type of spice. In fact, I find there are things I can eat that cause others to ask, "Are you really enjoying that? How can you even feel your tongue, must less taste anything?" And yet, I am not a big fan of Cains, LFD DLs, and some of the other kick-your-@$$-strong cigars.

And yet, there are some cigars out there that others think are too strong and/or spicy which I just love.

I don't know the correlation, but I'd like to figure it out.

Peace of the Lord be with you.
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That is crazy Todd...I am just the opposite. I love those strong peppery/spicy sticks, yet, cannot stand to have food with table pepper. :-)
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I've never smoked a Liga Privada!
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And I think that makes you different than a good number of cigar smokers. Some people like strong spicy cigars for the simple sake that they are strong and spicy. (And one-dimensional).

I'm sure there are correlations to what our food preferences are to what our cigar/alcohol preferences are.

Here's one question for you: have you ever had food that may have been very spicy/hot but didn't care for it because of the flavor? I would venture to say you have.
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Rev, I for one love spicy foods. So if you are taking notes, I also enjoy a full bodied spicy cigar with a single malt scotch (neat).
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I like that term "Lazy Blending" that's sort of my feelings as well. I don't want to say all the new stuff hitting the market falls into this category but..... lets be honest a A LOT of the stuff these days is centered around a pretty band/box and a ton of hype and being a "powerhouse" smoke then a quality smoke. I've only been smoking premiums since around 2000 before that it was jewel wood tips and philly blunts when I went fishing or camping. I can tell you now most honestly and truthfully I have $1. smokes ill reach for any day of the week over any Viaje, LP, RP or Illusion.

Id like to coin another term the "Bandwagon Blend" I kid you not I have thrown my money at vendors for stuff that I had to literally choke down and lie to myself about enjoying, I have no explanation why? other then "Everyone else seems to like them" so I should to.. (Is it me?)

Image
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I have smoked an LP no.9 that blew me away, it had a couple years on it and paired amazingly with a cup of coffee. I don't think I will ever forget that experience. I also smoked an Lp no.9 ROTT and was extremely underwhelmed. I have smoked a couple Viajes and Tats that I thought where okay and I have smoked a couple that I really enjoyed.
I have only smoked one FFP and it was ROTT delicious. I really loved the L40 I smoked, but yes it was one dimensional, a good one dimensional though. I have been smoking a lot of CCs lately and I find them to be far more complex and subtle than hyped NCs. I am falling so in love with CCs it is gonna be hard to go back to even the FFPs and others I have resting. I was extremely underwhelmed during Xmas when I smoked a Holiday Blend. I do not want a strong cigar, I want a delicious one but thought up until recently I couldn't have one without the other. I do not want a nic fix, just flavor.

I have begun to find hype sticks to be hit or miss, and for the price I can't afford the misses.
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I agree 100%. Liga Privada in general doesn't seem to be overly complex, but they do pack a ton of flavor. The Number 9 to me doesn't seem overly complex, but the one dimension it has, to me, is absolutely perfect. I'm in love with them and wish I could afford more.

I adore the Feral Pig. It was like a stronger LP9 in a lot of ways. But as others have said, it's still not very complex just bold. That's not a bad thing, expecially if the one dimension (or to be fair, few dimensions) there is (are) what you are looking for.

But even a Liga Privada fan boy like myself has to admit that you'll never find in any LP the complexities found in a Cohiba Robusto, for example.
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I'll be your cigar secretary - send your stash over here and I'll, er, inventory it for you. Yeah, that's the word I'm looking for. :-)
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Seems like this topic comes up from time to time in different variations. I never got the Tat bug. I tossed an expensive LP after an inch once but I like the Undercrown. I never caught the Padron bug but I like most of them. I never understand why some cigars are popular. Same for a lot of CCs. If I find one I like and it's consistent, I'm a fan for life of that cigar, but not the whole brand.
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