A general question for the masses. In your personal opinion, what are the "must-have" boxes for any start-up humidor? Keep it realistic! Just want to get a general idea of what boxes everyone views as the building block for their own personal cigar stash.

I know tastes vary widely, and I'm sure this answer will as well...
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Anything Oliva except Nub and Cain.
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Oliva, DPG, Padron, Tatuaje are all very popular.

Id also suggest Perdomo, RP, Ashton, Fuente...

You really need to sample what you like before buying boxes. Otherwise you just spent $$ on a good number of cigars you dont like.
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Diesel
Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic
CI Legend Series Yellow(DPG) Can be had cheap on Cbid
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My cornerstones would be something from Fuente (Opus, Don Carlos or regular line), Padron and Tatuaje.
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I guess I should have phrased a little better. I definitely sample what I can before taking the plunge for a box. I don't think it'd be adviseable to buy a box, cigar unsmoked, only to find that it doesn't get along with my taste buds!

The question was more to gauge what everyone viewed as their own personal must-have's as opposed to the secondary boxes of cigars that find their way to the back (or bottom!) of the humidor. These are the boxes (aside from the collector/rare ones) that you'd be proud to show front and center.
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Tatuaje Series P and Brickhouse are my must-buy cigars. Very tasty, and cheap enough that I am happy to hand them out with abandon. I also love the La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial and the DPG My Father. Always keep at least a few of those handy.
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Here's a different approach that may grant you better results;

First welcome to the asylum. A good idea would be to look over the review section at different cigars that you may have smoked and liked. Then find someone with similar tastes as your own. Then do a search and put in their username and "favorite" in as the search keyword. I bet you get a good number of results that way and you can get closer to your own personal likes.

Alternatively, just do a search for keywords "favorite" and choose 'search titles only'.

I say this because you will get as many different responses as there are members of this board. And by these methods you can limit those responses and get more accurate to your taste answers.
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I am new to smoking cigars(September '09).... Have purchased the following boxes, top 3 were easy decisions, like buying two 5ers.......
E.P. Carillo E.I.
Tatuaje Red Tubos
Tatuaje Black Tubos
Padron 1926 #6 (actually 20/24)
Alec Bradley Tempus Terra Nova
Padilla Miami Robusto

Assume my next boxes will be one of the following -
Fuente Don Carlos #2/DRobusto/Belis (know I love them)
Tatuaje Reserva J 21 (would be buying blind)
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No humidor is complete without at least one box of LFDs, and for me they must be wrapped in a nice oily Oscuro wrapper.
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X 2.... I'd probably do myself a favor to purchase a box of these(#5's) and quit buying singles/5ers....
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I can't imagine my humidor ever being without DPG JJ maduros.
Running a close second would be Anejo, Sancho Panza Double maduros, AVO maduros, Oliva special g maduros, and LGD stuff.
The AVO's, Special G's and Sancho Panzas are all good "starter" stuff, too. Good comfort smokes. :-)
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It all depends on what you can afford. :-) My suggestion is to not buy cheap cigars unless they come highly recommended by the folks here. Life is too short for cheap cigars! I'd say Tatuaje Havana VI, San Cristobal
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EO cigars have been hitting the sweet spot for me these days. I.E. 601 Red, Black, Blue, Cubao, Cubao Maduro, Murcielago.

Any box from these guys would be a pretty decent Humi start IMHO.
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To me, anything blended by AJ Fernandez and Don Pepin are a great start.
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Under $100. Padron 2000 (M) and Diesel UC.
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Oliva V's
Padron 64's
Opus X
Anejo
DPG
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Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatra :-)
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Padron 3000 maduros are a staple in mine, as are partagas black labels. You can get the Padrons for right around 100 and the black labels for closer to 70.
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Taboo twist is one that I enjoyed starting out and I still like to break one out once in a while. They're pretty cheap and a tasty mild/medium smoke.

For dropping some cash then I'd go either Aston VSG or Pepin blue label.
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