What's with the reluctance on the part of so many towards big ring gauge cigars? Now, I realize that a 70 rg is pretty ridiculous, but I personally like the occasional 60 to 62 stick. Was at the local B&M looking for something different and was recommended to try a LFD double ligero maduro. Love the Oscuro natural, so I jumped at the advice. Only thing was that the only Vitola left was the double toro at 6-1/2 x 60. Absolutely superb tasting cigar, but rocked my world with the strength. First experience at a bi rg stick was a good one for me!
Just my 2c...
RR
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for me it is just not a comfortable cigar...i prefer 52 and down with the robusto as a favorite and the petite corona as a close second. the larger cigars just dont feel right in my hand or mouth (insert joke here) and the taste and flavors seem muted. :-)
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The Tyrone?
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I don't have anything against big RG cigars, but in most cases I have found that I enjoy the flavors in the smaller RG vitolas (Corona, Robusto) to be more pleasing to me. Also, for general smoking comfort, I just don't enjoy dealing with puffing on a 60 RG cigar for the 1+ hour it usually takes to smoke them.
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For me, I'm going to say it boils down to convenience and comfort. For example, I like to smoke with no hands when I'm surfing the web or doing yardwork. Anything over 50 becomes tough to hold onto without running the risk of dropping the cigar or having to use your teeth. Second, while a lot of larger RG sticks do indeed have good draws, I feel like you have to work a lot harder to smoke them and keep them lit (the camacho triple Maduro, while an amazing stick, comes to mind). But that's just me. Big RG isn't a deal breaker, just not my preference.
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For me its time, I can burn through and fully enjoy 2 robustos and smaller in the time I can a snickers bar. The one big one I did enjoy that comes to mind is the Animal Cracker!
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Heard the surrogates Animal Cracker is the best 60 yet... Can't wait to try it.
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:-)
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Just don't like the way if feels in my mouth.... (thats what she said) yup...
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My understanding is that the blends for each line typically done to a corona size, then adapted to each other vitola. This results in more bland filler used to create larger ring guage cigars. The other thing I've read and found to be true is that the flavor of the wrapper leaf, the most expensive/best quality leaf in the cigar, is more prominant in smaller ring guage cigars as it represents a larger percentage of the overall tobacco vs a big ring.

I'm far from a expert but those are the reasons I'm familiar with, personal preference aside. I started off with bigger ring sticks and moved to smaller over time. Now my favorite vitolas are corona or petite corona. Lanceros are nice from time to time as well. With very small RG stuff you are forced to take your time or you'll ruin the cigar. They quickly turn hot/bitter if you "Hoover" them. Larger RG are more forgiving in that regard, making them a little easier for less experienced smokers.
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:-)

This is exactly my thoughts too.
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Big rings are just uncomfortable for me, and if I'm working, they take up a hand.
PC's and lanceros are quick and fit the time I usually have allotted for a smoke. If I have more time, I can enjoy a lot more different cigars in the time I'd spend on a big ring toro.
That's just me, though. Smoke what you like, brother. :-)
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Long and Skinny cigars FTW.
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+1 What he said.
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I used to smoke almost nothing but 60 ring gauge. I find the slightly smaller RG has more flavor and better draw.( usually not always)
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To me the big RG is just too large and seems like a jaw breaker. But I'll submit that recent blends are designed around the 60 RG or even higher so blends created in the last 2-3 years will more then likely taste just great. I'll also submit that blends designed at a time longer then that and then released as a big RG in the last few years are going to be washed out or at a minimum quite a bit different then intended.

But as always, smoke what you like as everyone's palate is unique.
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Anything bigger than a 52 is just not comfortable for me.
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I prefer smaller RG's for all the reasons stated above....and, I just generally find that they taste better to me.

On the other hand, smoke what you like.

My biggest 'problem' with the larger RG's is that their popularity is crowding out the skinnies for B&M facings. It isn't unusual for my local to put out a new blend with nothing smaller than 56 -- because that's what the 'masses' want. Pisses me off that I have trouble finding a corona when I want one.
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+1 for this. Obviously, most shops aren't going to have every vitola a cigar comes in, but it's rare that they carry lancero or corona formats when they can have Robusto Gordos or larger formats. But hey, that's just me being picky!
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I thought you guys were going to play one-upsman. I prefer a 52 and down, but recently had the horror of smoking an El Monstruo Bazukas, a whopping 140 gauge. Thankfully, there were no cameras present to capture the absurdity of having that monster in my mouth. This cigar was a gift purchased by a friend. He thought I needed to smoke it at the same time he smoked his, of course.

The cigar's flavor was decent. It burned nice and even. It gave me the feeling of having lockjaw. I used scotch to lubricate my jaw.

After smoking that monster with him, I took two days off from smoking cigars. I felt like smoke was seeping out of every pore of my body. Fun experience, but I will never do it again.
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