LE's: Smoke 'em or Save 'em.?

[Nature]

I find myself frequently passing over some of the Limited Edition or LE's in my collection. I especially do this if it is only one or two in my stock; which I tend to do anyway with the last of any cigar I like in my collection whether it be aged or a no longer produced specimen. Why do I do this? Why do I have these cigars? Are they there to look at? Not hardly; I am the only one to see them. Is it because I'm afraid I may like it, and know there aren't many more out there to be had? This may explain some of it. I have to convince myself that they are there to be smoked and enjoyed; not to be put on display like in a museum. What good does it do down the road to be able to say "I have a such and such" if I'm never going to smoke it? This is exactly the reason I have a love-hate relationship with these LEs. What is it exactly that makes these so special? Often times it is nothing more than the band/packaging/presentation; all tools of marketing. One of the things I have learned is that for every special cigar released, there will be another to take its place. Are you a collector? Or a smoker? I would prefer to be the later.

What are your thoughts on LE's? What LE's do you have that you cannot bring yourself to take fire to? Have you ever burned a cigar you later regretted?

[AlanS]

I'll send you some Mark! Next week.

[Nature]

I'll send you some Mark! Next week.

NNOOOO!!! Too tough to decide to light them!

[WNYTONY]

Smoke em Mark - no reason to save them. I can't say I've smoked one to regret it later, unless you count that one Acid or Gurkha lol

[allusred]

While I've only had a few Limited Edition cigars. They have been granted a bit more time in the humidor than their more pedestrian kin.
However after looking at them a few times before moving on to smoke something else.
Remind myself that if I don't smoke them soon they're destined to wind up in the landfill.
The only LE smokes I have now are four Talavera E.E. 2015 Coronas.
And not at all certain they should really qualify as Limited.

[Kidvegas]

I say smoke'em. I have a few Small production relatively expensive gars in my stash that im resting due to tight pack and thick wrappers, but when im ready they are going down.





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[Tombstone]

Burn em. The cigar industry had been overcrowded with limited edition this special edition that. A new prize cigar will come along to fill the void in your humidor.

[Old Smokey]

Mark, I can relate to your post. I really don't know why I tend to bypass the more limited stuff when picking out a cigar. I have slowed WAY down on buying cigars with the plan of just smoking and enjoying what I have and eventually I will have to smoke the ones I seem to find excuses to bypass.

Maybe for me it is from being raised having to be frugal. We never missed a meal growing up, but there was a lot of Bologna, hot dogs and beans involved. And I can remember my mom putting patches over patches on my jeans, that were hand me downs when I got them and the thought of getting a new bicycle for Christmas never happened. I didn't know any better and look at my childhood in a very positive light. It taught me that if I wanted something I had better be willing to work for it. This entitlement stuff that is so prevalent today is a real head shaker for me. Sorry for getting off track.

[TreySC]

I say smoke them! I'm all for aging cigars or saving one for a special occasion, but they will all get smoked eventually.

[jhedrick83]

The only ones I really chase are Fuentes and nothing is off limits when it's time to pick out a cigar. I do however tend to save the LEs for more special occasions. Birthdays, weddings, births, catching up with old friends, major life events, etc. I look at it the same way I would if I had a high end sports car. Why would I leave it in a garage for ever, that takes all the joy out of it. Sure, I wouldn't drive my Countach every day, and there would be places I wouldn't take it but I'd be damned if it just sits there.

I have burned cigars that I later regretted but the regret didn't stem from it being a LE! :D

[Hardheaded]

I don't have any that are off limits. Some may wait for the right occasion, or until I decide they are old enough, but nothing is off limits because its LE.

Except that Train themed cigar AlanS bombed me. I don't think that one will ever be smoked.

[DogRockets]

For me I don't have any cigars that I view as collectible, all mine are viewed as inventory to be smoked at some point in time.

Sometimes I find the "aura" around a limited edition cigar causes us to not smoke them now but for the right occasion. However, sometimes we either forget or the right occasion never occurs. Then when you actually go to smoke it, it is no longer that good anymore because age didn't treat it well.

So in conclusion, smoke cigars!

[droy1958]

Mark, I can relate to your post. I really don't know why I tend to bypass the more limited stuff when picking out a cigar. I have slowed WAY down on buying cigars with the plan of just smoking and enjoying what I have and eventually I will have to smoke the ones I seem to find excuses to bypass.

Maybe for me it is from being raised having to be frugal. We never missed a meal growing up, but there was a lot of Bologna, hot dogs and beans involved. And I can remember my mom putting patches over patches on my jeans, that were hand me downs when I got them and the thought of getting a new bicycle for Christmas never happened. I didn't know any better and look at my childhood in a very positive light. It taught me that if I wanted something I had better be willing to work for it. This entitlement stuff that is so prevalent today is a real head shaker for me. Sorry for getting off track.

I was raised quite poor myself as my father had a heart attack in 1969 and was disabled. My brother and I started selling door to door when I was 11 to get groceries for the family . We lived in an old cabinet shop and I slept in a hallway with concrete floors. To get a little extra money, my dad would pay me 25 cents for every mouse I would catch. I guess I'm trying to say that I'm saving my Gurkhas for as long as I can....

[omahaorange]

I never really bought in the LE or boutique cigar thing. I buy cigars to smoke them. I usually smoke alone or with my son, so there's nobody to impress. And my pallete is not thar sophisticated. I have splurged on some high end sticks, and do save those for special occasions. But those occasions may simply be getting through the work week with all my body parts intact (at my age, with my job, THAT'S always a reason to celebrate). For those truly special events I can make a phone call and pick up the truly special cigars to celebrate. That's the advantage of getting to know the owner of the local cigar bar.

So I say, smoke 'em.

[Brimy]

I say smoke 'em, but I find myself bypassing them saying that I'm "waiting for the time to sit & enjoy them properly".

With no interruptions and with something nice to sip on.

[DogRockets]

I was raised quite poor myself as my father had a heart attack in 1969 and was disabled. My brother and I started selling door to door when I was 11 to get groceries for the family . We lived in an old cabinet shop and I slept in a hallway with concrete floors. To get a little extra money, my dad would pay me 25 cents for every mouse I would catch. I guess I'm trying to say that I'm saving my Gurkhas for as long as I can....

What is your address again???

[Ciro]

While I do have a few sticks that are no longer made I don't really consider them "Need to Save". What I tend to find myself doing is smoking them on Holidays or other special events.

[droy1958]

What is your address again???

BR549 Hee Haw Lane......

[OnePyroTec]

IMHO, just another cigar, and smoke 'em anytime. :stogie:

[Haebar]

I say smoke 'em.