What did you smoke today? (Non-Habanos Edition)

[Nature]

Ezra Zion, Honor Series "Reagan"




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[Old Smokey]

Just smoked my first Fuente Personal Reserve. The first cigar I have smoked in a while that I truly nubbed.

[NeverBend]

2013 Oliva "O" Robusto with some Hawaii Ka’anapali Maui Mokha coffee kindly supplied by Wayne (@OnePyroTech)

This "O" is excellent, vastly better than the others in the same bundle. Excellent construction, beautifully flagged, perfect pack, draw, burn and tastes right. Go figure

[allusred]

After yesterday's Surrogates Cracker Crumbs, for Tat Tues, the cigar that I've been watching for a bit is today's choice.
Four Kicks by Crowned Heads Robusto...5x50 has had it's two weeks in my Humidor since arriving courtesy of GORDO1473.
Been admiring that wrapper long nuff...it's burn time. Thanks Brian.

[allusred]

2013 Oliva "O" Robusto with some Hawaii Ka’anapali Maui Mokha coffee kindly supplied by Wayne (@OnePyroTech)

This "O" is excellent, vastly better than the others in the same bundle. Excellent construction, beautifully flagged, perfect pack, draw, burn and tastes right. Go figure

On a rare good "Lucky" day you find the one excellent cigar from a bundle or box of duds.

Goes someways towards making up for the one un smoke able found in another box or bundle.

Glad you found and enjoyed this good one.

Had one La Duena Petite Lancero a year or two ago that was one of the very worst cigars I've ever tried to smoke.
Could not get pas the fist quarter inch of that. Returned the box, having declined the offer to "at least give one more a try."
Haven't found the courage to try another of them...despite hearing only good things from others who rate the La Duena highly.

Think it's time to let the Misty Miss Christy come in with Something Cool.
Likely a glass or two of something to match.

[NeverBend]

On a rare good "Lucky" day you find the one excellent cigar from a bundle or box of duds.

Goes someways towards making up for the one un smoke able found in another box or bundle.

Glad you found and enjoyed this good one.

Had one La Duena Petite Lancero a year or two ago that was one of the very worst cigars I've ever tried to smoke.
Could not get pas the fist quarter inch of that. Returned the box, having declined the offer to "at least give one more a try."
Haven't found the courage to try another of them...despite hearing only good things from others who rate the La Duena highly.

Think it's time to let the Misty Miss Christy come in with Something Cool.
Likely a glass or two of something to match.

Morning Bob,

Yes, a small consolation, but more important for it's lesson.

We all know that cigars vary, to some degree, but these ranged from (about) expected Oliva quality to awful cigars so poorly made that they never could have passed QC unless intended to do so. The contrast between this last, well made Oliva "O", underscores this point.

Every cigar manufacturer will make some bad sticks but how they dispose of them tells you how they value their brand. As branded 'Oliva' (and I doubt the bands were put on anywhere other than the factory) the fault appears to be theirs. No matter what price paid, a reputable company wouldn't allow cigars of this low quality to bear their name or leverage their customers. Even if the samplers were assembled by cBid, Oliva was willing to put their label on trash (and I'd imagine segregate these stinkers before shipment).

Claims of rigorous QC are only marketing tools that have no meaning unless consistently evident in the product and otherwise it's just abusing your customers. As consumers we're the only arbiters of a company's success, so I'll smoke what I have but I'm done with Oliva.

2013 Xikar (HC) Maduro Churchil with Maui Mokha coffee.

[droy1958]

Viva!...

[rodwha]

Smokin' an H. Upmann 1844 Maduro sent from @AlanS .



I must admit that the M-F designation scared me a bit with such a big stick, but either it's behaving well or my fears are no longer founded.

Thanks Alan!

[Usafvet509]

@rodwha , a nice one indeed! One of the few Altadis sticks I've liked thus far.

Me, an MB3 ....

[rodwha]

@Usafvet509 : Altadis?