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What's your favorite dark horse brand?

Gavin

Gavin

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2009
Messages
3,419
We've all read a dozen threads about our favorite brands, or our go-to smoke. Invariably recommendations like the Padron x000 series come up (as well they should). But what staple in your humidor do you think people might not know about? What brand do you think doesn't get as much recognition as it should?

For me, it would be the Casa Fernandez line. Their main corojo line is good, but I find the Arsenio and Aganorsa Leaf lines to be consistently excellent, though I never hear much about them.

What's your favorite dark horse brand? Again, not looking for Padron/Opus/other Fuentes, but something the rest of us might not expect.
 
Granted, I haven't smoked nearly the selection that many others here have experienced, but my go-to cigars are the Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Maduro, and the Puros Indios Reserva Maxima line. A friend gifted me a box of the '02's a few years ago which I immensely enjoyed. I have a box of the '03's right now which I do very much like, though I think the '02 was better. Can't give you empirical evidence as to why I believe that, but that's just my non-expert opinion.
 
Gavin, Casa Fernandez has wonderful tobacco. I just ordered a box of their Miami. I've been able to age some of their offerings for about 1.5- 2 yrs, and they aged nicely, keeping good flavor, and rounding out nicely.

Don't know if this qualifies as a dark horse, but I still love my JR Ultimate Cigars and they remain some of my Go To cheaper smokes. You sometimes have to send a box back, due to a mustisness from overhumidifying, but that is not too common in my experience. Been smoking them forever.

I also really like some of Cuban Crafters smokes. Kiki has some flavorful tobacco, and if you wait for sales, they can represent good value. I like the CC Cabinet, La Caroline, and the Don Kiki Brown.
 
MadMonk said:
Gavin, Casa Fernandez has wonderful tobacco. I just ordered a box of their Miami. I've been able to age some of their offerings for about 1.5- 2 yrs, and they aged nicely, keeping good flavor, and rounding out nicely.

Don't know if this qualifies as a dark horse, but I still love my JR Ultimate Cigars and they remain some of my Go To cheaper smokes. You sometimes have to send a box back, due to a mustisness from overhumidifying, but that is not too common in my experience. Been smoking them forever.

I also really like some of Cuban Crafters smokes. Kiki has some flavorful tobacco, and if you wait for sales, they can represent good value. I like the CC Cabinet, La Caroline, and the Don Kiki Brown.
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Good to hear about the JR brand, I was curious if they had any decent smokes as there is an outlet about 15 min. from the homestead.

I'd have to give a shout out to P. Benitez, they are a newer player out of south FLA, a buddy gifted me with two, and the lancero was really a good smoke. Smooth, mild to medium, bit of a kick, great construction. The problem is I'm having a devil of a time finding an online distributor that carry's them.
 
I really like the Dos Hombres line from Two Guys Smoke shop, cheap and decent.

I like the Honduras blend.
 
There was a time when I had quite a few go-to smokes that were less expensive...but these days, once the word gets out, one of two things happen.

1) They raise the price
2) They change (cheaper tobacco?) the blend and the cigar tastes totally different

Dan, next time I'm up in Whippany, NJ I'm going to try the JR Ultimate. Recently I tried the 4x4 and 3x3 and they were actually pretty good. JLPs were great until they went up in price.
 
Torano is not a small or "black horse" brand. But they don't get talked about much. Some of their blends are milder than is popular these days but most are very flavorful and well made. I saw Torano Virtuoso Maestros go for $65 on cbid recently and that's is a damn tasty churchill. The Casa Toranos are a creamy and flavorful cigar, too.

Pepin house blends are sometimes cheap. Not all are as good as you might think, though. Usually well made but consistency varies. I like the CI Legends Pepin the best, personally.

There are so many that it's daunting trying to decide but they are a fairly small investment. If you don't like them you can throw them in the bottom of the coolerdor for a few years and see what happens. It pays off occasionally. ;)
 
Gary makes a good point on prices going up while quality goes down.
I've experienced this far too many times.
I always say that everybody could learn a very serious lesson from the likes of Padron, and far too few others.
These folks have integrity. They aren't about the quick buck, but rather, they know that their name is on
every cigar, and they are serious about quality. It just doesn't seem to be in their genes to do anything contrary.
 
I like the Puros Indios, they are inexpensive and pretty tasty. I also like Famous Private Selection Nicaragua, Gran Habano 3 SLS, and the 3X3 tubo.
 
Devil's Weed 515s - I'm still loving them for my first cigar of the day...
Personally, I would put Oliva ahead of Padron (not including '64, '26, etc...)
Famous Nicaraguans are quite tasty (Habano wrapped)
--they used to have some value Dominicans that were great (500's?)...changed them and they suck now


I've got a seperate humi with singles of all my newbie favorites
-Torano Virtuoso
-Partagas Black (aged)
-LGC natural
-La Aurora cameroon (cetro) **on closeout at CI**
-Punch Magnum
-RP '90
 
I will give ya a few to go and find. First one is the Torano "Brigade" bundled in 16's these a great sticks all around 3 bucks or less. Another brand is called "Crossfire" new and limited distrubution but maybe the best conn shade cigar i have smoked, at least in the last 10 yrs. Berger & Argenti "The Mooch" under 5 bucks great roll and very nice flavors.
 
Raodwarior said:
I will give ya a few to go and find. First one is the Torano "Brigade" bundled in 16's these a great sticks all around 3 bucks or less. Another brand is called "Crossfire" new and limited distrubution but maybe the best conn shade cigar i have smoked, at least in the last 10 yrs. Berger & Argenti "The Mooch" under 5 bucks great roll and very nice flavors.
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Just had a Mooch Minnie last night. Beautifully constructed, great aromas, but I have to say only about the first two 3rds were pleasing. The last 3rd got very bitter and unpleasant. Can't say that I wont give it another shot though!
 
I don't know that they would be considered a dark horse, but I like the Torano 1959 gold series and the Perdomo box press limited edition (red band/corojo). For the price they are both pretty decent.

Ken
 
I'll give another nod to Devils Weed, especially since they are half the price of what they initially sold for. Their profile is something that just clicked when I smoked my first one.

Carlos Torano is another label that has some very good hidden gems in their lineup, Virtuoso and those Casa Torano (connecticut wrapper) come to mind easily, but I like one that hasn't been mentioned yet. Torano 1916 cameroon!

One brand that's been around a long time and I always have some in my humi is Baccarat.Maybe it's the sweet gummed tip, but I can always depend on them being the same.

I used to like Cusano Cuvee but a recent buy has turned me off on buying more, they changed the blend. :( It's just not the same. i know what Gary and Dan are talking about.
 
MadMonk said:
Gavin, Casa Fernandez has wonderful tobacco. I just ordered a box of their Miami. I've been able to age some of their offerings for about 1.5- 2 yrs, and they aged nicely, keeping good flavor, and rounding out nicely.

Don't know if this qualifies as a dark horse, but I still love my JR Ultimate Cigars and they remain some of my Go To cheaper smokes. You sometimes have to send a box back, due to a mustisness from overhumidifying, but that is not too common in my experience. Been smoking them forever.

I also really like some of Cuban Crafters smokes. Kiki has some flavorful tobacco, and if you wait for sales, they can represent good value. I like the CC Cabinet, La Caroline, and the Don Kiki Brown.
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You'll have to let me know how those Miami's are!

Grammar edit.
 
Devil's Weed! I really loved those cigars. I had tried a couple of bundles when CI restocked from box closeouts to bundles, and they smelled and tasted horrible.
Perhaps it is time to try another batch, and see how they're rolling. Wonder if Abe is still making them?
 
I'm still liking Gran Habano #5s for something cheap and different.
 
Carlos Torano makes some really good cigars. I really like the signature line.

Oliva 'O' and 'S' are some of my go to sticks.

I loved the Original La Aroma de Cuba, the new Pepin blend isn't as good.

Drew Estates Chateau Real Naturals are also very good cigars.

And the hands down best budget cigar I've ever smoked and still really love to this day is the CI Blue Label, Outstanding flavor and construction every single time.

There is one cigar whose name I'm forgetting that Brewmeister hooked me up with. I'll post the name once I remember.
 
These are hands down some of the best cigars I've ever had. And the only cigar my wife is willing to smoke to a nub.

Seriously try a box you won't be disappointed.

http://www.dimeola.com/
 
Wurm said:
Carlos Torano makes some really good cigars. I really like the signature line.
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Another stick with a brazilian maduro wrapper that I like is La Hara by Tesa (though the only place I know to get these is from Fuller's Pullers and they are closing their online shop soon).
 
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