Commentary: Five Easily Found Cigars that I Miss

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. When it comes to cigars, that old axiom doesn’t always hold true. Between the desire to sample new, heavily marketed releases and the need to explore uncharted blends, it’s easy to forget about old favorites that were once mainstays of my cigar rotation. I know many of you feel the same way.

My colleague, George E, wrote about this phenomenon back in May 2010. “I’m sure each of you can think of cigars that you really liked in the past but somehow got away from smoking as new releases elbowed their way onto the shelves,” he said. “And I’m not suggesting that anyone abandon the hunt for great new cigars. Discovering them is one of the many pleasures of cigar smoking. But so is reconnecting with an old friend.”

Revisiting George’s article got me thinking about cigars that I haven’t reconnected with in a long time. So I decided to jot down a quick list of cigars I miss. Of the cigars on my list, some are limited releases that are no longer available. Some are rare. Some verge on being cost-prohibitive. But, perhaps surprisingly, many are regular production smokes that are widely available at a relatively reasonable cost.

I find this latter category intriguing. I have no excuse for losing sight of excellent cigars that are easily located and purchased, especially since I once found them so consistently enjoyable. Below are five of these cigars and my reason for missing them:

Arturo Fuente King B — This cedar-wrapped smoke features wonderful sweetness thanks to its Ecuadorian sungrown rosado wrapper. And despite its wide girth (ring gauge of 55), the torpedo format and superior construction make it easy to enjoy.

Don Kiki Brown Label — This was my everyday go-to smoke circa 2007. Affordable, consistent, delicious…What’s not to like about this criollo cigar? Nothing. So I can’t put my finger on why I haven’t had one in over a year.

Isla de Cuba Classic — Back in 2008, this blend was one of my favorite Connecticut Ecuadorian-wrapped cigars. I found its profile to have loads of almond and cream with a complementary component of spice. Today, even though you can find them at JR Cigars, I can’t remember the last time I tried a Classic. And that’s a damn shame.

Padrón 5000 Maduro — Fans of Padrón’s super-premium blends tend to forget that this cigar-maker’s standard series shouldn’t be overlooked. At one time I always kept a stash of 5000 Maduros in my collection. Now it has been ages since I’ve smoked one.

Toraño Signature Collection — When I first tried the Signature Collection in late 2006, I liked its flavors of leather, spice, and sweet syrup enough to smoke at least a few a week. These days, for whatever reason, I rarely find myself sparking one up.

Now I’d like to hear from you. What cigars are you missing? Of those that make your list, what percentage are readily available today? How many are expensive? Are there any Cubans on your list? And which old favorite (if any) are you committed to reconnecting with?

-Patrick A

photo credit: N/A