If you've already got 3 of the Graycliffs, hold off on them until you've smoked them. 10+ years is a lot of time under their belts. They may be losing it. Maybe the Capt can give advice on that. But try one already, dangit.. and if it's good, then you've got your first Christmas idea for yourself.

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A. De Mello:

There is not a single moment in your life when you do not have everything that you need to be happy.

Okay. Since it's my birthday, I'll have one of my Graycliff 1997s. Followed by a Hemingway. :)

I had forgotten you sent me a 3 Siglos. I had to go back and check after seeing your post.

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Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

Scratch that. A Graycliff followed by a Nestor Reserve Maduro. The Graycliff's flavor was stronger than I expected (further comments in Whatcha Smokin?), so I want to follow it up with something with a more strikingly different flavor.

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Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

Okay. After smoking that Graycliff last night, and much thought and rumination (yes, I chew my cud), here's the new lineup. The Fuente SunGrown has been eliminated and some boxes have been reduced to smaller quantities in order to accommodate more of other things (particularly, the Graycliff and Don Carlos). I can get all of the below and still be on budget -- something that couldn't be said for my previous list.

Definitely in:

10 - Oliva Special S, Diadema
1 - Gran Habano VL (2005), Churchill, Maduro Box of 15
10 - Graycliff Original Release (1997), Coronas Especiales
10 - Rocky Patel Vintage 1992, Churchill

Almost definitely in:

10 - Avo Domaine #30
6 - Gurkha Centurian
5 - Montecristo Media Noche Edmundo
1 - A. Fuente Don Carlos Res #3 Box of 25
5 - CAO L'Anniv. Cameroon Churchill
5 - Trinidad Corona

That gives me 4 cigars I've never tried -- GH, Monte, CAO, Trinidad -- and all the others are cigars I've rated 9.0 or higher.

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Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

Not to play devil's advociate here, but yhink of all the money you'd save on box purchases, especially with the Monte's :)

That looks likean amazing order. Have you had the Gurkha Royal Brigade? I think it runs similar to or slightly cheaper than the Centurian.. it's a Legend in a Cameroon wrapper, and I know how you are about those cammies.

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A. De Mello:

There is not a single moment in your life when you do not have everything that you need to be happy.

urbi,

I will be your cigar.com mooch.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

Same here... I think this looks like a checklist for the MAW thread!

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Mr. Powers I got a Viagra stuck in my throat and I've had a Stiff Neck all day

dutyje:

Not to play devil's advociate here, but yhink of all the money you'd save on box purchases, especially with the Monte's :)

Do you wanna go to the moon? Do you wanna go to the moon?!!

dutyje:

That looks likean amazing order. Have you had the Gurkha Royal Brigade? I think it runs similar to or slightly cheaper than the Centurian.. it's a Legend in a Cameroon wrapper, and I know how you are about those cammies.

I'm not familiar with that one. It sounds good, but in this case, I think I'll stick to the Centurians.

Thanks, kuzi and Lassy. After all this effort and excellent input, I think I'm finally happy with it. Part of the idea was to get enough of several things that I'd have some to spread around in the game threads.

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Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

wait wait! one more thing.... the box purchase on the Don Carlos saves you 5 cents over the course of 25 cigars.... you could always cut down on your number there (get 12, 15, 20... whatever) and make room to try yet another cigar

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A. De Mello:

There is not a single moment in your life when you do not have everything that you need to be happy.

dutyje:

wait wait! one more thing.... the box purchase on the Don Carlos saves you 5 cents over the course of 25 cigars.... you could always cut down on your number there (get 12, 15, 20... whatever) and make room to try yet another cigar

Good thinking!

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CONSULTING:
If you're not a part of the solution, there's good money to be made in prolonging the problem.

sigh

Yeah, good point. Dammit.

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Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

Ah hahahaha ... you need to place an order boy!

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CONSULTING:
If you're not a part of the solution, there's good money to be made in prolonging the problem.

The box price on Montecristos offers a huge savings/stick. Also, I noticed you went back to the Edmundo (5 x 55) instead of the No. 3 (5.5 x 44). Box price on those is $160 and $115 respectively. Either of those should buy you enough room for a fiver or two of Carlos Torano and/or Nub Cameroon (which were on your original list). Other good candidates for fivers there would be the La Flor Dominicana Ligero, Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte, or Sol Cubano Sumatra.

See? So downgrade the Fuentes to a five or ten.. move the Montes to a box purchase, and rank the brands above and buy fivers until you hit $800.

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A. De Mello:

There is not a single moment in your life when you do not have everything that you need to be happy.

Does anybody else get the feeling duty would like several Monte Media Noches in his Boffo Birthday Sampler? :)

Going back to the Edmundo was just a case of misremembering which one you'd recommended. The thing with going to a box of Montes is that, while I definitely want to try them, and despite the economy of scale, if I ranked my interest in the cigars on this list, the Monte would be near the bottom. So springing for a box would be overkill. I'd rather spend the money on cigars I'm more interested in.

Therefore, reducing the Don Carlos count to 10, I'd probably use the extra dough on some Gurkha Royal Brigades and Sol Cubano Sumatras.

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Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

The Monte MN's are worth it but then again so are the SC Sumatras ..... tough choices urbs

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CONSULTING:
If you're not a part of the solution, there's good money to be made in prolonging the problem.