Newbie Experience : Arturo Fuente

[aar0n]

I had an arturo fuente the other day for the first time as my stepping stone to unflavored cigars. I didn't like it that much really but I figure my taste hasn't quite developed yet. I bought a second arturo fuente the same day but it was a bigger ring gauge and alittle shorter. The wrapper was also alot darker. I smoked the second one just a day ago and to my surprise the darker one was way better and I loved it. At first I thought being a newbie I wouldn't like darker wrappers because I had read somewhere they tend to be a more full or stronger taste. I was feeling really down after smoking the first one and I felt kinda lame because of not liking it. I then remember that there is a world of cigars out there to try and I most likely wont like them all. I guess I am just sharing my thoughts haha, pretty soon I am getting a sampler box and I will try many different kinds to review for my taste in my cigar journal.
Just my :2

[stewshi]

I feel the same way as a Noob myself its always fun to try out different cigars, I read somewhere by other BOTL's that you should try a cigar twice before crossing it off your list though. But enjoy the journey either way I know I am. :tu

[shilala]

That second cigar was likely a Fuente maduro. There are tons of different Fuente maduros (maduro is the type of wrapper on the cigar, they're sweet and caramel and chocolate). Visit Fuente's site or Tampa Sweethearts and you can see all the different cigars they make.
I used to smoke tons of Fuente Signature maduros, I really loved them. They're very sweet and mild. They're excellent starter smokes for you, nice choice. :tu

[bsmokin]

Good for you for branching out! ;) Stick around here and you'll find lots of good advice and suggestions....

The dark wrapper cigar you liked is likely a 'Maduro' wrapper. That's basically the name for dark wrappers on cigars. I used pretty much _only_ smoke Maduros, cuz I liked them so much. They tend to be more flavorful - not necessarily more strong.

Some I would recommend trying if you want to try some real nice ones...
- Rocky Patel Old Worlde Reserve maduro
- Padron 3000 maduro
If you _really_ want a treat try a Pardron 1964 Anniv maduro. These are arguably the best maduro available.

Enjoy!

[aar0n]

Good for you for branching out! ;) Stick around here and you'll find lots of good advice and suggestions....

The dark wrapper cigar you liked is likely a 'Maduro' wrapper. That's basically the name for dark wrappers on cigars. I used pretty much _only_ smoke Maduros, cuz I liked them so much. They tend to be more flavorful - not necessarily more strong.

Some I would recommend trying if you want to try some real nice ones...
- Rocky Patel Old Worlde Reserve maduro
- Padron 3000 maduro
If you _really_ want a treat try a Pardron 1964 Anniv maduro. These are arguably the best maduro available.

Enjoy!
Thank you very much for the suggestions and thanks to everyone for the info. I can't wait to try them.

[mahtofire]

Everyone on here (I would assume) no matter how long they have been smoking are trying cigars they've never had before. That's my favorite thing about cigars. There are so many it's hard to run out of ones to try!

[Bax]

Stick around for a while and when you get access to the WTS forum, you'll be able to get great deals on all kinds of samplers. It's the best way to start your slide down the slope:tu

[postjack]

I appreciate your perspective. I'm a baby as well (been smoking about 1.5 years maybe) so it's fun to read the perspective of a beginner.

for me early on I was drawn to the more traditionally newbie cigars. I'd be interested to know how you like a Connecticut wrapper.

[neoflex]

Glad to hear you tried the Maduro instead of being afraid of it. There is a lot of misconception that just because a cigar is a Maduro that it will be a full bodied powerhouse. There are plenty of mild maddies out there. Like others have mentioned, one of the best parts of this hobby is always trying new smokes. Sometimes the fun is just trying to track down the latest stick. Don't ever feel down because you didn't like a particular smoke. It's all a part of the journey. As long as your smoking cigars and trying new blends and brands you will always have good cigars and your share of dog rockets. Just have fun with it and don't take it to seriously.

[Smokin Gator]

Sorry you didn't like the first one... but know it is OK not to like a particular stick even if everyone else loves it.

Over the years I have smoked a pile of Fuentes. Most I have really enjoyed and they are always well made. I still enjoy the Hemmingways, the X000s, the Anejos, and the Opus. The X000s are a great value in my opinion. Another Fuente line you may want to try is the Tampa Sweethearts. There is a bunch of easy to smoke/enjoy sticks in that line and they are very reasonably priced as well.

Enjoy the ride...

[Adriftpanda]

Aaron, we do have the NST. That will get you quickly started on a nice sampler.

[Ogre]

I have had similar experience, not all sticks from a manufacturer are the same. It does vary from person to person, and how well the stick was taken care of. The biggest thing I noticed about the same stick tasting different is age, its like 2 totally different cigars. All I can suggest is keep trying new things and find what works for you.

[JJG]

Aaron, I cannot say enough good things about Fuente. Over the years they have really grown on me more than any other NC brand. I suggest you try something from the Don Carlos Line next, (assuming the ones you tried were the regular green and red band). The Don Carlos have the red and black band. They are much more rich and sweet than the regular line.

[bobarian]

When you grab a new stick from a shop take a look at the box. Note the name of the cigar and any other details like maduro, oscuro, etc. The brand name is not so important as you have the label on the cigar. This will help you as you branch out and taste different cigars. If you are not sure you can always check the major retailers for more information on your cigar. In the beginning all cigars look very similar, but with time you will learn about different wrappers and how different manufacturers blend to a certain profile. The color of the wrapper has very little to do with strength. There are some cigars with lighter wrappers that are very strong(Litto Gomez) and others with dark that are quite light(Punch Rothschild Maduro Maduro.

Have fun and try as many different cigars as your budget allows. :2

[aar0n]

Aaron, I cannot say enough good things about Fuente. Over the years they have really grown on me more than any other NC brand. I suggest you try something from the Don Carlos Line next, (assuming the ones you tried were the regular green and red band). The Don Carlos have the red and black band. They are much more rich and sweet than the regular line.

Yea the ones I tried were the black and green and said gran reserva.

[jmsremax]

I love Fuentes! Anejos, WOAM, Double Chateau, 8-5-8, etc. :dr

[Chemyst]

Fuentes are my 'go to' smokes.

I like nearly everything they make, but the
Hemingway maddies are my favs.
Always well constructed, moderate strength
and flavorful.

Fuente also makes Ashton cigars, which are xlnt,
as well.

For a little spice try Ashton San Cristobals.

The Cuesta-Reys are easy on your budget.

Tampa Sweethearts is a vg source for Fuentes,
as is Holts. Lucky for me, Holts is a 'short' trip away!

BTW, the best way to find what you like is to try A LOT
of different brands, wrappers, sizes, etc. I expect to
keep trying new smokes for many years to come, but
when I started out it was a constant rotation, until I
narrowed down my preferences to a couple of dozen
smokes. But I still look for new favs for my regular
rotation.

Chemyst :cool2:

[Salvelinus]

It's been said above my post but good on ya for trying something new. I am certainly new to cigars and have found that I tend to prefer the medium to full bodied smokes. There is no reason to assume that just because you are new you should smoke light cigars. You will see this said a lot here but just in case you haven't yet... smoke what you like, no need for pre-conceptions. Share your experiences so that we all can learn from them. Enjoy the ride.