[greglepore]

The pre-ban cuban thing is real-there was a warehouse in Miami with a fair amt. that was recently rolled. They're not that special, but not bad.

I'm currently onto the upper end Joya's - Centennial series or something, and Aston VSG's, but both are deadly strong, after meal only.

Lighter stuff is usually Rocky Patel or Padron.

We have Bob Levin's shop in Philly - Holts - he's the guy that has Fuente make the Ashtons, so we get Opus at sane prices, 8-12 bucks a cigar.

I do have a beef-much of what i buy there refuses to burn properly, either it tunnels or it won't stay lit. I've attributed this in the past to the fact that they use whole store humidification, and I think they have it pumped up too high, but maybe its just an across the board problem. I was hoping that the end of the craze would mean a quality increase, but I guess not.

As to Cubans, I don't bother much any longer; the fakes and quality issues have burned me out. I love a Series D, most of the Panzas etc, and a good Christo 2 or A, but they're not nearly as "singularly excellent" as they used to be, not with the Fuente's doing their thing, and Padron.