Top 3 Brands - Now & Then

[RevSmoke]

I know this sort of thing has been done before, but if you are like I am, tastes change periodically. Also, manufacturers also may tweak blends. And of course, rollers may come and go. But mainly, our tastes change.

Having said that, I am curious, what are your 3 favorite brands (be specific (Pepin is unacceptable - DPG Blue would be better, and one blender may have all 3 brands) now and what 3 were they then (define how long ago then was).

Now:
Oliva V
Taboo HSG
Padron Ann. 64 maduro (although I only smoke them occasionally due to cost)

Then - 1993:
AF Hemingway
Punch
Moore & Bode Flamboyan

As you can see, I have gravitated to more heavily bodied cigars. Although, it might be that the Hemingway line seems to have changed blends and is much different than it was. And the M&Bs I simply haven't had in a long time as they are also very pricey and finding them is difficult - would love to get my hands on a few of them again.

[ripper]

Now: Rocky Patel Sungrown
Rocky Patel Rosado
Perdomo Lot 23 maduro

1993: Cuba Aliados
Excalibur No. 3
Partagas 858

I'm rolling facefirst up the slope. Prefer medium smokes now.

[SeanGAR]

2008
JdN Antano
LGCR
LFD Double ligero

1993
Puros Indios
Fuente

[sikk50]

Now:
A. Fuente
Taboo
Don Lino

2007 (yeah, I'm that new):
CAO
Cohiba
RyJ

[Boobar]

NOW:
5 Vegas Series A
Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro
Carlos Torano Signature Collection


THEN: Early 2007
Onyx Reserve
Romeo Y Julieta 1875
CAO Brazilia

[zemekone]

Now:
ErDM
LgC
RA

2003:
Padron
A. Fuente
LgC

[Padron42]

Now:
Padron
basically anything Pepin (esp. JJ's and 601's)
Litto Gomez Diez

Then (2006):
Mayorga
HdM Excalibur
Da Vinci Mona Lisas

[gvarsity]

Now:
Litto Gomez
RASS
Padilla Miami 8&11

Then: 1990
Padron x000
Hoya De Monterry Excalibur #1 Natural ( Now the Excalibur Epicure Maduro is probably top 5. )
Punch Rothschild.

[RevSmoke]

I just arbitrarily chose 1993 as my "then" year, for it was a couple years before the "boom" really hit home, the year I could still get AF Hemi Short Stories for $60 a box. It is amazing how much has changed since then.

If I were to go back to my earliest "then," it'd be 1980.
Arturo Fuente - Chateau Fuentes
AF - Rothschilds
Punch Super Rothschilds

I remember all the "wanna be" blends that came onto the market in the 90s, all the boutique blends wanting to get their cut of the $5-$15 a stick money being spent by the newbies swimming in the cigar pond.

It is amazing how many of them are no longer around. And which ones are still out there.

[Addiction]

2007
RP 1992
DCMs
Davidoff Intenso Robusto

2008
Cohiba Lancero
Cohiba Siglo V
Cohiba Reserva Robusto

[King Leonidas]

[SIZE=3]Now; Taboo Sfo[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Alec Bradley Maxx[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Gurkha Ancient Warrior[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Then (2001)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Anything cheap from Thompson's (Iguana mainly) [/SIZE]

[kgraybill]

My taste has not changed much. I have only been smokin cigars for a few years.

Now
PAN 64 Principe
San Cristobal Clasico
601 green label corona

Then (2006)
PAN 64 Principe
Punch rare corojo
Padron Delicias Maduro (Still high on my List)

[icehog3]

Now:
H. Upmann Mag46
Partagas 898
Por Larranaga PC

Then (2004):
La Aroma de Cuba Robustos
La Vieja Habana Silencios
Fuente Hemingway Short Story

[Homebrewer]

Now:
Tatuaje Havana VI
Illusione 88
La Flor Dominica Double Ligero

1993:
Ashton aged maduro
Ashton Cabinet
Arturo Fuente Hemmingway

[TomHagen]

Now:
Tatuaje Brown Label (Taino, Regios, Conoju 2003)
Illusione Cg:4
Bolivar Royal Coronas

Then 2005:
Padron 3,5,6000's (still a go to, just not as frequently)
Fuente Rothchilds & Hemis
La Aurora Pref.