Humidor Diving

My wife is not a cigar smoker. She has had a few over the years, but one cigar every year or two doesn’t really qualify her as such. That being said, she does know what she likes – which is basically one of three different marques. She enjoys the Avo XO, Ashton Classic panatela or Fuente Between the Lines. Ever the encouraging husband, I typically keep one or two of each of those cigars around (except the Between the Lines.we have a number of those tucked away).

I was in an adventuresome (read:fickle) mood this morning, and went digging into the depths of the humidor looking for something that struck my fancy. I came across the Avo’s I’d put away for her..two little XO Intermezzos (5.5″x50). I figured “Hey.these things have been in here for years. It doesn’t appear she has designs on smoking them any time soon. I might as well fire one up.” So, I just moments ago sat down set it alight.

Time has been kind.

I was never a huge Avo fan. Don’t get me wrong, I have enjoyed a number of the company’s offerings over the years; it’s just that there have never been any I felt compelled to stockpile deeply for the long haul. Just minutes into this little guy, I’m feeling a tinge of regret over that decision. I don’t know if it’s a fluke, or if this line is prone to mature in the same way, but this cigar has developed a rich, clean – almost minty – flavor that is absolutely charming. It’s chocked full of savory, mouthwatering Sweet-Tart deliciousness. Even the cold draw before lighting was delightful. It’s been several years since I’ve smoked an XO, but I certainly don’t remember being so captivated by the blend at the time. Definitely not to this degree. I have one more with the same time under its belt in my humidor. If it’s as good as this one, I see a good chance of putting some away for a rainy day.

I’ve asked recently about your favorites that might not be so well known to the rest of us.but what are some that may have national recognition, yet have fallen out of the public eye because they’re not the “latest, greatest blend”? Maybe there’s a cigar deep in your humidor just begging for you to take it out and enjoy the heck out of it “just because.” Something, perhaps, that you’ve even covered over with other cigars or forgotten about. Dig in there and find them..and let me know if you find any gems!