Hi,
A friend of mine has a birthday in a few days and recently he has developed a fondness for good cigars. I want to get him something worth while but, being a somewhat of a neophyte in this area myself, dont really know where to begin. If anyone has any suggestions of a particular stick to look at, please let me know. My buddy prefers larger cigars (im thinking a churchill, good for celebrations) and I would imagine something light and enjoyable would work out best. Again, any help would be great. Thanks

If your friend likes a mild cigar, something not too strong or heavy, I would recommend: Don Diego, C.A.O. Gold, Partagas Spanish Rosado, Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo, or Hoyo de Monterey. For a more full bodied cigar, I would recommend: Punch Gran Cru, Fuente Fuente Opus X, C.A.O. Italia, Carlos Torano signature, or anything Padron.

Good luck.....and let us know what you finally ended up getting him and how he liked it.

Ashton VSG's a perennial favorite of many aficonados. They're hard to find sometimes but Holts.com always has a ready supply. Also you might want to try the Rocky Patel 1990 or 1992 vintage churchill or torpedos. These are top notch smokes and fairly reasonable in price. They are also a good "gateway" smoke in that they aren't too strong, yet are rich and complex.

VSGs, Padron Annis, Padilla Miami Blends, Fuente Don Carlos.

If you want to provide your friend with an excellent cigar but not as well known - take a look at PG Cigars (www.pgcigars.com). This is the company of Paul Garmirian who has written several books and is a living institution in the cigar industry.