Smoking The Best Is Not Expensive

[oldgeezersmoker]

oldgeezer, were you using Gerard back then? He always had great product. When I think about how much I use to spend on cuban cigars, my pipe tobacco is so cheap.

Yes. Dealt with Marie, who was extraordinarily helpful. Heard they don't ship to the US anymore.
And to the skeptical, back in those days there was a huge difference in taste between not only Cubans and cigars made elsewhere, but between different Cuban brands. Today might be different, haven't smoked a Cuban cigar in 15 years. Cigars like Opus X were very good, but didn't have that Cuban taste which I always thought came from the wrapper.

 

[instymp]

"Cohibas were crap"
I think they still are. Overrated & over priced.

My La Glorias are better. (To me)

 

[nevadablue]

I had some nice cigars when I lived in Nicaragua. Cigars make me loopy though. Unfortunately, we didn't get to make the planned visit to the cigar factory. The economy crashed and the job ended... sigh. (November '08)

 

[warren]

I always thought the very best cigars were those offered to me, gratis, by those who enjoyed only the finest. I'm now blessed with a discerning son-in-law who loves to explore the world's cigar crop. He faithfully remembers my birthday with, what for me, is an annual supply. You should all be so blessed!

 

[jvnshr]

A cigar-supplying-son-in-law? Amen to that. How do you make a daughter? I just have a son who pees on me regularly.

 

[cigrmaster]

The main reason I smoked more cubans than any other was the price. I could buy a Punch Punch for 5.00 and change where as a DOn Carlos Robusto was 8.00. There are so many great sources for cubans around the world. I also liked the flavor of cubans as there was a wide variety. The Partagas Serie Du Conn 1 was maybe my favorite. I went to the Cohiba factory on a private tour in 2000 and saw first hand how those jokers rolled such crappy cigars. They think it is a joke to plug the shit out of them. I have had no experience buying any since around 2007.

 

[warren]

Cohiba! So no soft thighed virgins rolling them huh?

 

[fitzy]

I'm not a big fan of Escudo but I like aged LBF and I've been stockpiling it every time it's on sale.
As for Cuban's they can be cheaper than a lot of Nicaraguan, Honduran or Dominican cigars. There are great cigars from all of those countries and each country absolutely has a taste difference. (There are certain Cuban brands like Cohiba and Trinidad that are expensive and personally I'm not a big fan of either)
I like a range of sizes but lately I find myself smoking Petite Corona's, Corona's and Robusto's. I can smoke some fine Partagas, Bolivar, Por Larranaga and Ramon Allones Cubans for about $90 to $130 per box of 25. I've got a box inbound now of Bolivar Corona's Juniors for about $115 shipped. Next I'll be picking up a 50 cigar cabinet of Por Larranaga Petite Corona's for about $260. That's under $5 for the Bolivar and just over $5 for the PLPC.