saving money or the need for the name brand

ilikebigbutts-cigarbutts

so lets say you have found a cigar that is or close enough to taste/strength/body as your favorite cigar. also this cigar is lets say a few bucks cheaper than your favorite. would these factors be enough for you to except them as your new cigar considering the economical times? or would you still not be entertained to replace them with your "favorite". i personnally would buy these cheaper cigars as a replacement but would still have in back of my mind they arent THE cigar i fell in love with and would still want that cigar when i could get it. i guess kind of like a treat to myself i would bye the original cigar. kind of like some people have to have the name brand instead of the off brand no matter how similar they are.

Stoogee

If I could find something almost exactly the same as an ashton VSG for less money I would smoke it over the ashton but It would have to be very close if not I would spend the extra money for the vsg I smoke 3-4 cigars a week at the most and the 10-20 bucks I might save is not that big a deal to me.

urbino

I'd go for the cheapies. Assuming, that is, that they consistently had as good a construction as the spendy ones.

The nearest I've ever come to this situation is the 5 Vegas Classic and the H. Upmann (although the Upmann isn't really expensive). But the Upmann is more intense; not hugely, but noticeably. It's enough to make me buy the Upmanns.




And the Classics.

j0z3r

Would this perhaps pertain to seconds as well? For example, and I know urby is with me, the Perdomo ESV '91 seconds are top flight in quality with the only distinguishing factor being cosmetic, ie a slightly uneven colored wrapper, too many veins, sun/water spots. In the case of that particular model, but also taking into account all seconds that are first rate, I'd have absolutely no problem opting for the seconds and feeling satisfied that I had a great smoke and saved some green.

urbino

Yup. I've never even bothered to try an ESV '91 "first."

phobicsquirrel

I really don't know what a cheap cigar is, though 20 I believe is far from that. I figure around 6 or so is cheap for me. And I usually smoke cigars around that price. though some are way off from that..

Tumbler

urbino:

I'd go for the cheapies. Assuming, that is, that they consistently had as good a construction as the spendy ones.

The nearest I've ever come to this situation is the 5 Vegas Classic and the H. Upmann (although the Upmann isn't really expensive). But the Upmann is more intense; not hugely, but noticeably. It's enough to make me buy the Upmanns.




And the Classics.

You've mentioned the Upmann a few times - never tried one - where should I begin?

urbino

I smoke the no-name one -- that is, it's just the "H. Upmann" -- usually in the corona or the churchill (which is more like a panatela). Their Vintage Cameroon is very good, too.

Tumbler

Thanks Urb - I will give it a try

kuzi16

how about the 5 vegas series A (as the cheap one) and the Partagas black as the expensive one. I almost alwas have both on hand. they taste very similar. the black is an "amped up" version of the A. if the black was a few bucks more id almost never smoke em.

urbino

Interesting. I've only had one Black; it didn't make much of an impression, so I don't remember much about it. I do like the 'A', though. I think I've got one more Black in the humi, somewhere. I'll have to smoke it and an 'A' on back-to-back days.

jihiggs

if youre cigar hobby includes sticking to name brands just for the sake of the words on the little band, then you are no better than a highschool chick paying twice as much for name brand jeans.

urbino

jihiggs:

if youre cigar hobby includes sticking to name brands just for the sake of the words on the little band, then you are no better than a highschool chick paying twice as much for name brand jeans.

And considerably less hot.

These Filthy Hands

urbino:

jihiggs:

if youre cigar hobby includes sticking to name brands just for the sake of the words on the little band, then you are no better than a highschool chick paying twice as much for name brand jeans.

And considerably less hot.

LMAO!!!

jihiggs

nice, lol

robert69165

I told my brother to let no one tell him that his smokes are junk and if he likes it (the cigar) he likes it, If all he likes are swisher sweets then go for it, if all he likes are Opus by golly, he'd better share (lol). Is'nt that the true nature of smoking cigars to smoke what you like regardless of the band, trends or price? Be true to yourself and smoke what you like lol

kaspera79

robert69165:

I told my brother to let no one tell him that his smokes are junk and if he likes it (the cigar) he likes it, If all he likes are swisher sweets then go for it, if all he likes are Opus by golly, he'd better share (lol). Is'nt that the true nature of smoking cigars to smoke what you like regardless of the band, trends or price? Be true to yourself and smoke what you like lol

I agree, i enjoy inexpensive cigars like the 5 Vegas, and one of my favorites Bauza which are about three bucks each in a box purchase, and I enjoy the ultra premiums like Opus, Gurkhas, Zino, and Graycliff as well, price does not always indicate how good a cigar is, or how much one person will enjoy them. But Swishers ? ummm not for me, ;}

brc81

When I buy sticks I usually try to buy something higher end and them something on the low end. So far this has led me to discover things like C.com house labels, RP Fusion Seconds, and 5 Vegas.

I'm a cheap skate by nature and when I find a cheap stick that I enjoy I try to keep it stocked in my humi. Things I consider cheap would be in the $3 or less range, $4-6 being mid range, and $6+ being higher end.

bigharpoon

jihiggs:

if youre cigar hobby includes sticking to name brands just for the sake of the words on the little band, then you are no better than a highschool chick paying twice as much for name brand jeans.

I've heard it's very uncool in Europe to smoke cigars with the band still on. With the band off nobody can tell what high-end/low-end cigar you are smoking so it immediately eliminates any rash opinions of the other person or being self-conscious of your cigar. Instead, you have common ground and it's a friendly "nice to meet you, fellow cigar smoker" kind of atmosphere. Now the cigar experience is reduced to its basics: personal enjoyment. I carefully take the labels off my cigars before lighting and smoke them sans band.

kaspera79

I always take the band off before I start anyway, if I am with another regular smoker we often will be smoking the same thing and comparing what we are getting out of the cigar.

Even if I'm smoking a 5 Vegas, and my neighbor chooses to pull out an Opus X, I don't really care, It is what he likes and can afford. Likewise I don't walk around quoting how much I spent on a cigar either. If asked I would say " It was a gift ". Anybody who has been smoking for a while knows the prices of cigars by brand, and probably have a few of each price range.

If someone is smoking a drug store cigar, I would never comment on it, since that may be his indulgence, next time I'll say.. If you like cigars, try one of these, and give him one of my favorites. More than a few people have been converted this way..

bbc020

kaspera79:

If someone is smoking a drug store cigar, I would never comment on it, since that may be his indulgence, next time I'll say.. If you like cigars, try one of these, and give him one of my favorites. More than a few people have been converted this way..

a few of my friends have been converted this way, yet my dad still insists on drug store cigars, but will indulge when I offer one from my collection.

kuzi16

bbc020:

kaspera79:

If someone is smoking a drug store cigar, I would never comment on it, since that may be his indulgence, next time I'll say.. If you like cigars, try one of these, and give him one of my favorites. More than a few people have been converted this way..

a few of my friends have been converted this way, yet my dad still insists on drug store cigars, but will indulge when I offer one from my collection.

my dad is the same way.

gmill880

kuzi16:

bbc020:

kaspera79:

If someone is smoking a drug store cigar, I would never comment on it, since that may be his indulgence, next time I'll say.. If you like cigars, try one of these, and give him one of my favorites. More than a few people have been converted this way..

a few of my friends have been converted this way, yet my dad still insists on drug store cigars, but will indulge when I offer one from my collection.

my dad is the same way.

a buddy at work smokes the cheapie bundles from a groc store ...like 19.95 for 25 ...I've smoked several when offered and given him several of mine which he has really enjoyed he just chooses not to spend the money and likes the ones he buys. I have graciously accepted a couple and thanked him and smoked them. Its a gift and I say be courteous and don't sweat the small stuff ...just my opinion

robert69165

the swishers were a stretch, I know. But hey I was scoping out a catalog (not c.com) and found hand rolled premium swisher sweets. Didn't know they existed, kinda like a jackalope or somthing.

gmill880

robert69165:

the swishers were a stretch, I know. But hey I was scoping out a catalog (not c.com) and found hand rolled premium swisher sweets. Didn't know they existed, kinda like a jackalope or somthing.

premium swisher sweets isn't that a oxymoron?

kuzi16

how "premium" are we talkin?

bacon.jay

bigharpoon:

I've heard it's very uncool in Europe to smoke cigars with the band still on. With the band off nobody can tell what high-end/low-end cigar you are smoking so it immediately eliminates any rash opinions of the other person or being self-conscious of your cigar. Instead, you have common ground and it's a friendly "nice to meet you, fellow cigar smoker" kind of atmosphere. Now the cigar experience is reduced to its basics: personal enjoyment. I carefully take the labels off my cigars before lighting and smoke them sans band.

kaspera79:

I always take the band off before I start anyway, if I am with another regular smoker we often will be smoking the same thing and comparing what we are getting out of the cigar.

Even if I'm smoking a 5 Vegas, and my neighbor chooses to pull out an Opus X, I don't really care, It is what he likes and can afford. Likewise I don't walk around quoting how much I spent on a cigar either. If asked I would say " It was a gift ". Anybody who has been smoking for a while knows the prices of cigars by brand, and probably have a few of each price range.

If someone is smoking a drug store cigar, I would never comment on it, since that may be his indulgence, next time I'll say.. If you like cigars, try one of these, and give him one of my favorites. More than a few people have been converted this way..

I've tried to do this too, but i had problems with the bands pulling off sections of the wrapper with them. ever since the second time it's happened to me, i've just smoked maybe a third or a half of the cigar before i take the wrapper off. the heat helps soften the glue they use when they roll them so the band comes off a lot easier.

j0z3r

That is a valid point Bacon, I've had the same trouble with quite a few cigars. I like to take the band off, but that has less to do with the band and more to do with my obsessive need to pick at things. So if the band is loose, like I can roll it around on the cigar, then I'll take it off, otherwise I'll resist the urge to pick at it for as long as I can and hopefully by that time I'm far enough into the cigar to soften it up. Since I've started reading while I smoke, I find the urge to pick at the band does not maintain such a presence, though it is still there.

bacon.jay

kuzi16:

how "premium" are we talkin?

Googled it.

apparently they're hand-rolled in Honduras with long-leaf filler and an actual leaf wrapper and binder. i mean, that really doesn't say much, but who knows...

bacon.jay

j0z3r:

That is a valid point Bacon, I've had the same trouble with quite a few cigars. I like to take the band off, but that has less to do with the band and more to do with my obsessive need to pick at things. So if the band is loose, like I can roll it around on the cigar, then I'll take it off, otherwise I'll resist the urge to pick at it for as long as I can and hopefully by that time I'm far enough into the cigar to soften it up. Since I've started reading while I smoke, I find the urge to pick at the band does not maintain such a presence, though it is still there.

Yeah, i have that problem too sometimes, so I screw around with my cutter whenever i smoke a cigar. that or my kershaw lockback. i know that it helps keep me from picking at the band all the time.