Do highly discounted "deals" on cigars mean they are lower quality or not a good smoke?

Brokegunner

Last night I went onto Cigar.com and decided to create a custom sampler. As I was completing my order, there was an offer to add a box of 25 Toraño Noventa Santiago cigars for only $65 so I checked the reviews and they seem pretty good but most reviews seemed to be from years ago. I guess I should have looked closer as the Santiago is a smaller size but I guess it's still a decent deal.
I am fairly new to buying cigars online and I guess I am a little apprehensive to be spending money on cheap cigars that I will not end up enjoying. I would like to hear from all of you more experienced Cigar smokers on this subject.... like is it possible to add on a deal and you end up pleased with a $3 cigar? Thanks!!

ShawnOL

While decent cigars can be had at lower price points, you usually get what you pay for.

Bob_Luken

I've been in your shoes and bought some of those exact cigars. I would advise you to pass on this add-on. Based on my experience and my preference, they aren't terrible, but $3 deals come along on much better cigars. For example, AJ Fernandez's New World Cameroon I got for $3 a stick awhile back an they are bang for buck excellent. And someone here on the forum gave me a heads up on those. I usually get the best advice from these guys.

Brokegunner

@Bob_Luken said:
I've been in your shoes and bought some of those exact cigars. I would advise you to pass on this add-on. Based on my experience and my preference, they aren't terrible, but $3 deals come along on much better cigars. For example, AJ Fernandez's New World Cameroon I got for $3 a stick awhile back an they are bang for buck excellent. And someone here on the forum gave me a heads up on those. I usually get the best advice from these guys.

Thanks, I smoked a new world yesterday at our local lounge and it was great. I guess I will try these out and if I decide to be impulsive again I will show down and ask on here.

d_blades

I try to average around 5 bucks a smoke, to fits my budget.

0patience

Since you are new, buying boxes or bundles of cigars should be something to avoid, until you know you like them.
The worst thing for a new smoker to do, is to buy boxes, even if he thinks he likes them, because there is a good chance that later on, their tastes will change.

Then you end up with budget cigars that will sit for a very long time, taking up valuable real estate.

Bob_Luken

What you are gonna like about the Noventa is the box they come in. It's built like a humidor. I'm not saying it would make a good humidor, but it's solid. Would make a nice box for lighters, cullers, etc.

Brokegunner

@0patience said:
Since you are new, buying boxes or bundles of cigars should be something to avoid, until you know you like them.
The worst thing for a new smoker to do, is to buy boxes, even if he thinks he likes them, because there is a good chance that later on, their tastes will change.

Then you end up with budget cigars that will sit for a very long time, taking up valuable real estate.

You mean like all these Kuba Kuba's I have sitting here in their own humidor? LOL I wish I would have known my taste would be changing, as it definitely has.

0patience

@Brokegunner said:

@0patience said:
Since you are new, buying boxes or bundles of cigars should be something to avoid, until you know you like them.
The worst thing for a new smoker to do, is to buy boxes, even if he thinks he likes them, because there is a good chance that later on, their tastes will change.

Then you end up with budget cigars that will sit for a very long time, taking up valuable real estate.

You mean like all these Kuba Kuba's I have sitting here in their own humidor? LOL I wish I would have known my taste would be changing, as it definitely has.

It's rare for a cigar smoker's tastes not to change over time.
Usually the first year or so is spent trying different cigars.
Then as your tastes develop and you determine what it is that you like, you then start to see the similar tobaccos you are drawn to.

I prefer cameroons, sungrown, rosados and similar tobaccos. Most of which tend to have a sweeter taste to them.
Others prefer the more robust tastes of Connecticuts and maduros.
It takes time to figure out.

DennyG

@Brokegunner As you might have seen in reviews, ppl's taste buds are not the same (been there, done that) Early on I bought a lot of sampler packs just like many have and over time I got an idea of my likes and dislikes and narrowed my choices to a short list of favs. I had a couple guys I did business with who would smoke a rope if it was free, so gave the stuff I bought and didn't like to them. Even ring size and length can change the taste in cigars. Cheaper priced cigars do not mean bad cigars, anymore then high dollar mean good to all...It's a journey, enjoy the trip.

Patrickbrick

@Brokegunner said:

@0patience said:
Since you are new, buying boxes or bundles of cigars should be something to avoid, until you know you like them.
The worst thing for a new smoker to do, is to buy boxes, even if he thinks he likes them, because there is a good chance that later on, their tastes will change.

Then you end up with budget cigars that will sit for a very long time, taking up valuable real estate.

You mean like all these Kuba Kuba's I have sitting here in their own humidor? LOL I wish I would have known my taste would be changing, as it definitely has.

Guy at my work loves those things, I’ll take a few off your hands in trade if you want?

peter4jc

Yeah, sure... A "guy at my work". Right. Who you tryin' to kid?

IndustMech

Kuba Curious

deadman

@IndustMech said:
Kuba Kurious

FIFY and LMAO when I read that John.

Amos_Umwhat

@Brokegunner said:
Last night I went onto Cigar.com and decided to create a custom sampler. As I was completing my order, there was an offer to add a box of 25 Toraño Noventa Santiago cigars for only $65 so I checked the reviews and they seem pretty good but most reviews seemed to be from years ago. I guess I should have looked closer as the Santiago is a smaller size but I guess it's still a decent deal.
I am fairly new to buying cigars online and I guess I am a little apprehensive to be spending money on cheap cigars that I will not end up enjoying. I would like to hear from all of you more experienced Cigar smokers on this subject.... like is it possible to add on a deal and you end up pleased with a $3 cigar? Thanks!!

In some ways, I think you're on to something. I often buy the La Aurora Preferido Cameroons when they go on sale. I find that they need a minimum of 6 months humidor time before they become reliably smokeable. Smoke one prior to that and you risk tunneling or swelling problems. I think that often they're ones that have had too much warehouse time, therefore they need some rest and resuscitation before smoking.

Fortunately, they're a high quality construction, therefore they come back to life pretty well. I think that's the ticket, was it a high quality cigar to begin with? Then it's likely that it's worth the purchase, assuming you've got the patience to wait. That's easier when you have seven or eight hundred cigars on hand to fill your time. That's why we all have coolers, or something more expensive and electrified to keep our sticks in.