An issue of gifted cigars

[Jevverrett]

I was gifted some cigars not long ago. I laid them away carefully in my humidor and pulled one here and there for sampling. Some of them are wonderfully strong and flavorful, and I appreciate the gifts greatly. If I really enjoy one, I’ll look it up. Not very easy, as some don’t have much to go on by way of branding. When I do find them at last, they run crazy expensive.

I have similar experience with samplers also. How many times I’ve been caught in the trap lol. Montecristo, las calaveras, pardon, vintage rocky patel.... You get a 4 or 5 in a dozen or so decent sticks, but the sticker shock is crazy. Upwards of 300$ for a box of 20? Does anybody even buy whole boxes around here?

 

[user 2027]

I use to. Why I went back to pipe smoking. Warped Corto, almost anything by Viaje, Southern Draw, Crowned Heads were all on my list. I was subsidizing it by my poker play. After some family events I was up to 5 cigars a day. I cannot afford to smoke $50 worth of cigars a day so back to pipe smoking, which I enjoy more than cigars anyway.

 

[daveinlax]

I buy several boxes a year but they aren’t $300 sticks. I haven’t bought a sampler that wasn’t a freebie in years. :shock:

 

[Jevverrett]

I get boxes of la finca, which aren’t terrible. They come in ammo cans, which are more than useful in my house lately. But they come in at about 1.50$ a piece. They’re good knock around cigars.

I prefer the pipe regardless most of the time. I do drop money on good pipes, but they last forever compared to a box of stogies.

 

[arkansaspiper]

Ya that's my struggle as well I am enjoying what I was gifted with but when I went to look at getting more I could not afford the ones I liked

 

[Blackhorse]

I used to buy lots of cigars. I prowled the cigar boards for the latest and greatest low to moderately priced releases and brands. Keep in mind that for any given frontmark (brand) there are maybe two or three sizes that are the winners. It is often the Robusto...the size that most companies reserve for their best tobaccos (really). But sometimes it’s the giant double corona or even a small size like the Montecristo 2000 Fer de Lance. (https://www.jrcigars.com/item/montecristo-cigars/montecristo-2000/fer-de-lance/mx2fl)

I used to buy lots of cigars, but don’t any longer. Essentially, cigars are the reason I smoke a pipe. Sure, I complain about the cost, but what’s far worse is when that $10 cigar runs up one side and because of one tight or loose area...it’s ruined.

With pipe tobacco you can buy the best stuff in the world for a song. For that $300 you could buy enough tobacco for a year. Or perhaps a new world class pipe and a few tins of excellent weed. Whatever.

Anyway...good luck.

 

[Jevverrett]

On a side note, I wish cigar blends tasted like the cigars the leaf should have been. I have an experiment going using cut cigar caps and some old joe krantz that is showing promise.

 

[Blackhorse]

On a side note, I wish cigar blends tasted like the cigars the leaf should have been. I have an experiment going using cut cigar caps and some old joe krantz that is showing promise.

Don’t forget that 90% of the flavor of a cigar is in the outer wrapper leaf.

 

[Zanaspus]

I still think there are some decently priced boxes of cigars out there. However, most can't be purchased from American vendors.

 

[glassjapan]

When you're smoking $20+ cigar, you realise even high priced rare pipe tobacco is dirt cheap in comparison!

 

[D.L.Ruth]

I've been through that as well. Rarely but cigars now, it was hard knowing that i was literally burning at least 10 dollars a day on average. Don't get me wrong i do enjoy them just not as much as pipes now.

 

[Jevverrett]

I think that may be why there are so many cigar shops and walk in humidors in gas stations. Places that may have pipes and such, but not much. Capitalism in action lol. The market for singles and 5 packs is huge.

 

[user 2027]

I think the last tobacco market report had pipe smokers at about 5% of the market.

 

[Jevverrett]

That seems low to me. With all the new blends and pipe makers in the last few years, I would figure it higher.

 

[daveinlax]

I think the last tobacco market report had pipe smokers at about 5% of the market.  

And 4.75% of that is relabeled RYO Cigarette "pipe tobacco". :shock:

 

[peanubutter]

The cigar and pipe hobby is a slippery slope. I still enjoy cigars and the price is what makes the pipe switch so enticing. The robusto or toro size provide a good wrapper-to-binder-to-filler ratio for me. A box worthy blend for me is the Alec Bradley Black Market or Cuesta-Rey Centro Fino. The Vega Fina or Tabak Especial are usually purchased in a 5-pack.

 

[MisterE]

When you're smoking $20+ cigar, you realise even high priced rare pipe tobacco is dirt cheap in comparison!

Word :roll:

 

[Jevverrett]

I think the last tobacco market report had pipe smokers at about 5% of the market.  

And 4.75% of that is relabeled RYO Cigarette "pipe tobacco". :shock:  

That’s nothing new though, look at old Prince Albert ads. Although, I will admit most of that stuff is unsuitable for pipe smoking. Except for bugler, which I have tried.