How do you approach cigar buying?

Years ago, I participated in the newbie sampler trades that appear in one form or another on various cigar boards. Once I figured out what I liked (strong, ligero, SG wrappers, etc.), I keyed in on those cigars only. I look for internet deals or trusted board members who don't like em' for some reason and want to sell. If a new cigar comes out in my taste range, I may venture into a BnM to try one or two. I rarely buy any quantities from the locals; the prices are just too dam$ high. I can't justify paying $4-8 a piece (or more) for something I can get on-line for half or sometimes less. You have to know what you want and be patient. :ss

And when I do find a deal.......I load up big time!!! :D
 
Fortune500 said:
I'm pretty standard, I guess. When I go to my local B&M, I almost always try things I haven't tried before. If I like them, the hunt is on. Sometimes I'll get a fiver and re-evaluate. Sometimes, I pop for the whole box.

I'm a sucker for "Freebies" so that can push me over the edge.
Click to expand...

:tpd:
 
Bowmore said:
When purchasing cigars, what makes you pull the trigger? Do you sample some from the local B&M, then proceed to internet buying if you liked it? Is price your biggest concern?

Do you fall prey to the delicious, mouthwatering :dr reviews and impulse buy?

After reading quite a bit here, it seems people "frenzy buy" or turn into some sort of monster only to realize the damage done after they blacked out.

I guess what I am asking is what constitutes what goes into your humidor or cooledor.
Click to expand...

YES!

Basically look to local B&M and CB for sampler prior to online searches for box purchases. Reviews do have a significant impact on my buying. Especially on newly released stuff. :D
 
What's a B&M (I know what a B&M is)? I was being sarcastic, trying to say " I don't go to B&M's that often", (actually very rarely)

Most boxes I buy I have never smoked. Most of the time I bomb/trade/give away more ofthe cigars then I smoked.
Case in point, my PSD4's and my Monti #4's (maybe it's a force thing...get it: 4's=force....oh forget it.)

SERIOUSLY

....with a knife


B
:chk:chk:chk:chk
 
My first rule is don't buy based on somone's opinion that "has a horse in the race" i.e. the retailer/marketer. Lately the hype has gotten out of hand especially with super premiums.
I prefer to listen to opinions from veteran cigar smoking friends & members here & on other cigar blogs.
I'm dubious about ratings in magazines (CA & Smoke) because they are supported by the same people whose products they review.
One things for certain:
Taste is cigars is very subjective. Just read this site. Cigars I love, other people hate & vice-versa. I guess that's why Baskin & Robbins has 31 flavors.
I like to try a single cigar from a local B&M or 5 pack before I buy a box. Samplers are great too.
My #1 vendor is Cigar International. I buy a lot from their Joe Cigar Daily Deal site because the frequently offer 10-12 bundles versus full boxes & they are usually deeply discounted & are shipped free w/no tax. You can also add anything onto your order & receive free shipping for everything.
 
I read a lot of reviews on this site. I visit B&Ms regularly and pick up a wide variety of new ones to try while I am there. For some reason I always buy singles in pairs. One usually doesn't live long. The other is put on reserve for later sampling.
 
I think I have gone off of the deep end. I've gone mad, mad I tell ya'. I am a junkie super sampler whore. My finger is bionic and it has turned itchy automatic.

Seriously though, I did start out sampling some from the local B&M and the mouthwatering reviews from the e-tailers.

I have found some good and some bad to my taste buying blindly online, however, I have yet to buy a box that way. So far, by buying samplers, I don't feel like I have lost out much and it has opened my tastes to new horizons.

I have done a lot of damage in the last 3 months, and if this is any indication of the future, it is going to be one helluva ride head first, hands tied, blindly down the slope.:D
 
Rob said:
I read a lot of reviews on this site. I visit B&Ms regularly and pick up a wide variety of new ones to try while I am there. For some reason I always buy singles in pairs. One usually doesn't live long. The other is put on reserve for later sampling.
Click to expand...

I always buy in pairs. You never know when you'll get one that is plugged or needs some age. Just today I bought a couple of La Aroma De Cuba Marquis Tubos and when I opened the tube their were a couple of mold spots. The other sticks were fine, so I think it was a fluke.

I will pretty much try any cigar once. I prefer stronger smokes, but I have found some gems that were not in my usual flavor profile. I say try a variety because you never know what you'll find.
 
It takes time to know what you want. At the beginning, you're best off getting recommendations (based on price, and general idea of what you like) and smoking as many different varieties you can. You're bound to smoke some you love and some you hate.
Make a mental list (or an actual list, if you have a pen and notebook handy) and keep in mind what you like and hate about what you've smoked.
Armed with a few pros and cons, go to your local cigar shop and let them know what you're looking for. If its a good shop, they should point you in the right direction.
Soon enough, you'll be telling other people what to try!
 
I think that mostly I herf with others and talk about what different cigars taste like. We'll give each other cigars that the other hasn't had, do puff passes, and talk about "well, if you like this, then you should try ..." kind of stuff. Locally, everyone is pretty free with their stashes, so lots of different tastes over time.
 
Little General said:
I like to sneak up on them while they are still with the rest of the herd. Using other, less tasty ones as cover. I wait until it gets about 3 feet away- then I pounce. With one quick slashing motion I swipe the plastic card of death. Once I have the prey in my possession, I'm like a cat with a mouse; I don't kill it right away. I lock it up in its 65-degree Spanish cedar lined tomb, occasionally opening it just to see its spirit dwindling away. Lying there next to my previous victories, it knows it could be years before the torment ends. Then when the time is right I finish it off with fire. As I inhale its soul I like to reflect on the hunt, and look forward to the next.


Actually I read a lot of reviews…..
Click to expand...

An awesome post!
 
I pretty much stick with what I like. I will try new smokes at my B&M. If I like it, I'll smoke another, if I still like it, I'll smoke a third and so on and so on. If I smoke three or four and still like it, I'll consider a box. As far as purchasing, I try to give as much buisness as possible to my local shop regardless of price. When it comes to supporting your local B&M, it's not really about the money anyway. Although if I find and internet deal that's just too good to pass up, I won't hesitate to pull the trigger....:ss
 
I try a lot of samplers to get random things to try. When I find something I like, I'll narrow the spread of the samplers a bit to be a bit more focused and less random.
Click to expand...
I did a lot of this in the beginning. I still occasionally order a sampler, especially if it has a lot of things I haven't tried before. Now that my tastes are narrowed down a bit, it is easier for me to sift through suggestions from other people, especially if a cigar is similar to one I've tried before.
 
Being that I review for a Cigar Blog site, I try singles of ALOT of things.... I only buy boxes of stuff I know I love.... I buy a lot of cheaper cigars by the box, because I am cheap. I have found ALOT of great cheap cigars thanks to TXmatt :)
Scott
 
I buy very few cigars anymore I just don't smoke as many as I once did.

I will not buy a box that I have not tried a few of.
 
I use the drunken sailor approach. This works really well because I am always surprised when boxes arrive at the house. Nothing like little surprises to brighten the day.
 
I try and do my homework. Find out what the wrapper, binder, and filler are, if that sounds good to me I try to get a few from my local to try, or get a five pack.
I try to smoke them within a 3 month period to see how they change or if they change at all.
 
Bowmore said:
When purchasing cigars, what makes you pull the trigger? Do you sample some from the local B&M, then proceed to internet buying if you liked it? Is price your biggest concern?

Do you fall prey to the delicious, mouthwatering :dr reviews and impulse buy?

After reading quite a bit here, it seems people "frenzy buy" or turn into some sort of monster only to realize the damage done after they blacked out.

I guess what I am asking is what constitutes what goes into your humidor or cooledor.
Click to expand...

Obsession!!!
That is the way I can answer in one word.
Seems if I can justify it, I buy it.
Fortunately, haven't been able to justify much lately so wifey not upset with me.:D
 
Bowmore said:
When purchasing cigars, what makes you pull the trigger? Do you sample some from the local B&M, then proceed to internet buying if you liked it? Is price your biggest concern?

Do you fall prey to the delicious, mouthwatering :dr reviews and impulse buy?

After reading quite a bit here, it seems people "frenzy buy" or turn into some sort of monster only to realize the damage done after they blacked out.

I guess what I am asking is what constitutes what goes into your humidor or cooledor.
Click to expand...


My humi is only 8 months old, so I don't have a great deal of experience yet. In the past I looked for a cheapie cigar that didn't taste too back. The best i found in a really cheap smoke were Backwoods. Can't remember the flavour/style but they reminded me of a sweet pipe tobacco.

Last year a friend gave me his cigars because he was quitting. I got a bunch of Cohibas and MC #4s. I enjoyed the MCs best.

This year I went to Cuba for a wedding and brought back a box of the MC #4 and some loose cigs to try.

Now I'm into trading and have made an order from Taboo. I'll see what I like then focus on the stand outs for go to cigars and continue to sample. I do the same thing with Scotch.
Ian
 
Cigars are also a lot like scotch or other great spirits. Lots of variety in taste and your mood, situation and how your palate is tuned will affect what you enjoy at the moment.

Having a variety of cigs (and Scotch) allows you to pick something that suits you at the moment.

For that reason, having 2-5 of a new smoke allows you to try it a few different times to give you a more accurate evaluation. This also allows for a bad roll.

If you have a good B&M, some one there should be able to help you sort out what you have enjoyed and what you may also find interesting.

Can you feel the slope getting steeper?:tu
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top