Question and Thoughts......

[Bluegrass]

First the questions.......I was gifted a box of cigars, Baccarats, from a good friend. I smoked one and it was absolutely awful....hard as a rock and you couldn't draw on it at all. Threw that one out and got another one out of the box and it was good. Good draw, not dried out at all....question is, is this normal for a box?? Can you expect a bad stick or two out of every box you get?
Question 2.....I have found that I really like the milder smokes with the MonteCristo White being my favorite so far. Can you gentlemen recommend a comparable, less expensive smoke for an everyday smoke?

Thoughts.....Now I also smoke a pipe, which really relaxes me, even more so than a cigar. I really do enjoy a cigar out on the back deck in the evening just listening to nothing....except sometimes I do turn some music on. But.......when I'm smoking a cigar with friends who also smoke, for some reason, it tastes better! Do any of you experience the same? Or, am I just a stupid noob who hasn't experienced the finer points of smoking cigars?

[ssutton219]

Originally Posted by Bluegrass

First the questions.......I was gifted a box of cigars, Baccarats, from a good friend. I smoked one and it was absolutely awful....hard as a rock and you couldn't draw on it at all. Threw that one out and got another one out of the box and it was good. Good draw, not dried out at all....question is, is this normal for a box?? Can you expect a bad stick or two out of every box you get?

Yes it can happen..I dont buy many boxes but I have had a few out of boxes end up that way
Question 2.....I have found that I really like the milder smokes with the MonteCristo White being my favorite so far. Can you gentlemen recommend a comparable, less expensive smoke for an everyday smoke?

Thoughts.....Now I also smoke a pipe, which really relaxes me, even more so than a cigar. I really do enjoy a cigar out on the back deck in the evening just listening to nothing....except sometimes I do turn some music on. But.......when I'm smoking a cigar with friends who also smoke, for some reason, it tastes better! Do any of you experience the same? Or, am I just a stupid noob who hasn't experienced the finer points of smoking cigars?

I always enjoy a cigar a lil more with other whether its in person or online playin poker

My response in bold.


Shawn

[Ray]

Try a Gurkha Park Ave for a fairly inexpensive, good mild smoke.

[Rookee]

A really inexpensive decent mild smoke (to me anyway) is Occidental Reserve. You can probably find a box for about $45.

[Mitch]

My advice is, don't buy something cheap that is similar (But just isn't the same) just to smoke everyday. Maybe you can afford two of your others a week, so make those two a week an event. Smoke the pipe the other days. My favorite cigars are in the 8-10 range, so I only smoke 3-4 a month. But boy do I enjoy them, and buy my pipe tobacco.

[Stench]

Originally Posted by Ray

Try a Gurkha Park Ave for a fairly inexpensive, good mild smoke.

+1 for the Park Ave! I also like the 5 Vegas Nuggets for an early morning very mild smoke.

[JCK]

From time to time you might run across a box that slipped through quality control and may have a few plugged cigars. I think it's pretty infrequent in the premium market. You can always go back to your vendor to discuss return or exchange options if a good bit of the box is plugged.

As far as enjoying a cigar more with company or alone. I think it depends on your mood and cigar you're smoking. There are times when you want to reflect in solitude to enjoy a cigar while others you want to be social. What ever your mindframe tells you, go with it.

Remember it's you that sets the stage for your relaxation.

[Cigarman802]

i havent bought any boxes yet,but i would like as with the last post i agree that sometimes i like to enjoy my cigars alone with no one to talk to or entertain but myself and just savor the cigar,,, but dont get me wrong i love hanging out drinking some beer with my friends while having a good smoke. it all depends on my mood.

[mb2006]

Last box I got had 4 or 5 bad cigars , it was Gurkha master select .
But I like them anyway.

[PerpetualNoob]

For mild cigars, it's hard to go wrong with the 5 Vegas Gold, any size that suits you. I smoke a ton of them. Another of my favorite mild "morning" smokes that doesn't get a lot of attention around here is the Slow-Aged by Perdomo, in either the natural or the maduro. None of them will really replace your Montes, but they're very good, dependable smokes, and the price on them is very reasonable. If you're a fellow c-bid victim, you can usually low-ball the Slow-Aged. I got my last two bundles of the Glorioso/toros for $25 and $28.

In fact, I was just now sitting here thinking about what to smoke, and I've convinced myself that a Slow-Aged would be just the ticket!

I would also add, any cigar seems to be better when you can combine it with a nice fire, an adult beverage, and a few herfing buddies.

[shunoshi]

Originally Posted by PerpetualNoob

For mild cigars, it's hard to go wrong with the 5 Vegas Gold, any size that suits you.

+1 on this. Great mild cigar and can be had for cheap. If you're willing to spend a little more. Oliva Serie G is a good one with a bit more flavor.

[ongreystreet]

Plugged cigars aren't uncommon, depending on the price paid or the reputation of the cigar or manufactuer you can always consider letting the B&M, online shop, or rep know about the issues.