Daily Smokes for Beginners (& Bargain Beauties)

I'm looking for suggestions for medium and full bodied daily smokes in the $4-$7 range. I don't really have the palate to appreciate highly nuanced sticks yet, I'm just looking for solid enjoyable smokes that won't break the bank so I can build up some inventory. Here's a few that I rate between exquisite and highly enjoyable:
 
Any kicks in the ass you guys can provide are appreciated.
 
ETA: Kicks in the Ass (anything under $4 in red)
(Note: approximate prices are based upon current in stock availability)
 
 

AF 858 Maduro (Corona Gorda, Connecticut, Medium), 6 in. x 47, ~ $4.00
AF 858 Natural (Corona Gorda, Cameroon, Medium), 6 in. x 47, ~ $4.00
AF 858 Sun Grown (Corona Gorda, Dominican Republic, Medium), 6 in. x 47, ~ $6.00
AF CF Rosado Sun Grown Magnum R-52 (Robusto, Rosado, Medium), 5 in. x 52, ~ $5.80
AF CF Sun Grown Cuban Belicoso (Belicoso, Cameroon, Medium), 5 3/4 in. x 52, ~ $4.96
AF CF Sun Grown Double Chateau (Toro, Cameroon, Medium), 6 3/4 in. x 50, ~ $4.60
AF CF Sun Grown Queen B (Torpedo, Ecuador, Full), 5 1/2 in. x 52, ~ $4.56
AF CF Sun Grown Royal Salute (Double Corona, Cameroon, Medium), 7 5/8 in. x 54, ~ $5.79
AF Curly Head Deluxe Natural (Lonsdale, Cameroon, Medium), 6 1/2 in. x 43, ~ $2.44
AF Curly Head Deluxe Maduro (Lonsdale, Maduro, Medium), 6 1/2 in. x 43, ~ $2.44
AF Hemingway Short Story (Perfecto, Cameroon, Medium), 4 in. x 48, ~ $4.67
AF Hemingway Work of Art (Perfecto, Maduro, Medium), 4 7/8 in. x 56, ~ $7.40
Angelenos Robusto (Natural, Medium), 5 1/4 in. x 50, ~ $9.52
Asylum 13 Robusto (Habano, Full), 5 in. x 50, ~ $4.50
Brick House Robusto (Habano, Medium), 5 in. x 54, ~ $3.72
Carlos Toraño Exodus 1959 Torpedo (Dark Natural, Medium), 6 1/2 in. x 54, ~ $5.04
Carlos Toraño Vault Robusto (Habano, Full), 5 in. x 52, ~ $4.10
Carlos Toraño Virtuoso Encore (Robusto, Dark Natural, Full), 4 3/4 in. x 52, ~ $4.80
Casa Magna Colorado Robusto (Colorado, Full), 5 1/2 in. x 52, ~ $6.00
Curivari Buenaventura Robusto (Rosado, Medium), 5 1/4 in. x 50, ~ $5.00
Devil's Weed Maduro (Churchill, Maduro, Medium), 7 in. x 50, ~ $1.08
Devil's Weed Natural (Robusto, Connecticut, Mild), 5 in. x 50, ~ $0.88
Diesel Unholy Cocktail (Torpedo, Maduro, Medium), 5 in. x 56, ~ $3.33
EPC New Wave Connecticut Brilliantes (Connecticut, Mild), 5 in. x 50, ~ $4.75
EPC New Wave Connecticut Divinos (Connecticut, Mild), 6 in. x 52, ~ $5.63
Gran Habano Corojo #5 Pyramid (Corojo, Full), 6 1/8 in. x 52, ~ $5.00
Gran Habano Gran Robusto (Robuo, Connecticut, Mild), 6 in. x 54, ~ $4.65
Gran Habano Rothschild (Connecticut, Mild), 4 1/2 in. x 50, ~ $4.05
Holt Old Henry Robusto (Maduro, Medium), 5 in. x 50, ~ $3.60
Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur #1 Churchill (Double Corona, Maduro, Medium), 7 1/4 in. x 54, ~ $4.88
Hoyo de Monterrey Rothschild (Maduro, Full), 4 1/2 in. x 50, ~ $3.16
Hoyo de Tradicion Corona (Jamastran, Medium), 5 3/4 in. x 45, ~ $5.32
Illusione 68 Bombone (Petite Corona, Habano, Full), 4 in. x 44, ~ $5.88
Illusione MK Teachin Machine (Corona, Habano, Full), 5 1/8 in. x 42, ~ $7.16
Illusione Rothchildes (Maduro, Full), 4 1/2 in. x 50, ~ $3.92
Intemperance BA XXI Ambition (Belicoso, Arapiraca, Full), 5 1/2 in. x 54, ~ $6.29
JFR Piramide (Corojo, Medium), 6 1/4 in. x 52, ~ $3.80
JFR Piramide (Maduro, Medium), 6 1/4 in. x 52, ~ $4.34
JFR Robusto (Corojo, Full), 5 1/2 in. x 50, ~ $3.72
JFR Robusto (Maduro, Full), 5 1/2 in. x 50, ~ $3.72
La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial #2 (Robusto, Habano, Medium), 5 in. x 50, ~ $5.40
La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Manifico (Toro, Maduro, Full), 6 in. x 52, ~ $5.68
La Aroma de Cuba Monarch (Toro, Habano, Full), 6 in. x 50, ~ $4.60
La Aurora 1945 Short Robusto (Gordo, Habano, Medium), 4 in. x 58, ~ $2.02
La Riqueza No. 5 (Petite Corona, Maduro, Medium), 4 3/8 in. x 42, ~ $6.52
LFD Cabinet Oscuro L-400 (Toro, Oscuro, Full), 5 3/4 in. x 54, ~ $5.00
Mayorga Robusto (Maduro, Medium), 4 3/4 in. x 50, ~ $2.15
Murcielago Belicoso (Maduro, Full), 5 1/2 in. x 52, ~ $3.40
Murcielago Toro (Maduro, Full), 6 1/4 in. x 50, ~ $3.30
My Cuban Wheel Liga I Robusto (Habano, Medium), 4 4/5 in. x 50, ~ $4.00
My Cuban Wheel Liga II Robusto (Habano, Medium), 4 4/5 in. x 50, ~ $4.00
Oliva Serie G Figurado (Cameroon, Medium), 6 1/2 in. x 60, ~ $4.00
Oliva Serie G Maduro Torpedo (Maduro, Medium), 6 in. x 52, ~ $4.33
Oliva Serie O Torpedo (Habano, Full), 6 1/2 in. x 52, ~ $5.00
Oliva Serie O Maduro Churchill (Maduro, Full), 7 in. x 50, ~ $5.65
Oliva Serie V Ligero Torpedo (Habano, Full), 6 in. x 56, ~ $6.41
Padron 2000 (Robusto, Maduro, Full), 5 in. x 50, ~ $4.90
Padron 3000 (Robusto, Maduro, Full), 5 1/2 in. x 52, ~ $5.70
Padron 5000 (Robusto, Maduro, Full), 5 1/2 in. x 56, ~ $7.00
Padron 6000 (Torpedo, Maduro, Full), 5 1/2 in. x 52, ~ $7.40
Padron 7000 (Toro, Maduro, Full), 6 1/4 in. x 60, ~ $6.93
Padron Londres (Corona, Maduro, Full), 5 1/2 in. x 42, ~ $3.90
Perdomo Cuban Parejo Belicoso (Maduro, Full), 6 1/2 in. x 54, ~ $4.50
Quesada Heisenberg Petite Corona (Unnamed, Medium), 4 in. x 43, ~ $3.40
Romeo y Julieta Reserve Robusto (Habano, Full), 5 in. x 54, ~ $3.33
Romeo y Julieta Romeo Piramide (Colorado, Medium), 6 1/8 in. x 52, ~ $6.75
Romeo y Julieta Vintage Corona (Natural, Medium), 5 1/2 in. x 44, ~ $5.27
Tatuaje El Truinfador (Corona, Habano, Medium), 4 2/5 in. x 42, ~ $5.60
Trinidad Reyes (Petite Corona, Colorado, Medium), 4 2/7 in. x 40, ~ $5.96

Illusione Rothchildes.....$4.70 a stick
 
LINK

Fuente Chateau Sun Grown
Hoyo de Tradicion corona
Hoyo de Monterrey Rothschild natural
RyJ habana reserve (think these are now just reserve) Robusto
Casa magna Colorado robusto
Brick house robusto
Fuente Rosado Sun Grown Magnum r-52
EPC new wave connetcticuit divinos or brilliantes.
Also... Search is your friend, you can find great suggestions made previously in searching.



Happy smoking.

C

A $4-$7 range will give you all sorts of cigars you can try that are great everyday smokes.
 
To me (any everyone's tastes are different so you'll get all sorts of different suggestions) these are some of the best everydays for the price
 
Mayorga Maduro Robustos  box of 20 ~$50
Padron 2000  box of 26 ~$115
Murcielago Belicoso   box of 20 ~$70
 
The price on the Mayorga and Murcielago may make you think they're dog rockets, but they're both pretty tasty cigars.

Jonesy said:

A $4-$7 range will give you all sorts of cigars you can try that are great everyday smokes.
 
To me (any everyone's tastes are different so you'll get all sorts of different suggestions) these are some of the best everydays for the price
 
Mayorga Maduro Robustos  box of 20 ~$50
Padron 2000  box of 26 ~$115
Murcielago Belicoso   box of 20 ~$70
 
The price on the Mayorga and Murcielago may make you think they're dog rockets, but they're both pretty tasty cigars.

Click to expand...

 
X2 on the Murcielago...powerful little sucker :thumbs:

ironpeddler said:

Illusione Rothchildes.....$4.70 a stick
 
LINK

Click to expand...

 
Great suggestion, and I even found them in stock somewhere...

CMontoya79 said:

Fuente Chateau Sun Grown
Hoyo de Tradicion corona
Hoyo de Monterrey Rothschild natural
RyJ habana reserve (think these are now just reserve) Robusto
Casa magna Colorado robusto
Brick house robusto
Fuente Rosado Sun Grown Magnum r-52
EPC new wave connetcticuit divinos or brilliantes.
Also... Search is your friend, you can find great suggestions made previously in searching.



Happy smoking.

C

Click to expand...

 
This is an extremely useful post as it seems to confirm a few things I have been thinking about some of those lines you mention, but I've been too chicken to pull the trigger on them. Thanks a bunch brother  :thumbs:

 

Jonesy said:

A $4-$7 range will give you all sorts of cigars you can try that are great everyday smokes.
 
To me (any everyone's tastes are different so you'll get all sorts of different suggestions) these are some of the best everydays for the price
 
Mayorga Maduro Robustos  box of 20 ~$50
Padron 2000  box of 26 ~$115
Murcielago Belicoso   box of 20 ~$70
 
The price on the Mayorga and Murcielago may make you think they're dog rockets, but they're both pretty tasty cigars.

Click to expand...

 
Thanks for that Jonesy, I haven't heard about the Mayorga before so I'll have to check into them. And I've been meaning to pick up some Murcielagos for a while now, in fact they're currently tops on the list.

CMontoya79 said:

Fuente Chateau Sun Grown
Hoyo de Tradicion corona
Hoyo de Monterrey Rothschild natural
RyJ habana reserve (think these are now just reserve) Robusto
Casa magna Colorado robusto
Brick house robusto
Fuente Rosado Sun Grown Magnum r-52
EPC new wave connetcticuit divinos or brilliantes.
Also... Search is your friend, you can find great suggestions made previously in searching.



Happy smoking.

C

Click to expand...

 
While 'Search' can be helpful at times, the fact that traditional cigar lines (Fuente & Padron especially) seem to be changing at times...an updated thread with updated opinions seems to be a prudent move.

I did do some searching prior and found some good information by wading through large numbers of threads, but I agree with Gary that a current list of daily smoke recommendations is a useful thing for beginners in particular. For instance I have spent the past few months researching NC cigars (and dabbled a bit in the CC's), and while the mists of mystery are gradually parting, I am so bedazzled by the world of cigars I have uncovered that I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to decide which way to go in my next purchase. And the admittedly subjective question of value complicates matters further.
 
A related subject for noobs is where ISOMs fit into this picture, as some highly regarded CC's fall into my daily smoker price range (supposing supply is not a real problem, of course). But perhaps that belongs in the other forum.
 
I have another question for the board: has anyone here smoked any L.C. Cigars, and if so what is your impression?

A few that come to mind right off the bat :
 
Fuente 858
Brickhouse
Padron Londres
Buenaventura

Gran Habano Rothchild or Gran Robusto
Padron 2000, 3000 nat or maduro
Asylum robusto

Thanks for your continued input, gentlemen.

ironpeddler said:

 

Fuente Chateau Sun Grown
Hoyo de Tradicion corona
Hoyo de Monterrey Rothschild natural
RyJ habana reserve (think these are now just reserve) Robusto
Casa magna Colorado robusto
Brick house robusto
Fuente Rosado Sun Grown Magnum r-52
EPC new wave connetcticuit divinos or brilliantes.
Also... Search is your friend, you can find great suggestions made previously in searching.



Happy smoking.

C

Click to expand...

 
While 'Search' can be helpful at times, the fact that traditional cigar lines (Fuente & Padron especially) seem to be changing at times...an updated thread with updated opinions seems to be a prudent move.
 

Click to expand...

Yea, this is one of those topics that when it resurfaces, it isn't a bad thing. There are so many changes, so many "boutique" cigar companies popping up, and different lines being discontinued, that if you pull up a thread on this from a few years ago, it may not be relevant now.

I have to say, I have been finding some absolutely fabulous deals on these names you guys are dropping.

That's what I love about the Mayorgas....I can get them all day long for under $50 a box. That plus the fact that I've gotten to the point where I enjoy a robusto now more than other vitolas, it's nice to have a cigar I can grab for under $3 and go out and smoke while drinking a beer or cutting the grass.

Illusione Rothchildes
Illusione 68
Illusione MK
Tatuaje El Truinfador
La Riqueza No. 5
Angelenos by Prometheus

I'd go by your local cigar shop that has a good selection, tell the store keeper what you are looking for and sample some.  I have my favorites, but I still do that so I can try as many as I can.  Like you, I don't have the palate to tell what is what.  All I know is I like them or I don't.  I also keep a spreadsheet on my samplings.
 
Enjoy trying new smokes.

I try to do that when I can, but I live on a barrier island in the panhandle of Florida. I'm surrounded by tourist traps rather than genuine cigar shops, and there is never a smoking area where local FOGs can hang out and hold court. And either the clerks know much less than myself, or they are hawking $18 Cohibas to sunburned rubes. The nearest shop with a real soul is about 40 minutes away and is pretty limited in both size and selection. In addition I'm a merchant mariner, so I spend most of the time away from everything that isn't online. When I'm home I don't run the streets very much, and I do most of my smoking on my veranda or with my neighbors, who are generally less knowledgeable than yours truly. So what I'm saying is I really appreciate the guidance I'm getting here, and there isn't a readily available substitute for it.
 
BTW that is good advice on the spreadsheet, I need to keep a journal.

Juan, I'd offer to meet up with you for a smoke, but I'm deploying in a few days, so it may have to wait until the November-December time frame. 
 
As far as B&Ms go, I haven't had much luck in P-Cola, so I can't blame you there.  If you do find yourself hankering for a B&M experience and if you can get over there, Beach Castle in Mary Esther is very good; Leo has a great lounge and a good group of guys.  If you're feeling really froggy, get over to Destin and hit up Harbor Cigars-- if I were to open a cigar shop, I'd try to copy Marvin and Melissa's humidor shelf by shelf. 
 
I feel truly lucky to count both of these shops as my "locals."  I'm going to miss them when I inevitably have to PCS in a few years.
 
Also for your consideration, hit up Jim (Keystone Raider) when he offers a Padron sale.  A handful of people around here don't like Padrons, but they're in the minority.  I'm confident anything in the x000 line is exactly what you're looking for.  I'd recommend starting with the 2000 Maduro, but I'm also a big fan of the 5000 and 6000, also in Maduro.

Torpedo Bob said:

 I also keep a spreadsheet on my samplings.

Click to expand...

 
 

Juanote said:

BTW that is good advice on the spreadsheet, I need to keep a journal.

Click to expand...

 
Guys, I admire you diligence in keeping a record of what you smoke, in a day & age of so many cigar brands and sizes, a handy record would be useful.
 
BUT the day I start keeping a spreadsheet about cigars I smoked, that's the day I stop smoking cigars. :laugh:
 
That reminds me too much of work!