El Cheapo Smoke of the Day - 2024

[NewGuy]

Well, here I go!

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Sitting in a swanky motel in Valentine, Nebraska - with a $2.00 La Palina Red Label 5.5 x 52. Typically, $10.

Nicaraguan/Dominican with an Ecuador sun grown wrapper.

Puffy rating: and 1/2

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

These Arturo Fuente Especiales are from March 2023. Two-fifty. About five bucks online.

Hanging out in Wall, South Dakota for a few days.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

A couple of tenskis to add to my El Cheapo stash.
These showed up at $2.34 a piece - but typically $5 everyday online.

Penn Standard Broadleaf Maduro
Medium-Full

Penn Standard Gold Connecticut
Medium

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Baccarat Nicaragua - I stole this one from a good brother in New York - but you can get these tasty sticks at C.I. today for about five bucks.

Dominican, with Nicaraguan filler, Sumatra binder, and Habano wrapper.

Medium

Puffy rating:

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Latitude Zero - a Medium-Full Nicaraguan with an Ecuador Habano wrapper.

This is your typical $5 online budget stick - but you savvy shoppers can score these for much much less.

"a powerful, heady profile that’s layered with complex nuances of nuts, pepper, oak, cream, and caramel. Elegant, extremely well-balanced, and brimming with flavor"

I don't know about all of that, but this one was certainly a decent smoke.

Puffy rating:

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Factory Smokes Sun Grown - Drew Estates owns this budget brand.

Less than $2 ea, most places.

A medium Nicaraguan cigar with Indonesian filler/binder and an undisclosed sun grown wrapper.

I'll give it a 3 and 7/8ths. It's a very worthy El Cheapo stick.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Another Factory Smokes stick - but with a Maduro wrapper.

Still less than two bucks, and tasty.

I think I prefer these in this Maduro wrapper.

 

[CBoukal]

Another Factory Smokes stick - but with a Maduro wrapper.

Still less than two bucks, and tasty.

I think I prefer these in this Maduro wrapper.



View attachment 86439

I don't mind these in a Maduro, and the sungrown is very.. meh like you said. But for the price they are great 2nd or 3rd sticks of the night.

 

[dawgie34203]

Another Factory Smokes stick

I’ve mentioned this before, but the original Chillin’ Moose is in that same category, but for my tastes, a good bit better. I just looked on cigar bid and they have a “Free Fall” box of 20 robustos for $37, which comes in at $1.85 each.

Even Katman has good things to say!

Katman review
( the link is right here Chad!!! @CBoukal )

.

 

[BlindedByScience]

Got the Factory Smokes Robusto Maduro here, and like them quite a bit, for what they are. Sure didn't like the sungrown nearly as well. The maduro, however, is a great smoke when you're in a hurry, doing something at the same time, or may have to cut it short. Very respectable smoke, on the cheap.....

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Sitting by the pool at a Red Roof Inn at Cameron Missouri - with a $2.00 La Palina Red Label 5.5 x 52. Typically, $10.

Nicaraguan/Dominican with an Ecuador sun grown wrapper.

Puffy rating: and 1/2

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Hanging out in the campground, smoking an Oliva Serie G Maduro, box pressed perfecto.

"blended from a dark and decadent San Andrés wrapper leaf and a balanced core of premium Nicaraguan long-fillers aged for maximum smoothness. Hearty notes of dark cocoa, anise, and black pepper converge in a succulent and spicy, medium-bodied profile. Savor this box-pressed classic, rated 93 points"

This is another fine stick provided by @CgarDan, and it smoked perfectly.



++

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

The frugal shopper can get these for about $2.50.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

I needed some smaller sticks, so here is a $2.34 Penn Standard Gold Standard 4.5 x 44 - by Raymond Pages.
A 5-pack of these little jewels is $17.06 at CigarPage this morning.

"Medium Nicaraguan long filler/binder - Connecticut wrapper. Notes of earth, cream, and spice."

If you want a nice early morning mellow/medium stick with just a bit of spice, then you might try one of these.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Oliva Connecticut Reserve 5 x 50.
Nicaraguan fillers/binder - Connecticut wrapper.

Cigars International has these for $11. The Jan '24 Puffy price was $2.67.

This one was well constructed and had an absolutely perfect burn. A good cigar, but a bit too mild for me.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

$ 2.40 Jawn 7.1 x 58 Connecticut. Also available in Maduro and Habano wrappers. Typically $3 at most places.
Made in the same Nicaraguan factory that makes all the West Tampa blends and some La Palina blends.

Nicaraguan long fillers - Connecticut wrapper.

"mellow, mild to medium-bodied smoke that's creamy, smooth, and buttery with a hint of spice"

A pretty decent El Cheapo smoke - for the mellow cigar smokers out there.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

$2.81 Brickhouse Natural from a C.I. "mystery sampler". About $7 every day.
J.C. Newman Cigar Company.

Med-full Nicaraguan, with Nicaraguan fillers/binder and a Habano wrapper.

"Brick House received a well-deserved 93-rating and was named #18 Cigar of 2022, a Top 25 Cigar of 2016, and a Top 25 Cigar of 2010"

Nice, tasty stick, and well behaved.

Puffy rating: and 1/3

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Last of My Kind, 6.2 x 54. Toro. Yes, Toro. LOL. Who puts a picture of a Longhorn on the label ? Raymond Pages does.

MSRP $15. Online $6, Puffy price $2.54, as part of a Cigar Page mondo sampler.

Nicaraguan, with Nicaraguan long fillers/binder and an Ecuadorian sun grown wrapper.

This is a full strength cigar with light to medium spice. Still, a relatively smooth and tasty stick.

If you like a full strength stick with a bit of spice, then you might like this one.

Puffy rating: +

 

[Long Ash]

Last of My Kind, 6.2 x 54. Toro. Yes, Toro. LOL. Who puts a picture of a Longhorn on the label ? Raymond Pages does.

MSRP $15. Online $6, Puffy price $2.54, as part of a Cigar Page mondo sampler.

Nicaraguan, with Nicaraguan long fillers/binder and an Ecuadorian sun grown wrapper.

This is a full strength cigar with light to medium spice. Still, a relatively smooth and tasty stick.

If you like a full strength stick with a bit of spice, then you might like this one.

Puffy rating: +

View attachment 86836

Raymond Pages is killing it! I've had his whole line except that one. The only one I didn't like was Penn Gold Standard. That one sounds up my ally. Have you had his other stuff?