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Must have budget sticks

Not gonna lie. When I saw the Roth’s for less for less than 20$ shipped I jumped. Good short smoke for me AND the wife. Appreciate that, both of you. Added a new website to my list too
 
H. Vachon said:
I totally get that ? I’ve been smoking a few from the Flor De Oliva line, Quarum regular/shade. I’ve had a few Ashton’s (not budget but by far my favorite. Surprise surprise) a few Acid’s (wasn’t a fan). That’s about it so far.
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Fuente Chateau Fuente SG
Padron X000 series
Paratagas shorts
JL Cazadores
RyJ Coronitas en Cedro
Quintero Panetelas

To name a few
 
Ordered a “20 under $20” toro sampler from Freedom Smoke. I’ll have to report back on some of those when they arrive. My humidor can only
Hold about 18 so I need to suck down a few of those before checking some of these out. Thanks for all the suggestions so far, pretty damn excited to branch out and you guys have given me tons of options!
 
H. Vachon said:
Ordered a “20 under $20” toro sampler from Freedom Smoke. I’ll have to report back on some of those when they arrive. My humidor can only
Hold about 18 so I need to suck down a few of those before checking some of these out. Thanks for all the suggestions so far, pretty damn excited to branch out and you guys have given me tons of options!
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One more thing
Source is also important. I worked in a couple of large B&M humidors just because it was fun. But one thing I learned was everyone has a different idea about cigar storage. Where you buy your cigars is a factor.
Really, though, the "one more thing" boils down to "read more, post less". Just discover and, for the most part, trust what is in the stickies at the top of the forum. That and trying the Newbie Sampler are the most common advise - besides fuck off, of course. :)
 
vortex said:
One more thing
Source is also important. I worked in a couple of large B&M humidors just because it was fun. But one thing I learned was everyone has a different idea about cigar storage. Where you buy your cigars is a factor.
Really, though, the "one more thing" boils down to "read more, post less". Just discover and, for the most part, trust what is in the stickies at the top of the forum. That and trying the Newbie Sampler are the most common advise - besides fuck off, of course. :)
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For sure. I’ve definitely been looking through the forum, but the beautiful thing about being part of a community is interacting with the community and meeting people instead of just reading something some posted months ago. Will certainly be checking out the Newbie Sampler. I’ll be fucking off now ? Good day sir.
 
You're getting good advice from people in a position to know (FOGs). But as someone that has gone down similar roads in the past due to budget limitations I have a couple of suggestions.

First, don't commit to boxes of anything NC right now even if you like it, it's a waste of money. Hook up with the noob sampler trade (2x) and experience great smokes that have been properly cared for by connoisseurs.

The next thing is CCs, several of which have been recommended to you. If you pick up some boxes you should plan on laying them down for a year to two years before you really start getting into them. So that can affect your cigar consumption in the short term.

The last observation is that there's a good chance that your consumption now is likely to be greater than your consumption in the future. So all things being equal, unless you're getting fantastic deals on quality sticks (Cigar Page) or you have a significant need for throwaway yard gars (e.g., you regularly supply a bunch of dopes with stogies that are quickly pitched, or you often smoke in situations that don't offer full enjoyment), future you will not regret that you sacrificed quantity for quality.

Get the best smokes you can afford and don't just save them for future celebrations, spark them up regularly and celebrate today. To paraphrase some wisdom that's been floating around here for a while.
 
Juanote said:
You're getting good advice from people in a position to know (FOGs). But as someone that has gone down similar roads in the past due to budget limitations I have a couple of suggestions.

First, don't commit to boxes of anything NC right now even if you like it, it's a waste of money. Hook up with the noob sampler trade (2x) and experience great smokes that have been properly cared for by connoisseurs.

The next thing is CCs, several of which have been recommended to you. If you pick up some boxes you should plan on laying them down for a year to two years before you really start getting into them. So that can affect your cigar consumption in the short term.

The last observation is that there's a good chance that your consumption now is likely to be greater than your consumption in the future. So all things being equal, unless you're getting fantastic deals on quality sticks (Cigar Page) or you have a significant need for throwaway yard gars (e.g., you regularly supply a bunch of dopes with stogies that are quickly pitched, or you often smoke in situations that don't offer full enjoyment), future you will not regret that you sacrificed quantity for quality.

Get the best smokes you can afford and don't just save them for future celebrations, spark them up regularly and celebrate today. To paraphrase some wisdom that's been floating around here for a while.
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Thanks for that perspective. I agree with it for sure, but just to clarify, I’m not intending to buy only cheap cigars, but I gave a buddy of mine an Ashton Heritage PS and he smoked less than half and decided he didn’t like it. I also can’t afford $15 cigars everyday. So I like to mix it up and have a few premium cigars a week and a few lower end. But I believe I understand what your saying, in the beginning you choose quantity to get a feel for what you like, and as you find your favorites you waste less money on cigars you might now like and focus on the good stuff. If I’m out in left field though, let me know. ?
 
H. Vachon said:
Thanks for that perspective. I agree with it for sure, but just to clarify, I’m not intending to buy only cheap cigars, but I gave a buddy of mine an Ashton Heritage PS and he smoked less than half and decided he didn’t like it. I also can’t afford $15 cigars everyday. So I like to mix it up and have a few premium cigars a week and a few lower end. But I believe I understand what your saying, in the beginning you choose quantity to get a feel for what you like, and as you find your favorites you waste less money on cigars you might now like and focus on the good stuff. If I’m out in left field though, let me know. ?
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Fair enough. There is definitely a time and a place for cheapies. I smoke them on the boat, floating down the river, or any situation that offers less than full enjoyment. And it's good to have a supply for people with no real interest in cigars other than when you're smoking one. Do them a favor though, keep the novice cigars on the mild to medium side. I had to learn that the hard way after an Ashton VSG turned a good friend of mine green, and away from cigars permanently.
 
H. Vachon said:
For sure. I’ve definitely been looking through the forum, but the beautiful thing about being part of a community is interacting with the community and meeting people instead of just reading something some posted months ago. Will certainly be checking out the Newbie Sampler. I’ll be fucking off now ? Good day sir.
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Of course, I am not suggesting less conversation: only more reading. This is no doubt in the stickies somewhere. As I am sure you will find, this is a patient and generous group that will reply as such.

This information, hundreds of reviews, instructions on storage and care, tips on sources (btw, feel free to PM people about certain, shall we say, exclusive sources) is all at your finger tips.

But feel welcome to ask anything.
 
I would also recommend getting a cooler for extra storage. Cheap and efficient, and you can still have your smaller "display" humidor out looking pretty. If you are like many of us, though, you will graduate quickly and end up using your original cheapie humidor for paraphernalia such as cutters, lighters, etc...
 
kann said:
I would also recommend getting a cooler for extra storage. Cheap and efficient, and you can still have your smaller "display" humidor out looking pretty. If you are like many of us, though, you will graduate quickly and end up using your original cheapie humidor for paraphernalia such as cutters, lighters, etc...
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Yeah I definitely need to get myself some more storage. I quickly learned the difference between my cheapies and my premium sticks and now I’m basically giving the cheap ones away in handfuls. I find myself strapped for space and I didn’t think it would happen that quickly. I’ll have to look into a cooler, I haven’t done any research yet!
 
H. Vachon said:
....I quickly learned the difference between my cheapies and my premium sticks and now I’m basically giving the cheap ones away in handfuls.....
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You taste will change quite a bit if you start enjoying quality cigars. I'll be the first one to say "...smoke what you like, and like what you smoke.." but as you're finding out, cheap sticks don't cut it, long term. Buy quality, always. PLPC's are amazing smokes for the price. I'm a JL2 fan; they've been available for very reasonable prices and are a great smoke. If you pick up a couple boxes of recommended sticks, and put them away for a couple years, you'll be smoking some of the best sticks possible at reasonable prices. It's an investment in time and storage space, but it does in fact pay off.
 
BlindedByScience said:
You taste will change quite a bit if you start enjoying quality cigars. I'll be the first one to say "...smoke what you like, and like what you smoke.." but as you're finding out, cheap sticks don't cut it, long term. Buy quality, always. PLPC's are amazing smokes for the price. I'm a JL2 fan; they've been available for very reasonable prices and are a great smoke. If you pick up a couple boxes of recommended sticks, and put them away for a couple years, you'll be smoking some of the best sticks possible at reasonable prices. It's an investment in time and storage space, but it does in fact pay off.
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I just want to hit this twice as hard for any newbies that might be reading this thread in the future (not directed at you Vachon): listen to this man. Your tastes will change. Money you throw at boxes fresh out of the gate will be wasted. Don't buy the marketing gimmick NC samplers that big retailers push as being incredible bargains. Expensive kit and storage is for the birds, or the Fucking Old Guys that have their pipeline of quality daily smokes long secured, so can focus on perfecting their presentation the way they like. Invest in Habanos from trusted sources and start the process of laying them down for years sooner rather than later.

What do you really need to achieve this?

1) Storage: a small dry box for RTS cigars (65RH or lower, or whatever works for you guys experience), and a cooler or airtight container to keep boxes at 70/70 or 69/69 or whatever variation of that you prefer (CCs are thought to prefer somewhat dryer storage climes, but stay in the ballpark). I prefer an airtight acrylic jar with a cedar plank in it and a 65% Boveda hiding behind as my dry box. Holds about 20 assorted smokes and extremely cheap, stable, and effective. Also, you'll need Boveda, but they can be recharged many times with distilled water and some patient osmosis inside a humidor (DON'T SUBMERGE THEM IN WATER). (You could also do beads, however I would wait on that until you've assumed your final cigar smoking form.)

2) Kit: Xikar jet & Xikar guillotine cutter. You can use an assortment of soft and jet flame lighters to get the job done with excellent results, including Bics, using the light before cutting method. Simple, cheap, almost foolproof, and in the case of Xikar, lifetime warranty. As you get more advanced you'll add kit, but let it happen naturally.

3) NCs: get with the Newbie Sampler Trade like yesterday. You've had some enjoyable smokes if you're here but just give these FOGs a chance to open your eyes to the possibilities. They live for this shit, and both absolutely and relatively it's a value far, far superior than any sampler you'll get from a merchant. Once you've established some favorites then start looking for deals but don't pull the trigger yet.

4) CCs: if you pursue the above, and make a few friends, and participate in other passes too like the Pay It Forward Pass, you will begin to be exposed to some legit CCs and you'll begin to establish your preferences. Seek advice along these lines and once you've selected some favorites, get a few boxes into storage. You need to look at whatever you lay down as a year's supply... in a year or two. You'll be laying them down every year in a similar fashion, though no doubt with variations and the product of additional knowledge, but you won't be smoking them at first. So leave enough cash on hand for...

5) NCs Part II: now that you've invested in the future, it's time to think about now. How many ready-to-smoke stogies do you have on hand? You don't need to buy your yearly consumption all at once though. There's a rhythm to cigar releases that will soon be second nature to you, namely Father's day and Thanksgiving (Christmas), so your more expensive and HTF smokes circulate more on that date. There are a lot of deals to be had on this forum, but by now it shouldn't be too hard to settle on smokes that you really enjoy but won't break the bank to get you through until your crop of Habanos comes in. I consume a lot of Fuente especially Don Carlos, but there are a number of other quality NC makers out there that are just as good.

One man's opinion, so take it FWIW.
 
A significant addendum to the above advice for newbies: if you don't keep your temp and your RH below 70/70, the beetles will get you and it all would have been for naught.
 
BlindedByScience said:
You taste will change quite a bit if you start enjoying quality cigars. I'll be the first one to say "...smoke what you like, and like what you smoke.." but as you're finding out, cheap sticks don't cut it, long term. Buy quality, always. PLPC's are amazing smokes for the price. I'm a JL2 fan; they've been available for very reasonable prices and are a great smoke. If you pick up a couple boxes of recommended sticks, and put them away for a couple years, you'll be smoking some of the best sticks possible at reasonable prices. It's an investment in time and storage space, but it does in fact pay off.
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Brilliant as usual...

Juanote said:
A significant addendum to the above advice for newbies: if you don't keep your temp and your RH below 70/70, the beetles will get you and it all would have been for naught.
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Great point!

When I first started collecting over 2.5 decades ago, I went through some typical problems... Over humidification led to mold which ruined my whole collection... too warm allowed for a massive beetle outbreak which destroyed almost half my collection... and too dry, which I caught pretty quick, and only ruined my singles collection...

If there was a group like CP back then, I would have had access to information that could have saved a lot of heartache (and money)
 
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