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Varying your cigar collection

Cigar FF

Cigar FF

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2011
Messages
300
I've been following the Today's Smoke thread and some other review threads and noticed some people have such a wide variety of cigars. I'm just curious how you gain such a variety of cigars? Trades? Samplers? It seems like some people have more than one of the same cigar. Do you guys just have huge cigar budgets and buy boxes of everything? 
 
I've recently picked up a couple of samplers to try new things but wondering how it's best to proceed if/when I find something I like. I was thinking fivers unless I was blown away. I find it hard to keep up with box purchases. 
 
I am really new, so I bought several different samplers. I know this post does not relate to me, but I have mostly singles.
 
Don't change your buying habits just to fill your humidor with different cigars if it isn't something that you'll enjoy. You'll want to fill your humidor with cigars that you will enjoy now and down the road. Now this doesn't mean that you palate won't change down the road because it usually does but at least you won't have a bunch of dog rockets in it.
 
I usually try to get 3'ers or 5'ers of cigars that I want to try before I commit to boxes but often pull the trigger before trying them. I've been smoking for a while and know what profiles I like and will pick up boxes of cigars that I like when they become available or on sale. Some marcas have the same profiles along different vitolas as well that I know that I enjoy. Now this might be easier for me as I enjoy CC's. Now when it comes to NC's you have a ton to choose from and might be difficult to do and more the reason just to pick up samplers. 
 
I do buy boxes, samplers, fivers, box splits and do some trades. A lot of times folks here send me cigars that they think I will enjoy as well. I also belong to a monthly box split group and CigSid and I trade back and forth quite often.
 
Before you know it you will have quite a selection of cigars to choose from. Now this doesn't happen overnight and takes a few years but you'll have a nice collection that you will be able to smoke different cigars before smoking a repeat. 
 
I get given (and share) a lot of cigars, I buy boxes at Duty Free and I buy a range of 50 mixed US smokes, when over there each time (limit I can bring back to the UK).  
Even though I have my go to sticks, I also like to have a wide range of flavour profiles, sizes and types for whatever the mood or occassion takes. 
 
I think Light This! hit it pretty close.   When I first started I bought samplers and 5ers.  When I found a cigar I really enjoyed I would go to my local B&M, and ask the guys that worked there for other cigars that were similar I might like.    If I found I really enjoyed a Pepin cigar for example, I would try to buy a few of each of his lines to see which others I enjoyed. 
 
Funny thing is, now almost a decade later I'm finding myself going the opposite direction.   I know what I like, and I'll buy a handful of those over trying new cigars that I don't know if I'll like or not.   My humidor isn't very diversified anymore.
 
Thanks guys. I don't plan on changing my buying habits for a number of reasons. I figured a few samplers would allow me to sample cigars that I may not have ventured out and tried myself. I've been sticking to boxes of my routines. For the more exclusive or higher priced cigars that I like, I'll get a fiver. I guess I see such a variety of cigars in one persons collection and I feel like I'm not being adventurous enough or stuck in my ways. 
 
I find it pretty cool that some people have such a wide selection of cigars. I too, will try a cigar at a shop and inquire about other cigars with different profiles. I have not gotten into the trades or box splits yet as I still feel too new to the game. 
 
As the cigar community has indicated time and time again, I'm already finding that my storage is running low again, even with a wineador...lol I feel like it's an illness. 
 
Don't buy too many though. I get confused trying to pick something outside of my normal rotation...
 
Try doing the sampler thing. Always something new to try, or check with your B&M on what's new and what's hot.  
 
I remember when I first started here. I was stunned by the 'community humidor' now I get why and how. It is simply a matter of time and buying habits.

At first I bought lots of single and 5ers but it came to a point that I fulled my two humidors and syarted buying by the box blind just on reccomendation from the guys. At best I would have a box to same out at worst they would age in a cooler.

Win win IMO.
 
Light This said it quite well, and also some others did too.
 
I would just say keep buying fivers, samplers and find out what you like, all the while remembering that your palate will change.
 
Before you know it, in a couple of years you will have a lot more cigars on hand than you ever expected. :thumbs:
 
Been smoking for a couple decades now. When I first started, I too would buy fivers to try a few out. I also used to get new sticks try out at the shows many moons ago. I usually purchase by the box nowadays. I stick to the brands I know. For NCs, that would be Fuente, Davidoff and Padron. It's rare to go wrong with any of these brands...
 
Have you tried the Newbie Sampler Thread here at CP? Just a thought.
 
I did try the Newbie Sampler trade back when I first joined. It was definitely a great way to start. Samplers are definitely the way to try new things. I guess my question should have been, "how many different favorites do you have?" I have my go-to's which I buy boxes of. There are about 4-5 cigars that I thoroughly enjoy. Some others that carry a bigger price tag, I'll stick to the fivers. 
 
Cigar FF said:
"how many different favorites do you have?"
Click to expand...
 
Partagas P2 & Series D4, Punch Punch, R&JChurchill Wide, Hoyo Epicure No.1 & Especial, Upman Magnum (any size).
 
So I guess 7 "go-to's" but I could probably reduce that to 5 - and then a mixture of different Cuban and US-branded sticks which I tend to buy in cigar stores in a selection, rather than boxes.
 
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