$800 to Spend

[cbenham73]

1 hour ago, UnionCityCubano said:

Why 800? Traveling to Cuba?

Just an arbitrary number no significancy.

[cbenham73]

1 hour ago, RDB said:

OK, I'll double dip here...

If you want to make USD800 go further, then stay away from the more expensive REs etc. The best value is found in the classic regular production - but you have to buy good quality, which means 24:24*. Mondays and Fridays are your friend, because that's when Rob puts a lot of this kind of stuff up.

If you already know what you like, then this is easy! But I'm wary of recommending, eg. Party Shorts, JLS1 and RASS just because they can be great - because they may not be to your taste.

So my list might be something like: MdO4, Monte PE, PSD4, something from RyJ like Short Churchills, and can I squeeze in a box of RG Perlas? That would give me a good variety that suits my tastes. But it probably isn't right for you.

Bu if you want to smoke stuff now and broaden your horizons... then buy lots of variety in quarter boxes.

* Or a good bricks and mortar store where you can open boxes and make your own decisions. 

I have a box of the RyJ Short Churchills that have over a year of age on them. I keep hearing about the RG Perlas, Juan Lopez marcas as well. I like the RASS I bought a Qtr box on 24:24 months ago that I ran through. What is MdO4?

[UnionCityCubano]

10 minutes ago, cbenham73 said:

I have a box of the RyJ Short Churchills that have over a year of age on them. I keep hearing about the RG Perlas, Juan Lopez marcas as well. I like the RASS I bought a Qtr box on 24:24 months ago that I ran through. What is MdO4?

La Gloria La Cubans M De Oro #4

[UnionCityCubano]

11 minutes ago, cbenham73 said:

I have a box of the RyJ Short Churchills that have over a year of age on them. I keep hearing about the RG Perlas, Juan Lopez marcas as well. I like the RASS I bought a Qtr box on 24:24 months ago that I ran through. What is MdO4?

I just picked up a box. Hard to find on the island right now and they are getting phased out. They used to have a few different styles but they have all been discontinued. One of my Fav was the LGC MDO#2. They make Regionals and they put out a humidor in 2017 that’s beautiful

[GavLew79]

11 hours ago, VKUTT said:

Actually, these are Exclusivos.

The text on the band does indeed say "Exclusivo", however they are more generally referred to as Regional Editions. See the habanos website (not that it ever works properly). ?

 

[UnionCityCubano]

18 minutes ago, cbenham73 said:

I have a box of the RyJ Short Churchills that have over a year of age on them. I keep hearing about the RG Perlas, Juan Lopez marcas as well. I like the RASS I bought a Qtr box on 24:24 months ago that I ran through. What is MdO4?

Those in the middle are some regional LGC from Spain when I visited last year. I plan on going next year and will buy a box if I can. They are smoking great. 

[medzikone]

23 hours ago, UnionCityCubano said:

Those in the middle are some regional LGC from Spain when I visited last year. I plan on going next year and will buy a box if I can. They are smoking great. 

 

Got two boxes of LGC No.5 from DIC17 but they are waiting for better times. How do you find them?

[DeskSmkr]

On 11/24/2019 at 8:43 AM, cbenham73 said:

If you had $800 to spend on Cuban cigars, what would buy and why? What would be your buying strategy?

These have been memorable and enjoyable.

Cohiba Exquisitos - lighter flavors and shorter on time, exquisite room note, well suited indoors, small/skinny vitola, classy.

H. Upmann No. 2 - loved the one I had and would like more, flavors and aroma a little out of the norm, regular size and smoking time, intriguing

RyJ Churchill - whats not to like, its a full size cigar without being too big, good delivery, regular size and smoking time, stately.

No strategy beyond buy and smoke.

Thanks for the thought provocation.

 

[Fugu]

On 11/25/2019 at 5:04 AM, Mikeltee said:

With a budget of $800 a month and buying for years in advance may I ask how many sticks you smoke a week? I'm trying to see if I can afford this beautiful hobby as its grabbed me by the balls but still not too late to get out. I gravitated to CCs after a 2 pack a day Marlboro habit. Now I average 3 sticks a day. Its obviously more than cigarettes but $800 a month can be budgeted. I would love to get to the point of smoking my own aged sticks.

What a crazy conception is that?!

Everyone is able to afford this 'hobby', everyone I say. Smoke smaller formats, smoke fair-value or even budget regprod (I am able to draw a lot of satisfaction from the odd TC), and smoke in moderation. Keep it a custom not a need.

I for one have always smoked good cigars - and smoking cigars since I was a student (started out "serious" smoking with the pipe at age 15). I smoked in times when I had virtually zero disposable income.... cherishing every single smoke as something special. I smoked in times when I was happy affording two single BPCs in a month from my local B&M (in fact I still remember those as perhaps having been the happiest of all times in my smoking life), as I smoked in times of buying SWs and Espies by the box.

It is you - and you alone (not your peers) - who controls how much he want's to spend on cigars!

As for aging sticks - that's less a matter of money than it is a matter of patience.

[FatPete]

On 11/26/2019 at 1:18 PM, UnionCityCubano said:

Those in the middle are some regional LGC from Spain when I visited last year. I plan on going next year and will buy a box if I can. They are smoking great. 

Where abouts in Spain did you go? Those are some nice cigars right there 

[UnionCityCubano]

1 hour ago, FatPete said:

Where abouts in Spain did you go? Those are some nice cigars right there 

I bought cigars in Barcelona and Madrid. These I believe were Madrid. Very nice shop I will post pictures later of my haul and of the humidor. This picture is of my personal stash during a recent rotation I have about 150-180 sticks in it. Some with good age waiting for me to pluck them from there slumber.

[UnionCityCubano]

The other layers. Of my box. Few gems for a rainy day.