Cheap & Delicious versus Expensive & Delicious...What Say Y'all?

[Yarddog]

Some great responses so far...I too prefer quality over quantity, however, I have found that a high price point with a legend attached does not always...in fact, not too often in my experience...leads to an outstanding smoking experience.

Lemme put it to ya this way...a few years ago, I walked into the acoustic guitar room at a music store, and I played all the acoustic bass guitars (ABG) they had there. The one that played the best was a Martin. No surprise there. It was $1200. The second best was an Olympia...a second line of the vaunted Tacoma...the difference was small, in my experience. The price on this one was $400. Was the difference in performance worth $800? Oh heck no. Not even close. So I bought the Olympia, paid big bux for a hard shell case, still have both of them.

Now then, if I was at a different level of musicianship, where the small differences in the performance and sounds of those instruments made a difference, or if the world I played music in was the sort that looked down their long noses at a cheap Olympia, but accepted the Martin as being pretty much the top of the marque...which it is...well, the extra money woulda been well spent. But the difference to me simply was not worth it!

That's the way I approach cigars. Okay, I can pay almost $28.00 for a Padron 1926 at my local B&M...and it's an outstanding cigar, no doubt, one of the world's best. Nobody will look down their nose at me when I fire one of them puppies up...but I don't care. I went out a bought about fifty of them Devil's Ink on special for about $2.49 each, and man...do I enjoy them! For less than nine percent of what that fine Padron costs.

So which gets the nod in my world? Yep...the less expensive stick...Sounds like there are some folks who are with me on that, but I'd sure like to hear from some others who disagree as well...always interested in points of view...

[Billb1960]

There are several higher end brands that go for $10 plus even online but don't get the marketing that they deserve. They're really great cigars and they can be found for $3-$5 a stick or less on the auction sites. Those are the most fun to find for me. I just picked up a box of EPM La Hermandad Costa Fuertes for $44 and 10 Oliva MB3 for $3.70 a piece.

[GWBowman]

Marketing is key. As you've stated, some high dollar items are a better product and some have better marketing/following.

[Old Smokey]

While I love a good steak, sometimes I crave a hamburger.

[Bruck]

While I love a good steak, sometimes I crave a hamburger.

That's a good point, & try eating a steak while driving I very often have a cigar while doing something else, for example this weekend, I was working on an outdoor construction project. Had a few "yard gars" in the process. I wouldn't burn one of my better sticks while hammering and sawing. Or mowing. Or cleaning the guns I used to own before that tragic boating accident. But when I have time to chill out and really get into what I'm smoking, then I'll turn one of my Graycliffs (yeah, I know, but I like 'em) into tasty smoke.

[allusred]

This Vance (Yarddog) is really is the discussion thang that I for one most enjoy reading on Cigarbum, so sincere thanks for your post.
Clicking thanks for every entry because it's nice to read the varied takes Bums have on the subject. Gives one a chance to rethink/evaluate why you smoke what you do.
Hope see many more responses.

[Usafvet509]

I tend to live in the $2-5 range. I find it very rewarding when I find a GOOD $2 stick. Anymore, I have a (self-imposed) $10 per stick cap at the B&M's. There are some great sticks at that price, but I can't regularly afford those. I save them for when I can go to a good B&M and smoke it there. Again, @Bruck , no judgment here, LOVIN' the G2 Maddy. I think eventually I will have a list of occasional $10+ sticks that rivals my $5 max list, but that'll be a long ways out

[tonyzoc]

I probably average 3 cigars a day, so I'm definitely not smoking $15 sticks exclusively. I do like to smoke a more expensive cigar and might smoke one on a weekend night or at a "cigar night" with coworkers. For every day smokes I'm always looking for that $2-$3 deal of something pretty good. Actually, it's easy to pick a good cigar, but it more... Sporting...to find the decent $3 smokes. In other words, its more of a hunt.

Aside from those mentioned, I like Sosa, My Father's Tabacos Baez, L'Altier Trocadero, My Father's Tres Reynas, a recent find is Xikar HC Habano2 or Maduro2, Sancho Panzas (a nice cigar for $60-$70 a box), the AJ Puro Authenticos (routinely grab in auction for $3 ea)... And I'm still hunting.

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[WNYTONY]

I tend to live in the $2-5 range. I find it very rewarding when I find a GOOD $2 stick. Anymore, I have a (self-imposed) $10 per stick cap at the B&M's. There are some great sticks at that price, but I can't regularly afford those. I save them for when I can go to a good B&M and smoke it there. Again, @Bruck , no judgment here, LOVIN' the G2 Maddy. I think eventually I will have a list of occasional $10+ sticks that rivals my $5 max list, but that'll be a long ways out

That's a different animal all together IF I had a B&M I could frequent and went with the intention of enjoying a good stick in the lounge with some other Bums and supporting the shop I'd do the same thing. Since I'm only ever smoking at home by myself or on the golf course I tend to try to stay around $3 per +/- and smoke what I enjoy in that range.

Like @Old Smokey said about steaks and burgers.
When I go out I usually get a steak and at home I cook more burgers than I do steaks.

[Hardheaded]

I tend to live in the under $2 range most of the time. Never had much in the way of funds to spend on cigars until recently, and there are plenty or serviceable or even good cigars in that range. Plus I seem to be frequently doing something else while smoking.

I still keep a stash of other smokes ranging from $3-$25 or so, but don't smoke them regularly. I typically buy singles locally, which gets expensive in a tax heavy state. The rest are 5 packs from different online sources, or gifts from family or fellow bums.