Do house cigars ever compete?

**herman** · 02-11-2015, 11:48 AM

Went to a shop as a first time customer and the owner told me he and his family had been rolling cigars for several generations.
Seeing they had several blends and their price ranged from $4 - $8 mostly respect to size, I thought I would try one.

He picked a couple out for me and told me how good they were and assured me I'd be back for more.
I grabbed a couple and asked if they needed to be aged but was instructed to smoke them fresh.

Lit one up and found it to be mediocre. I good smoke for the price, but a little disappointed knowing for a couple more bucks I could have walked out with a name brand. I understand comparing them to well known names with a reputation is quite a standard to compete against but with all the hype
he gave, it made me wonder if anyone has had any luck with house cigars.

Anyone ever been surprised by one?

**jhedrick83** · 02-11-2015, 04:16 PM

One of my favorites is from a shop in Charleston called Lianos Dos Palmas. A broadleaf maduro double corona, about $6 a pop. They are rolled in shop and I love them. There can be advantages to smaller operations and shops, there may be batches of great tobacco that are too small for the big boys to use but some of the smaller "boutique" places can use it easily since they are producing on a much smaller scale. I guess it depends if the house cigar is house blended or just a 2nd with a house band.

**Cardinal** · 02-11-2015, 07:00 PM

The maduro WTF from Outlaw Cigars in Kansas City is good. I always grab a handful when I'm up there. I want to say they're in the $5-6 range which is solid from a B&M IMO.

That's the only house blend I recall smoking though.

**Alligator Gar** · 02-11-2015, 08:29 PM

Casa Fuente and Flor de Ybor City are a couple of Fuentes house blends that don't disappoint.

**Tombstone** · 02-12-2015, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by Cardinal

The maduro WTF from Outlaw Cigars in Kansas City is good. I always grab a handful when I'm up there. I want to say they're in the $5-6 range which is solid from a B&M IMO.

That's the only house blend I recall smoking though.

Outlaw Cigar Company makes great cigars. I have yet to have one that I did not like.

**projectsunfire** · 02-12-2015, 12:46 PM

I had a house maduro at a bar in St Augustine a few weeks ago. It started out nice than became very boring quickly and wouldn't stay lit. my friend is a very casual smoker and he really liked it but he likes everything lol. I would not go out of my way to have another house cigar after that one but I'm sure there are some excellent exceptions out there.

**Demuths1770** · 02-13-2015, 11:10 AM

i have a shop that has a house blend that is awesome. its actually no longer a house blend since its so popular afew other local shops sell them. you can go into his shop at any time and he is hand rolling cigars!!

**jp1979** · 02-19-2015, 11:32 AM

Not sure if these qualify as house cigars but Fox Cigar in Chandler, AZ has a house cigar that was blended by Eddie Ortega and rolled at MF. They are pretty good for $8 a stick.

**Browns7213** · 02-19-2015, 12:19 PM

I think its hit or miss and good is always a subjective term. I really enjoy the 10th Anniversary blend from Corona Cigar they are a mild-med grass and hay bomb.