sketcha,
As a fellow newbie to CBid, here's a suggestion. Buy some samplers and a few five packs. You will wind up paying less than $4 in almost every case for decent smokes, and you'll realize that some brands just aren't for you. I have really enjoyed some so-so rated smokes, and disliked a few vintage/reserve/cabinet/special edition ones. I've liked the Padron, Perdomo, CAO, Acid, Oliva, and Fuente mixtures, so they get my vote to try. Once you smoke those, you can pull the trigger on some boxes.
That's my humble, novice opinion.
Good luck!
Eric