greetings, all: i'm new to cbid and still pretty green to cigars in general. had a couple of questions for the "older and wiser" folks here.

first off, i'm newly disabled, tangling with social security process and we're living off my wife's salary as a teacher. so money for cigars is extreeeeeemely tight. when there is something left at the end o' the month and the wife says "go for it," though, i'm off to find either cigars i've tried and liked (if they're in the price range of affordable) or new sticks to expand my horizons. so far i find that i like sticks with a lot of spiciness to them primarily. i also like smoother, less harsh cigars. something creamy in a CTSH wrapper that also has some spice to it is perfect. helix naturals, suarez, fonseca and tabacalera cubana are the ones i've tried so far that i've really enjoyed.

okay... the questions:

1. can you suggest some INEXPENSIVE cigars that i might like given my tastes?

2. while everyone loves a super premium, many are just out of my price range. i have had a couple of unbanded, bundle cigars that have been extraordinary, though. do you have any recommendations on such cigars that i should watch for? i see sticks offered from time to time with names like "naked nicas" or "DR select" (just made those up, but you get the idea).

3. when trading with others or participating in a PIF, is there a preferred way to package the cigars? is sending it through the USPS okay?

4. what kind of non-cigar trades are sought online among cigar lovers? i'm in the middle of a trade with another cigar afficionado (shout out to Fudge -- yo! -- he's a good guy, folks). for instance, i don't have many sticks right now, but i may have other things to offer in a trade for cigars -- just don't know if that's okay to offer up.

5. one of the first cigars i tried was also one of the best: a tabacalera cubana corona cigar. the cigar maker sells them in boxes, but again my finances are tight, and i can't afford a whole box from the maker's site. ideally i'd like to find single sticks. of course, i'll keep my eye on cbid's auctions, but just by chance would any of you folks happen to have any of these sticks that you'd be willing to part with in a trade? these are kind of like my "holy grail" sticks, so i'm looking all over the place for 'em. 🙂

great community you folks have here, and i look forward to being a part of it.

-antonio (i see you already have a "tony" here, so i'll go by the formal version) 🙂

Cavallo, welcome!

1. e-mail me @ dgrubworm44 at aoldotcom and I will send you a "welcome" sampler of conn.-shade and cigars we talk about around here that you will like. Remember to leave your address in your e-mail

2. Some inexpensive brands that I have found are....Gran Habano, Indian Tabac, Trilogy, and a thousand others...but pleeease e-mail me and I will help a newbie out.

3. Sending packages is usually done with USPS, but I have used UPS also. Some have bad things to say about both, but I always recommend getting a tracking or confirmation # for the recipient.

4. I have seen everything from a van to chocalate up for trade. Recently a lap-top.....but I would suggest not getting too crazy.

5.Never heard of the cigar you mentioned....but if you enjoyed it, that is what definitely counts!!

My .02,
Dave

1. Look to the sky!
2. perdomo fresh rolls
3. As long as they arrive un-damaged I dont think anyone cares how they are packaged. the best way is a zip-lock and packing peanuts in the box.
4. Fell free to offer up anything on the trade board except your wife and kids!! lol
5. Can`t help ya on this one!!!

Happy Herf`n
Rob

oh yeah...5 vegas, Siganture by Perdomo, and sometimes Torano can be found for cheap.

WTG smelly, you sir are a true BOTL.

Happy Herf`n
Rob

Welcome aboard.... Puros Indios are a great cigar and very low priced. I picked up a box for 31 bucks a few weeks ago. The Hendrik Kelner seconds if they show up here are a very spicy smoke in my opinion. They were one of my first premium smokes. Many trades for different things go on here as well. Most people will tell you this thread belongs in that sector anyway. Some of the things traded in the past are Krispy Kreme Donught coupons, Habanero Peppers, Laptops, Information (mechanic helped diagnose a problem), I'm trying to trade Seinfeld episodes on CDR... All differnt kinds of things really. The guys here will treat you well so happy trading.

ajeroth

I agree with the Puros Indios...great, smooth cigar.

Welcome to the asylem Cavallo.

Bid low.

Keep CI's site open for comparison.

Have fun.

I got these for $25 a box. If you had to go a little over, it would still be a great deal...

http://www.cigarbid.com/auction/lot.cfm?lotID=155082 

I get great deals on Indian Tabac from CBid. They are good everyday quality smokes that are available in plentiful quantities on this site. I recently got a bundle of the Sherpa Presidente' cigars for a little more than a buck a stick and I was pleasantly surprised by those. It took an inch or so to warm up, but once it did it was a very enjoyable smoke for the money. Careful (sometimes persistent) bidding will get you boxes or bundles of smokes like these for a little more than a buck a stick.

O.K., I'm feeling generous...

Astral Favoritos

Used to be able to get 'em for a buck a stick, but they seem to have gone up, probably due to posts such as this one.

You shouldn't pay more than a buck fitty.

I received a 5-pack of the Cumbres Costa Ricans yesterday
and fired one up today. They are mild but I must admit fairly tasty. I smoked it to the nub without any harshness. They can be had for dirt cheap on C-bid.

I thought of Puros Indios before I scrolled down and read the other posts recommending them. Puros Indios always come to my mind when I think spicy and they are pretty smooth too. They always go for just over a buck a stick here - well, maybe not the next few lots after this thread - and I think one of the biggest ongoing by-the-box deals here.

smelly4tay: email sent, and thank you so much! that is very, very generous of you. you know, i read a profile recently: "i've never met a man who smoked cigars whom i didn't like." though i'm new to cigars and their admirers and cigar boards in general, i've gotta say that there seem to be some extremely cool folks who share the cee-gar passion. thanks again. see my email for what i can send ya in return.

rob, good to see you in here too. i'll be getting that trade out to you looks like wednesday now (wife's got the car tomorrow).

yeah, the tabacalera cubana is a boutique cigar made down in miami i'm pretty sure by the gomez family. excellent, wonderful cigars, the two that i had, but i cannot for the life of me find them for purchase. wrote a couple of emails to the addy in their web site, but no answer yet. ah well. the search for my holy grail of sticks continues.

having not tried that many cigars yet, it's hard for me to really say what exactly i like best in a stick or even what brands and types. i very much liked "mild" sticks i've tried -- helix nats (don't like the maddie though), laissez faire, churchill deluxe (a sandwich) for instance, on the cheaper side -- but then i recently had a joya de nicaragua antaño 1970, which i'd read was a "powerhouse" extra strong cigar, but it didn't seem all that strong to me at all. very flavorful, yes, and definitely not "mild" per se, but not all that strong. so then i think, "well, now, if these are strong cigars, i like THEM, too." tried a montecristo grande tubo, a suarez (mild-med? and has the CTSH, but the spice in that thing knocked me on my butt! my lips tingled for an hour after i finally laid it down!). tried a toraño 1916 cameroom that others consider medium-ish, but to me it was very strong.

so with all that i'm learning, one of the confusing things is to really get a handle on what i like or what cigars i should try with those tastes. i was hesitant to even light up that 1970 after hearing some "i got incredibly dizzy, it was so strong!" reviews. but then i smoke it to the nub and it's just fine and, in fact, rather mellow. then i hit up that gentle-as-a-baby-lamb looking suarez with the creamy, mild CTSH wrapper, and get an hour of lip buzz. *laugh*

thanks for the great welcome, guys, and for sharing your thoughts and ideas. i look forward to being around here a good while and getting to know the sticks -- and you folks -- much better.

cheers,
antonio

I know exactly what you mean. I always thought I was a candy a** until I read some of the descriptions of my favorites. I like alot of 'gars int the med to full bodied range, and that threw my whole perception of the description thing outta whack!

My cheaper go-to cigar is the Hoja de Nicaragua. You can usually score a box of 25 for $30 or so here on Cbid. 5 Vegas are good, too, but a little more expensive.

Tony,
no prob at all my my new friend! All I can say is buckle up...cause this place is addicting. I have tried all the cigars you mentioned, and will enjoy the heck out of sending you a "welcome" sampler.

From there, 5-packs..boxes ,and trades oh my!

Best wishes,
Dave

Great to see you here Cav, they are a great bunch of guys, helped out my newbie ass a whole bunch 🙂

Zed

Sounds like you've gotten some good advice here, so I'll just say welcome...

...and I just love the way ANTONIO rolls off of my tongue!

Just say it...Antonio...


:)

Marla

Isn't Cavallo is horse in portuguese? BTW welcome. X

hey Cav, i second Sketcha on the Astral Favoritos
Sketcha...i got a box of them for $28 right before Christmas!