My first post so here it goes.

I have done some checking on past boards and some thread searches and come up wanting. I am new to wonderful world of cigar smoking(thanks to my brother-in-laws Xmas gift)and I am tring to find out what seperates a great cigar from a premium or super premium. I know taste is subjective, one persons rocket is anothers daily go to. Is it strictly price deal?

Torque

Usually. i.e., you won't get any arguments about PAM being a super premium (Padron Anniversary Maduro) but they're pricey. However, there are others that are close and well loved, i.e., I really like the Torano Tributes, they also are not cheap, but less than the PAMs.

That is really a tough question to quantify. Yes most of the premium super premium debate does revolve around the price tag of a cigar. But it also includes other things such as availability, ingredients and manufacture.

As a new guy don't get to hung up on seeking out the premium stuff right away because for the most part your palette won't be ready for the more complex blends and stronger flavors you will generally find in premium cigars. The hobby of smoking cigars is mostly about the journey of discovery. We all start out that way and as we grow in this hobby (read obsessed) we cultivate our tastes that will change over time. It’s real easy to walk into a shop and order the most expensive thing they have and think you’re an experienced smoker cause your smoking the good stuff. Half the fun of this is finding that lil gem of a stick that costs hardly anything, you will cherish those experiences.

In my mind, it has a lot to do with the price of the cigars. Some rare Dunhills, Opus X, etc. that are very high end limited editions and are very expensive are what I consider super premiums. There are a ton of what could be considered premiums.

I agree, I have had one PAM and it was wonderful. I just need to figure out how to get few to stash without the wife having a bird. I have also had alot of the CAO line. The Criollo and Brazilia are my current fav. Would CAO be a prem or just a dang good smoke? That is where my confusion lies.

I have gone through a few of the cheaper smokes looking for that great find for the money. I have found 2. But the search always continues. One of the problems that I have is the local shops. I am in Minneapolis and there are a few good shops around. But most of them carry the same stuff. Punch, Hoyo, Fuente, etc. There is nothing wrong with those. But Variety is the spice. Thank god for CI and Cbid.

I would consider most CAOs to be premium smokes, except for the flavors.

I was going to give a long winded response with a definition of the word PREMIUM and examples of premium and super premium cigars but after typing the 12 paragraphs, I decided against it. Essentially it's a matter of cost of the cigar in relation to the quality and availability. Every expensive cigar isn't a premium/super premium. Every inexpensive cigar isn't a dog rocket.

To me, a premium is a good tasting smoke. A super premium is a GREAT tasting smoke.

Great tasting smokes that are also hard to find or rare are called EL's (edicion limitada).

But what the hell do I know? This is just my humble opinion...

Good topic and thancks for posting Tourque!! Please don't hesitate to chime in to the chat...

To meprice does have a lot to do with the premium/super-premium classification. Beyond that, things get pretty subjective. I would classify the threshold price for premiums at roughly $3.00 minimum and super premiums at roughly 10.00 minimum. Occassionally you get deals and there may be premiums available at 5-8 dollars that you would enjoy as much as a 12 dollar super-premium but that is the subjective end of this topic... Based on box prices over the web or auction prices, $3 and $10 seem to be consistent thresholds.

Torque2.... you're pretty much heading in the right direction just by checking out this board.
Look back a the posts for the last year or so, and you will see several brands that frequently pop up with positive reviews.

Those are some of the one's to try. (5 packs are the rule for many here). Yeah...it's pretty cool to show up at a poker party and light up a Montecristo. Might even impress a few who know what one is. The theme of cigarbid is variety.

There's always something to try and Cbid does a great job in breaking open the cigar boxes and selling 5 packs and samplers. If you search back through the posts here, you will get a few good ideas.

Many of the cheapies you can get here will kick a** on many of the self proclaimed "Super Premium's".
Anyway...a lot of good cigars you can get here don't even have bands...so if some cigar snob asks...just tell him its "Cuban".

I got into this debate once before and got chewed on pretty good by at least one of the FOG's (course, I'm pretty much an FOG myself!and as such, feel the right to be opinionated! LOL) I think that to yourself, it's really a subjective thing, but when you get to trading, and swapping cigars, you have to have a yardstick that everybody can agree on, To wit: if sombody thinks that the very DEFINITION of premium is their second favorite cigar, Bad Frogs, and the best SUPER PREMIUM is a Lone Wolf, and say gifted Penzt8 with a generous bomb of their favorites, they may be dissappointed at the level of gratitude expressed. Some on here may think Opus X's are overrated, but would never fail to express gratitude and appreciation at receiving such an expensive and hard to get cigar. I have had PAM's and they ARE great! But I like La Aurora Preferidos better! Same price range, unless you get into the Tubos then the Preferidos go through the roof! At $17.50 ea. at my local, I know if I send someone a red perfecto shaped tube in a package of gars, I'm going to get attention! 🙂 But like Hensed told you, the REAL fun of this hobby is finding those two dollar cigars that fit your flavor profile to a tee! At the risk of temporarily driving the bidding up on them, try the Free Cubas sometime! They can be had for around a buck apiece! not bad at all! Same can be said for the Sacubas! (milder though) When I'm gifting cigars to someone, or trading, I like to establish what I'm going to send, and then add a few less than premium sticks that I think they may enjoy! If someone gifts me, I like seeing the old favorites, but a jewel that I can afford to buy a box of without taking out a loan is a good thing too! 🙂 Have fun with it! there's no other reason to be here!

.....to each is his own..

GIG'EM,

Thanks for all the info folks. CW you touched on why I had started this thread in the first place. Hopefully soon I will be in a position where I can get in on some trading. And being a newbie I want to make sure I do right by other people. First impressions ya know.

Torque...
buy that 5Vegas Assortment pack on sale now (if you haven't already tried them).

I agree with everything CWFoster says above. I try and buy a 5-pack of just about every cigar on CBID, just as I pick up 2 of every new cigar I see at various shops. (within my $$$). I was on vacation last week and took a number of my most expensive smokes since I would have time on the beach to enjoy. I smoked 3 super-super premiums one day ($20+) and 2 of them were so good I felt like I was drinking the cigar. The other was "okay". I also smoked some premiums ??? that I paid between $1-3 each for on CBID and they held up pretty damn well against the big boys.

Anyway, enjoy the addiction...this is a great place to be and check the trade boards and birthday clubs for variety.

Rayder1

Those are the next smokes I want to try. They are in the top 10 of the list of smokes I want to try yet.

Good topic for the newbs.

I'm just happy to see the Brazilia made it into the conversation

This forum has turned me onto some great smokes. My Father Le Bijou 1922, New World Maduro, Plascencias, Man o Wars, Cohibas, Rocky Patel Decade, Olivia series V Melanio, etc. I won’t really pay more than $12-$15 for a stick and that’s really pushing it!
Hang around here, check your ego at the door and soak up some of the great ideas, knowledge, and banter. You won’t regret it!!