Quote Originally Posted by Galvanicfish View Post
I've got some cuban sandwich style cigars and I can't decide if they're dog rockets or not. They're fairly well made for the most part, with the occasional piece of loose wrapper or odd dent, and there's a bit acridity to the finish. They taste decent though, and after shipping were under a dollar a stick. I think I should just call them everyday, nothing special smokes, cause it's not like when I bought a garcia y vega at the Indian store and had to put it out after a few puffs. I can't believe I used to smoke those....
Anything that is hand made is going to be at least marginally better than something that is manufactured. I was given that lesson early on, when someone at a cigar shop opened a Garcia y Vega and showed me the garbage contained therein. I damn near puked on the spot without smoking it (bits of newspapers, bailing string, etc).

I don't think there is anyone that won't argue that if you find a sub $1 smoke that is excellent, you're well ahead of the game. The problem is - finding that diamond in the cesspool. It's far better to invest the $30+ per bundle on a coupla three good cigars, rather than buying a bunch of bundled cigars that end up clogging the humidor and lend their characteristics to all of the other cigars that are stored near them.

Speaking of which - if you've got some not so good bundled crapola in your humidor nestled next to your other treasures - you might want to consider transferring them to a tupperware container, lest you later smoke your good cigars and think they are crapola as well.