your view on house brands

[brotherdew]

I have noticed that there is a minor problem with spammers on this board who try to shill certain products. I was just wondering what the view on house brands were on here.
Being a smoker on a budget, I have found a few that I like, but I'm not sure about discussing them. Just wanted to know if it was ok.

[ashauler]

I have noticed that there is a minor problem with spammers on this board who try to shill certain products. I was just wondering what the view on house brands were on here.
Being a smoker on a budget, I have found a few that I like, but I'm not sure about discussing them. Just wanted to know if it was ok.

You can discuss anything you want, except politics/religion I reckon.

[TommyTree]

Discussing your views on house sticks should be fine. I'm sure even offering them for sale would be fine if you're a contributing member of the forum, meaning you're posting on a variety of topics and don't spend all your time shilling for a certain brand.
As to my thoughts on house brands in general, I find that they're still the same as anything else at the B&M, you get what you pay for. And if your B&M is selling a cheap house cigar, they could probably be selling a cheap unbanded cigar for an even cheaper price.

[brotherdew]

I have been buying most of my sticks from Famous-Smoke Shop online. I live an hour from the nearest walk-in humidor and two hours from the nearest cigar shop that I like.
I have smoked a couple of house cigars from Famous Smoke that I like, namely the Conuco. (just smoked one)
It was a decent four blend that had a good ash and strong, thick aromatic smoke.
Still new to this and just wanted to share.

[CoventryCat86]

You can discuss anything you want, except politics/religion I reckon.

Be sure to tell Barry the atheist socialist one per-center that the next time he pops in.

The shops I go to don't have house brands. If they did, I'd probably talk about them dewbrother so fire away.

[Paddy]

Famous Final Blend is not a half bad cigar. About a year ago I got the “Test Flight” 8 cigars I think. The first one I smoked had the awful ammonia taste of a wet/green cigar.
I let the rest sit for 6-8 months and they turned out to be decent IMHO.

[ashauler]

Be sure to tell Barry the atheist socialist one per-center that the next time he pops in.

The shops I go to don't have house brands. If they did, I'd probably talk about them dewbrother so fire away.

Ha, I think I did that once, and he accused me of having my panties all bunched or something.

EDIT TO ADD: I smoke some of the Famous house brands....NIC 3000, VSL Honduran and Nicaraguan, Buenos maduritos. Holts has a good blend called Fumadores that are made by Pepin.

[CptnBlues63]

The only house brand I've tried was at the Casa Fuente store in Caesar's Palace in Vegas. In fact, I brought several of their house brand home and still have one sitting in my humi almost 2 years later. I have a sneaking suspicion it's going to get smoked over Christmas now that I've remembered it.

While in Vegas I took my stepson there for the "cigar and mohito" deal and bought those house brands while there that day. I had one shortly after returning home and it was just ok, not fantastic. I left the rest sit in my humi for several months and then had another and if memory serves me, it was much improved by the time spent in my humi. In fact, I enjoyed that second one a whole lot more than the first one.

Of course, being a Fuente cigar means it's probably better than the average house brand but as I said, it's the only experience I've had (so far) with house brands. Not that I'd be adverse to trying more, but my favorite B&M is about 2 hours away from me in the big city and they don't have any house brands that I know of.

[Paddy]

Ha, I think I did that once, and he accused me of having my panties all bunched or something.

EDIT TO ADD: I smoke some of the Famous house brands....NIC 3000, VSL Honduran and Nicaraguan, Buenos maduritos. Holts has a good blend called Fumadores that are made by Pepin.

+1 to that!
Holt's also had the Miami Small Run something or other made by Pepin in bundles. Deals can by found you just need to keep an eye out.

[househarley]

The thing about house brands are they vary greatly. You really have to try them to see if you like them, or find someone who gave them an honest review. For local stores you just have to try and see really, for the online retailers sometimes you can find reviews. Either way I have smoked some good "house brand" cigars from different cigar retail stores. When I travel I like to try house brands from different places, they are usually very low priced so easy to try.

[ashauler]

The thing about house brands are they vary greatly. You really have to try them to see if you like them, or find someone who gave them an honest review. For local stores you just have to try and see really, for the online retailers sometimes you can find reviews. Either way I have smoked some good "house brand" cigars from different cigar retail stores. When I travel I like to try house brands from different places, they are usually very low priced so easy to try.

And very often, the exact same cigar....just maybe a different size, or band, or not banded at all. How long you been smoking cigars?

[heftysmokes]

Of course, being a Fuente cigar means it's probably better than the average house brand but as I said, it's the only experience I've had (so far) with house brands. Not that I'd be adverse to trying more, but my favorite B&M is about 2 hours away from me in the big city and they don't have any house brands that I know of.

And, the Casa Fuente is probably the only house cigar that rund you $30+ for a single.

[VancouverMark]

The only house brand I have had (to my knowledge) is Old Henry from Holts. These are also a Pepin product and quite good.

Mark

[CptnBlues63]

And, the Casa Fuente is probably the only house cigar that rund you $30+ for a single.

Oh yeah there is that heavy hit on the wallet to account for!

LOL

That's why I've been hanging on to that last one so long. I paid enough for it I'm going to hold onto it for a special occasion. I'm thinking x'mas!

[brotherdew]

And very often, the exact same cigar....just maybe a different size, or band, or not banded at all. How long you been smoking cigars?

I smoked them for around eight or ten years when I was young, but only smoked the machine mades. (mostly Roi-Tans and Phillies) I picked up the habit again about two months ago after trying a pack of Phillie Blunts. I smoked three of them and threw the others away. I decided I might want to try a real cigar and now I am right back in the thick of it.

[househarley]

And very often, the exact same cigar....just maybe a different size, or band, or not banded at all. How long you been smoking cigars?

3-4 years, I'm only 25. They were different sizes/bands. I don't travel often but I have gotten house cigars in Florida, New Orleans, Ohio, St. Louis, and more. (No where special haha) None of them were amazing but some of them were good. Were they all the same cheap cigar with different bands on them? Possible, but I dont think so given that I could smoke some, and some were like smoking a newspaper.

[ashauler]

3-4 years, I'm only 25. They were different sizes/bands. I don't travel often but I have gotten house cigars in Florida, New Orleans, Ohio, St. Louis, and more. (No where special haha) None of them were amazing but some of them were good. Were they all the same cheap cigar with different bands on them? Possible, but I dont think so given that I could smoke some, and some were like smoking a newspaper.

Um, yeah, that's most likely why I said "very often" and not always.

[FightingFish]

I have to say, I'm a big fan of the Siboney toros I've been smoking. The wrappers are gorgeous; really dark and oily. The taste is of semi-sweet cocoa and the smoke is thick and chewy. These cigars are packed well, but have some soft spots and voids. Touch ups are pretty regular. I got them on auction for $2 a stick, so I'm happy.