Quote Originally Posted by ironworker
I am fairly new to smoking cigars and have a few questions

I found a few different cigars that I really liked at my local tobacco shop, Partagas, Punch and Romeo Julieta Reserve.

The Partagas 8-9-8 cigars are my favorite (smoking one now) and my local tobacco shop was asking $234.00 a box. They claimed the box was about 3 years old. I looked online for cigar prices and found Thompson’s Co and the price for the same box of cigars was $150.00.

After looking at a few online catalogs I noticed that prices are drastically lower online. I know you could probably get some counterfeit cigars online but this company looks trustworthy.

Is it a good idea to buy cigars this way?
Has anyone had bad dealings with that company?
Why are the prices so much lower?
Last but not least, I know that an aged cigar is better than one that is not but how can I tell how old they are?

Thank you for any answers you can provide me with.

Richard
$234 a box for Partagas 8-9-8 seems a bit steep to me.. $150 sound a little more reasonable...

As far was why there is a difference, it is probably more in the taxes that are charged than anything else. It depends on what your state and local tax situation where your shop is. Some states charge 100% tax on tobacco products.

Also, online cigar stores don't have the overhead a Brick & Mortar (B&M) operation has. My local shop charges a bit more than I could find it online for, but I also can relax in their lounge, in one of the leather chairs and watch the big screen TV - so it's worth it to me...

Aging definitely helps the cigar, usually making it smoother and more complex. It's usually desirable to find aged cigars. But not at $234 a box (unless its something spectacular)!!!

Thompson's is a pretty reputable dealer. They offer good customer service, and have been around for a while. There are a number of other dealers as well. You might want to talk to Hex about pricing - He has a smaller operation than Thompson's, and I believe he may have some decent prices as well (and I believe he stocks Torano, which you may like and might have trouble finding). Go with the Torano 1959 Exodus SILVER label, if you want an awesome smoke....

Good luck!!!