Upper limit on cheap and cheerfuls

[Bijan]

What's the most expensive C&C?

Would you say it is based on value or just price?

Is a ryj petit julietas or an erdm demi tasse a C&C or does paying petit corona prices for a Chico sized cigar put it out of the category?

Is hoyo du depute or party shorts still C&C or is maybe $5 a cigar the cutoff?

[mikinva]

For me, just price. Monte 4s were 144/box, they miss it. Vegueros mananitas 54/16 are definately C&C, Partagas Super Partagas 92 a box, are barely in. I guess I would say under 100/box.

[DoctorOctagon]

Good question, and I think it's rather subjective. 

I consider C&C to be anything below $150/box of 25. In my mind, spending $160+ is getting to beyond cheap. 

I also think that there are different levels of C&C. JLP, QYH, Vegueros are all "sub-C&C" for me. You won't get the complexity of the $80-110 boxes from different marcas. Short-fillers mainly. I don't tread this water for the simple reason that the upper echelon of the C&C is far more enjoyable to me, and the return of investment is higher. My one exception is the Cohiba Shorts. 

The mid/upper level of C&C starts at the PL Montecarlo. This is one of two of my go-to "everyday" cigars, with the Partagas Short. This level is where the flavor profile and quality of the roll get boosted and interesting. A Partagas Short can be creamy molasses coffee, or it can be toasty espresso baking cocoa. PL Montecarlos are consistent in their profile - burnt caramel, cuban tobacco perfection. There is not a better stick for the price. It's like everything you want out of PLPC's without the 3-5 years of rest. RG Perlas are close here, like an H. Upmann/Monte/PLMC mixed into one tiny, slow-burning package and can be had for a similar box price to the PLMC and is more wieldy to boot! 

Partagas Shorts can be had for ~$105/box, which is amazing for what you get. A nice change from the mellower flavors of the sticks mentioned prior. Partagas Habaneros hit way above their belt as well, nice little baking spice/cinnamon raisin bombs. 

RASCC are in this range as well, and are an excellent representation of the brand, and pretty close to their older sibling, the RASS. To me, these are like what most Punch sticks try to be. 

Monte No. 5 and HUHC are great, and the No. 5 is better than the HUHC I'd say. There's a $25-45 price difference between the two, but the No. 5 wins out because of it's classic Coffee/Cream Monte DNA. 

 

I suppose I'm trying to say that this market area is so rich, and not spending as low as $10 and as high as... I dunno... $40 per stick for the amazing flavors that this segment produces is actually pretty astonishing. I usually have 18 different sticks, all in the C&C level, in constant humidor rotation. 

Best part, my wallet doesn't take a gut-shot each time I smoke one ? . I can smoke 6 sticks for the price of one! 

[Bijan]

I have found that there are 4 levels of C&C cigars with increasing price and quality.

1. Machine made (cigarillos and Belinda, Guantanemera and Troya)

2. Short filler handmade (Quintero, JLP, etc.)

3. Long filler handmade but previously machine made before 2002 (the cheaper petit corona cigars, e.g. Super Partagas, Mille Fleurs).

4. Long filler handmade that were originally handmade as well (e.g. Partagas Shorts, and the rest of the minutos and perlas, the marevas vs petit corona vitola, etc.).

I mainly buy 3 and 4, with some 2 and an occasional purito from category 1.

I find in general cigars from category 4 are more reliable in construction than category 3, though I've had good luck with Super Partagas. But PLMC could technically be considered category 3 since it replaces a previously machine made version but the vitola changed a bit (35RG to 33RG), but it is highly regarded in any case.

Sounds like @mikinva would consider 1, 2, and 3 to be C&C but 4 to be too expensive to qualify. While @DoctorOctagon considers category 4 to be the upper limit.

Living in Canada and paying Canadian prices I wouldn't consider category 4 cheap. But buying internationally those cigars are still pretty affordable.

[fungi]

On 7/11/2020 at 6:46 PM, mikinva said:

I guess I would say under 100/box.

Same!

 

 

[Pag]

These days max up to $120 for me .

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[TobaccoRoad]

I usually consider $5ish per cigar and under as Cheap and Cheerful. 

[porkchop]

$5/$6 a stick (and below).

[La_Tigre]

On 12/9/2020 at 8:19 PM, TobaccoRoad said:

I usually consider $5ish per cigar and under as Cheap and Cheerful. 

+1

$5.xx and lower. 

[Ites]

For my international shopping it would be 5-6 euro (6-7usd), however if I'm down at the local store I'd have to consider anything below 10 usd to be in the cheap end. Taxes are nuts.. Drive (or order from) 2 hours, cross the border and save at least 10%.