[Professor S]

Well, I just won my first cigar auction for $16. That's $2 a cigar for handmade! They're also robusto, my favorite size. Anything longer than that I save for the golf course.

The Cuban Heritage Gems Sampler includes:
2 - Cuba Libre Robusto (5" x 50)
2 - Cu-Avana Intenso Robusto (5" x 50)
2 - La Estrella Cubana Oscuro Robusto (5" x 50)
2 - La Herencia Cubana Oscuro Fuerte Robusto (5" x 50)

I'm also winning a bid for an 6 cigar Oliva sampler for $22. That is insanely cheap for cigars that normally go for ~$10 a stick in shops. If I win that auction I'll be set for over a year (I smoke about 1.5 cigars a week on average).

I have a cannister humidor set up right now with propylene glycol humidifier and a digital hygrometer. Only cost me about $20 total. I'm waiting on Christmas for the real humi.

I was nervous about ordering online at first, but most cigar reviewers I've read or seen on youtube order their cigars online. Besides, if the industry hasn't figured out how to ship, the cigars would never leave the Caribbean! I believe they are vacuum sealed, but we'll see when my order comes in. I'll report back with the results.

As for cubans vs. other regions, most reviewers I've seen place Dominican and Nicaraguan above Cuba now. Tracking the history, there was a cigar brain drain after the revolution. Padron left and took their seeds with them, along with other famous makers. Indian-style cigar makers such as Rocky Patel (American, but Indian in style) and Gurkha are blazing some serious flavor trails. Some of my favorites. In the end, I think it has more to do with the skill of the blend and construction than the region.

As you can see, I've become mildly obsessed...