[areafiftyone]

Did you think about asking Bubba? ;-)

[Mr. Bird]

lagniappe....

OUTSTANDING. Never heard this word. From the dictionary at Bartleby.com: Lagniappe derives from New World Spanish la ñapa, “the gift,” and ultimately from Quechua yapay, “to give more.” The word came into the rich Creole dialect mixture of New Orleans and there acquired a French spelling. It is still used in the Gulf states, especially southern Louisiana, to denote a little bonus that a friendly shopkeeper might add to a purchase. By extension, it may mean “an extra or unexpected gift or benefit.”

[ConservativeDude]

As far as cigars go whic are available in the US, Macanudo is quite good.

[YaYa123]

Go to this url, scroll down, and you can ask experts:

http://fujipub.com/cigarradio/

[housethatruthbuilt]

1)Fuente Fuente Opus X - best non cuban on the market. only comes out 4 times a year and in limited quantity. will be appreciated

2)CAO extreme or maduro - great smoke and readily available.

size-wize go for churchills or robusto's

[Victor]

Dominican-made Cohibas (clone of the Cuban) are pretty good for the money, my local liquor store sells them over the counter for $5.00 apiece. They should be cheaper by the dozen.

[The_Victor]

If you spend $6+ per cigar you pretty much can't go wrong. At that price, it's not a matter of quality, but personal taste. My personal favorites are Monte Cristo Presidente (maduro wrapper), anything by Arturo Fuente (tend to be overpriced though), anything by Punch (for dark leaf), anything by Macanudo (for natural leaf).

If you shop around and buy by the box, you shouldn't have to spend more than $3-$5 per cigar. Check online too.

[opbuzz]

Go to http://www.jrcigars.com.

They have a wide selection at discount prices, and delivery averages two days. If you get to NC, they have huge stores that sell other merchandise, with great humidors and cigar smoking salesclerks.

[AnalogReigns]

You can't beat a Padron...any of their cigars. Consistantly rates up with Cuban cigars (the best) by Cigar Aficionado magazine http://www.cigaraficionado.com/ -- and so smoooooth. Their "Anniversario Exclusivo" series is 2nd to none--and very impressive appearing too.

About $5 to $15 a stick, made in Nicaragua by a Cuban exile family. Supposedly this is the brand most favored by Cuban-Americans...

[housethatruthbuilt]

here's a search i did on a website - the order of info is:
name
type
where from
rating out of 100
price per stick
commentary


Padron
Magnum Maduro
Nicaragua
94
$7.80
A big, beautiful ""A"" with few flaws and plenty of teeth in the wrapper. It has notes of chocolate, coconut and earth. A smooth, rich medium-bodied cigar.
Read other users' tasting notes on this cigar



Fuente Fuente OpusX
Perfecxion No. 2
Dominican Republic
93
Torpedo
$13.50
A powerhouse cigar. This smoke is filled with pepper and sweet spices, backed up by a core of earthy and leather flavors. There is a well-balanced cedar finish. Absolutely gorgeous.

Fuente Fuente OpusX
Robusto
Dominican Republic
93
$10.50
a powerful cigar. It is full-bodied. It has notes of leather, coffee beans, and a good dose of sweet cocoa. A great reddish brown wrapper, near perfect performance. Best Opus in a couple of years.

Padron
1964 Anniversary Series Diplomatico Madu
nicaragua
93
churchill
$12.40
dark as ink and perfectly pressed, with a rough cap. It has a perfect draw, and blossoms with complex notes of wood, spiced cocoa, macadamia nuts and white chocolate. A medium to full-bodied cigar thatÕs a joy to smoke.

Bauza
Pyramid
Dominican Republic
92
$6.00
This is a medium- to full-bodied cigar. It has a strong cinnamon note on the palate and a good earthy core of flavors. It has a leather and sweet-spice finish. Great looking and well made.


C.A.O.
LÕAnniversaire 1968-1998 Cameroon Belicoso
Nicaragua
92
$7.90
Beautifully made cigar. ItÕs medium bodied with a solid cedar character, an earthy undertone and hints of cocoa bean, leather and roasted meat. Great texture.


Davidoff
Millennium Blend Series Robusto
Dominican Republic
92
$13.50
This chocolate-colored cigar is nearly flawless in appearance. The smoke is complex and intriguing, with leather, cedar and espresso notes. Medium to full bodied.
Read other users' tasting notes on this cigar


Fuente Fuente OpusX
Perfecxion No. 5
Dominican Republic
92
$7.50
An excellent full-bodied smoke, with flavors of nutmet, sweet cocoa and a some sweet cedar wood notes on the finish.
Read other users' tasting notes on this cigar



Padron
1964 Anniversary Series Exclusivo
Nicaragua
92
corona Gorda
$8.20
This perfectly box pressed cigar has a perfect draw and an even burn. The smoke is packed with notes of cedar, white choclate, caramel and orange peel. Smooth and medium bodied
Read other users' tasting notes on this cigar


Padron
1964 Anniversary Series Torpedo
Nicaragua
92
Figurado
$15.00
This box-pressed torpedo is dark and extremely firm. The draw and burn are perfect. It has an earthy, leathery flavor complimented by chocolate and coffee notes and a long, rich finish. Medium bodied.
Read other users' tasting notes on this cigar



Padron
1964 Anniversary Series Torpedo Maduro
Nicaragua
92
$15.00
A gorgeous box-pressed torpedo with a nearly flawless wrapper. It burns and draws like a dream. The smoke is sweet and spicy, with a rich, cocoa flavor and a pleasant complexity. Hints of pistachios and leather complement the taste. The finish is short.



Padron
1964 Anniversary Series Torpedo Maduro
Nicaragua
92
$15.00
A wonderful, sweet, peppery cigar. It is medium to full bodied with a good dose of leathery and earthy notes on the palate. There are hints of nuts and cocoa beans on the finish


Arturo Fuente
Hemingway Series Short Story
Dominican Republic
91
Figurado
$3.85
A gorgeous, classic perfecto. The wrapper is dark and toothy. The smoke is rich, toasty and spicy, with a wide range of flavors including mint, earth and caramel.
Read other users' tasting notes on this cigar

[The_Victor]

One more thing. Get a humidor.

If you buy cigars by the box, and only give away a few per month, then you'll need to protect them. It works great for turning good cigars into great cigars as well (just like aging fine wine). Two years ago while my wife was pregnant with our third child, I bought a box of the Monte Cristos that I just recommended. I aged them for six months until the birth. I hated to give them away. They were incredible!

You should be able to find an humidor for $30-$50 that will hold about 50 cigars. It should have instructions for breaking it in.

[JoeSixPack1]

http://www.prometheuskkp.com/promotion1.htm

[ContemptofCourt]

Definitely go to JRCIGARS.com. I am a regular on the BB over there, and the place is full of great information.

As for the gars named here, some are good choices, some are not. Opus X is a stellar cigar, but a newbie is gonna hate it because it is very strong. For newbies, I recommend Macanudo (first, everyone knows them as a "premium" cigar; second, it is a decent mild cigar).

Montecristo is a good mid-range cigar. So is Bolivar. Fuente is good, but pricey.

Finally, as I have been of little help here, I would recommend a tubed cigar....at least that way, the cigar will last the trip home in the new car....Montecristo has a number of tubed cigars.

[ContemptofCourt]

On second thought, here is a better idea. Invest in the humidor - one with a glass lid. It should cost no more than $50.

Get a couple types of cigars: Macanudos for the newbies, something stronger for the guys that know their cigars. Someone has suggested CAO, but for that money, you might as well buy Fuente. Like Macs, everyone knows Fuente.

Since this is really a marketing gimick, you would want to go with what is "popular" or "known well," so the customer feels happy at the end of the day. This way, your hubby can have the glass topped humi on his desk, and customers will be able to see in, and get that mouth-watering feeling. Once the deal is done, your hubby can offer the humi to the customer and he can choose what he wants. That'll have them leaving with a smile on their face.

[TopQuark]

Most people on this thread appear to give you advice according to what they like. What your husband needs, however, is a a safe choice that makes him look good.

Although the person receiving the cigar may not be a smoker, he may want to brag about the gift to some one that does know about cigars. So the cigar should be well-known and respected. In addition, it should <>look good and well-constructed.

His safest, I believe, is Arturo Fuente, Opus X. It is a complete waste of a very fine cigar on a non-smoker, but should he ask someone else that person will undoubtedly express admiration. Your husband's customer will certainly feel well-treated by him. The drawback is that it is hard to get these cigars, and especially under $20.

It may be more practical to get Arturo Fuente Don Carlos, which is also Fuente's top of the line (black band). These you can get for about $10 a stick, especially if you by a box, and they are usually available. This, too, is a universally respected cigar and will certainly not make your husband look cheep.

Another safe name is Ashton, especially the Cabinet Series.

I would NOT go for maduro, since some non-smokers may be put off by the more pronounced flavor. A mild, non-maduro cigar is a safer bet.

Finally, a caveat: your husband may buy cigars by a box, which is signficantly cheaper. If he does not store them in a humodor, however, they will be wasted. Not only the money will be wasted, too, but the customers may be offended, thinking (erroneously) that your husband gives them left-overs.

Whatever you decide, make sure you do not go by some one's taste and preferences (that, of course, includes me): ensure that the choice is good marketing: it must be a universally respected cigar, it should look good, and it should be fresh.

[Eagle Eye]

Ashtons are nice.

He might want to go with mild to middle of the road if he's handing them out to non smokers or novice smokers.

[redhawk]

Lots of suggestions for cigars so far. Whatever you buy,
be sure to invest in a humidor to keep them in.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I have had good luck with CAO Gold, Montecristo, La Gloria Cubana, and Gurkha. It might be good to have several varieties available, such a a mild Connecticut Shade wrapper cigar, and some spicier maduros.

[cinFLA]

You might consider another gift for your non-smoking customers.

[wardaddy]

I'm 44 years old and have been smoking at least one big cigar per day for about 10 years. I usually buy the double corona sizes and cut them in half with my large cutter and then have two 45 minute robusto smokes for the price of one.

At this stage, there is really only one hand rolled long leaf brand that satisfies me (I'm having my morning smoke in my office as I type). That brand would be the La Gloria Cubana in EMS wrapper (English Market Selection). I of course do not inhale...I don't know how anyone could inhale what is arguably one of the world's strongest cigars. I do though enjoy the sting when I let in roll into my nose a bit...and they are quite salty. They are Dominican made.

I will also smoke Bauzas or Padron or Partagas if I'm out of LGCs. Of the Cubans, I really only like Sancho Panza, Bolivar, and Trinidads or maybe Cohiba. The rest although tasty are simply too light for my palate now.

I have become so used to cigars that anything but the heartiest taste grassy or straw-like to me. La Gloria Cubanas come by the box from http://www.mikescigars.com/main.cfm or http://www.jrcigars.com/ for about 3-5 dollars a stick in the big sizes. Cubans if authentic, will run you at least 10-12 dollars a stick. I have some pilot friends and truck drivers who bring them from the Registered Habana Stores outside the USA. Do not under any circumstances trust discount Cubans from any source besides the Habana stores or Davidoff or Dunhill shoppes. The rest are fakes.

The La Gloria Cubana Charlemagne stick is in my view as good a cigar as there is available on the planet. Rich, peppery, cedary, and very very pungent. I have two boxes on order from Mikes in North Miami(Bay Harbour) as we speak for 84.95/box of 25 sticks.

I hope I've been of help. Cigars are my last vice I allow myself and they are a pleasure my wife allows me to indulge.