The Cigar Stops Top 20 Budget Bundles of 2014

Most of our readers already know we love our Budget Bundles of cigars, you get your money’s worth and the cigars taste good. You do not have to buy expensive cigars in a box to be able to have premium cigars that will not wipe out your wallet. To be a Budget Bundle the price of between $29.00 to $69.00 U.S.

 So here at the Cigar Stop we are going to give you what we consider the top 20 Budget Bundles of 2014 in no specific order.

  If you have one you would like to recommend to us or the readers post it to share, we appreciate your input and would love to hear from you.

1.     Gran Habano Vintage 2002

2.     Arganese: Maduro – Nicaraguan Habano & Connecticut

3.     La Perla Habana: Morado & Classic Maduro

4.     Pirates Gold

5.     La Herencia Cubana

6.     Gran Habano’s Blue Lable – B2

7.     HC Series by Xikar

8.     Torano’ Dominican selection

9.     Bahia: Maduro, Blu & Trinidad

10.      Gurkha: Park Avenue:  Natural (EMS) and Maduro

11.      Victor Sinclair: Tripple Corojo & Connecticut Yankee

12.      Fonseca: Arana

13.      J. Fuego: CoroJo Oscuro

14.      Garo: Double Maduro & Double Habano

15.      Pinar Del Rio: Reserva Limitada

16.      Oliva” Viejo Mundo

17.      Graycliff: Turbo Edicion Limitado

18.      EP Carrillo: Maduro & New Wave

19.      Sosa

20.      Purios Indios

These are the top 20 Budget Bundles we have Sampled this past year, out of all of the cigars we have had thus far these are our favorites this year and we will strive to give you a review on each one of them and  in some cases we have already.

See you next time

B.T.O.L.

The Cigar Stop Blog Team

Snub the NUB

 I am sure you have heard of the expression “good to the last drop”, or “great to the last” well that was the idea behind the NUB cigar. It was said by someone, that the best part of the cigar is the last part, where you get the entire flavor and the best burn and why wait through a whole cigar when you can just smoke the best part all at once and immediately.

 

 I call Bull-shit on this one, sure I agree that there are some cigars where the best part is from the middle to the end of the cigar, but it’s the buildup of the flavor of the leaf and the wrappers that make that last part the best, without the build up what is the sense. Now as far as why waste your time smoking a whole cigar, I say why smoke one at all if you are in such a hurry. Not to mention the NUB is not that inexpensive that you are getting a deal on them. So I say SNUB THE NUB and get a size you like. Smoking a NUB is like hearing only the punch line to a joke; it takes the fun and enjoyment out of the whole process.

 

 For the folks that say try it and you will like it, I give this as my review of the nub.

It was OK that is all, not enough of a cigar to give you my honest opinion, and it was gone before I could tell what I tasted or where it was from. All I will say is it did not fall apart probably due to the fact there wasn’t enough of a cigar to fall apart and it burned even.

 Here are the Stats on the NUB, a NUB Size is 4 inches with a ring gauge of 60 they come in a box of 10 and go for $64.00 to $70.00 dollars U.S.

 Don’t like my opinion on the NUB try one and see what you think, and let us here at the Cigar Stop hear from you.

Thanks for reading see you next time

B.T.O.L.

~CigarAsh~

Cigar Ash’s Review of the 5 Vegas Gold

             5 Vegas Gold

Size: 5 x 50

Shape: Robusto

Binder: Honduran

Filler: Honduran

Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut

Origin: Honduras

Strength: mild to medium

 I find that I am always satisfied with all the 5 Vegas line of cigars, and this one was no exception.

  The Gold series has excellent construction, had no blemishes on the wrappers. I smoked 5 of these and found them all consistently burning even without hot spots or canoeing of any kind. The flavor was light and the aroma was just as light with a mellow soft scent. The ash was solid and light gray, no flaking at all.

 

 I love my Oscuro and Maduro wrapper cigars and I was not sure how I was going to react to the flavor and feel of a Natural wrapper, however I had this particular one right after a heavy meal and it was the perfect topper to the experience. The Fillers themselves have been aged for 5 years and creates a nice mild leathery and woody taste that just relaxes your whole body.

 A box will set you between $60.00 and $80.00, defiantly not one of our budget bundles we usually review here at the Cigar Stop, but I can tell you they are well worth the asking price. The other good thing about the Gold series is that several dealers and companies offer them as singles and or sampler packs of 5 and 10 counts. There is also a 5 Vegas Sampler where you can try almost their complete line.

 

 I will be giving this one a high rating of 8 out of 10 for flavor, construction and taste.

See you next time

B.T.O.L.

~CigarAsh~

Dark Shark Cigar Review

                        

Dark Shark

Origins: Honduras

Filler: Nicaraugan

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Size: 7 x 50

Shape: Churchill

Strength: Medium

 

 Dark Shark is what they call a “House” Brand, and all that means is that companies make a deal with a manufacture to make cigars with certain tobaccos in them and at a certain price point that only they offer.

 I say do not let the Dark Shark take a bite out of you, your wallet or your taste buds… This little bastard was actually on a Un- smokeble List.

This Dominican Handmade should be handed back. It is supposed to be a mild to medium bodied cigar made from dark broadleaf maduro wrapper with a filler made up of Cuban seed tobaccos, But I call it like I taste them . . .  they are crap!

 

 What can I say about them other than I have tortured my pallet for you … save yours and ignore this taste bud predator? When you see the Dark Shark’s fin circling your catalog, website and wallet, throw some chum at it and get out of its way!

I rate this cigar 1/2 out of 10 . . . let this shark swim on by!

                      Call Quint this Shark needs to be put down!

 

 

Happy Smoking

B.T.O.L.

 CigarAsh

What does one drink with a fine cigar?

With Foods you can have certain wines that complement each other, but what goes good with a cigar as far as a beverage? The answer is anything but milk and Soda!

 

 That’s right it is that simple… No milk because it coats your pallet and you do not taste the cigar and no soda because of the carbonation and sweeteners, they make the tobacco taste odd.

 We also do not recommend Moonshine…do to it flammability! Last think you need is what we call a Hillbilly roman candle! It is not that we are concerned with your well being, we just hate to see cigars go to waste.

 

However if you are looking to complement your cigar, I recommend you try a nice cup of coffee or a glass of Whiskey or a Brandy. Beer will go with it and water as well, but coffee is one of the best things to bring out the flavor of a cigar, no matter the wrapper and origin.

 

 

Hope this was interesting enough for you cigar lovers out there.

B.O.T.L.

~CigarAsh~