Along with the perfect stick, another eternal hunt is decent cheap cigars - I'l define cheap as US$2 or less, US$50 for a box of 25. If you open up a Thompson's catalogue or search around the Internet, there are plenty of cheap sticks, but you usually get what you pay for. I.e. most are shit. But there are exceptions... so share the knowledge!

A few ground rules: stuff you can get cheap overseas doesn't count. Gotta be cheap sticks you can get on the Internet, from a catalogue, or (haha) in a cigar shop. Please post a general description of the stick - mild/strong, full flaovoured, wrapper, etc. "Lookslike" cigars are fine. Also, one of the quailities of a top brand of cigars is consistency - so likewise, one of the first things you lose in a cheap brand is that same constistency. So it's understandable if a few sticks out of a cheap box are no good, at $2 a stick, I can live with it.

OK, any suggestions?

Have you tried any of the JR Alternatives? They're about $1.50/each.

How it works is you call 800 JRCIGAR and tell them what your favorite real smokes are, ie Punch Robusto, or Fuentes Hemmingway etc...
If you give them 3 or 4 of your favorite name brand smokes, they'll search through their alternatives to help you find a cheaper version of the real thing.

My experience with this shopping technique over the past 8 years has been excellent. Usually the quality of the alternative cigars is 100% up to par. And you should find the texture/flavor to be very comparable to the real thing.

JR claims to be the worlds largest cigar vendor, and their pricing reflects the volume they sell.

Enjoy.
DG

Hmmmm... I'll see what they have to say about Onyx, thanks for the tip!

http://www.jrcigars.com/index.cfm?Page=cig_view_cell&ItemCode=ASFA

The above link is an incredible deal for a box of superpremium cigars. Astral makes a fine turd.