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Cigar Bid vs Cigar Auctioneer

6 11 43.1k

[updated 2/7/2018]

When it comes to online cigar shops, consumers have a lot of options (ranked here!). But when it comes to cigar auction sites, there are two options: Cigar Bid and Cigar Auctioneer. 

Of course, the question then is: which is better? The short answer is that Cigar Auctioneer is currently the better choice by far. Though both websites have great selection and similar shipping rates, Cigar Bid has had serious issues delivering cigars that are properly humidified. Their customer service as well is quite lacking, with many users reporting that after receiving incorrect orders or damaged cigars, the Cigar Bid team was nearly impossible to reach and unresponsive. 

With that being said, below is a more exhaustive breakdown of the differences in features, quality, shipping, and more of the two major cigar auction websites. I look at a few factors:

  1. Features
  2. Selection
  3. Prices
  4. Product Quality
  5. Shipping
  6. User experience
  7. Customer service rating

Features – too close to call

First, let’s go over the most basic differences. Cigar Auctioneer has three types of auctions: one item/one winner, multiple items/multiple winners, and multiple items/one winner.

Cigar Bid has those categories as well, and also has “Quick Buy” and “Freefall.” Freefall lots are displayed with prices decreasing, live—I am actually not sure how much value these provide. Quick Buy lots are discounted packs of cigars that can be purchased for a slightly higher—though still highly discounted—rate on the spot.

One advantage I see with Cigar Auctioneer on the features side is the lot history function, which allows you to see the past, present and future lots for a particular brand—perfect if you know exactly what you want and have the patience to wait and be notified. This is a big plus for me. So on this category, the two websites tie.

Selection – Cigar Auctioneer

There’s no quick answer here. Both have good selection, though I think Cigar Auctioneer has more mainstream brands than Cigar Bid does. As a fan of Davidoff cigars, I did notice that Cigar Auctioneer has more from that brand, but from what I’ve seen both sites have different product on display at different times. Cigar Auctioneer wins on this category.

Prices – Cigar Auctioneer

Prices on Cigar Bid, though good, tend to be a bit higher simply because it seems to be the leader in auctions by volume. It’s pretty simple: if more people are bidding, the bids will go higher, as some have reported. On the other hand, Cigar Auctioneer sets a higher minimum bid price.  

Product Quality – Cigar Auctioneer

This is one area where Cigar Bid quite unfortunately falls behind. In the probably half dozen orders I’ve received from Cigar Bid, I’ve often had cigars that were underhumidified or cracked. It’s one thing to get a great deal on cigars and get what you ordered. It’s something else entirely to order cigars for cheap and then find out later they might have been cheap because they were improperly handled!

I’ve never had this issue with Cigar Auctioneer. They win the product quality category easily.

Shipping – Tie

Cigar Bid and Cigar Auctioneer are fairly close here. Regardless of what website you are using, it is important to get multiple items shipped in the same box to save on shipping costs.

User Experience – Cigar Bid

I’ve got to say, as much as I like Cigar Auctioneer in terms of quality and selection, I really hate the look and feel of their website. Cigar Bid does a great job of advertising the great deals that they have, and their daily newsletter does a good job of describing new products that go on sale. Cigar Bid wins this category easily.

Customer Service Rating – Cigar Auctioneer

Cigar Bid has had issues selling cigars that they don’t have—where the user wins the auction and is later notified that the cigar isn’t available (this happened to me twice). It’s a frustrating situation, and has been documented by other users. 

In fact, Cigars International (the parent company for Cigar Bid), has had a truly awful couple of years. With technology issues and customers receiving incorrect orders and then not having the order corrected, they’ve really dug themselves into a hole that they will have a hard time getting out of. Cigar Auctioneer on the other hand has great ratings with users and I can’t find any consistent negative reviews online.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, Cigar Auctioneer is the site I recommend to use for cigar auctions. They carry more of the brands that I enjoy, and make it easier for me to track when my favorite brands come on sale. I also know that the quality of the product will be consistently great, and that if I have an issue, I’ll have Famous Smoke Shop‘s customer service there if I have any issues. 

Only note to the Cigar Auctioneer team: at least make those product photos bigger… please!

Montecristo Grupo de Maestros Private Batch III Review

4 0 4.3k

I haven’t always been a fan of Montecristo (Altadis). I’ve found many of their classic blends are either a) uninteresting, b) bad, or worst, uninteresting and bad all at once. However, in recent years this brand has released some really incredible blends, some of which have found themselves on my Monthly Burn email recommendation list.  I picked up the Montecristo Grupo de Maestro Private Batch III at Davidoff Madison Ave a couple of weeks ago, hoping that this blend would present a flavorful and quality addition to the Montecristo line.

For this review, I happened to be on business in Toronto, so if that marble countertop looks like a typical Marriott suite bathroom, that’s because it is. However, since smoking is illegal anywhere indoor, that leaves only the damned permafrost that is outdoor Canada. So I ended up  smoking this cigar in a sketchy back-alley.

Thank God it was a good cigar.

Blend Specifics

Company: Montecristo

Size: 6.125 x 52 Belicoso

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano

Binder: Dominican Santo Domingo

Filler: DR, Nicaragua, Peru

Appearance

This cigar sports a slightly reddish brown wrapper and is moderately soft to the touch. I like the double band branding, not sure if it was originally the Psyko Seven that pioneered it, but I certainly enjoy the option to still have a band on the cigar once the large main band is taken off.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

Opens solid medium body. Very balanced flavors of wood, cream, floral notes, touches of white pepper and hints of spice on the finish. Very good.

After an inch, body increases to full, with notes of dry wood and grass. And lots of salt. About one third in, the balance is a bit off now, now in too assertive territory, leaving me hoping that it backs down.  The burn is wavy, at times bordering on canoe.  Strength goes up and down up through to the first half. Overall very enjoyable and very complex.

Now in the final third, flavors alternate now between semisweet and salty/woody, with a buttered popcorn flavor at times.  Sooooo tasty, and this experience solidifies this as a very favored cigar for me.

Body picks up considerably in the final third – and I forgot a glass of water to go along with! I won’t make that mistake next time.

Conclusion

The Montecristo Grupo de Maestros Private Batch III is another win for Montecristo. At roughly $16, this isn’t a no-brainer since that price point has a lot of competition. But if you enjoy full bodied, complex smoke that doesn’t stray into cliche, this is a great cigar to pick up.

One warning: this is an extremely limited blend — only 300 boxes were made. So if you see this, pick it up. Or, save yourself the time and purchase online at our preferred online retailer, Famous Smoke Shop. If the blend is out of stock, take a quick trip over to my previous post about my top Montecristo cigars.

Final Grade: B+

Ditka Throwback Cigar Review

3 0 5.8k

I came across this Camacho Ditka Limited Edition cigar at Davidoff Mdison Ave one day and, having never experienced any Ditka cigars, decided to give this one a try. I am really glad I did, for the reasons you’ll read about below. Overall, I’ve just got preface all of this by saying I’m a huge fan of everything Camacho has been up to in the last few years. Since being acquired by Oettinger Davidoff AG, Camacho has released a wonderful array of entry level and limited edition cigars.

Here are some more details about this blend, as reported by Halfwheel:

“The Ditka Throwback features an Ecuadorian Habano 2000 wrapper, with Camacho’s full-flavored Original Corojo tobacco as the binder. A total of five different filler tobaccos from three distinct regions are used, Hondura Criollo, Honduran Original Corojo, Nicaraguan tobacco from the Condega region and Dominican pelo de oro. The result is “a bold smoking experience inspired by the hard hits and uncompromising intensity that Iron Mike instilled in the game of football,” according to the company.”

Blend Specifics

  • Producer: Camacho Cigars
  • Size: 6″ x 54
  • Wrapper: Ecuadorian 2000
  • Binder: Corojo
  • Filler: Hondura Criollo, Honduran Original Corojo, Nicaraguan Condega, Dominican pelo de oro.

Appearance

The wrapper is brown. The branding on this cigar isn’t the most exciting, but the tobacco smells bright, sweet, and woody, and the draw is perfect.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The Ditka Throwback 2016 opens extremely smooth, with mild notes of cocoa, brown sugar, caramel, and light spices. Very tasty, and perfectly balanced. Smoke is plentiful.

Into the second third the cigar tastes a heck of a lot like a snickerdoodle cookie with a piece of Hershey’s milk chocolate stuffed inside. This may sound like an outlandish description, but give the cigar a try for yourself and you’ll see what I mean. The finish is short and spicy.

Halfway in, spice and pepper kick in, then draw back again by the beginning of the final third. And, on top of all the other flavors mentioned is a delightful, sweet taste that is reminiscent of cotton candy. The body is a solid medium to full.

The final third is a blitz (riiighhht?) of all the other flavors with a strong cedar impression.

Conclusion

The Ditka Throwback 2016 by Camacho is a huge win in my book, and right along the lines of so many other releases by Camacho. This may just be the most complex of the sweet-toned cigars I’ve smoked. I’ll be heading back to Davidoff soon to pick up more.

Final Grade: A

Martell VS Single Distillery Review

3 0 4.5k

In the summer of 2017, Fine Tobacco NYC ran an event on the rooftop of the Hyatt Herald Square featuring Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve, Martell VS Single Distillery and the La Gloria Cubana Seleccion Reserve.  I hadn’t paid a ton of attention to the new release from Martell, but when I was handed a glass at the event and took my first sip, I turned to Dave and said “Dave, this cognac is phenomenal. What do you think?” He said he agreed and so I knew I was experiencing a spirit that I’d need more of in the future.

So a few months later, I found a bottle of the newly released VS Single Distillery and picked it up (roughly $40). It’s been two days and between myself, my wife Catherine and a few of our friends, we’re already over a third of the way through.

But that’s not too relevant here. What is relevant is that this cognac is special because it is all sourced from a single distillation source (as opposed to a blend of product from many cognac distilleries). Martell claims this leads to a “richer and more intense” expression.

Let’s find out if they’re right…

Spirits Specifics

Distiller: Martell

ABV: 40%

Appearance

The bottle itself is a significant departure from more traditional Martell offerings. Instead of a very-rounded shoulder, the VS Single Distillery has high, nearly straight-edged shoulders. It’s a look I enjoy much more than their other bottlings.

The label itself is beautiful – great branding, the paper texture is a nice touch as is the gold lettering.

Nose

The nose is tantalizing, with touches of orange, apricot jam, vanilla, and rose petal.

Palate

On entry, the flavors float through the mouth like a warm summer breeze, with sweet notes of citrus and wildflowers. As it sits in my mouth, the flavor blooms and strengthens, adding touches of pepper, cinnamon, and liquorice.

Finish

The finish is clean and moderate in length, with the only noteable addition being a slight breadiness.

Conclusion

The Martell VS Single Distillery is a big win for the cognac lover. What I love most about this cognac is that it sips like a short story of two acts. Silky, gentle when first sipped, then when savored it becomes something entirely different. Is it a flavor bomb? No, but it is a unique offering to the cognac world and a quality product.

Final Grade: A-

Opinion: The Best Cigars from Montecristo Cigars

3 2 13.3k

best montecristo cigars

In this post, I’ll recommend my three favorite cigars from Montecristo Dominican Republic. For now, I’m focusing on the Dominican and Nicaraguan brand as opposed to the Cuban brand owned by Habanos SA, Cuba’s state-owned tobacco company.

Before I begin, I do need to admit that prior to a few years ago, I wouldn’t have had a ton of good to say about Montecristo. I find some of their blends to contain so little complexity of flavor that, compared to the dearth of great product on the market, there is little reason to smoke them.

However, Montecristo has, in recent years, produced some truly fantastic cigars, which have appeared on my Monthly Burn list of my all-time favorites.

At this point, I know what you’re thinking: Matthias, answer the question! What are the best cigars from Montecristo?

Ok, ok. Here is your answer.

My top three Montecristo cigars

Montecristo White Churchill
Strength: Mild to Medium

The mildest of my favorites from Montecristo. The Montecristo White opens with touches of spice and pepper, but those notes soon disappear revealing sweeter notes of coffee, cedar, a creamy texture, and touches of freshly ground pepper. Delicious with a cup of coffee in the morning, and avoids the bitterness that is often present in milder cigars.

Buy the Montecristo White Churchill from Famous Smoke Shop.

Montecristo Espada
Strength: Medium

Released at IPCPR in 2014, the Montecristo Espada is the first Nicaraguan puro (all-Nicaraguan) cigar from Montecristo. And it is a phenomenal, complex, full bodied cigar with extremely smooth smoke.

Tasting notes include wood and hay, with additional cocoa and light pepper notes. The warmth, smoothness, and dynamism of this blend make it a must-buy.

Buy the Montecristo Espada from Famous Smoke Shop.

Montecristo Epic
Strength: Medium to Full

Stronger than the Espada, the Epic features a blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos, with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper.

Tasting notes include cedar, roasted coffee bean and nutmeg.

Buy the Montecristo Epic from Famous Smoke Shop.   

So there it is, my three favorites from Montecristo by Altadis. They run from $10 to about $15.

What are your favorite Montecristo cigars? Would you like a breakdown of the best from Montecristo by Habanos SA? If so, leave your response in the comments!

Also, if you’re in the price investigation stage, take a look at our article that discusses how much a good cigar costs.

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