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Buy Cigars From These 4 Websites—Avoid the Rest

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Unlike other articles outlining the best places to buy cigars online, this article also goes into detail on online cigar stores to avoid. That’s important, because there are some truly terrible websites to purchase cigars from, including companies that have terrible service or are straight up scams. 

So how do I determine the best websites to buy cigars online? After 10 years of personally ordering from a number of retailers, the most important components of a cigar store are customer service, price, selection, quality, and the usability of the website. 

Now, without further ado…

The Best Websites to Buy Cigars Online

1. Famous Smoke Shop

famous-smoke

Famous Smoke Shop was the winner on my original list back in 2016, and it remains there to this day. First, although not perfect, the website is easy to navigate, has a modern and mobile friendly web design, and makes it easy to sort product by price, brand, country of origin, ring gauge, strength, and more.

Second, after a number of years of making large and small purchases with Famous, I’ve never had a bad order—never late, never any dried out product, no bait-and-switch orders, etc. And when I have needed customer service (to change shipping addresses, etc), their customer service department has been friendly and completely on point.

Third, Famous Smoke Shop still maintains Cigar Monster, which is a newer take on the old deal-an-hour fad of the early 2000’s. The benefit there is they have five packs of major brands that are discounted 20%-30%.

2. Gotham Cigars

Gotham Cigars comes ranked as the number two online cigar retailer for a couple of reasons. First, the websites does a good job of appealing to a broader arrow of cigar smokers, including those looking for cheaper, machine made cigars (which are all of their top sellers). Second, the website is very clean and easy to navigate, which might not sound like a big deal but if you’ve ever tried to shop on some of the more archaic cigar websites (*cough* Cigar Auctioneer *cough*), you’ll know that having an easily navigable experience is a big plus. 

3. Smoke Inn

smokeinn

When I wrote my last ranking in 2016, Smoke Inn was a runner up, with the caveat that its web design needed some work. Well, somewhere in the last two years this site upgraded. It still isn’t 100% intuitive to navigate, but the product pages are slimmed down and much easier to understand than most other online cigar retailers.

Two other reasons Smoke Inn makes the list. First, they have the standard cigar selection, and second, they also have a huge selection of boutique smokes (good gifts for the enthusiast in the family).

4. Cigar Page

cigarpage

Cigar Page’s slogan is “A smorgasbord of cigar deals,” and boy does it deliver. The website specializes in five and ten packs from major brands, and really does have excellent deals. I haven’t purchased from this website personally, so I can’t vouch for the quality of the product, and hence why I strongly recommend Famous Smoke. But some of the deals are impressive, so if you’re a current cigar smoker it’s a website to look at.

And now, with the best websites out of the way, it’s time for…

The Worst Websites to Buy Cigars Online

If you’re going to buy cigars online, you need to know that there absolutely are retailers to avoid. Here are the cigar retailers you should pass over in favor of our recommendations above.

Thompson Cigars

I hate to say it, but even after writing my first article on online cigar stores more than five years ago, Thompson Cigars still hasn’t improved their reputation much. True, they have a A+ rating on Better Business Bureau, but if you look at the reviews page, you’ll find negative review after negative review. They seem to have a reputation for signing unsuspecting shoppers up for expensive monthly subscriptions without their consent, which is, you know.. Bad.

I don’t have first hand experience, but here are some of the comments on my previous post about Thompson:

“Please avoid Thompson Cigar…they did exactly what you said they would do…Back in the summer my boyfriend spoke to them about starting a monthly subscription starting September 11 2017…and told them he would call them first before he wanted his card charged…Well on September 1 2017 they went ahead and charged his card….he immediately called them and told them to cancel it….after all kinds of back and forth they refused to cancel the order and we would have to wait until after he received the cigars then call them back to have a return slip sent to him…2 months later he was still waiting, he finally got it after several months but at that point decided to keep them, which I’m sure was done deliberately so he did keep them…well they got $120.00 but he won’t ever purchase from them again…Thank you”

“I placed an order online with Thompson Cigar and within half an hour cancelled it. I received an email acknowledging the order was cancelled. Much to my surprise, I received an email telling me it had shipped. When I called their CSC line, I was told there is nothing that can be done (is the CSC out of the country?) I usually order from another large online vendor but they did not have what I wanted to send and had heard good things about Thompson. My mistake and will not order again. Consumer beware.”

“Thompson’s cigar club is a nuisance, as are their pushy sales people!”

Cigars International

Cigars International on my worst list boils down to the fact that they still have an F rating with Better Business Bureau. The rating is largely due to an IT issue that surfaced in February 2017 that resulted in thousands of customers being charged for orders that then had extreme delays in delivery. You can read the ground floor from the consumer point here. The problem has mostly been fixed, but I’ve still seen reviews surfacing around the internet from customers who are still reporting problems. 

CigarBid

Cigar Bid was actually on my “best” list in previous years, but due to my own personal experience they are now on my worst list. Cigar Bid is certainly a website to get good deals, but I’ve found a number of my orders were delivered with dry cigars inside. Cigars that aren’t humidified are mostly ruined, so this is equivalent to getting a box of wine bottles that have oxidized and turned into vinegar. Second, I had one order placed where I was then told they didn’t actually have the product in stock and would be sending me something else. 

If you want a full breakdown between CigarBid and Cigar Auctioneer, read my detailed breakdown here.

Solo Cigars

I’ve never purchased through Solo Cigars, but I’ve read on countless internet forums now that, not only do they sell fake Cuban cigars, but they’ve also been involved in creating fake accounts on popular cigar forums to try to get people to change their mind about the retailer. Just google their name and look at result 2 – 10. You’ll get the idea. Key point here is: always check the reputation of any cigar retailer you purchase from. Just google their name and add “reviews”.

Do you have a favorite cigar retailer that should be on this list? Or, if you have a question about a cigar retailer, or a comment (good or bad), drop it in the comments section below.

Affiliate disclosure: when you purchase something using the retail links on this or other Fine Tobacco NYC pages, we may earn a small commission. Our opinions remain our own!

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The Best (and Worst) Cigars to Buy for Corporate Events

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best cigars for corporate events

If you’re on this page, you’ve likely decided that you want cigars at your next corporate event but aren’t sure which cigars to choose. You’ve got a budget, and you want to make sure that whatever cigars you choose will impress attendees, offer real quality, and not push you over budget. Most of all, you don’t want attendees seeing the cigars and whispering quietly to each other, “who picked these horrible cigars?”

If this describes your situation, you’ve come to the right place.

I’ll start off below by recommending some cigars that are budget-friendly ($5 – $7/cigar), good quality, and have the name recognition that will ensure your attendees have a great experience. Below that you’ll find more expensive cigars that will make an even greater statement of luxury and prestige. For each cigar recommendation, I’ve linked out to where you can purchase the cigars on Famous Smoke Shop, which we regard as the best website to buy cigars online (read more about that here).

Finally, I’ll list the types of cigars to stay away from if you are purchasing for corporate events, and list a few critical rules to follow to ensure your cigars aren’t ruined before the event (lighters, cutters, humidification).

Cigars for Corporate Events: Budget Cigars

In the budget category are cigars in the range of $5 to $8 per cigar. I’ve hand picked three cigars that will appeal to the broadest number of people, carry brand recognition, and be genuinely enjoyable to anyone smoking.

Oliva Connecticut Reserve – ~$6/cigar

~$6/cigar

oliva-connecticut-reserve

The Oliva Connecticut Reserve is extremely flavorful while remaining mild and very smooth. For the price, it’s hard to beat.

Click here to purchase the Oliva Connecticut Reserve from Famous Smoke Shop

Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente – ~$5/cigar

fuente chateau fuente

Darker and richer than the Oliva Connecticut Reserve, the Fuente Chateau Fuente is a true classic in the cigar world and carries great name recognition. Any cigar smokers at your event will recognize the Fuente band immediately (a good thing as Fuente is associated with quality).

Click here to purchase the Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente from Famous Smoke Shop

Camacho Connecticut – ~$8/cigar

camacho connecticut

The Camacho Connecticut isn’t exactly a classic, but it is a high quality cigar that comes in somewhat flashier packaging. It’s a regular in my lineup and, for the price, is a great value.

Click here to purchase the Camacho Connecticut from Famous Smoke Shop

Cigars for Corporate Events: Luxury Cigars

Below are three additional recommendations for cigars that make a bold statement of luxury. These are the kind of cigars that true cigar aficionados will appreciate and immediately recognize. They aren’t cheap, but if you are looking to leave an impression, these cigars will do it.

Davidoff Aniversario No. 3 – ~$23/cigar

davidoff aniversario no 3

There is perhaps no greater name in cigars than that of Davidoff. The company produces some the world’s most elegant, flavorful, and smooth cigars. The Davidoff Aniversario No. 3 is one of the company’s milder blends and will appeal to any cigar smoker’s palate.

Click Here to purchase the Davidoff Aniversario No. 3 from Famous Smoke Shop

Padron 1964 Anniversario Exclusivo Maduro – ~$12/cigar

The 1964 Anniversario is a classic from Padron. This cigar is dark, rich, and bold, with notes of espresso, cedar, and dark chocolate. This would be a good cigar if your cigar event is taking place after dinner.

Click Here to purchase the Padron 1964 Anniversario Exclusivo Maduro from Famous Smoke Shop

Davidoff Nicaragua – ~$18/cigar

davidoff nicaragua

The Davidoff Nicaragua is one of the newest additions to the Davidoff core offerings. Unlike the Aniversario No. 3, the Nicaragua is a bit stronger and falls somewhere in between what you’d experience with the Aniversario No. 3 and the Padron 1964.

Click Here to purchase the Davidoff Nicaragua from Famous Smoke Shop

Cigars to Avoid for Corporate Events

Here are a few types of cigars to avoid for corporate events:

  • Cheap cigar samplers: the cigar world is full of sampler packs that seem to promise everything at a low cost. Most are terrible. Samplers also don’t make sense for corporate events because you want everyone smoking the same thing (that way it can be an easy conversation starter).
  • Machine-made cigars: cheap and extremely unpleasant to smoke, you won’t be doing yourself any favors by cutting costs in this way.

Additional Tips for Purchasing Cigars for Events

One last note. If you’re making a big cigar purchase for corporate events, there are some critical tips/rules that you absolutely must follow.

  1. Cutters: don’t forget to buy cutters, otherwise your guests won’t be able to cut their cigars and you’ll have wasted hundreds of dollars! Here’s a cutter from Vertigo that will get the job done for just a few dollars per cutter. I’d recommend purchasing one cutter for every ten attendees at the event.
  2. Lighters: lighters are important as well, especially since your event is likely to be outside. Trying to light a cigar with matches with even minimal wind can be very frustrating. So I recommend picking up a few Vertigo Cyclone torch lighters. Recommend one lighter for every five attendees at the event because, unlike cutters, your guests will likely need to light their cigars multiple times if they go out while they are networking.
  3. Humidification: this part is critical. If you buy boxes of cigars online and they are delivered to you, do not remove the outer plastic wrap until the day of the event. The plastic wrap covering the outside of the box serves specifically to keep the humidity inside of the cigar box. In general, it is best to order cigars for your event sometime within a two week period before your event. Don’t order cigars further out than that unless you have a way of keeping your cigars humidified.
  4. Temperature: simple rule, but if you’ve purchased a few boxes of cigars and are storing them for any length of time (a few days to a couple of weeks), do not store the boxes of cigars anywhere where the temperature exceeds room temperature (72°f).

And that’s it. If you buy one of the cigars recommended above, get your cutters and lighters, and make sure your cigars are only opened on the day of the event, you’ll be set for a great event! You can also find an additional list of cigars on Famous Smoke here.

If you have any questions, leave a comment and we’ll reply within 24 hours. Alternatively, you can email me using our contact form here.

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Stuyvesant Park: A smoke in the park on a gorgeous Fall day

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If you’re a New Yorker who smokes cigars, you’ve probably heard about the proposed ban on smoking in public parks and beaches.  If not, you can read about it here.  Mayor Bloomberg is proposing a $250 fine for anyone smoking in these public areas.  I don’t know what you think, but that sounds pretty ridiculous to me; tough to enforce as well.  Can you imagine the police trying to fine a French tourist smoking a cigarette in Times Square, or an old man smoking his pipe in Central Park?

I may be risking a lot of fines if this law passes, because I love to smoke cigars in New York’s parks, particularly Stuyvesant Park (located between E. 15th St. and E. 17th St. on both sides of 2nd Avenue).

Like a lot of New Yorkers, I choose not to smoke in my apartment.  Maybe if I lived in a big house in the country, I could have a smoking room / man cave, or at least a porch on which to sit in a chair and enjoy a nice cigar from time to time.  That not being the case, I find myself looking for public areas to smoke.

I live near Union Square, but I don’t often smoke cigars there; it’s so full of people, and I know the smell pisses people off.  I don’t want to be a jerk.  I prefer my little Stuyvesant Park because there are far fewer people and much more space.

Stuyvesant Park consists of two smaller rectangular parks, bisected by 2nd Avenue.  Each has a fountain, and lots of trees, brick walkways and benches.  The Eastern side even has a dog run, though according to internet sources, it’s not a very good one.  It’s all enclosed by a gorgeous black, cast iron fence, the oldest in New York.

I love it because it’s quiet, it’s seemingly safe, and you have plenty of room.  I am often not the only man there smoking a cigar.  I’ll be sitting on a bench, smoking one of my Gurkha Grand Envoy Toros (I just bought a 10 pack of Gurkhas from CigarsInternational.com), and another cigar-smoking gentleman will saunter by and say hello.  We’ll smile, both thinking that we’re privy to one of New York’s best kept secrets.