I have been trying to update my top shelf with some supper premo's. Opus X, Ashton, Graycliff and so on.. Because of my budget I have to purchase them as singles. It seems to me I have received many more clunkers buying them by the singles. I have experance much better smoking enjoyment from my cheaper box purchases of H. Upmans Cedar Aged, Indios, Carlos Torano's,Rocky Patel and many other by the box orders.....I have to admit. I haven't smoked my Opus X Perfecxion #2 or the Opus X Reserve de Chateau singles I purchased. Please tell me. Is it a waste of my cash buying on line by the singles or should I just buck up for the fancy high dollar box...

Hey Axxman,just ur Ashboy Brunt dropping a line to say,"no matter what fine puro u decide to smoke,Just let nature take its coarse and let the beautiful gray ash fall where it may.......the Ashboy Brunt

Have you checked your local shop for what you're looking for? That way, you can look at what you're buying, and support the locals as well. Of course, ccs are another story.

My experience with Opus X is that often they are quite young when they hit the market; much better after 6 months or more in the humidor. This is just my own preference, but I think it's shared by others.

Ashton VSG, for me at least, doesn't require extra time in my humidor.

If you can afford it, boxes are the way to go to avoid picked-over and overhandled sticks.

It's a gamble! If we were all millionaires, we would buy by the box! Since the vast majority of us are not millionaires,( even though we want to be!!) we take a stab at singles. The problem with singles is that they have been in SOMEBODY ELSE'S humidor! It's all about cash flow, Dude!
When I have the cash, I buy the box! Keep the whole thing in perspective---you are a cigar smoker with taste, not one of the billions of filthy CIGARETTE smokers! Okay, I'm an anti-cigarette guy......we could educate these people and upgrade them to cigars!!