I have been smoking for about 8 years now but have just become serious about attempting to collect. I have always purchased 5-10 a week and kept them in a small cheap humidor, and kind of bought and smoked...bought and smoked if you will. After reading the forums and having my eyes opened to aging and collecting(or the otherway around) I have purchased a larger humidor. I guess my question is how do you guys buy to add to your collections...single, samplers, by the box .....etc. Thanks in advance

I haven't bought many cigars by the box yet. I'm still really deciding what I like and I don't smoke that often that buying by the box would make sense. Usually when I see a good deal on a 5 pack or so at CBID I'll place a bid and get lucky enough to get the cigars.

There are certain cigars that I do find myself leaning towards and eventually when I can afford it I'll start buying them by the box and aging them a bit. Every now and then I'll go on CI or get an email from them for a certain cigar with a mazo of say 20 and I'll pull the trigger if I know it's a cigar I enjoy or by a cigar maker ( Rocky Patel) that I enjoy.

By the box. It is amazing how premium NCs like Opus change (for the better) with just a little rest in the humdor, which box purchases allow unless you smoke like a fiend. With CCs, always purchase by the box.

I whole-heartedly agree with minalpharetta. I bought a box of La Aurora Cein Anos back in March and had one right out the box. It was a little harsh on the palette and burned fairly hot. I smoked one this past Saturday and it was great - smooth, cool and very flavorful. Now I have 12 Opus sitting nice an pretty, just relaxing and I'm letting them age . . . can't wait to have one of those in a few months!

Cheers!

I always try to buy by the box, but only cigars that I know I like. In the past I have bought a few boxes and regretted it later because I did'nt try the cigars first.

Right now, I buy by the deal...

I've found that by exercising the same patients I use to let my cigars age a little, I can wait on purchasing until I find the sticks I want on sale...eventually, they'll be a sale...keeps the hobby affordable. Let them sit in someone elses humidor until the price is right...

In a perfect world, though, I'd only make box purchases.

jag

I buy about 2/3 of my cigars by the box (of my few favorites), and the other 1/3 are singles that I pick up at a local cigar shop or online from www.seriouscigars.com.
In a perfect situation I'd prefer to always buy by the box, yet I like to experiment with new cigars. I don't like the same ones all of the time. And so, more and more, I'm getting singles so that I can keep having new cigar experiences.

I noramlly get 2-3 of a a cigar at a time. If it is new to me, I will get one, see how it goes and add a few more next time in. As far as boxes are concerned, I have actaully only bought 2 full boxes in the past 13/14 years or so. 1 was a box of Bolivar RC's this past march and one was just recently Punch Rare Corojo's that I split with my Brother in law.. even after all this time, I still like the small 5 samplers or singles..

For new cigars you are trying out, buy singles from you local B&M. If you find something you really like, buy a box online. You can usually get a better price in the internet.