Value Priced Cigars, ARGYLE

Ever want a deal? Of course you do - and so do I. I look for deals all the time; on wine, on food and of course on cigars.

     But. But I am also a firm believer that one gets what one pays for. A $10 bottle of wine will never surpass in quality what one buys for $100, even if the $10 bottle is better value for the money. Ah the duality of human nature, right? And so it was with some initial reluctance that I purchased 20 cigars online for about $30 CAD from http://www.holts.com/ in the USA.

     Well my daring has paid off, at least in part. I found myself with 20 cigars that I feel more then comfortable giving out as gifts to friends and colleagues, and yet have enough flavor that I am enjoying them on my drive home, or a walk through one of our local parks. Christmas is a wonderful time to take in a brisk walk with your friends and loved ones, especially if you live in a place as truly spectacular as I do.

     So what did I learn? For $30 they could have been a waste of money, but I still would have given them to my 20-something year old brothers and then "presto" not a waste of money at all. Never be completely steered by price - there are values out there in wine, food and cigars just waiting to be found.

Argyle cigar, Dominican Republic

Churchill,         $2/cigar    **Good Value**

Strength: Mild

Wrapper: Connecticut
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican

• visual:     no obvious flaws in the construction, smooth wrapper, burns fairly evenly, very light ash so try not to smoke it in the wind or you may be covered by the time you get home
• nose:     light intensity; not much development or layering of aromas; some vanilla, coffee, cream, leather
• palate:   light intensity; palate mimicks nose
• conclusion:   these cigars are rolled by the youngest rollers on the line... very hit-or-miss for quality. I've has two in two days and the first was quite bitter for the first 1/4 and then was just a rough flavor. It made me want to sit in front of a campfire and drink some Jack Daniels (and not the good stuff). The second was much smoother - much more even construction - burnt evenly down to the nub and had virtually no bitterness. A lovely inexpensive cigar that smoked well above it's price!