Howdy folks. Enough of you showed interested in a cigar swap I tried to organize a few weeks ago but were unable to commit to shipping over the Holiday season due to travel. So, we're re-opening the Cigar Swap for the 2018 Holiday Season.

Here are the dates:

• Need you to post your willingness to participate by 11:59PM on Friday, January 4th, 2019.
• I will post assignments on Saturday, January 5th
• Please try to organize and ship your assignments by Sunday, January 13th so they'll arrive by the next week and we can all celebrate MLK Day together. Other January Holidays include Museum Selfie Day (16th), National Popcorn Day (19th), Tu Bishvat (21st), National Hug Day (21st), National Spouses Day (26th), and National Croissant Day (30th). Please pick a holiday and celebrate accordingly.

Rules from my previous post:

• Sign up by 11:59 PM on 1.4.2019
• Be willing to send 3-5 sticks, averaging $8-$12(?) per stick. Pretty sure I've always tried to send $40 to $50 in cigars.
• Look for your assignments on or by 1.5.2019
• Contact your assignment for address and mail by 1.13.2019
• Post pics over the holidays.
• Make people jealous of your score.

Additional options and notes: (EDIT from input down on page one)

• Avoid poor quality sticks for the sake of sending another large cigar. There's nothing wrong with smaller cigars that are of good quality and I think most folks would rather receive an Arturo Fuente Short Story or a NUB over a Swisher Sweet that's larger.
• If you feel so inclined, go big and get a $20 cigar with the understanding that the other two will be of 'lesser' quality, but still, please do not spend less than $8 on any one cigar as these tend to toe the poorer-quality line.
• Again, no reason to break the bank, but most passes cost, at minimum, $40 in cigars and $5 in shipping. You'll be getting your investment back, and it's all in good fun.

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I love these

Can someone explain how this works?

jsdaltxag said:

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Can someone explain how this works?

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Everyone will be assigned a user who is participating in the pass
You'll mail 5 cigars of your choice to whoever you're assigned
You'll also get 5 cigars of their choice from whoever was assigned to you

It's fun to see what you're gonna get and it's a good way to try some new cigars you may not normally buy

In.

So I would basicslly send 1 of my cigars to 5 different people and in return I would receive 5 differernt cigars? Or Im assigned 1 person and send them 5 different cigars? Sorry, trying to learn. How do i mail them?

You'll send 5 cigars to one person. One person will send 5 cigars to you.

You can mail them however you want. Usps, FedEx, ups. I put a humidification pack in the ziploc bag, not required.

jsdaltxag said:

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So I would basicslly send 1 of my cigars to 5 different people and in return I would receive 5 differernt cigars? Or Im assigned 1 person and send them 5 different cigars? Sorry, trying to learn. How do i mail them?

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You will be assigned a person to send 4-5 cigars to. We ask that you spend >$35 but don't go crazy. If you're lucky, you get a guy who has like 500 sticks in a humidor and sends you the good stuff, but that's an exception.

Go to the tobacco store and ask tell them exactly what you're doing. They'll help you out and you'll learn something. Plus, they know how to mail them. There's a 'travel humidor' that looks kinda like mitten warmers that will keep 5 sticks for the time it takes to ship.

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Thanks for explaining. Im in.

USPS has a flat rate box that holds several cigars. I bag them up flat in a ziplock type bag or two, sometimes with a boveda pack if I think they will take more than a couple.of days to be delivered.
I always use just enough padding so they do not rattle in the box but not so much the cigars are compressed.
Your local humidor should give you a good bag to ship in and you can buy a small boveda there too.

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Ill wrap mine individually this time before packing

XpressAg,

I appreciate you offering to do this. It is work.

I would like to, respectfully, like to offer a "twist" to the pass rules. I mentioned something similar in the previous pass and got kind of hammered by the initiator, which is OK, as it was his pass.

An across the stick average on price is somewhat limiting, and does not give a "newbie" a chance to find one to knock their socks off. I would, again respectfully since you are initiating it, like to propose a slightly different aspect as follows:

One stick, strictly limited to the 5 to 6 dollar range. An "outlier" that is a surprise for that price point.

Two sticks, in the 7-9 dollar range. Somewhat limited in range, but close. Prices have risen, but there are some good ones here.

One stick, in the 14+ dollar range. This opens up a whole new world for the recipient, especially if they are new to cigar smoking. The passer's eye opener to the recipient so to speak.

This would keep the average below $50, and give a range of smokes to think about.

Yeah, it is a little more complicated that X number of sticks in the X price range, but would cover a wider range of possibilities.

If this is out of the question, I would completely understand.

I'm not gonna get all hoity toity about my pass...it's not my pass it's all our pass.

I'm fine with any and all twists, and will add it to the original post as an option. I would say, my number one concern is potentially receiving 3 poor quality sticks and one knock-your-socks-off stick.

All in all, I'd hope folks spend >$8 per stick, but don't spend over $50 bucks unless they're feeling generous.

PLUS, there's nothing wrong with getting a great, smaller stick for $8. We don't all need Churchills and Lanceros.

Count me in

Just be honest and sincere about your pass. Has anyone ever received an entire pass if cheap cigars? Fincks out of San Antonio (Ag) has a nice house line that averages $4.75 for handmade cigars. They are excellent for the price and a great smoke. I like the Reserva Privada line. But that's just me. I wouldn't make an entire pass out of these but I would include them hoping the next guy enjoys them as much as I do.

In

Well, I have received some OK sticks, and some dog rockets. Like Vegas gonna get a hooker on the flip run bad truck stop stuff. Maybe I was just unfortunate, but yeah, it was cheap and bad. No thought put into it, more like an afterthought. My sticks passed had a lot of thought put into it, and usually exceeded the average by a bit.

I am not a cigar snob. I am always in search for the knock your socks off $5 stick. I buy some somewhat expensive stuff, and love it, but that is a reference point for the $5 stick I am looking for to meet. That is why I recommended a range.

Nothing more, nothing less. It was just a suggestion. That's all it was.

I was not trying to get hoity toity, but had a plan to help the newbies get a reference point, and try and keep the average up.

I sincerely hope the pass goes well for all involved, and all share their thoughts with others so that everyone can bridge the gap to quality from crap, and in the long run learn to acquire a great bunch of sticks at a decent price point on their own. Hell, I learn with every light up, but search for perfection with every cut.

With all sincerity of wishes for a educational and quality cigar pass, I will politely decline.


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nm

Seriously, Xpress AG, make this pass happen, with the way you have thought it out. Its a good thing.

Maybe, after everyone has had a chance to enjoy their sticks and learn what they prefer, we can have another with some different parameters.

We can tune this off the charts later, for those that wish to do so.

For all...

Xpress has a good thing going. Do this and have a good time.

In

In, but fair warning, I am a novice. However, I will do my best! If I get Old Sarge, I am screwed!

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Bump

Bump

I'm in.

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I'm in

Bump

I'm in.