[Mule]

Tabs you lost me there. I've been smoking cigars for over 30 years and generally have over 300 in my humidor. Tastes vary but I've never seen anyone knock a Cohiba Lancero which is the finest cigar I've ever smoked. Today allthough there are still some fine Cuban brands, you can get very fine cigars legally in the USA. IMHO Arturo Fuentes Hemingways are great cigars & priced from $5 to $11, when you can find them. Trinidad, Diamond Crown Maximus and Padron Anniversarios are some of my favorites on the upper end of the price range. CAO Brazillia, Carlos Torano 1916 are good but neet some time in the box (1-3 months) to get really good. A very fine everyday cigar that can be had for $4 - $5 bucks is Aroma de Cuba. I think they are made by Ashton & with a few weeks in the box are fine cigars that are medium bodied & would be a good choice for a beginner. If a beginner wants to spend more money, try a Zino Platinum Chubby or any Davidoff would be a great choice.

Beware of Cubans. There are many more fakes than real ones. If you don't know the source & trust his knowledge of cigars, leave them alone.