Why I am hearing not to buy Graycliff cigars from CB? Have any of you heard this? Does CB not carry good Graycliff smokes?
I personally wouldn't buy Graycliff from anywhere :blech: :nono: :lmao:
But that's just me, smoke what you like and like what you smoke
I'm not sure it matters where you buy them from, for me, they fall in the category of Gurkha: more miss than hit, lots of hype. Granted, I haven't smoked that many of them, and I'm sure I must have liked one or two in the past, but I seem to remember them as underwhelming. I tried some of the Graycliff white series by AJ from cigarpage.com, they were okay, I think. Anyhow, I don't think the ones being sold at CB are any different than any of the other big online retailers. I may have read something years back that the ones in the actual Bahamas were better than those shipped out, but I can't remember. I think they've always had a big marketing thing going on with an over inflated msrp., like Gurkha: here's a phenomenal cigar worth $25 and more each but can be yours for $5, or $3 on sale, or $1.50 on an auction site.
http://blog.coronacigar.com/2013/09/history-series-graycliff-cigars.html?m=1
The only criticism I have heard about CB is about how they package shipments. Things can rattle around and get damaged.
Quoteheadfirst - 3/25/2022 9:33 AM
The only criticism I have heard about CB is about how they package shipments. Things can rattle around and get damaged.
^^ This.
CB packaging is in the "fukk this customer" category. Every time. Asshats.
I agree with everything said above about the cigars AND the irresponsible and uncaring way that they ship things. I don't ever buy from them anymore . . . there are too many other great vendors out there that take care of their customers (including adding a free Boveda to keep the cigars humidified)
I have had several...mostly from CBid. I like the 1888's...and there was a Purple banded one whom I can't remember its name that was really good but I don't think it is made anymore. The 1888's are nothing magical, but I do enjoy them...sort of a daily...some might consider a yard-gar...I think they are a little better than that...But I agree heavily with the Gurkha reference. The same thing holds. there are a few Gurkhas I do like even though most fall by the wayside...I like the Seduction...So in the end...it is...what do you like...If you like it...Who cares if it is over hyped...
I'd liken Graycliff more to Rocky Patel than Gurkha. Both are a cut or two above Gurkha, IMO, and having smoked through nearly most, if not all, of CB's offerings from all three brands, I think I have a pretty well-based opinion of them. Gurkha generally uses low-quality tobacco combined with incompetent rollers for most of their sticks. That, and I suspect they use the same blend for multiple different sticks, given that many of them are not distinguishable from each other by taste.
RP and Graycliff, on the other hand, while both apparently use some of the same rollers Gurkha uses, they actually use pretty good tobacco in a lot of their blends as some of them can be pretty enjoyable. At least in my experience.... :smoker2:
As for C-bid, I haven't ordered from them in a long time and probably won't going forward. Shoddy packaging, for sure, although I never received any damaged sticks even though the box was nearly falling apart once or twice. Their customer service sucks, though. They were in the habit of sending the wrong item on occasion, and after the 2nd or third time where they didn't respond to my email about it, I decided it was time to move on to other sources. These days, I like Cigar Page as a source of inexpensive sticks, and Small Batch or Privada for higher end stuff.
As for the Graycliff, I like the Graycliff Double Espresso, though as everyone else has indicated the extremely over priced! IMO, Graycliff prices as an ultra premium for marketing, because the cigar is not near a high end cigar. When possible I'll get the 15 bundle of Double Espresso at < $4.50 a stick including tax+shipping from CigarBid.
As for CigarBid, I've not had any major issues with the cigars.
Years ago I won a really nice Prometheus God of Fire humidor, at the beginning of the year I decided to put it to use that's reason I use CigarBid to keep the expense down for bulk buys of good daily smoke type cigars. I purchase any high end cigars at a local cigar club.
That's my $0.02
I am like Pete, there was a purple banded one that was named Pirate or something like that that was good. The only other one that I have had that was EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD was one of the original Crystals, though they were very pricey back then. They had a white and silver band, but were produced probably 20-25 years ago now. They have a new "Crystal" white and silver banded out now that was evidently a remake of the original "for their family', and they are not near as good as the originals. Other than those 2, I have not had many of them that have not had construction flaws. Not as bad as Gurkha construction, but close!
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