JR Alternative Cigars

[lovenhim]

Hello everyone. I have not been on the forum for quite a long time. I would like to know more about the JR Alternative line of cigars. What are your thoughts about them compared to the real cigars they try to imitate? I ask because I do not consider myself a cigar pro by any means. I have not smoked a cigar in a few years now. I would like to get a few cigars around again without spending a lot of money.

[T.G]

It's been years since I tried any of them, but at the time, of the ones I tried, some were closer than others to the cigar they aimed to emulate.

[The Poet]

If you are looking for a cheap substitute for the originals, keep looking . . . these ain't those. But they are decent smokable affordable cigars, especially if you let them rest for a year or two.

[smokin5]

There are lots of good inexpensive cigars on the market.
What were some of the cigars you liked?
Maybe some of us can suggest some cheaper ones with similar profiles.

[wdwkelly]

I have never found any cigar that is an "alternative" to the real deal thats worth a dime. Life is too short for that rubbish. Stick with the brands you know and like. For me...Arturo Fuente, Padron, Alec Bradley, Pepin Garcia, AJ Fernandez, Ortega, Tatuaje and Joya de Nicaragua, Crowned Heads, JC Newman...are a small list of top notch cigar brands. There is more to choose from..but any of the mentioned has lines that are inexpensive. Stay clear of the JR brands..Just a waste of time and money.

[The Poet]

No offense, but comparing Fuente or Padron to Alts sort of misses the point and muddies the water. It's like saying don't waste money on a Honda, get the Audi instead. Yeah, OK, fine.

[wdwkelly]

No offense, but comparing Fuente or Padron to Alts sort of misses the point and muddies the water. It's like saying don't waste money on a Honda, get the Audi instead. Yeah, OK, fine.
:confused: Ah, no...it didn't. I was saying what I said. Don't buy "alternative cigars" ...And, By your example...there would have to be a "generic car that is an alternative to a honda" Also. All the brands i stated...have 3.00 - 4.00 cigars.
Fuente has many under4.00 and Padron Londres run 3.75-4.50 most online sites.
JC Newman has many inexpensive cigars. I guess you didn't read my entire post......


By the way... I own a Honda.......

[billybarue]

To quote (or paraphrase) the Great Lew Rothman: "you know what the difference between a $10 cigar and one of my $2 cigars? Answer -- about $8!"

The JR Ultimates are on as good a sale as I've seen in awhile. Great cigars!!!

The Jr Edicion Limitada Akternative (Alt Els) are also on a nice sale. I try to get them on auction but they don't come up often. The sale prices are darn good right now though.

https://www.jrcigars.com/brand/jr-edicion-limitada-alternative

[RevSmoke]

If you want to get the JR Alternate cigars, then get them for what they are. Do not get them because you expect them to be anything like the originals.

However, as has been stated in this thread, there are many cigars by the main manufacturer that are very reasonably priced.

El Rey del Mundo Robustos can be purchased for about $69 for a box of 20, and are basically the same cigar that they sold for the last 30 years - medium bodied, rich flavors, some cocoa and coffee flavors.

Look around. JR is having a couple good sales right now on some main brands. Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur lines have some nice pricing right now.

Hope this helps.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[The Poet]

The JR Ultimates are on as good a sale as I've seen in awhile. Great cigars!!!

The Jr Edicion Limitada Alternative (Alt Els) are also on a nice sale. I try to get them on auction but they don't come up often. The sale prices are darn good right now though.

This. And I'll put Ults up against any cigar. But Ults ain't Alts, being higher-quality and price.

If you want to get the JR Alternate cigars, then get them for what they are. Do not get them because you expect them to be anything like the originals.




And this. Todd's other points are valid too, but I'm trying to keep on Alt topic. I feel anal today.

[MarkinAZ]

In addition to the above, you may want to try out some old favorites:

Arturo Fuente Chateau Maduro robusto; around $22 for a 5er.

Punch Rothchild Maduro robusto; around $18 for a 5er.

Romeo y Julieta Bully robusto; around $22 for a 5er.

All great tasting, old school cigars:tu

[matt0278]

Didn't have a favorable experience with the JR line, but my budget sticks are Ramon Bueso GTP, Brick House Maduro, Tatuaje Tattoo and the newly added Gran Habano vintage 2002 bundles. All solid smokes IMHO and easy on the coin purse.

[Stevez]

Back a few years ago I smoked a lot of the JR Alternatives. My goal was to use these to balance my overall purchases and "dollar cost average". I used to like them fine for what they were; but as stated here I never thought they have any resemblence to the cigar they proposed to emulate. I actually bought the JR Cuban Alts, especially the Cohiba Esplindidos alternative. Of course they were nothing like that and I didn't expect them to be. Just looking for a decent cheap cigar. I would recommend looking at the "2nds" that are out there. For me, these are a much better route in terms of taste/value.

[galawdawg45Q]

I've tried several JR alternatives and have yet to find one that is as good as the original. Not bad smokes. But I would rather spend more and get the real ones.

[lovenhim]

Thank you very much for the input. I see now what the approach would be in smoking these. I am not trying to find a cheaper version of a certain cigar. I am rather interested in a quality cigar at a good value price. I am not set on any certain cigar, just want to enjoy a stick now and then without this turning into an expensive hobby. :) Sit outside on a nice day and read or listen to an audiobook. Can not smoke inside as I live in an apartment. :)

[billybarue]

.........

I am not set on any certain cigar, just want to enjoy a stick now and then without this turning into an expensive hobby.

.....


We used to have a guy around these parts called TX/OHMatt - the "sage" of the cheap smoke - I miss him so!

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=643&highlight=Cheap


In the meantime JR ultimate coronas, principales, or rothchilds for $50/20 with free shipping is kind of a no-brainer in the cheap smoke universe - IMHO.

[Weelok]

One of the JR cigars I was gifted tasted pretty damn close to a Padron Natural and was a pretty damn good cigar. The guy that gifted it to me said it was all he smoked and I would say it worked for him hah. I have too much already to experiment but if JR offered up a sampler, that may be fun to try and see if a few pop out as hits to your palate.

[galawdawg45Q]

Weelok I'll have to try that one. Thanks. Some cheap smokes that I really like are the Fuente 8-5-8 maduro or the Fuente Chateau They can be had for around $5 or less.

[The Poet]

For the next 3 days, JR has a sale on the LEs. 30 bucks for a bundle of 20, which is slightly less than the 4 or 5 bucks apiece others have proposed as alts to Alts. :D

No, I won't be buying any, but I am tempted. As has been said, they ain't bad smokes.

[mi000ke]

Never liked the alternatives and they never really tasted like the cigar they were the alternative to. I was in the JR store in DC last year and in a moment of weakness got the new alternatives to Padron monarca. This was a mistake.

On the other hand, several people have mentioned the JR Ultimates which were a pretty good cigar and one I used to smoke when they were a lot cheaper.

The best value I have found at JR is the Consuegras (the fuller bodied ones, not the Dominican). Essentially HDM seconds. For 1.50 a stick they are pretty good, and get better after they have year on them.

And I would jump on the LE Alternative sale for 1.50 a stick. They will not taste like the CC they replace, but they are pretty good for the money.

[The Poet]

True dat about the Honduran Connies, which are in my rotation constantly. And true dat about the LEs being a bargain for 30 bucks, even for what they are . . . as opposed to what they are not.

As for the Ults, the only real bargain left is the Habanitos. Forty bucks for 24 tasty short smokes, especially tasty to me in maduro.

[mahtofire14]

I have tried a couple different kinds of their alts. Never really found a good quality cigar flavor from them.:2