I bought a 20 pack of the Chateau Fuente Robusto alternatives when I first got into cigars with the same thought. I thought they were tasty back then (Definitely not comparable with an actual AF CF) however I seem to still have 16 of them left and don't remember the last time I smoked one. So, they couldn't have been that good. Try some of the auction sites and just start piling up fivers or samplers of decent sticks for cheap and figure out what you like and don't like. That is the key. Good luck!