So I've discovered cigars...

[wasrjoe]

I recently gave up all smoking cigarettes. Never smoked that much anyhow, but it got old and I like my lungs. Now I've moved onto cigars. I have tried a few - some very cheap, some more costly, some bad, some good. I liked a Pedron I had. Not sure of the specifics of that cigar. Had some type of Cuban a wealthy friend of mine gave me. That was good. Not earth-shattering, but definitely not bad. I've fallen in love with Acid cigars, though. I suppose it makes sense - I love spices of all types, I smoked cloves almost exlusively when I smoked cigarettes...

Anyhow, I ramble. Any suggestions based on my tastes? Feel free to make general comments about cigars, as well. (Except for stop smoking them. I'm not going to.)

[TarpleyG]

"So I've discovered cigars..."

Me too.  Like I needed yet another expensive hobby, right?  Anyway, I can't offer advice on your preferences because I go the exact opposite.  I prefer smooth and mild.  I smoked a Padron (short little thing too) a couple of weeks ago and it was okay but not my preference.

I have settled on CAO Criollos for the time being.  I really like those.  For a cheaper cigar, I like la Flora de Maria Mancini maduros and La Fincas.

Greg

[DigMe]

We recently had a pretty in-depth cigar discussion over at HS2Ktalk.com.  Some good suggestions in there, especially from a guy who used to work at a quality tobacco shop:

http://www.hs2000talk.com/viewtopic.php?t=20184

brad cook

[Brrlgrrl]

Me too, and I really don't care if it's not ladylike.  We just had a B-Day party this weekend.  A "hat" cocktail party where guests wore hats, and the party favors were feather boas and cigars.  Needless to say, the party was a success and a good time was had by all.
On to the cigars:  I supplied two very different types.  One, a very spicy Maduro wrapper called El Rico Habano.  Not terribly expensive, 54 ring 7 1/4" length.  Nice smoke, you'll get about 3 hours out of it.
Next, a very mild (wimpy) cigar called Romeo Y Julietta Churchill.  That was a 50 ring 7" length.  Very mild, but preferred by those who don't often smoke them.  Both cigars ran between $7 or $8 a piece.
I very rarely will smoke a cigar.  Usually just a couple of times a year, New Year's and Valentine's.  Welcome to the world of another expensive hobby.

[SpookyPistolero]

Haha, if you think that is addicting (not in a chemical sense) and expensive, wait until you give pipe smoking a try. It's a whole other world. It is also the stone I stepped to after cigars. I still enjoy both, but the pipe is what pleases me the most.

[theCZ]

I've just started smoking cigars myself.  I took my first puff on a Cuban brought back from Europe (illegally -shhhh) last summer, and I usually try to have one a month.  My last cigar was a "Montesino", about 5 bucks, and tasted pretty good to my un-cultured self.

[TMM]

"Never smoked that much anyhow, but it got old and I like my lungs."

cigarettes will kill you, but obviously cigars are safe... uhm...wait...

~TMM

[Standing Wolf]

I discovered cigars at thirteen or fourteen, a year or two after I discovered cigarettes. I still like cigars; unfortunately, I still inhale their smoke, too.

Some people are just natural-born junkies.

[DigMe]

Cubans are overrated.  There are plenty of dominican, honduran and others that are just as good or better these days.

brad cook

[Smith]

As a cigar smoker for going on 4 years now, I would agree that Cubans are overrated.  That being said, there are a few brands I will go to great lengths and expense to keep in stock for myself.  As far as non- Cubans go, I'm a fan of CAO (Cameroon and Brazillia lines), ERDM, La Gloria Cubana, and a few others.  Cigars don't have to be $7-$8, and the prices you see at a cigar store are far higher than what you can get if you buy by the box from a distributor.  I would suggest that you go to www.cigarweekly.com and look at the "Newbie trade" thread.

[StopTheGrays]

Try the Rocky Patel Vintages, aged 12 years with the conn. wrapper. Very good and should be less than $6 a pop. Try their Edge if you want something stonger.

[Ex-MA Hole]

+1 on the Rocky Patels-

Cigars are the best.  I find that the people that annoy me, are the ones that hate the smoke.  Light up, they leave.

There is not a much better way for me to relax than with a cigar, tennis ball and my Border Collie.

For new smokers, Macanudo is a great all around cigar.  Weak and a tad basic for me (been smoking them for a while), but for a newbie, they are perfect (IMO)- price is not bad, different sizes, stengths, etc.

Cubans can be over rated.  They are usually (again, IMO) stronger ,and most prople may not like that.  I tend to like stronger cigars, but there are only 1-2 cubans that I like, the rest do nothing for me.

FWIW- just because someone likes a cigar, it may be junk for you, and may not be what you like.  Also, more money does not necessarily= better cigar.  Case in point- my Father in Law used to smoke Davidoff's- they were like $12.00 a peice.  Top of the line, etc.  I hated them.  Thought the taste was too trashy, didn't burn well, etc.

I'd find a cigar shop, tell him/ her that you are new, and ask for suggestions.  Buy 2-3 of a few kinds, and try them.  Save the labels of what you like.  Bring them back- tell them what you liked.  Don't be intimidated and feel the need to talk the lingo (I've been smoking cigars for about 14 years- my lingo knowledge is VERYlimited).  If it's a good shop, they will teach you.  It can be a simple "I like this because it tastes good to me".

DO NOT SKIMP on a humidor.  NOTHING worse then spending money on a humidor, and having you cigars go bad.  A perfect temporary humidor is a freezer strength ziplock.  Also, a cigar box is good for a tempory solution.  Fuentes come with a humidifing elemnet in them (for a full box).  If you ask the shop, they usually have one lying around that they will give you.  Flip that in the ziplock, and you are good to go.  Save and buy a good humidor, if you decide to smoke as a hobby.  Ask the shop what they reccommend- they will help you pick a good one with out spending a lot, or spending too little and getting junk.

As a rule, the smaller and shorter cigars burn hotter, longer ones burn cooler.  That's all I can think of now.

Oh yeah- cigars are like guns.  Support your local shops.  They may be a tad more, but they will give you help.

M

[nico]

Never smoked that much anyhow, but it got old and I like my lungs.

I'm not going to get all preachy, and I don't want to start a flame war, but just fyi, the mouth/throat cancers you can get from cigars are disfiguring if you're lucky and fatal if you're unlucky, and they still increase your risk of lung cancer.  Going from cigarettes to cigars isn't a less dangerous change (neither are pipes for that matter).  The standard treatment for oral cancers is to remove everything within a 1cm radius of the lesion.  That's like cutting a golf ball-sized piece out of your face/head.

[TarpleyG]

Never smoked that much anyhow, but it got old and I like my lungs.

I'm not going to get all preachy, and I don't want to start a flame war, but just fyi, the mouth/throat cancers you can get from cigars are disfiguring if you're lucky and fatal if you're unlucky, and they still increase your risk of lung cancer.  Going from cigarettes to cigars isn't a less dangerous change (neither are pipes for that matter).  The standard treatment for oral cancers is to remove everything within a 1cm radius of the lesion.  That's like cutting a golf ball-sized piece out of your face/head.

You're assuming that a person is smoking 5 or 6 cigars a day.  I might smoke 1 a week, if that, sometimes none.  I suspect most folks here are the same.  Yes, you are right but moderation is key as it is in most cases.  I'll probably die from lead poisoning before any type of mouth/lung cancer.

Greg

[DigMe]

FWIW- just because someone likes a cigar, it may be junk for you, and may not be what you like.

You need to take that same logic and reapply it here:

Cigars are the best.  I find that the people that annoy me, are the ones that hate the smoke.  Light up, they leave.

I enjoy cigars and used to smoke regularly years back, however, if you don't smoke cigars and never have the smoke can be very unpleasant.  For some folks it can even cause severe problems such as asthma attacks, as is the case with my brother.  Why be annoyed by someone who has different opinions or even vastly different physical reactions to the smoke than you?  Now if you're sitting in the smoking section of a restaurant that's far away from the nonsmoking section that's different.  

brad cook

[Ex-MA Hole]

DigMe-

You misunderstood me-

I would NEVER smoke to intentionally annoy a stranger (family maybe, but that's another story!!!).  In fact, I have been in a smoking section on more than one occasion, and put out my cigars because they were annoying people cigarette smokers.  My pleasure should not be someones pain.  I think that this Country would be better off if more prople had that philosophy.

To be honest, I was attempting to make a joke, that obviously was not taken that way.  My apologies.

[DigMe]

Sorry ex-ma.  I usually catch it when someone's kidding.

brad cook

[Ex-MA Hole]

DigMe-

No biggie- life goes on.  I reread my post- yeah, maybe it wasn't worded correctly.  The easiest way to tell if I'm joking or not is this- if I'm awake, I'm joking.  

I was thinking-  If any of you are in the Southern NH area, Off of Exit 5 on Route 93 is a GREAT smoke shop.  It's called Twin Smoke Shop.  Kurt is the owner.  Cool guy, he is great at helping to find that special cigar.  He also does special orders.

M

[wasrjoe]

I'm not going to get all preachy, and I don't want to start a flame war, but just fyi, the mouth/throat cancers you can get from cigars are disfiguring if you're lucky and fatal if you're unlucky, and they still increase your risk of lung cancer.  Going from cigarettes to cigars isn't a less dangerous change (neither are pipes for that matter).  The standard treatment for oral cancers is to remove everything within a 1cm radius of the lesion.  That's like cutting a golf ball-sized piece out of your face/head.

I understand that cigars are bad for you, the health consequences, etc. I am simply referring to the way that cigarettes tear up my lungs and make it harder to breath. That's not a good thing when you have to do PT several times a week. I am not under the illusion that cigars are any better - except for the fact that I smoke far fewer. Far, far fewer.

[Smith]

Wasrjoe, have you made it over to Cigarweekly yet?  Looking for you.  Good options there for you.  I'm "Servicerifle" on that board.

[wasrjoe]

Smith, just registered.

[TarpleyG]

Wasrjoe, have you made it over to Cigarweekly yet?  Looking for you.  Good options there for you.  I'm "Servicerifle" on that board.

I signed up over there a while back.  No posts though.  Same username.

Greg