Cigar Connosoirs - your help please

[Don]

Office_Monkey said:

Out of interest, are any of you cigar smokers ex-ciggie smokers, or do you still smoke ciggies? It's just that having given up for 6 months, I am a bit tempted but don't wish it to be a catalyst for starting up again. Would only be occasional (once every few months prolly), or would they taste horrible?

I gave up smoking cigarettes twenty years ago. If there's anything at all I miss about smoking - it's a good cigar.

In the last twenty years I've probably smoked three or four cigars - and enjoyed them. But being a non-smoker I can't easily manage a whole one.

Cigars are about the taste not the nicotine hit - but you still do get a hit even if the smoke is only passed over the tongue and mouth...and nicotine makes non-smokers dreadfully sick in an excessive quantity.

I'd sit in the garden and smoke a cigar once a year or so if I remembered to...

[chris.mapey]

hornetrider said:

Chaps, some expert help is required please.

I'm getting married soon and would like to have a large box of fat, but stubby quality cigars to hand out for the gentlemen. Full size ones would no doubt be a waste. I went to a wedding a few years ago when these were handed around, is this a common thing? Are they freely available?

Thanks in advance

I'd look at Cohiba Siglo I if not too much money.

Cracking smoke, and not over large so is ideal for the UK "smoke outdoors" situation as they don't take hours to smoke.

Other than that at a lower budget have a look at King Edward Invincibles - great value and an enjoyable mild smoke (not too strong / bitter) unlike many Cuban cigars.

Remember to have a great day cigars or not

Chris

[hornetrider]

chris.mapey said:

hornetrider said:

Chaps, some expert help is required please.

I'm getting married soon and would like to have a large box of fat, but stubby quality cigars to hand out for the gentlemen. Full size ones would no doubt be a waste. I went to a wedding a few years ago when these were handed around, is this a common thing? Are they freely available?

Thanks in advance

I'd look at Cohiba Siglo I if not too much money.

Cracking smoke, and not over large so is ideal for the UK "smoke outdoors" situation as they don't take hours to smoke.

Other than that at a lower budget have a look at King Edward Invincibles - great value and an enjoyable mild smoke (not too strong / bitter) unlike many Cuban cigars.

Remember to have a great day cigars or not

Chris

Thanks for your reply. The Siglo looks like a good choice... but at 4" is a little bigger than I was invisaging. I'm sure the ones we had were only around 3 inches long, and were no doubt designed for fair weather cigar smokers like myself ( ) to have a taste but not to be overburdened with a long smoke.

[chris.mapey]

hornetrider said:

chris.mapey said:

hornetrider said:

Chaps, some expert help is required please.

I'm getting married soon and would like to have a large box of fat, but stubby quality cigars to hand out for the gentlemen. Full size ones would no doubt be a waste. I went to a wedding a few years ago when these were handed around, is this a common thing? Are they freely available?

Thanks in advance

I'd look at Cohiba Siglo I if not too much money.

Cracking smoke, and not over large so is ideal for the UK "smoke outdoors" situation as they don't take hours to smoke.

Other than that at a lower budget have a look at King Edward Invincibles - great value and an enjoyable mild smoke (not too strong / bitter) unlike many Cuban cigars.

Remember to have a great day cigars or not

Chris

Thanks for your reply. The Siglo looks like a good choice... but at 4" is a little bigger than I was invisaging. I'm sure the ones we had were only around 3 inches long, and were no doubt designed for fair weather cigar smokers like myself ( ) to have a taste but not to be overburdened with a long smoke.

I probably have a biased view as I have a stash of Cohiba Esplendidos that come out for special occasions - Siglo I in comparison are a small cigar

If you (& your guests) are not regular cigar afficionados then I'd probably forgo a Cuban cigar and go with the King Edward option. Decent enough smoke, and cheap enough that you won't have kittens at the thought of half cut guests leaving them in ashtrays and forgetting about them...

I'd recommend a chat to the people at Cgars (www.cgarsltd.co.uk) and ask for a bit of guidance & advice.

They do a wedding cigar that is individually tubed, so could be put on the table as a "favour" for the gents, ladies can keep the sugared almonds

Off topic, [blantantplug] if you need a wedding photographer (who will promise not to nick the cigars) you know where to ask[/blantantplug]

Chris

[Gylen]

hornetrider said:

chris.mapey said:

hornetrider said:

Chaps, some expert help is required please.

I'm getting married soon and would like to have a large box of fat, but stubby quality cigars to hand out for the gentlemen. Full size ones would no doubt be a waste. I went to a wedding a few years ago when these were handed around, is this a common thing? Are they freely available?

Thanks in advance

I'd look at Cohiba Siglo I if not too much money.

Cracking smoke, and not over large so is ideal for the UK "smoke outdoors" situation as they don't take hours to smoke.

Other than that at a lower budget have a look at King Edward Invincibles - great value and an enjoyable mild smoke (not too strong / bitter) unlike many Cuban cigars.

Remember to have a great day cigars or not

Chris

Thanks for your reply. The Siglo looks like a good choice... but at 4" is a little bigger than I was invisaging. I'm sure the ones we had were only around 3 inches long, and were no doubt designed for fair weather cigar smokers like myself ( ) to have a taste but not to be overburdened with a long smoke.

As another option, the Henri Upmann Corona Junior is relatively cheap (I say relatively, I think they're about a fiver) and I had one last week playing cards and really enjoyed it. Not too strong and not too long so possibly ideal for your purposes?

The other point I'd make is that unless your guests are 'in to' cigars, as a result of the smoking ban, they probably won't fancy huddling outside for very long so you may find your money wasted a little on those who take one because everybody else is but probably can't really be bothered and will chuck it after a couple of puffs.

Would it be worth speaking to the wedding venue and see if there might be provision for a table and some chairs under a marquee outside so that the cigar chaps can have a proper outdoor herf?

[Spam]

Just a quick novice question. You have to punch a hole in the end of a fresh cigar, right?

How would I do this without the necessary equipment?

Thanks,
Spam

[Maxf]

Spam said:

Just a quick novice question. You have to punch a hole in the end of a fresh cigar, right?

How would I do this without the necessary equipment?

Thanks,
Spam

Some people punch, but most people just cut! Cut a few mm off (maybe 0.5 cm) - you can see where not to cut past as the leaf is wrapped differently.

[XJSJohn]

Maxf said:

Spam said:

Just a quick novice question. You have to punch a hole in the end of a fresh cigar, right?

How would I do this without the necessary equipment?

Thanks,
Spam

Some people punch, but most people just cut! Cut a few mm off (maybe 0.5 cm) - you can see where not to cut past as the leaf is wrapped differently.

without the "necessary equipment' you need a good sharp blade and a chopping block, or better still, get the cigar shop to clip it for you

[NDA]

Spam said:

Just a quick novice question. You have to punch a hole in the end of a fresh cigar, right?

How would I do this without the necessary equipment?

Thanks,
Spam

You shouldn't punch a hole in a cigar... The insides of a cigar are, for want of a better description, a series of tubes running its length. These are formed by the bunches of leaves running front to back. You need the ends of these 'tubes' or channels open to enjoy the cigar. The best way is to cut just above the dome of the end - as is being done here:

[chris.mapey]

Long term thread resurrection...

Friday I checked my humidor, and levels were looking a bit low...

Decided to order some replacements, so had a look online

Just wanted to recommend to other PH'ers the most excellent service I received from CGars Ltd (who I was previously recommended to from here!)

Ordered at about 3.30 on Friday, and had my new selection of cigars in my hand by 9.30 on Saturday

Top work

I have spent most of my weekend in the sun with a cold beer and a cigar -

Chris

[Oily Nails]

Timely Resurrection of a Thread

I was just about to post a Thread along the lines of ......."Novice Cigar Smoker wants the next step"

I enjoy a cigar of an evening with a glass of red or maybe scotch.
I am currently smoking Romeo y Julieta: Romeo No.2's and would love some suggestions as to what others to track-down/try.

I'll say this now...I'm a mere young Engineer and my budget can't stretch past £10 a cigar.

An additional query is does anyone know of any reputable Dealers in Leeds/Yorkshire or on the Inter-web? I currently purchase my "RyJ" from a Wine Merchants and suspect their storage/handling methods.

Anyway, any input suggests would be appreciated.

[Eggle]

Oily, as Chris said, CGARS are the people. If help is needed, either Michell or Michelle will be able to guide you. See my earlier post for a good sample all at under £10
Chris, what did you buy?

[GTIR]

I had a cigar at my daughters birth (not actually at but after) and I really enjoyed it but I am not sure if that was because I was pretty high and happy anyways!

I have also quit smoking and smoke these E cigs which are fine but I do hanker after a nice big bastid cigar occasionally.

May just invest in a few (if thats the right terminlogy for something that goes up in smoke)

[chris.mapey]

Eggle said:

Chris, what did you buy?

Some La Rica Robusto, which I think are STUNNING value, decent size cigar with a smooth & mild flavour, great for smoking in the pub beer garden!!

Also got one of their Samplers - The Grand Prix Mix, which looks good (9 cigars for £61 = can't go worng!)

Tried one of their cheapy tubed coronas Charatan Tubed Corona for £3.69 and was impressed with it. (Smoked it yesterday) - struck me as a "cuban a like" - dark tobacco, with a strong(ish) spicy flavour. I'd prefer it after a meal with a coffee & cognac rather than in the blazing afternoon sunshine, but I'll be getting some more at that price

Hope that helps & thanks again to Mitchell, Michelle & the team at CGars!

Chris

[Parabola]

chris.mapey said:

Eggle said:

Chris, what did you buy?

Some La Rica Robusto, which I think are STUNNING value, decent size cigar with a smooth & mild flavour, great for smoking in the pub beer garden!!

Also got one of their Samplers - The Grand Prix Mix, which looks good (9 cigars for £61 = can't go worng!)

Tried one of their cheapy tubed coronas Charatan Tubed Corona for £3.69 and was impressed with it. (Smoked it yesterday) - struck me as a "cuban a like" - dark tobacco, with a strong(ish) spicy flavour. I'd prefer it after a meal with a coffee & cognac rather than in the blazing afternoon sunshine, but I'll be getting some more at that price

Hope that helps & thanks again to Mitchell, Michelle & the team at CGars!

Chris

Cheers for the recommendations. Have just ordered a couple of Charatan Tubed Coronas & La Rica Robustos.

Wheres the best place to store them before they get smoked?

[chris.mapey]

I have a small humidor, but the ones you have ordered are tubed, so should last OK in the tubes AS LONG AS YOU DON'T OPEN THEM until you want to smoke them

Keep the temperature cool & stable and you'll be fine.

Hope you enjoy them

Chris

[Parabola]

chris.mapey said:

I have a small humidor, but the ones you have ordered are tubed, so should last OK in the tubes AS LONG AS YOU DON'T OPEN THEM until you want to smoke them

Keep the temperature cool & stable and you'll be fine.

Hope you enjoy them

Chris

Lovely, cheers.

[Oily Nails]

Thanks for the help Eggle

Quick Query, those of you that have used CGar before, I'm planning on having the items delivered to my workplace ( as I'm never home)...how 'discrete' is the packaging? is it heavily Branded 'CIGARS' printed everywhere?
I ask only because the bods in the 'goods in' at work ,are the biggest nosiest wasters, and I could do without the moanin/questioning

Currently looking at the Grand Prix Sampler..but then again the options are massive

[GTIR]

Oily Nails said:

I ask only because the bods in the 'goods in' at work ,are the biggest nosiest wasters, and I could do without the moanin/questioning

Lets hope they are not PH members eh!



ETA Just ordered some Cohiba siglo x 3!

Edited by GTIR on Monday 1st June 19:06

[jonott]

Oily Nails said:

An additional query is does anyone know of any reputable Dealers in Leeds/Yorkshire or on the Inter-web?

James Barber's in Otley

www.smoke.co.uk