Cigar Connosoirs - your help please
Discussion
I didnt join in the end. My regular cigar club closed its doors to smokers so I didnt renew and the new club didnt really fit the bill (after a dry run) - in fact I'm not sure they even allowed smoking at all! Claridges used to do a cigar sampling event but this has finished as well.
Cafe Habanos in Soho allows 'sampling' of Cigars but not while drinking and only seats 6 or 8 - good for a quiet hour or so with a good book and strong coffee though.
I did see weekend trips to Havana advertised the other week though
Cafe Habanos in Soho allows 'sampling' of Cigars but not while drinking and only seats 6 or 8 - good for a quiet hour or so with a good book and strong coffee though.
I did see weekend trips to Havana advertised the other week though
I am in the Cohiba camp myself. As you probably konw, all cigars are made in the same places in Cuba...there is no Cohiba or Partagas factory, and the differences are in the quality of the leaves. Its the same tobacco also.I was in the Partagas factory (historic name)in havana a few weeks ago,and watched them being made. Esplendidos are magnificent cigars. Certainly if you can get some old ones that have been kept in a proper humidor that would be the ultimate.
Bebs said:
'Rolled on the thigh of a virgin'
There is something to this but unfortunately it does sound better than the reality..
This actually comes from the de-stemming of the leaves. The de-stemmers (often ragged ugly old women and I very much doubt they're virgins
)
They wrap a leaf around their wrist and with a twisting motion remove the stem from the leaf. THEN, they flatten the leaf over their thighs!
So there you go.. there is some truth to it... unfortunately having seen it, it very much shatters ones imagination of a hot Cuban chica using her inner thigh to produce a smooth and round Havana..
I had a good look round a cigar factory in Cuba earlier this year. Definite lack of dusky thighed virgins, for sureThere is something to this but unfortunately it does sound better than the reality..
This actually comes from the de-stemming of the leaves. The de-stemmers (often ragged ugly old women and I very much doubt they're virgins
)They wrap a leaf around their wrist and with a twisting motion remove the stem from the leaf. THEN, they flatten the leaf over their thighs!
So there you go.. there is some truth to it... unfortunately having seen it, it very much shatters ones imagination of a hot Cuban chica using her inner thigh to produce a smooth and round Havana..
Lots of skill and experience around, though. And some decent cigars as a bonus.Bebs, I was bought a very nice Linley humidor recently and have slung a few cigars in it. It's running at a steady 70% which I think is about right.
I wanted to ask how you bring back cigars from the grave?
There are a few monsters lurking around the house that I've put in the humidor, is it a case of just leaving them in there for a month or so, or can they actually be beyond use?
Many thanks
N
Plotloss said:
Something premium and vintage.
Your budget is relatively high even for a vintage cigar.
A Vintage Cohiba Esplendido perhaps? Should be around £50 each I would have thought.
The only trouble with an Esplendido, like a Monte No1 is that you have to be somewhat portly to carry it off properly.
Theres a cracking little place in Windsor station, if I get the chance I'll have a mooch in to ask for a recommendation if you like.
But as Rich says, Bebs is your man.
The place in Windsor is: http://www.havanahouse.co.uk/ and they are very good.Your budget is relatively high even for a vintage cigar.
A Vintage Cohiba Esplendido perhaps? Should be around £50 each I would have thought.
The only trouble with an Esplendido, like a Monte No1 is that you have to be somewhat portly to carry it off properly.
Theres a cracking little place in Windsor station, if I get the chance I'll have a mooch in to ask for a recommendation if you like.
But as Rich says, Bebs is your man.
paulmurr said:
I use these folk clicky and they're excellent. I ordered a cuban sampler last night at about 9 o'clock and they've been dispatched already 
Clicky doesn't work?Edited by paulmurr on Thursday 15th May 10:16
Bebs, have you thought of offering a starter pack of say 5 good cigars to us PHeads?
Thoroughly fascinating thread! 
Unlike some of the first-time posters, I do enjoy cigars on a fairly regular basis (not as much over the past 3-4 months or so though!
)
I am very much a Cohiba man myself, the Siglos are delightful!
Have been enjoying Jose Piedra Cazadoras (sp?) recently though, a fair whack cheaper than the Cohibas, but a gorgeous taste. They're a bit more rough and ready tahn the Cohiba with a subtly different taste (according to the smoking shop I get mine from, they're a commonly smoked cigar amongst Cubans).
If there was such a thing as a PH cigar night, (and a young interloper could be accepted!) I'd be more than willing to come along.
Oh and with regards to the shop, I use the Cigar Shop (can't think of the proper title!) in Southbourne, Bournemouth. They have an utterly mesmerising collection for a shop in its location (i.e. not London!) and I find it a throughly enjoyable experience going there.
Unlike some of the first-time posters, I do enjoy cigars on a fairly regular basis (not as much over the past 3-4 months or so though!
)I am very much a Cohiba man myself, the Siglos are delightful!
Have been enjoying Jose Piedra Cazadoras (sp?) recently though, a fair whack cheaper than the Cohibas, but a gorgeous taste. They're a bit more rough and ready tahn the Cohiba with a subtly different taste (according to the smoking shop I get mine from, they're a commonly smoked cigar amongst Cubans).
If there was such a thing as a PH cigar night, (and a young interloper could be accepted!
) I'd be more than willing to come along. Oh and with regards to the shop, I use the Cigar Shop (can't think of the proper title!) in Southbourne, Bournemouth. They have an utterly mesmerising collection for a shop in its location (i.e. not London!
) and I find it a throughly enjoyable experience going there.Hmm, this thread has inspired me to purchase a cigar this weekend as I seem to have a free pass on Saturday so perhaps a good bottle of wine and a cigar could be on the cards...
To be honest, I don't really know much about them - like Gorvid my cigar experiences always seem to be at incredibly drunken celebrations but I quite fancy getting a bit more into it as a friend bought me a really nice Xikar cutter for my birthday which liek this:
so I should probably make more use of it.
2 Questions for Bebs if you don't mind:
1) How long can a cigar be kept in a desk drawer for? Not mad on the idea of splashing out on a Humidor so would I have to smoke them pretty much immediately?
2) I know they say that you shouldn't use a petrol lighter to light a cigar but I inherited a lovely desktop zippo that was presented to my grandfather by the US ComSubLant at that time which I would enjoy using for sentimental value - does the 'petrol taste' spoil the whole cigar or does it only last the first few puffs (in which case I would live with it...)?
Thanks,
Gylen
Ps. PH sampler a great idea...
To be honest, I don't really know much about them - like Gorvid my cigar experiences always seem to be at incredibly drunken celebrations but I quite fancy getting a bit more into it as a friend bought me a really nice Xikar cutter for my birthday which liek this:
so I should probably make more use of it.
2 Questions for Bebs if you don't mind:
1) How long can a cigar be kept in a desk drawer for? Not mad on the idea of splashing out on a Humidor so would I have to smoke them pretty much immediately?
2) I know they say that you shouldn't use a petrol lighter to light a cigar but I inherited a lovely desktop zippo that was presented to my grandfather by the US ComSubLant at that time which I would enjoy using for sentimental value - does the 'petrol taste' spoil the whole cigar or does it only last the first few puffs (in which case I would live with it...)?
Thanks,
Gylen
Ps. PH sampler a great idea...
Not bebs but a cunning humidor trick.
Get an airtight tupperware type container, get a carrot, run it under the tap and put it in a brown paper bag and roll it up.
Put the cigar in the box with carrot/bag and put the lid on.
Keeps them nice for a good while, in a drawer they wont last long at all.
ETA: I know this sounds bonkers but it really does work.
Get an airtight tupperware type container, get a carrot, run it under the tap and put it in a brown paper bag and roll it up.
Put the cigar in the box with carrot/bag and put the lid on.
Keeps them nice for a good while, in a drawer they wont last long at all.
ETA: I know this sounds bonkers but it really does work.
Edited by Plotloss on Thursday 15th May 10:55
Plotloss said:
Not bebs but a cunning humidor trick.
Get an airtight tupperware type container, get a carrot, run it under the tap and put it in a brown paper bag and roll it up.
Put the cigar in the box with carrot/bag and put the lid on.
Keeps them nice for a good while, in a drawer they wont last long at all.
Dont get pished and try to smoke the carrot thoughGet an airtight tupperware type container, get a carrot, run it under the tap and put it in a brown paper bag and roll it up.
Put the cigar in the box with carrot/bag and put the lid on.
Keeps them nice for a good while, in a drawer they wont last long at all.
Plotloss said:
Not bebs but a cunning humidor trick.
Get an airtight tupperware type container, get a carrot, run it under the tap and put it in a brown paper bag and roll it up.
Put the cigar in the box with carrot/bag and put the lid on.
Keeps them nice for a good while, in a drawer they wont last long at all.
Very clever! And wonderfully eccentric - can you imagine the look on a guests face as you remove your tupperware container from the guest drawer and pass him a carrot whilst you light up the stogie? Get an airtight tupperware type container, get a carrot, run it under the tap and put it in a brown paper bag and roll it up.
Put the cigar in the box with carrot/bag and put the lid on.
Keeps them nice for a good while, in a drawer they wont last long at all.
Stamp said:
paulmurr said:
I use these folk clicky and they're excellent. I ordered a cuban sampler last night at about 9 o'clock and they've been dispatched already
Clicky doesn't work?Edited by paulmurr on Thursday 15th May 10:16
Gylen said:
2) I know they say that you shouldn't use a petrol lighter to light a cigar but I inherited a lovely desktop zippo that was presented to my grandfather by the US ComSubLant at that time which I would enjoy using for sentimental value - does the 'petrol taste' spoil the whole cigar or does it only last the first few puffs (in which case I would live with it...)?
I'm obviously not quite as experienced as Bebs (
) but I use a petrol Zippo (I know, shoot me!) becuase I find no real difference in taste when using a lighter and not LukeBird said:
Gylen said:
2) I know they say that you shouldn't use a petrol lighter to light a cigar but I inherited a lovely desktop zippo that was presented to my grandfather by the US ComSubLant at that time which I would enjoy using for sentimental value - does the 'petrol taste' spoil the whole cigar or does it only last the first few puffs (in which case I would live with it...)?
I'm obviously not quite as experienced as Bebs () but I use a petrol Zippo (I know, shoot me!) becuase I find no real difference in taste when using a lighter and not Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff