The PH Cigar Thread

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Discussion

J4CKO

41,279 posts

199 months

Wednesday 15th April 2015
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Are Cigar smokers usually Fag smokers as well ?

I have never tried one, have smoked the odd cig but really dont get why anyone would pay £8 a day for that as a habit, especially having to work through it being quite unpleasant to get addicted, and they smell disgusting.

However, the I absolutely love the smell of cigars, a good waft, not a cloud being blown in my face but the smell is a lot nicer, think its because my grandad used to smoke them at Christmas or we used to occasionally got to posh dinners with the car club they were in and people would smoke them then, I guess smells are very powerful and for me it means good times.

Not sure I would want to smoke one myself, my eldest had an 18th party and him and his drunk mates were all sat puffing away, was quite funny, trying to look "Like a Sir" as they would say, trying to look sophisticated and trying to look well practised whilst trying not to cough or puke biggrin

I think maybe I should try one, at least once.

Remember a mate in a club (when you could smoke) getting one from the box that had all the cigars in, he chose a huge one which was eye wateringly expensive, he was also trying to attain the look but it caught fire, properly blazing so he dropped it and stood on it, is that because it was dry or did he do it wrong ?


Jambob

101 posts

187 months

Wednesday 15th April 2015
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I don't smoke cigarettes. I smoke up to 3 cigars a week, usually on weekends as a treat. I spend rather alot of money on them and wouldn't appreciate them as much if I smoked more regularly.

As for the cigar the set ablaze, it could have been dry - Cigars need to be stored at around 69-72% humidity and if the cigars in the club weren't looked after properly it would have dried out. Although I doubt that would cause it go up in flames. Was strong liquor involved?



Edited by Jambob on Wednesday 15th April 20:06

Baryonyx

17,990 posts

158 months

Wednesday 15th April 2015
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J4CKO said:
Are Cigar smokers usually Fag smokers as well ?
I'm certainly not, cigarettes are disgusting. It's a totally different product. When you hear a cigarette smoker saying of a brand of cigarettes "they taste nice", what they really mean is they taste slightly less like dog st than the other brands. Cigarettes are about fixing a need, cigars are about enjoying a treat. You don't get a fix from a cigar, just the enjoyment of a decent smoke. Fags fking stink, they're full of rotten chemicals and make you look like a hobo. You don't want anything to do with that! If you turned up to a cigar lounge with a pack of cigarettes, I'm sure you'd be told to fk off as no-one would want you spoiling the vibe and stinking the place out. Yeah, I fking hate cigarettes.


I went out today and had a CAO Brazilia after the recommendation in this thread. A very good cigar, I must say. I really enjoyed the mild, woody flavours and low nicotine content. I prefer a milder cigar that doesn't hit you over the head with big flavours, and gives a thick smoke. The reviews of the Brazilia suggested it was quite strongly flavoured but I didn't think so. The smoke from the CAO was great, very thick and heavy. It was so creamy you could open your mouth and let it drift out in columns, and it'd hang there suspended in the air. Fantastic for the price. I found the last 1/3rd didn't really want to burn and despite some encouragement from my lighter, didn't want to go on so I left it at that. Great value and worth seeking out if you can find one.

Mastodon2

Original Poster:

13,818 posts

164 months

Wednesday 15th April 2015
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J4CKO said:
Are Cigar smokers usually Fag smokers as well ?


Remember a mate in a club (when you could smoke) getting one from the box that had all the cigars in, he chose a huge one which was eye wateringly expensive, he was also trying to attain the look but it caught fire, properly blazing so he dropped it and stood on it, is that because it was dry or did he do it wrong ?
In my experience, cigar smokers generally aren't cigarette smokers. It's like comparing wine tasting to drinking cheap piss in a bus shelter. Cigars are quality, premium products, handmade from materials that have literally taken years of care and attention to get a finished product. Cigarettes are a nicotine fix, made with the cheapest, mankiest tobacco growing, bred to have the most nicotine possible with the least offensive flavour they can manage - and then they soak the lot in chemicals anyway. Minging. I've never smoked a cigarette, never will. I have absolutely no interest in them.

If your mates cigar properly lit up and set ablaze it may have been too dry, in which case it would be smoking like st anyway, but it would have had to be really, really dry to really get going. The moisture and oil in the cigar keeps it burning slowly. However, if you really go in heavy handed with the butane lighter (never use a cheap cigarette lighter!) or the cigar matches and it will probably catch fire, it should go out though.

With regard to having "the look", or fearing making an arse out of yourself, it's not hard to smoke a cigar. There is a little to learn with regard to cutting and lighting, so that you don't damage the cigar, and when it comes to smoking just do it slowly, a puff every 30-60 seconds will do, or you can go even slower. Don't go faster or it will burn hot and start to taste bitter. Just treat it like you're sucking through a straw to fill your mouth up with pop, don't swallow, don't inhale - you only do it once, and you'll never do it again. If you are smoking correctly, IE, not inhaling or swallowing and you do start feeling sick, just slow right down - you might be smoking too fast, but if you slow right down and you're just feeling worse, just stop. The nicotine can make you feel rough if you're sensitive to it, or if you simply have too much, drink something sugary and you'll feel better soon enough.

Most cigars will not give you a real nicotine buzz, although some are blended to be real nicotine powerhouses, I've not seen any on the shelf at my local lounge. Most cigars are pretty light on nicotine, because they're not using tobacco that has been bred specifically for a high nicotine content.

mickyveloce

1,035 posts

235 months

Wednesday 15th April 2015
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Mastodon2 said:
In my experience, cigar smokers generally aren't cigarette smokers. It's like comparing wine tasting to drinking cheap piss in a bus shelter. Cigars are quality, premium products, handmade from materials that have literally taken years of care and attention to get a finished product. Cigarettes are a nicotine fix, made with the cheapest, mankiest tobacco growing, bred to have the most nicotine possible with the least offensive flavour they can manage - and then they soak the lot in chemicals anyway. Minging. I've never smoked a cigarette, never will. I have absolutely no interest in them.

If your mates cigar properly lit up and set ablaze it may have been too dry, in which case it would be smoking like st anyway, but it would have had to be really, really dry to really get going. The moisture and oil in the cigar keeps it burning slowly. However, if you really go in heavy handed with the butane lighter (never use a cheap cigarette lighter!) or the cigar matches and it will probably catch fire, it should go out though.

With regard to having "the look", or fearing making an arse out of yourself, it's not hard to smoke a cigar. There is a little to learn with regard to cutting and lighting, so that you don't damage the cigar, and when it comes to smoking just do it slowly, a puff every 30-60 seconds will do, or you can go even slower. Don't go faster or it will burn hot and start to taste bitter. Just treat it like you're sucking through a straw to fill your mouth up with pop, don't swallow, don't inhale - you only do it once, and you'll never do it again. If you are smoking correctly, IE, not inhaling or swallowing and you do start feeling sick, just slow right down - you might be smoking too fast, but if you slow right down and you're just feeling worse, just stop. The nicotine can make you feel rough if you're sensitive to it, or if you simply have too much, drink something sugary and you'll feel better soon enough.

Most cigars will not give you a real nicotine buzz, although some are blended to be real nicotine powerhouses, I've not seen any on the shelf at my local lounge. Most cigars are pretty light on nicotine, because they're not using tobacco that has been bred specifically for a high nicotine content.
Spot on, and very well put.

Baryonyx

17,990 posts

158 months

Wednesday 15th April 2015
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I also picked up a disposable high temperature butane lighter today. What a marvellous creation. I think it was £3.99 and definitely a sound investment for the enthusiast. The lounge I was at today are happy to cut your cigars with a clipper ready for you to enjoy, I daresay they would light for you too if you were uncertain about your own ability (providing you did the important draw and blow to get the burn settled).

Now, I've taken about a six year break from cigars and I'm just coming back to them. Previously, cigar matches were the only option as I used to buy cigars mainly from Fenwicks, a department store, which had a small humidor in their spirits shop. They didn't sell a proper cigar lighter, so much faffing with matches was done. Lighting a cigar took a good couple of minutes of slowly rotating it, holding it near the flame and having another match on standby in the event the first one failed. Getting a good burn with a match (especially outdoors) was a triumph of effort. Now, with the high pressure lighter, you get like blowtorch effect that is easily controlled and very effective, and you can get a good light in 20 seconds or less. It doesn't affect the taste, and gives an even burn from the off. If you've not used one, try one. You'll never bother with a match again!


Back then, my smoking friend was on a Government scholarship at university and was always had an excess of cash in his pocket thanks to the generosity of the Malaysian government, so he was always able to afford a couple of good sticks. Below are a few of those I tried in years gone by, probably still available now. These are the ones that stuck in my memory.













The last one, the Acid, was a funny one. I don't think you can get them in the UK now. They were obviously intended to appeal to a younger buyer and were artificially flavoured with a sweetener. It wasn't unpleasant, but I can see why the trend never caught on - whereas every other cigar is like a variation on a theme, the Acid was something different and seems quite divisive, especially amongst experienced smokers. Not that it matters now, as I can't see any for sale in the UK now.

J4CKO

41,279 posts

199 months

Wednesday 15th April 2015
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Loving this thread, realised it is something I know nothing about at all, it is very interesting.

Where do you smoke yours as a rule, most pubs and clubs are out, at home I think I would be a bit unpopular stinking the place out.

Is there a good one to start with, a starter cigar, I think the subtleties would be lost for someone not used to them

How much do you need to spend to get something that isn't rubbish, or is it best to start with a Castella or some cheapie like that ?

How long do they tend to take to smoke and is it ok to put it out and have another go later if it gets the better of you ?




Baryonyx

17,990 posts

158 months

Thursday 16th April 2015
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J4CKO said:
Loving this thread, realised it is something I know nothing about at all, it is very interesting.

Where do you smoke yours as a rule, most pubs and clubs are out, at home I think I would be a bit unpopular stinking the place out.

Is there a good one to start with, a starter cigar, I think the subtleties would be lost for someone not used to them

How much do you need to spend to get something that isn't rubbish, or is it best to start with a Castella or some cheapie like that ?

How long do they tend to take to smoke and is it ok to put it out and have another go later if it gets the better of you ?
I tend to smoke them in the local cigar shop. They have a lounge in the back with comfortable seats, pleasant decor and an extraction system. Lovely place to sit and smoke a good cigar and have some good conversation. The sort of gent you're likely to meet enjoying a handmade cigar in a lounge like that is a refined and educated sort, so no matter if your hobbies and jobs are wildly different you'll find something to talk about. I quite enjoy the social aspect of it. Otherwise, I'll get a couple of good cigars in tubes and take them home to smoke with the father in law. I've never owned a humidor, and I doubt I would as the opportunities to smoke at home are few and far between. Here, I'll only smoke on a summer's evening when I'm sitting outside with a chiminea burning for heat. That's a nice way of doing it, as you get good cool air keeping the cigar burning nicely and the smoke dissipates quickly.


You don't want to start too cheap with a cigar because you'll end up with a crappy stick that doesn't taste good or smoke well, and could be put off. Imagine having your first beer, and having a choice of a fine pint of ale or a warm can of Carling! Go to a cigar shop, if you can, and take advice from the staff. They'll be able to recommend you a good cigar for your price range. You're not just paying for fine flavours (don't buy into tasting notes suggesting loads of varied flavours, you might get wood, spices, pepper, chocolate and leather but don't believe you'll be getting freshly mowed grass, ripe cherries or any of the other bks some reviewers mention). What you are also paying for, is good construction, and that's where the staff at a cigar shop come in handy, as they'll turn their experienced hands to the cigars to find you the best in the box to smoke. Castellas are machine made, and are not the 'pure product' you're getting when you buy something that is handmade and requires a humidor for storage. Ignore anything that comes in a packet that you can keep on the shelf at home, you're supposed to be enjoying an artisan product that demands care and ritual.


As for how long something takes to smoke, it's a matter of size and preference. Roughly one to two draws a minute works for me, I find. Longer than that, and cigars can cool and go out. Faster than that and the cigar will tell you you're smoking too fast; overheating the cigar by smoking too fast produces overly spicy, peppery smoke that can sting the back of your throat and is unpleasant. Some people do stop smoking halfway through a cigar and start again later by cutting the burnt portion off. This is generally considered bad etiquette, and will also spoil the cigar. The combustion event is supposed to be a one off conversion of rich, moist tobacco being burnt to ashes. If you stop smoking a cigar and start again later, the flavour is compromised by the earlier smoke. Chemical changes in the oils, the formation of tar around the head and saturation and subsequent drying of the wrapper all convene to spoil a smoke. If you think you're not going to make it through a cigar in one go, cut your losses. Even better, advise the tobacconist in the cigar shop what you're after, which will probably be a shorter smoke with a lighter nicotine content in if you're new to cigars. They should steer you towards something that isn't too much for a beginner.


Don't expect to get a nicotine rush from smoking a cigar, you shouldn't. In line with cigar enthusiast's preferences, most cigar tobacco leaves have been selectively bred to produce a lower nicotine content. This makes for a more pleasant smoke over a longer session. This is the absolute inverse of cigarette production, where leaves are grown for nicotine content at the cost of everything else and the leaf is absolute dogst, and ground up thusly. Not to say there aren't some cigars that have a higher nicotine content and can produce cigar sickness. I felt lightheaded after having a Texas Lancero recently, and I once smoked to Cuban Robustos back to back and ended up feeling woozy and nauseous.

iambeowulf

712 posts

171 months

Thursday 16th April 2015
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I've only ever had the one cigar. No idea what brand it was but it was Goodfellas' huge and was very pleasant.

My daughter had just been born and I was staying at a local hotel (as she was in an incubator for jaundice) and I got chatting to a guy at the bar from Nicaragua over here on government business. (His original hotel was booked so he had to stay at the Travel Inn!).

He said they were the "best of the best, and then some". Cuban make if some sort but they had no markings or labels.
He also said "If you find another one in your life travels then it's a sign from God" hehe

I've described them many times to people and no one has a clue what they were.

Miguel Alvarez

4,944 posts

169 months

Thursday 16th April 2015
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I'd never tried cigarettes prior to smoking cigars but I did try one about a year back out of curiosity and it was one of the most rancid tastes ever known to man. How anyone smokes cigarettes I'll never know. Awful things.

As for nicotine rush. Avoid the Ageing Room cigars. I need a lie down after smoking one of these they are seriously strong in taste.......



















.......or I'm possibly just a big girls blouse

getmecoat


SirSquidalot

4,039 posts

164 months

Thursday 16th April 2015
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Well, after doing abit more reading ive plumped to try and smoke a 2nd. Ordered a Rafael Gonzalez Petit Coronas, will take my time with this one!

Henry Fiddleton

1,581 posts

176 months

Thursday 16th April 2015
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I enjoy a good cigar - but as a lot of people above, its about the environment.

When its balltic, and your left standing outside somewhere a cigar doesn't appeal at all.

When its warm, and a nice setting I love cigars!

FYI I was in Romania recently, and the clubs/pubs still had people smoking inside - horrid!

However, I forgot how good it was smoking a cigar indoors and being relaxed.

Anyway well done, I'm going to have one a the Dunhill Café later (due to this thread).

Mastodon2

Original Poster:

13,818 posts

164 months

Thursday 16th April 2015
quotequote all
SirSquidalot said:
Well, after doing abit more reading ive plumped to try and smoke a 2nd. Ordered a Rafael Gonzalez Petit Coronas, will take my time with this one!
Did you ordered a tubed cigar? A cigar in a tube should survive transit, something in cellophane and ideally it really should be rested in a humidor for a few weeks before smoking. In the US, mail order cigars get shipped in ziplock bags with little moisture pillows to help them stay moist. Moisture loss in transit is probably less of an issue in the UK, where the climate is nowhere near as varied as in the US. Still, there is a chance it could arrive in less than optimum condition. If you got a tubed cigar then you'll be fine. Make sure you've got a proper butane lighter or some cigar matches. Alternatively, if you have no other option pull the cedar liner out of the tube, light that with whatever you've got, let it burn a little then use it to light the cigar. Using a petrol lighter or regular matches will put chemicals onto the foot of the cigar and make it taste bad.

Corpulent Tosser

5,459 posts

244 months

Thursday 16th April 2015
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Henry Fiddleton said:
I enjoy a good cigar - but as a lot of people above, its about the environment.

When its balltic, and your left standing outside somewhere a cigar doesn't appeal at all.

When its warm, and a nice setting I love cigars!

FYI I was in Romania recently, and the clubs/pubs still had people smoking inside - horrid!

However, I forgot how good it was smoking a cigar indoors and being relaxed.

Anyway well done, I'm going to have one a the Dunhill Café later (due to this thread).
Environment makes a big difference to me. I work in west Africa and get through a number of cigars during my 28 day rotation, whereas at home in North East Scotland during my 28 days off I smoke very few in winter and only a few more in summer.
I enjoy Monte Cristo, have tried a few Punch recently and enjoyed some but others were very tight and difficult to smoke, Cohiba are good but a bit expensive as a regular smoke. As an everyday inexpensive regular smoke I have found Henry Winterman half corona a pleasant 20-30 min cigar.

Miguel Alvarez

4,944 posts

169 months

Friday 17th April 2015
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I had a plugged Romeo Y Julietta last night. A few pokes with a kebab skewer made it bearable but it wasn't the greatest of smokes.

Tomorrow I'll head into Reading and see what Shave and Coster have in their humidor.

Mastodon2

Original Poster:

13,818 posts

164 months

Friday 17th April 2015
quotequote all
Miguel Alvarez said:
I had a plugged Romeo Y Julietta last night. A few pokes with a kebab skewer made it bearable but it wasn't the greatest of smokes.

Tomorrow I'll head into Reading and see what Shave and Coster have in their humidor.
What a wounder. I had an Oliva Serie O a while back that had a pretty tight draw, I couldn't feel a knot but it was pretty stiff. I doubt using a draw poker would have helped much, it was just tight over all, it was a really heavy cigar so I think it was just over-packed. So dissatisfying.

ShayneJ

1,073 posts

178 months

Saturday 18th April 2015
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where can i go to sell some cigars?
i no longer smoke and i have 16 Cohiba Esplendidos sitting on the box
here.
the usual auction sites seem not to allow tobacco for sale
and i would rather they went to someone who can truly appreciate them
but i dont want to get bent over they were not cheap!

minerva

756 posts

203 months

Saturday 18th April 2015
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This has convinced me to go and have a cigar. I have had a fair few but none for a year or so... I visited Cuba after my last tour of Afghan and it was brilliant, lots of very established brands for very reasonable prices. I did a tour of the factory and bought some 'Cohiba' without the label on them, on the sly, from one of the workers. They were terrible! They must have been ancient and smoked really poorly. Given we were in the factory that made cohibas, he must have really gone to a significant effort to make them that bad!

Can anyone recommend me a brand that is very light? I am not appreciative of the heavier smoking cigars (like, for instance, Cohiba).

Baryonyx

17,990 posts

158 months

Saturday 18th April 2015
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minerva said:
This has convinced me to go and have a cigar. I have had a fair few but none for a year or so... I visited Cuba after my last tour of Afghan and it was brilliant, lots of very established brands for very reasonable prices. I did a tour of the factory and bought some 'Cohiba' without the label on them, on the sly, from one of the workers. They were terrible! They must have been ancient and smoked really poorly. Given we were in the factory that made cohibas, he must have really gone to a significant effort to make them that bad!

Can anyone recommend me a brand that is very light? I am not appreciative of the heavier smoking cigars (like, for instance, Cohiba).
I very much doubt the cigar you bought was anything like a Cohiba without the label on them. More than likely they were some right old dog rockets, improperly stored, and kept handy to flog to unsuspecting tourists. The Cohiba is a fine, handcrafted product with a considerable value attached. I doubt the production is so poorly regulated as to allow them 'out the back door'.


Regarding a starter cigar, it depends where you're buying from. You're best off going to a proper cigar shop/lounge and getting set up there. Take a recommendation from the staff on a mild, easy cigar and let them choose one for you. You'll also need it cut and lit properly, so get a lighter and see if the staff will cut it for you (or fork out for a decent cigar cutter if you intend on smoking a lot at home).

In terms of brands, don't get hung up on the location of origin for the cigar as Cuba is not the be-all, end-all of good cigars (though I have found them to be consistently good, but that may be luck). You can often get better value on non-Cuban brands which are just as good. Punch are a good place to start, and were recommended to me when I was seeking my first cigar. I had a silver tubed Petit Coronas, which was fantastic.

marksx

5,052 posts

189 months

Sunday 19th April 2015
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Would you describe the Punch as a 'peppery' cigar?

I ask as several years, while drinking in a bar in York, we bought several tubed cigars that were very peppery but very nice.

Due to the effects of alcohol and time, I can't remember what they were, other than the tube being a blue/grey colour.

They will have been a petit corona sized cigar I think. <£10