EPTTobacco Smoking Thread - Page 9
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QuanticHawk
United States32157 Posts
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dementrio
678 Posts
![[image loading]](http://www.tabac-trends.ch/raucherwaren/images/OldHolborn.jpg) By comparison, golden virginia tastes like sandpaper and american spirit like hay. Although if you live in a country where it is not readily available in stores I doubt it's worth the hassle and cost of getting it. | ||
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B.I.G.
3251 Posts
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Omnipresent
United States871 Posts
On April 21 2011 02:04 Hawk wrote: Does anyone have a good beginners guide for cigars?? I enjoy them, but it's similar to drinking the first time in that you just kind of try anything without actually appreciating the subtleties of what you're smoking. I just try random stuff and save the rings if I like it. I'm probably smoking the Coors Light of cigars more often than not. Starting out with cigars can be pretty intimidating. There are some guides out there, but you never really know how good they are. Here are some basics. Things you need: A cutter – You really need a simple guillotine cutter. One with two blades is better than one with a single blade. You can get a cheap one for around $4, but prices go p dramatically from there ($20 is the most you’d ever need to spend, anything higher is purely for aesthetics). A second cutter – If you decide you like cigars, you’ll eventually want to buy a smaller cutter, wither a plug (or punch) cutter or cross cutter (also called V-cut). Punch cutters are more popular than cross cutters, but it’s all about personal preference. Some cigars simply smoke better with small cuts, and you’ll learn that over time. Fire – You need matches or a butane lighter. Wick lighters like Zippos are not ideal for cigars. The fluid these lighters never completely combusts, and can settle in the cigar. This will damage the flavor. A Humidor – If you buy cigars at your local shop and smoke them within a couple days, you don’t need one of these. If you intend to store your cigars for any extended period of time (letting you buy in bulk), you absolutely need a humidor and humidification system. Some humidors are pretty affordable, or may come with an order of cigars you get online. Small humidors are very easy to maintain, and the humidification system if fairly inexpensive. Research before buying. What to smoke: Before I recommend cigars for you to try, you should know what I’m talking about. A cigar has 3 main components: filler, binder, and wrap. The filler is the bulk of the cigar. In quality cigars, it’s made of whole leaf tobacco (long filler). The binder is a leaf that is wrapped around the filler to hold it together tightly. The wrap is the final leaf that finishes off the cigar. I recommend you unwrap the next cigar you smoke, or rather, what’s left of it when you finish. The key to starting out on cigars is to try as many different ones as you can. Your local tobacco shop owner will probably have specific recommendations for you, but here’s a rough idea on what to look for: Hand Rolling – You’ll want to smoke hand rolled cigars pretty much exclusively. There are some decent machine made ones, but 99% are crap (made from sub-par tobacco or leftover scraps). Variety – When starting out, buy a lot of different cigars. Try everything, from the lightest Connecticut to the blackest maduro. Find what you like. Do you like smooth or spicy cigars? Oily or dryer? Large or small gauge? Try everything. When you find a cigar that you really like, try others from that company, others from that country, and others of that style. There’s a lot of trial and error in starting out. Embrace it. Cost – Don’t spend less than $3 or more than $6 until you have a feel for what you like. The extra cost will be wasted until you understand what you’re smoking. Brands to try: Here are some reasonably priced brands that still give you quality cigars. Rocky Patel’s Edge – Most Rocky Patels are pretty expensive. They make some of the best cigars in the world. The Edge is their most affordable cigar, and happens to be the best cigar per cost available, imo. Oliva – Oliva consistently makes some of the best cigars on the market for reasonably prices. Every Oliva I’ve ever smoked has been great. They produced the cigar of the year a few years ago, the Serie V, and it’s only about $6.50 (Don’t try this until you’re experienced. It will knock you on your ass.). Hoyo De Monterrey – This is one of the oldest companies out there. They continue to produce great cigars at reasonable prices. They also have a huge variety to choose from. Every tobacco shop carries at least something from this company. 5 Vegas – These guys have put out a lot of really respectable, really cheap cigars in the past couple years. The 5 Vegas gold is just as good as similar cigars 3 times it’s price (if you’re into Connecticuts). Try anything they make. Punch – Punch is a Honduran company that produces a relatively small variety of cigars. Everything they make, though, is very good. I know a lot of people who smoke these as their standby cigars, even after years of smoking. CAO – Frankly, CAO makes cigars that are built for beginners. They’re a little more expensive, but are very accessible to any smoker (in terms of flavors). I especially recommend the COA Brazilia and COA Italia. CAO also makes a lot of flavored cigars, which you should avoid. House Blends – A lot of companies and websites have their own special blends that they sell. Some are total crap. Some are pretty good. All are affordable. The cigar.com blends are respectable, and very cheap. That’s about it. If you are looking for more-specific recommendations, want advice on cutting/lighting/smoking, or need to know more about different types of cigars, let me know. You’ll find that cigar smokers are among the nicest people around (next to SC people, of course). If you join a cigar forum and ask for help, you’ll receive it by the bucket. | ||
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IkeScurvy
United States36 Posts
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Mykill
Canada3402 Posts
Do the brands really taste very different? or do you stick to the brand that you started with? | ||
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Omnipresent
United States871 Posts
On April 21 2011 03:26 Mykill wrote: question from a non-smoker. Do the brands really taste very different? or do you stick to the brand that you started with? My vast experience with cigars, pipes and hookah, and my limited experience with cigarettes, suggest the answer it "Yes." | ||
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dementrio
678 Posts
On April 21 2011 03:26 Mykill wrote: question from a non-smoker. Do the brands really taste very different? or do you stick to the brand that you started with? People are generally reluctant to switch brands, however they do taste different and it's more likely for someone to switch to a higher quality brand than a lower quality one. | ||
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vyyye
Sweden3917 Posts
On April 21 2011 03:26 Mykill wrote: question from a non-smoker. Do the brands really taste very different? or do you stick to the brand that you started with? Huge difference. I don't really like smoking anything beyond Golden Virginia and Lucky Strikes, though I can enjoy quite a few brands if I want a fag enough. Then there are a few I won't ever smoke again because I find them fucking horribly disgusting. Pal Mal, Drum and Embassy for example. It's preference really, there are quite a few who swear by the last three I mentioned. I started with Lambert & Butler but I just kind of stopped liking them. Preference, but there's definitely a difference. | ||
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Xinder
United States2269 Posts
On March 17 2011 07:06 Omnipresent wrote: Rocky Patel's Edge Maduro ![[image loading]](http://www.mikescigars.com/data_files/brands-product-line/241/large_mikes-cigars-product-241.jpg) This is, hands down, the best cigar for price on the market. It's sweet and creamy with a long finish. They're well made and reliable (and very affordable as cigars go). With a small cut, one of these things will smoke for up to 2 hours. Is this one really that sweet? I've had a few diff RPs but never have smoked a Maduro. Being under the impression that the darker the wrapper the more potent a cigar it is. If it really is sweet and creamy as you say i may need to see if my local spot has them. | ||
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Omnipresent
United States871 Posts
On April 21 2011 03:41 Xinder wrote: Is this one really that sweet? I've had a few diff RPs but never have smoked a Maduro. Being under the impression that the darker the wrapper the more potent a cigar it is. If it really is sweet and creamy as you say i may need to see if my local spot has them. The whole darker=stronger thing is a pretty common misconception. Maduros (dark cigars) are simply wrapped with leaves that have A) been left on the plant slightly longer and B) been cured for longer. This gives them a different flavor. If "stronger" has a meaning in the cigar world, it's "body." The Edge is a medium-full body smoke, so it's by no means weak. The smoke does have a distinct sweetness to it. If you're scared of darker cigars, don't be. My advice is to try them out. You may find you like them a lot. Just remember, there's a lot more to the cigar than just the darkness/lightness of the wrap. Some maduros are sweet and creamy, some have more of a coffee taste, and some are a little peppery. Let go of your fears. Try them all. | ||
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Xinder
United States2269 Posts
On April 21 2011 04:02 Omnipresent wrote: The whole darker=stronger thing is a pretty common misconception. Maduros (dark cigars) are simply wrapped with leaves that have A) been left on the plant slightly longer and B) been cured for longer. This gives them a different flavor. If "stronger" has a meaning in the cigar world, it's "body." The Edge is a medium-full body smoke, so it's by no means weak. The smoke does have a distinct sweetness to it. If you're scared of darker cigars, don't be. My advice is to try them out. You may find you like them a lot. Just remember, there's a lot more to the cigar than just the darkness/lightness of the wrap. Some maduros are sweet and creamy, some have more of a coffee taste, and some are a little peppery. Let go of your fears. Try them all. I may have to do that. Thank you for your explanation of that sir. Good to know my misconception is a common one.  | ||
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QuanticHawk
United States32157 Posts
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seaofsaturn
United States489 Posts
Kinda makes me want to have a guide like that for each section. | ||
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Omnipresent
United States871 Posts
On April 22 2011 03:51 seaofsaturn wrote: Omnipresent's cigar guide is so good. I put it in the OP. Kinda makes me want to have a guide like that for each section. Thanks. Cigarettes don't need much of a guide. Buy a pack, put one in your mouth, light, smoke. I'll do a pipe guide, as they're pretty complicated and quite intimidating. I'm not sure a Hookah guide is really necessary, but I can do one of those as well if people want one. | ||
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Cragus
Canada144 Posts
On the topic of Cuban cigars, I would advise that most people, particularly beginners, don't bother paying the premium for them. In the states, most 'Cubans' are counterfeit and outside the states, the real Cubans are... underwhelming. The quality control is pretty bad compared to their Honduran/Nicaraguan/etc. competitors. I have never ran into a plugged Rocky Patel or Alec Bradley (strongly recommend Alec Bradley btw, particularly the Tempus line); however, about 1/4 of the Cubans that I have smoked have had some sort of issue. | ||
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Omnipresent
United States871 Posts
On April 22 2011 04:25 Cragus wrote: An addendum to Omni's guide: Punch and Hoyo de Monterrey are both Cuban brands, which are not available in the US. The Punch and Hoyo de Monterrey cigars available in the States are made by companies allowed to use the names because the US government doesn't respect Cuban trademarks. This doesn't necessarily mean they are bad, but just be aware that a Punch bought in the US and a Punch bought anywhere else in the world are completely unrelated cigars (and it is illegal to bring the Cuban ones into the US). On the topic of Cuban cigars, I would advise that most people, particularly beginners, don't bother paying the premium for them. In the states, most 'Cubans' are counterfeit and outside the states, the real Cubans are... underwhelming. The quality control is pretty bad compared to their Honduran/Nicaraguan/etc. competitors. I have never ran into a plugged Rocky Patel or Alec Bradley (strongly recommend Alec Bradley btw, particularly the Tempus line); however, about 1/4 of the Cubans that I have smoked have had some sort of issue. The Hoyos and Punches (and Romeo y Julieta and others) we get in the US are actually made from the same companies as the Cuban varieties, they're simply made elsewhere from tobacco grown outside Cuba (I think Punch also put out a pre-embargo blend a few years back, but I'm not sure). The company is the same. The brand is legit. The location is different. I agree though, the best cigars available today are made in Honduras and Nicaragua. Some Dominicans are alright, and Carlos Tarano make a few really good ones that use mexican tobacco. | ||
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QuanticHawk
United States32157 Posts
On April 22 2011 04:05 Omnipresent wrote: Thanks. Cigarettes don't need much of a guide. Buy a pack, put one in your mouth, light, smoke. I'll do a pipe guide, as they're pretty complicated and quite intimidating. I'm not sure a Hookah guide is really necessary, but I can do one of those as well if people want one. flavors are a matter of personal choice I think mroe than anything else, but cleaning and getting a good one and all that jazz is important. | ||
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Cragus
Canada144 Posts
On April 22 2011 04:29 Omnipresent wrote: The Hoyos and Punches (and Romeo y Julieta and others) we get in the US are actually made from the same companies as the Cuban varieties, they're simply made elsewhere from tobacco grown outside Cuba (I think Punch also put out a pre-embargo blend a few years back, but I'm not sure). The company is the same. The brand is legit. The location is different. I agree though, the best cigars available today are made in Honduras and Nicaragua. Some Dominicans are alright, and Carlos Tarano make a few really good ones that use mexican tobacco. Cuba's cigar industry is entirely government owned and all the brands are subsidiaries of the main Cubatabaco company, the ones available in America are made by General Cigar Company which is owned by Swedish Match. The companies themselves are different, but in a couple of cases people from the pre-revolution cigar companies did start working at foreign cigar companies. This is the Supreme court case (really attempt at a case) that made this arrangement possible, if you are curious about the specific history. Of course, none of this really matters from a smoker's perspective since both Cubatabaco and General Cigar make good cigars. I really like your Edge recommendation though - that is my go-to smoke, although i learned my lesson the hard way about not smoking the churchills on an empty stomach... which reminds me, a nifty trick for beginners if they get in that nicotine overdose situation is to eat a bunch of sugar. Not sure how it works, but it really helps the nausea. | ||
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Bourneq
Sweden800 Posts
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