Re: Cigar Thread
 

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Spending about $150 on a friend's wedding gift and cigar/cigar products are what I'd like to do. He has a barebones humidor, an expensive lighter but that's it. He is not an expert but he probably has preferences I'm unaware of. I'm not going to ask him what he likes as it would ruin the surprise. Spend my $150 for me.

Unrelated Question #1: If an inexperienced smoker gets sick after smoking, how likely is it that it's related? If anything at all, what are they doing wrong?

Unrelated Question #2: I hate how the smell gets underneath my fingernails/hard to wash out of my hands. Prevention? Remedying the problem once it has already occurred?

Unrelated Question #3: When for whatever reason you get an uneven light how should you fix this? Just smoke through it or relight it?

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For 150, I would recommend getting him a Nice Cutter/Punch and a box fo Cigars. You say he has a nice lighter already, so a nice Cutter is a great thing to get. Personally I have a Xikar Xi2 and I really like it. You can get it at most cigar stores, I posted a list above, just price check them and get the best price.

For the Cigar Box, I love the Patel Vintages, so I can't argue with that recommendation.

As for the other questions, I still get a little woozy after some of the stronger cigars, but I hope that goes away. Never the Vintages though [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] . Not sure what to tell you about the smell, I just smoke like one a day and I have a terrible sense of smell anyway.

C-Dog

Re: Cigar Thread
 

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[ QUOTE ]
Try http://www.coh-hk.com for Cubans.

I think the prices are good.

I have never ordered from them, but I have heard they are very reliable from people I know irl.

C-Dog

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I ordered a small box of 15 Montecristos, and they got stuck in the customs, meaning I had to pay around the same amount as their value on in the shop to get em. So if you live in EU, you can certainly get a better bargain.

That aside, the product seems genuine and the service was great with the tracking codes and so forth.

[/ QUOTE ]

I bought from this site and had no problems whatsoever. I did however have to go to the post office to pick up the package which gave me a little angst, but they didn't know what was in it and there were no problems.

Which makes me wonder, exactly how much trouble would I have been in if the Post office knew they were Cubans?

Re: Cigar Thread
 

I dunno about that. I believe there is a fine just for having them in your possession though. Good to know they made it through to ya.

C-Dog

Re: Cigar Thread
 

Good and informative cigar review page, mostly Cubans:

http://www.cigars-review.org/

Re: Cigar Thread
 

I'm not a avid smoker, but when I do light one up I like a good smoke. Anyone try 'La Aroma de Cuba'? I have the Corona Minor's and I'll say it's a quality smoke for the price.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

little bump I guess,

I always wondered why some cigars made me dizzy as hell, some of them have taken me out of commission for a while. I'll smoke it, and then 10 minutes later I go to bed.

But, the vintage Rocky Patel (my favorite) didn't have that affect on me either. The Montecristo I tried did, I think the Romeo Y julieta did as well.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

[ QUOTE ]
little bump I guess,

I always wondered why some cigars made me dizzy as hell, some of them have taken me out of commission for a while. I'll smoke it, and then 10 minutes later I go to bed.

But, the vintage Rocky Patel (my favorite) didn't have that affect on me either. The Montecristo I tried did, I think the Romeo Y julieta did as well.

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I'm pretty sure that what you're describing is technically called "nicotine poisoning." Different cigars have different amounts of nicotine, and it can have a nauseating effect on you if you're not used to it.

That said, I thought Montecristo's had a reputation as being relatively mild (in both flavor and "strength"). I think it's more likely that you get that nauseous feeling when you smoke a cigar without having eaten much beforehand.

-McGee

Re: Cigar Thread
 

Taso, I just realized that there is some good discussion of this earlier in the thread.

-McGee

Re: Cigar Thread
 

lol yeah, I read that stuff and was just refering to that. The eating before hand is interesting - I've been...broke, as of late, so the whole food thing is a little tricky. Of course, you have to wonder why I'm paying $10 for a cigar when I'm eating the 2:30am give away donuts from Dunkin Donuts... I may need to get my priorities straight.

Anywho, a friend of mine has a good Cuban Cigar hook up through his dad, and I'm going to have my first cuban cigar tonight - I expect to be dissapointed, I don't think I'm intelligent enough (cigar wise) to appreciate a cuban cigar as much as others do. Either way, I'll make sure to eat a lot before hand :P

Re: Cigar Thread
 

[ QUOTE ]
Spending about $150 on a friend's wedding gift and cigar/cigar products are what I'd like to do. He has a barebones humidor, an expensive lighter but that's it. He is not an expert but he probably has preferences I'm unaware of. I'm not going to ask him what he likes as it would ruin the surprise. Spend my $150 for me.

Unrelated Question #1: If an inexperienced smoker gets sick after smoking, how likely is it that it's related? If anything at all, what are they doing wrong?

[/ QUOTE ]

The sick feeling that you get is because nicotine is a vasoconstrictor. It makes all the blood vessles in your body, including your stomach, where a lot of smoke and nicotine end up, constrict. They are trying to limit how much nicotine goes in. As the other poster mentioned. Eat some sugar which is a vasodialator. It will counter the effect.

I remember a great cigar that I smoked in AC at Caesars. La Flor Double Ligero. Its like a Maduro with a double fermented wrapper. As another poster mentioned, La Flor have a wicked nicotine kick and after about half I felt sick as a dog. Good think that at Caesars they have those free little cups of chocolates. One cup later, plus 1 free coke and I was as good as new.

Greg

Re: Cigar Thread
 

this is a little off topic, but it relates to the people posting about getting sick to their stomach or dizzy after smoking a strong cigar. the first time i smoked a hookah i was amazed out how smooth the smoke was compared to cigarettes or marijuana. you can inhale huge amounts of hookah smoke without it irritating your lungs or making you cough. i think this has to do with the hookah tobacco being burned at a lower temperature because the coals never touch the tobacco.

i was at a hookah bar with a bunch of friends, so we all start trying to impress one another by taking enormous puffs on the hookas. i became so light headed that i got tunnel vision and was sick to my stomach for hours. nicotine is one strong drug.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

[ QUOTE ]
this is a little off topic, but it relates to the people posting about getting sick to their stomach or dizzy after smoking a strong cigar. the first time i smoked a hookah i was amazed out how smooth the smoke was compared to cigarettes or marijuana. you can inhale huge amounts of hookah smoke without it irritating your lungs or making you cough. i think this has to do with the hookah tobacco being burned at a lower temperature because the coals never touch the tobacco.

i was at a hookah bar with a bunch of friends, so we all start trying to impress one another by taking enormous puffs on the hookas. i became so light headed that i got tunnel vision and was sick to my stomach for hours. nicotine is one strong drug.

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I've only smoked a hooka a few times and enjoyed it a lot. I think that the reason that the smoke is so smooth is that it is flavored combined with the water filtration. Pipe smoke is similar in flavor but harsher due to no filtration. I am pretty sure you have to have a coal in touch with the tobacco to burn the hooka tobacco though. They always used to take an actual coal where we smoked and stick it on top so that you could smoke it at a very leisurely pace without going out.

Try the sugar next time. It works very well.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

I know that this is a fairly old thread, and I originally read it a few weeks back, but upon a recent visit to Cuba, my interest in cigars has really increased. I went to Cuba for about a week, and in that time, smoked aboud a cigar a day. I didn't really know anything about cigars but I must honeslt say that I really enjoyed the cigars in Cuba. I had a few Romeo and Juliet, Cohibas and some Monte Cristos but I can't remember the other names. I'm really interested in learning more about cigars but for now I'll just ask this. Does it make a difference whether you inhale the cigar or not? I always assumed that a cigar was never inhaled but I noticed that some people actually inahle the cigar, so my queation is what is the differwnce between inhaling or not inhaling when smoking a cigar?

Re: Cigar Thread
 

[ QUOTE ]
I know that this is a fairly old thread, and I originally read it a few weeks back, but upon a recent visit to Cuba, my interest in cigars has really increased. I went to Cuba for about a week, and in that time, smoked aboud a cigar a day. I didn't really know anything about cigars but I must honeslt say that I really enjoyed the cigars in Cuba. I had a few Romeo and Juliet, Cohibas and some Monte Cristos but I can't remember the other names. I'm really interested in learning more about cigars but for now I'll just ask this. Does it make a difference whether you inhale the cigar or not? I always assumed that a cigar was never inhaled but I noticed that some people actually inahle the cigar, so my queation is what is the differwnce between inhaling or not inhaling when smoking a cigar?

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People do inhale cigar smoke. However, I would not recommend it. You will inhale quite a bit of second hand smoke without intending to anyways, but you have a very good chance to make yourself puke if you inhale. It like smoking a few pack of cigarettes at once.

My recommendation is to pick up one of the cigars known for their high nicotine content (some mentioned above like la flor etc) and just don't inhale on them. You get plenty of nicotine that way and you will get a nice long and mellow buzz rather than a mind altering puking session.

+EV

Re: Cigar Thread
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Try http://www.coh-hk.com for Cubans.

I think the prices are good.

I have never ordered from them, but I have heard they are very reliable from people I know irl.

C-Dog

[/ QUOTE ]

I ordered a small box of 15 Montecristos, and they got stuck in the customs, meaning I had to pay around the same amount as their value on in the shop to get em. So if you live in EU, you can certainly get a better bargain.

That aside, the product seems genuine and the service was great with the tracking codes and so forth.

[/ QUOTE ]

I bought from this site and had no problems whatsoever. I did however have to go to the post office to pick up the package which gave me a little angst, but they didn't know what was in it and there were no problems.

Which makes me wonder, exactly how much trouble would I have been in if the Post office knew they were Cubans?

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Have you tried one yet? If so, how do you know 100% that it's cuban? I have a local that I get mine from, but he charges $20 each or $400/box of 25. I can deinitely tell from the lithium high how good they are though. So how can you be so sure a website is giving you the real deal? I want to know because I may have to try them myself.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

It's a large advertiser on the web for sale of Cubans. It has ads on many Cigar Sites and Boards. While this does not mean they are legit, it adds to the possibility as people who have them advertising on their site are likely to have tried them. And if they run a Cigar site, they should have a good idea what they are smoking. In all reality you can never be 100% on anything you don't get at the factory. Unless you are standing there in Cuba at the factory watching your smoke being rolled can you truly be 100%? The few I have received from there were quite good though. The last batch did have one box that was a bit young, but nothing a little time in the Humidor won't shore up.

C-Dog

Re: Cigar Thread
 

If anyone knows much about pipes, that might be a good spin-off thread.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

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If anyone knows much about pipes, that might be a good spin-off thread.

[/ QUOTE ]
There's already one pipe thread:
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...part=1&vc=1

Re: Cigar Thread
 

Wow just found this. Nice guide. The H. Upmann Vinatage Cameroon Churchill/Belicoso is my favorite too beside the CAO extreme and the usually "out of my means" Davidoff aviversary (the one with no label and perfecto shape). I've been smoking since I was 16 and I love it. Anyone got any tips on keeping the burn even while smoking like after a poor light? Ever relight?

Re: Cigar Thread
 

[ QUOTE ]
Wow just found this. Nice guide. The H. Upmann Vinatage Cameroon Churchill/Belicoso is my favorite too beside the CAO extreme and the usually "out of my means" Davidoff aviversary (the one with no label and perfecto shape). I've been smoking since I was 16 and I love it. Anyone got any tips on keeping the burn even while smoking like after a poor light? Ever relight?

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If you are going to relight, chop the lit part off so you have fresh cigar, dont relight anything that has been burned.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

Thanks for the tip...kinda scared of burning my self cutting it though. What about if one side of the cigar is burning a bit faster than the rest? Is there any positioning of the cigar like twisting it around that could cure this?

Re: Cigar Thread
 

Saw this link today on slickdeals. Looks like its a box of 20 cigars of different varieties, plus a few random other stuff, for $69. They claim the cigars alone retail individually for a total of $110.

Slickdeals thread

Direct link to JR Cigars

Re: Cigar Thread
 

Some things I wanted to add. I'm pretty sure these were left out, but just skimming through I may have missed these. This is what I've heard so if any of it is wrong, let me know.

1. Once you get your cigars you want to take them out of the plastic wrap and place them in your humidor and let them sit for a couple months before smoking.

2. Never put a partially smoked cigar back into your humidor.

3. If you intend on finishing a cigar at a later time don't put out your cigar, let it naturally put itself out.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the tip...kinda scared of burning my self cutting it though. What about if one side of the cigar is burning a bit faster than the rest? Is there any positioning of the cigar like twisting it around that could cure this?

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Smoke the cigar so that the part that isn't burning as quickly is at the bottom.

-McGee

Re: Cigar Thread
 

[ QUOTE ]
1. Once you get your cigars you want to take them out of the plastic wrap and place them in your humidor and let them sit for a couple months before smoking.


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There's nothing wrong with leaving the cigar in the cellophane. New smokers should be aware that unwrapped cigars sitting next to each other without the cellophane wrapper will undergo a "marriage" of flavors, which may or may not be desirable. Just know that a cigar stored in this way will likely taste different than one of the same brand that was stored with its wrapper on.

-McGee

Re: Cigar Thread
 

[ QUOTE ]
Some things I wanted to add. I'm pretty sure these were left out, but just skimming through I may have missed these. This is what I've heard so if any of it is wrong, let me know.

1. Once you get your cigars you want to take them out of the plastic wrap and place them in your humidor and let them sit for a couple months before smoking.

2. Never put a partially smoked cigar back into your humidor.

3. If you intend on finishing a cigar at a later time don't put out your cigar, let it naturally put itself out.

[/ QUOTE ]


a couple of months? I dont see how that could be right if you are buying from a store with a good walkin humidor.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the tip...kinda scared of burning my self cutting it though. What about if one side of the cigar is burning a bit faster than the rest? Is there any positioning of the cigar like twisting it around that could cure this?

[/ QUOTE ]

Smoke the cigar so that the part that isn't burning as quickly is at the bottom.

-McGee

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Thanks! I figured this would work, but didn't know which way to hold the cigar.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

Do you experts have any idea whether cheap humidors are "acceptable," or is that a "get what you pay for" type of item? Specifically, I was wondering about this 8 cigar + humidor package:

Cigars Int'l

EDIT: God, that humidor is ugly. Still, the question stands: are humidors "get what you pay for," or can you get perfectly fine ones for $20 or less?

Re: Cigar Thread
 

You can't really tell from the internet. I would really want to see the humidor in person so I could give it the swish test which gives you a good idea if it's sealed off well. You just open the lid then drop it shut. If it slams shut it's probably no good...you want a swish.

Anyway, at the local cigar store here in Knoxville there's a small humidor for forty dollars that my friend has and it passes the swish test with me and keeps almost perfect humidity. Take that FWIW.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

The JR weekly special is a 40-cigar humidor with 15 H. Upmann cigars in it for like $50.

The humidor looks a lot like one I got from them in another weekly special, although of a different cigar brand. It's of fine quality, but mine was damaged upon arrival. I probably could have returned it, but I jerry-rigged it so it works fine. This one might be a bit bettere value than the one from Cigars International -- hard to say from the pictures.

-McGee

Re: Cigar Thread
 

Anyone know about the new Romeo y Julieta Viejo line?

Re: Cigar Thread
 

I'm heading to the cigar store later. I'll pick one up if they have one and post a review.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

Well they didn't have one so sorry I can't review. I did go with an H. Upmann cameroon churchill was becoming a rare find around here in that particular size. It was great as usual. One cigar I'll suggest to everybody is the Montecristo Serie C which has a cameroon wrapper. It's amazing. It's slightly mild, but rich and complex enough for any serious smoker to enjoy. Highly recommend it.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

Ok I have gotten into a fairly heated recurring argument as to the "correct" method of smoking a cigar and wanted to see what most people do. I have always assumed that you should puff a cigar and draw the smoke into your mouth to get the flavor without inhaling. My friend has been telling me that this is a sort of widely spread myth and that cigars should be inhaled, and this is the correct way of smoking them. Is there a correct method to smoking a cigar? What do most people do?

Re: Cigar Thread
 

Don't inhale - your friend must be insane.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

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Don't inhale - your friend must be insane.

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Im thinking he didnt mean "inhaled" in teh traditional sense, I think he meant, drawing the smoke, and than "breathing" it so you can actually smell it etc. If you meant inhaled like a cigarette, your friend is [censored] nuts. Otherwise, if he means drawing some of the smoke, and breathing it to "taste" it, than ya, he is kind of right. Its not a "myth", as drawing it into your mouth still gets you flavor, but "breathing" it to get a good sense of the smoke is mandatory to figure out the whole spectrum of taste. This is totally my opinion, and how I smoke, but I smoke a lot of cigars, and this is the most enjoyable way imo.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

cant wait to get home today... bought a handful of hemingway short stories and best sellers. i cant decide which i like more.

any suggestions on a drink to pair with one?

Re: Cigar Thread
 

I need a little help finding a cigar to add to my lineup. Right now I stick to medium-full bodied smokes. Standard five are the Padron 4000, h. upmann cameroon, cao brazilia, montecristo platinum (when i can find it), and the fuente hemmingways. I've having a CAO cameroon later tonight (no doubt my favorite wrapper), but I want to try other brands. What are your favorite smokes from romeo y julietta, AVO, punch (besides rare corojo), etc.? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Re: Cigar Thread
 

I like the Romeo y Julieta Aniversario No. 2 Belicoso and the Romeo y Julieta Viejo E.

Re: Cigar Thread
 

Another newb question. I just recently took up the hobby again after not smoking for a few years. When I smoked before I was seriously uneducated. Anyway, I'm on a strict budget, so started off with a mix of AF Curly Heads and Curly Head Deluxes. While I have read bad reviews of the Deluxe, I actually enjoyed it quite a bit taste wise, however, every fifth cigar or so there would be an annoying occurrence about half-way through. Essentially, I'd be drawing smoke but with ZERO flavor. Not bad flavor, just no flavor, almost like tasting air. Is this common among cheaper cigars? What causes it?