Sorry Wynn but it's going to be Bellagio and Venetian from now on...

[sublime]

[sublime]

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm just learning about good cigars right now.

[/ QUOTE ]

Keep in mind I'm the guy who advocates drinking wine in boxes for casual drinking. I also held a wine tasting party at my place with best friend and gf, blind tasting "Two Buck Chuck" against a ten dollar popular brand, forever saving me money since gf liked the $2 stuff (sold only by Trader Joe's) better.



[ QUOTE ]
For someone who isn't accustomed to tobacco (never smoke pipes or cigarettes), any recommendations? I've had a flavored cigar that I genuinely liked quite a bit -- a Hula Girl cigar in Hawaii that was flavored with Kona coffee -- that was mild and had a sweet aftertaste.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd start with mid sized cigars, about 5.5 to 6 inches long and around 48 ring gauge. If you go with JR, try the five pack samplers since they price these at about the same price per cigar as the full box price. I have the catalog up on the other screen, and a few I've liked include Don Diego Corona's, H. Upmann Connoisseur Cabinet, the various Montecristo's and Punch brands.

I'd avoid wasting money on fancy cigar cutters and stuff. I smoke mostly at home (on the porch and by the pool) and find quality kitchen shears make the best cut and large wooded matches are best for lighting (I haven't had a torch lighter that lasts more than two months).

For cigar advice that involves spending more money "balla style", search 2+2 keying on +cigar -Nebiolo.

~ Rick

[govman6767]

Did I not read somewhere that Wynn HATES HAVING poker in his casinos...

You would be much better at the el cortez

[*TT*]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd avoid wasting money on fancy cigar cutters and stuff. I smoke mostly at home (on the porch and by the pool) and find quality kitchen shears make the best cut and large wooded matches are best for lighting (I haven't had a torch lighter that lasts more than two months).

[/ QUOTE ]

This is one part that I can honestly say is bad advice rick, especially with the cigar brands your ordering. I'll GIVE you a fancy cigar cutter because it pains me to see you "ruining" your stogies by creating a poor draw with a bad cut. The ideal cut is the notch, ad for those JRs that you smoke a punch might be better than a cutter, but cutter is far better than standard kitchen shears. Your doing damage to the end of the cigar without even knowing it!

PS: torches rule [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] Get a canister of butane to refill it.

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

[steamboatin]

[ QUOTE ]
This is one part that I can honestly say is bad advice rick, especially with the cigar brands your ordering. I'll GIVE you a fancy cigar cutter because it pains me to see you "ruining" your stogies by creating a poor draw with a bad cut. The ideal cut is the notch, ad for those JRs that you smoke a punch might be better than a cutter, but cutter is far better than standard kitchen shears. Your doing damage to the end of the cigar without even knowing it!

PS: torches rule Get a canister of butane to refill it.


[/ QUOTE ]

Amen, brother TT. I just learned about notch cutting and it rocks. Wooden Matches are >Zippo but torches rule!

Punch cut is next best IMHO.

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'd avoid wasting money on fancy cigar cutters and stuff. I smoke mostly at home (on the porch and by the pool) and find quality kitchen shears make the best cut and large wooded matches are best for lighting (I haven't had a torch lighter that lasts more than two months).

[/ QUOTE ]

This is one part that I can honestly say is bad advice rick, especially with the cigar brands your ordering.

[/ QUOTE ]

Keep in mind that's the upper end of the cigars I order. Usually I get about 80% of the $1 or so JR knockoffs mixed in with some cigars in the $3 range. Of course that same $3 cigar would cost $12 in a California cigar store. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I as pretty much committed to remaining the "anti-balla".



[ QUOTE ]
I'll GIVE you a fancy cigar cutter because it pains me to see you "ruining" your stogies by creating a poor draw with a bad cut. The ideal cut is the notch, ad for those JRs that you smoke a punch might be better than a cutter, but cutter is far better than standard kitchen shears. Your doing damage to the end of the cigar without even knowing it!

[/ QUOTE ]

I got your PM and also checked out how notched cutters work online. I already have a bullet cutter, but these have a limited lifespan (they lose sharpness after a couple hundred cuts). Anyway, the notch seems like a great idea. I'd try to send some sort of "anti-balla" gift to reciprocate, but I can't think of one that would fit your taste right now.



[ QUOTE ]
PS: torches rule [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] Get a canister of butane to refill it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've had two fairly expensive ones and they broke after a few months (in fairness I dropped one on cement near the pool). The other one has developed some sort of leak and won't hold fuel for longer than a day, and I bought the super filtered fuel for $12 from a cigar store. I did find a cheap torch lighter at a "alternative lifestyle shop" that still works after one month, and if it lasts longer it will be my "anti-balla" solution.

~ Rick

[steamboatin]

[ QUOTE ]
I've had two fairly expensive ones and they broke after a few months (in fairness I dropped one on cement near the pool). The other one has developed some sort of leak and won't hold fuel for longer than a day, and I bought the super filtered fuel for $12 from a cigar store. I did find a cheap torch lighter at a "alternative lifestyle shop" that still works after one month, and if it lasts longer it will be my "anti-balla" solution.

~ Rick



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Depending upon your definition of fairly expensive, the lighter (maybe not the dropped one) should be under warranty or repairable at the smoke shop. My local smoke shop repairs lighters.

I'll tell you a little story about how I got my good cigar lighter. Just before Valentine
's Day, I discovered a jewlery advertisement with a necklace circled laying just where I was most likely to see it. So when it got close to my birthday and the MRS asked what I wanted, I told her I wanted this lighter.

Normally, I don't care if I get a birthday present or not and when asked, I would never specify a present especially not something that cost $100. Altough after the ad circling episode, I felt justified in asking for something nice.

Now the jury is still out but I have either, stopped the ad circling in its tracks or upped the ante.

[*TT*]

[ QUOTE ]
I've had two fairly expensive ones and they broke after a few months (in fairness I dropped one on cement near the pool). The other one has developed some sort of leak and won't hold fuel for longer than a day, and I bought the super filtered fuel for $12 from a cigar store. I did find a cheap torch lighter at a "alternative lifestyle shop" that still works after one month, and if it lasts longer it will be my "anti-balla" solution.

~ Rick

[/ QUOTE ]


funny how this thread has gone full circle and we are on another topic. Hijack!

I had a cheapo plastic torch for $7 that lasted me for many many many years, I used it daily to light candles and burn things like a good little pyro should in addition to smoking stogies (with fine scotch or cognac, although the Macallan that this thread started off with is far out of my reach).
I think I probably had to buy a new butane refill 2x, thats how long it lasted for me. Those cheapo torches are fantastic sometimes!

PS: No need for an anti-balla present, we already cool like that.

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

[gusmahler]

[ QUOTE ]

I disagree Sublime, ballas use credit for everything. Ask Donald Trump for if he has $100 in his back pocket if you ever see him, its a safe bet he does not.

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

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In The Professor, The Banker, and the Suicide King, the book notes that Beal never carries cash. He'd wire millions to Bellagio, yet have no money in his pocket, to the point that he was plyaing with $20K+ blinds, yet had to borrow cash off of Doyle to catch a cab.