Greetings from Cincinnati. I'm Steve and extremely new to cigars thanks to a couple of buddies at work recently introducing me to the hobby. I've never smoked anything before in my 37 years on this rock. I've only tried a few different milder sticks so far, and my favorites are CAO Gold and 5 Vegas Gold. I've ordered a number of sampler packs from various websites and am looking forward to trying out all kinds of different brands and flavors and wrappers to develop my pallette. I'll eventually make my way up to the medium/full bodied varieties. I look forward to learning from the veterans out there. So far, the different cigar communities I've conversed with are very cool, down to earth people. Hope you are all having a great weekend so far, and long ashes of course!
Beginner from Cincinnati, OH
- Thread starter 1977sjr
- Start date
javajunkie
BoM July '12
welcome from damn near your line of sight, steve! park hills, ky over here, just a wee bit south of you. hit me up if you ever have the opportunity to sit down and burn one. o)
Hey Steve,
Welcome to the madhouse we call BOTL! I, too, was a complete n00b here (and to cigars) just last year and the brothers here are incredibly generous with their knowledge. So please don't hesitate to ask questions as we are all here to help.
Welcome to the madhouse we call BOTL! I, too, was a complete n00b here (and to cigars) just last year and the brothers here are incredibly generous with their knowledge. So please don't hesitate to ask questions as we are all here to help.
Steve welcome from Cincinnati as well (colerain).
Ducttapegonewild
Actual Size
Welcome, from the Great State of Texas!!!
Hobby to obsession to addiction that would be BOTL.
Welcome abord from Utah
Welcome - from a fairly new member here, but a long-time, veteran cigar smoker. A few tips - just my opinions.
1. Stay away from "Samplers." You will inevitably end-up with a bunch of cigars you'll never smoke. The merchants use samplers to "unload" the stuff that most somewhat evolved cigar smokers won't touch.
2. Never believe "reviews" from online merchants. They are designed to do one thing and only one thing - sell cigars.
3. Do read online reviews here and on the other cigar forums - but remember that your tastes are unique. You will evolve into finding the flavors that please your palate.
4. Learn how to smoke a cigar. May sound silly, but it is crucial to becoming able to discern cigar flavors and nuances. Slow is good - fast is bad. If the end of the cigar "the cherry" is red (glowing brightly) you are doomed. Try for one puff (or a double puff) per minute and see if you can go slower without losing the stick and having to re-light. Puff gently - like sipping - and take the smoke in slowly and release it slowly. Learn how to let some of the exhale go through your nose (retrohaling).
5. Learn how to store your cigars. Do not believe the 70% humidity 70 degrees nonsense. 70 degrees is good advice (or lower, but never over 75 degrees or tobacco beetles can hatch). Most cigar dudes and dudettes with experience prefer 65% or a point or two either way. Cigars that are too wet or too dry do not burn correctly and will not yield the good flavors. Wet cigars typically are harder to draw and require lots of puffing to keep them lit. Thus, they smoke too hot which spoils the flavors. Dry cigars also smoke too hot and burn erratically. You will learn over time how to "feel" whether your sticks are ready to smoke or not. You want them to be very firm but with a springy, slight "give" when you compress them between your thumb and forefinger. No compression = too dry. Soft or spongy = too wet (or an under-filled stick).
6. In lieu of buying samplers, go to your local tobacco store (B & M - Brick and Mortar) and buy singles of cigars that you read about in impartial reviews or as recommended by the tobacconist. It may seem more expensive - but trust me - it's not. I've got 300 cigars I'll probably never smoke - a lot of them very good indeed but not my style. They were all purchased online early in my internet buying days after reading BS marketing "reviews." I've already donated a bunch to Cigars for Warriors, and plan to donate a bunch more on Monday. Not so long ago, I donated 100 Rocky Patel's to the Warriors. Some people like 'em - but not me.
7. You need to try a few benchmark cigars of differing styles and blends to find your early preferences. You generally can't go wrong with Tatuaje Cazadores (or almost anything Tatuaje), Drew Estates unflavored cigars (mostly dark maduro efforts), Illusione, My Father Flor De las Antillas, almost anything else from Don Pepin or Jaime Garcia (including the whole My Father line), Crowned Heads, Ezra Zion, some AJ Fernandez cigars (including 5 Vegas, Diesel Unholy Cocktail etc.), Fratello, Padron maduro and natural, and others that the Brothers here can suggest. Smoke one of each to see which ones move your soul. Cigar smoking has some unique metaphysical aspects to it - as you will discover. Some cigars will rock your world - some won't. You need to establish some benchmark flavors that suit your tastes. We are all different - but there are lots of similarities - which is why some cigars are more popular than others - i.e, Tatuaje, Drew Estates, My Father etc.
8. Above all, find some kindred spirits to smoke with - cigars bring people together and offer an environment that revolves around the cigars, but creates lasting bonds of friendship.
Good Luck! George
Welcome from mn!
ChefBoyRG54
BoM Sept '14 & BoY 2014
Welcome from Michigan
Thanks so much for the warm welcome. I appreciate all the advice! I did lots of research and YouTube watching on the how-to's before even trying to smoke my first cigar. I bought a high quality butane lighter and cutter from Xikar and got some tips from a couple buddies at work who smoke fairly frequently. I managed to smoke my first stick down to the nub without re-lighting, coughing, or throwing up, so I suppose that's a success hahaha. For you guys in Cincy and northern KY, have you ever checked out House of Cigar in Sharonville? I live only a few miles from there and it's a very spacious and relaxing place, not to mention a huge walk-in humidor with an enormous selection, and one of the very few I found where you can actually smoke indoors. I've been there a few times now and it's a great atmosphere. If you ever want to meet up there, please let me know! They're open 7 days a week until around 11pm or so. Thanks again folks.
javajunkie
BoM July '12
HoC sharonville is a little high on their prices, but their facility is solid. dustinspo and i meet up there every couple few, when our schedules permit. we will have to try and line something up, sir. o)
