Newbie....where do i begin?

[Jay845]

First a little about myself:

33 years old
Non-smoker (as of now)
Live in Canada

I have decided I want to learn more about cigars and the hobby itself. I have virtually no experience in the world of cigars, as I have only smoked 7-11 type cigars before during stags. I don't want to spend alot of money on this hobby (probably no more than $8 a cigar) as of yet, but having said that I am a golfer, and I wouldn't mind have an occasional cigar on the course.

If you were me, what you recommend for a:

humidor size?
"starter cigars"
cutter?
lighter?

Here is a list of cigars available at my local cigar shop. I am not sure how up to date this is, but if there is anything on it that I should start with, let me know.

OUR CUBAN CIGAR LINE-UP
BOLIVAR
Royal Corona 4 7/8 x 50
Tubos #2 5 x 42
Tubos #3 4 7/8 x 34

COHIBA
Siglo IV 5 5/8 x 46
Siglo V 6 3/4 x 43
Esplendidos 7 x 47
Robustos 4 7/8 x 50

DIPLOMATICOS
No.5 4 x 40

FONSECA
Cosaco 5 3/8 x 42

GUANTANAMERA
Cristales 5 7/8 x 41

H. UPMANN
Connaisseur No.1 5 x 48
Coronas Major 5 1/4 x 44

HOYO DE MONTERREY
Coronations 5 1/8 x 42
Epicure No.2 4 7/8 x 50

LA FLOR DE CANO
Selectos 5 7/8 x 41

MONTECRISTO
No.2 6 1/8 x 52
No.4 5 x 42
No.5 4 x 40
Petit Tubos 5 x 42

PARTAGAS
Coronas Senior 5 1/4 x 44

Presidentes 6 1/4 x 47
Serie D No.4 4 7/8 x 50
Shorts 4 3/8 x 42
Super Partagas 5 1/2 x 40
Toppers 6 1/4 x 39
POR LARRANAGA
Monte Carlos 6 1/4 x 35
Panatelas 5 x 37

QUINTERO
Brevas 5 1/2 x 40

ROMEO Y JULIETA
Cedro Deluxe No.2 5 1/2 x 42
Cedro Deluxe No.3 5 x 42
Churchill 7x47
Exhibicion No.3 5 5/8 x 46
Exhibicion No.4 5 x 48
Hermosas No. 2 LE 6 1/4 x 48
Petit Princess 4 x 40

Romeo No.1 5 1/2 x 40
Romeo No.2 5 1/8 x 42
Romeo No.3 4 5/8 x 40
Tres Petit Corona 4 1/2 x 40

SAN CRISTOBAL DE LA HABANA
El Morro 7 x 49
El Principe 4 3/8 x 42
La Punta 5 1/2 x 52





CLUB SIZE:
Montecristo, Cohiba,
Romeo y Julieta & Partagas

MINI SIZE:
Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta
OUR DOMINICAN DELIGHTS !
ARTURO FUENTE
Chateau Maduro
Churchill
Curley Head Natural & Maduro

ASHTON
Senoritas
BALMORAL
Maduro Robusto and Corona
Corona Natural Tubes

CAPOTE
Especiales en Cedro


DON SEBASTIAN
Churchills and Corona tubes

DON TOMAS
Corona Grande
Robusto

EL CREDITO
No. 4 and Robusto
No. 4 Maduro

HENRY CLAY
Mirabelle and Pyramid

INDEPENDENCIA
No. 4

LA AURORA
No. 4

LEON JIMENES
Robusto and No. 4

MACANUDO
Ascot, Crystal Cafe & Hyde Park Cafe

MACANUDO ROBUST
Hampton Court


MACANUDO MADURO
Diplomat, Hyde
Park and Ascot

thanks
Jay

 

[Wigwam_Motel]

I learned from a mixture of things, from the boards, when having a question looking it up online, next learning from smoking everything I could get my hands on, then refining my taste and dislikes.

 

[Angry Bill]

Hello and Welcome. Smoke them all on your list!

 

[Hardcore]

You tell him Bill! LOL! :headroll::welcome: This is the best place to learn about cigars! I'm new as well but let me know if I can be of any help.
As for a cutter I love my xikar mtx. Never leave home without it. And as for lighters I like a nice butane torch style.

 

[petroleumengineer]

Welcome and what Bill said!

And there's not much better than smoking cigars hitting that little white thing around the course.

 

[smokingIsh]

Welcome aboard bro!

 

[openendstraight]

Smoke everything you can at first, ooohhh hell who am I kidding. Smoke everything you can period. Oh and :welcome:

 

[BagfullofPings]

At a place like this you can learn a s**tload cigar knowledge. That is great up to a point. When it comes right down to it, you need to smoke, smoke, and smoke some more. Good luck and have fun.

Jason

 

[JRL]

Hello and welcome aboard.

 

[Nuckz23]

Welcome!

 

[Swampfox21]

howdy! as a fellow golfer I know what you mean. If I were you I wouldnt actually drop alot of money on a humidor right away. buy a couple singles and hit the course. take notes of what you like and dont like. I usually bring 1 cigar if im playin 9 or 2 if im playin 18. If you do find out that you like cigars, you may want to just pick up a peice of tupperware and make a "tupperdor"( there are threads on the site with more info), its easier to use than a humidor. as for starter cigars ( noncubans) i would recomend something like a CAO gold or macanudo. as for cutters i would recomend a "craftsmans bench" double guillotine cutter ( bout 8 US bucks). and now for lighters go with butane. Its supposed to not leave any weird flavors on the cigar. Ive got a coleman butane lighter that works well. ronson(sp?) makes a decent butane lighter pretty cheap. This place is great for learning about cigars and smoking accessories. Oh not to mention these guys are awesome!

 

[CWS]

Welcome to BOTL. Enjoy! Oh and I moved your post to the Intro Thread

 

[sportsmedjosh]

Welcome!

 

[Soundwave13]

Just select sizes that you are comfortable with based on time available and personal prefference.
I would recommend taking a few notes on the cigars that you try.

There are many ways to store, cut, light and places to purchase (or make trades) from...

Avoid buying boxes at first, because your tastes will change over time until you really develop a sense of what you really enjoy & have the knowledge to recognize a value purchase.

Welcome to BOTL & happy hunting!

 

[Moro]

Welcome to the Brotherhood, mate! As for cutter, get a Palio or a XiKar from right now. Ye'll end up buyingone so save yerself spendingon cheap ones. Lighter? Butane one. If ye get a XiKar, it won't be as expensieve as others yet will still have a lifetime guaranty. Use triple or better refined butane. Humidor? Get atupperdor for now until ye learn a tad of how ye'll be smoking (yet always get a size bigger than expected...cigars will come) as well as some beads from our retailers (they make life easier). As for which cigars, buy any that catches yer eye (try and keep itbelow 3 for now) as well as try samplers. Loads of them (http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php?t=4734). Read all the stickies and when in doubt, just ask.

 

[Shmear]

:welcome:
You'll have a great time here and you'll get an answer to your questions.
Now, you can get cheap cigars and that are good, but there are some that you do have to spend to get a good one.

My very very first cigar was a Montecristo, robusto. I don't remember which Montecrito it was, that i apologize, but i loved it and i think it's great to start with and if not, try a Cohiba Robustos, they are very good. They won't let you down.

 

[daniyal]

Welcome aboard! smoke as many as you can afford. I'd say you should start off with the diplomaticos, bolivar royal corona and montecristo no.4 and work up from there.

 

[Jfire]

Yello!

 

[rick12string]

You’ve received some very good advice already so I’ll just say Welcome and Enjoy!

 

[Jay845]

Thanks for the welcome and advice so far guys. Looking forward to becoming a regular here. I will keep you up to date on my progress.

Jay