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Pushing a future BOTL

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As usual, a contrary view here. I think the brotherhood is great but not much of an apostle here... sorry. Smoking cigars is a highly personal issue.... not only what we smoke, but where and with whom. I am not at all comfortable with suggesting to anyone even his method of prepping a cigar.... a knife is as good as a $ 45 Xikar V-cut, if that's what a guy is comfortable with. My daily smoke is an unlabeled bundle choice.... if someone thinks by gifting me a $ 15 cigar he's really doing me a favor (edging me down a "slippery slope,") thanks but no thanks.... I'm old enough to spend my time and money as I wish, on things
I want.
The OP obviously felt he was doing a nice, generous thing and many responders evidently agree with him. OK, good for all who agreed and encouraged. Personally, I could never bring myself to do that... I am happy to enjoy my little hobby/vice without needing to induce anyone else to mimic me in any way, shape, or form.
Obviously, your mileage does vary!
Can you elaborate on the reason you choose to smoke unlabeled bundles? Maybe it will help the other folks understand the contrast
 

sofc

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People will smoke what they like and or what they think is a reasonable priced cigar. I know very wealthy people who smoke $2 sticks because they want to. I've tried to give them better cigars both at that same price point and higher and they all stick with what they know and like.

Everyone seems to say smoke what you like but when the rubber hits the road we want to correct everyone's cigar choices. Don't get me wrong, I do this also. I can't believe three quarters of what people smoke and rave about here on BO T L
 
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As usual, a contrary view here. I think the brotherhood is great but not much of an apostle here... sorry. Smoking cigars is a highly personal issue.... not only what we smoke, but where and with whom. I am not at all comfortable with suggesting to anyone even his method of prepping a cigar.... a knife is as good as a $ 45 Xikar V-cut, if that's what a guy is comfortable with. My daily smoke is an unlabeled bundle choice.... if someone thinks by gifting me a $ 15 cigar he's really doing me a favor (edging me down a "slippery slope,") thanks but no thanks.... I'm old enough to spend my time and money as I wish, on things
I want.
The OP obviously felt he was doing a nice, generous thing and many responders evidently agree with him. OK, good for all who agreed and encouraged. Personally, I could never bring myself to do that... I am happy to enjoy my little hobby/vice without needing to induce anyone else to mimic me in any way, shape, or form.
Obviously, your mileage does vary!
I think you totally missed the point here. It was a gift. Just because it is not something you would do doesn't mean others can't.
 
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Javelin, read my post closely and you'll see I specifically said if it pleases you to "push" (the OP's word, not mine) a smoker, "OK, good for all who agreed and encouraged."
In my experience a gift is not always appreciated if the recipient might perceive it as a slight.... imagine a relative stranger (or even a friend) gifting you a deodorant stick.
If the gift of a cutter is inferred to be critical of my using a knife to cut my cigar, I could be offended. Maybe, maybe not... why risk it.
My point: a gift as a gift is terrific... as a "push," maybe not so terrific. The recipient's perception, not necessarily the giver's intent, defines the experience
As to why I choose to smoke an inexpensive cigar, the answer is amazingly simple (and basically irrelevant): it's what I can afford if I want to smoke a cigar or two daily.
Gifting me a $ 15 stick is nice, as long as it's not intended to "push" me to make it a regular in my rotation, or to emphasize I'm smoking an "inferior" stick (in the giver's
opinion). sofc seems to get my point on this... thank you, sir!
Now as a casual observation, the majority of those supporting the OP seem to be relatively new to BOTL; this may or not mean they are new to "serious" cigar smoking.
In my experience, however, it is usually the relative newcomer who most enthusiastically embraces a new-found hobby and is most likely to want to share it and promote
it with others. That's certainly not necessarily a bad thing (or a good one either); just seems to be a trait more common to newer converts to many hobbies. Not meaning
to be/seem judgmental ... just an "innocent" observation. It may help explain why, as someone who has smoked cigars off and on for 30+ years, I am less likely to take
an approach similar to the OP's. To each his own is a concept I really embrace!
I think the OP's intentions were positive; hopefully, the recipient realized and appreciated the gesture in the spirit it was intended.
 
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Javelin, read my post closely and you'll see I specifically said if it pleases you to "push" (the OP's word, not mine) a smoker, "OK, good for all who agreed and encouraged."
In my experience a gift is not always appreciated if the recipient might perceive it as a slight.... imagine a relative stranger (or even a friend) gifting you a deodorant stick.
If the gift of a cutter is inferred to be critical of my using a knife to cut my cigar, I could be offended. Maybe, maybe not... why risk it.
My point: a gift as a gift is terrific... as a "push," maybe not so terrific. The recipient's perception, not necessarily the giver's intent, defines the experience
As to why I choose to smoke an inexpensive cigar, the answer is amazingly simple (and basically irrelevant): it's what I can afford if I want to smoke a cigar or two daily.
Gifting me a $ 15 stick is nice, as long as it's not intended to "push" me to make it a regular in my rotation, or to emphasize I'm smoking an "inferior" stick (in the giver's
opinion). sofc seems to get my point on this... thank you, sir!
Now as a casual observation, the majority of those supporting the OP seem to be relatively new to BOTL; this may or not mean they are new to "serious" cigar smoking.
In my experience, however, it is usually the relative newcomer who most enthusiastically embraces a new-found hobby and is most likely to want to share it and promote
it with others. That's certainly not necessarily a bad thing (or a good one either); just seems to be a trait more common to newer converts to many hobbies. Not meaning
to be/seem judgmental ... just an "innocent" observation. It may help explain why, as someone who has smoked cigars off and on for 30+ years, I am less likely to take
an approach similar to the OP's. To each his own is a concept I really embrace!
I think the OP's intentions were positive; hopefully, the recipient realized and appreciated the gesture in the spirit it was intended.
I think you'll probably find a fairly biased sample here. We've all joined a community expressly dedicated to sharing information and opinions about cigars. I'm sure there are plenty of cigar smokers with no interest in doing what we do daily. They just want to be left alone to smoke.

That said, I don't think introducing someone to new cigars is a bad thing and I don't think many would be offended (even if you are giving them a "push"). I think given the regulatory environment today, the more people we can get to understand cigars and the industry, the better we'll be. My other hobby is shooting. I'll take any chance I can get to take someone new out to shoot with me because most people really enjoy it once they try it. And, more over, they come to understand that guns aren't evil. Cigars are kind of similar.
 

Ducttapegonewild

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I would like to know if the OP has had an opportunity to speak to this other guy about what he gave him. I give a lot of the cigars I buy out to people I know, because they are curious about cigars or they are cigar smokers who have never had that particular cigar. I've never once implied that the cigars I smoke are better than the cigars they smoke, but I have been told that the cigars I smoke are better than the ones they smoke. I'm okay with that.

Actually, I take that back, I have told one person, and will always tell that one person, that I smoke better cigars than he does, simply because that's what we do. If we go to the same shop and pick the same brand cigar from the same box, his will always be inferior. But, that's our relationship. He, since he is a Ravens fan, is just inferior. :)
 

the_bhoop

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Awesome!! There is always excitement when introducing someone to a "real" cigar! Got a few of the guys at the fire house educated and its fun watching them see the actual hobby more than just smoking!!
 
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Finally upgraded one of my friends who is not a regular cigar smoker from his typical Acid Blondies to something a little more advanced last night. Just a Graycliff G2, but he loved it and I am hoping to break him into some quality stuff as soon as I make bigger chinks in his armor lol.
 
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ja ja ja
As usual, a contrary view here. I think the brotherhood is great but not much of an apostle here... sorry. Smoking cigars is a highly personal issue.... not only what we smoke, but where and with whom. I am not at all comfortable with suggesting to anyone even his method of prepping a cigar.... a knife is as good as a $ 45 Xikar V-cut, if that's what a guy is comfortable with. My daily smoke is an unlabeled bundle choice.... if someone thinks by gifting me a $ 15 cigar he's really doing me a favor (edging me down a "slippery slope,") thanks but no thanks.... I'm old enough to spend my time and money as I wish, on things
I want.
The OP obviously felt he was doing a nice, generous thing and many responders evidently agree with him. OK, good for all who agreed and encouraged. Personally, I could never bring myself to do that... I am happy to enjoy my little hobby/vice without needing to induce anyone else to mimic me in any way, shape, or form.
Obviously, your mileage does vary!
Can you elaborate on the reason you choose to smoke unlabeled bundles? Maybe it will help the other folks understand the contrast
 
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I would like to know if the OP has had an opportunity to speak to this other guy about what he gave him. I give a lot of the cigars I buy out to people I know, because they are curious about cigars or they are cigar smokers who have never had that particular cigar. I've never once implied that the cigars I smoke are better than the cigars they smoke, but I have been told that the cigars I smoke are better than the ones they smoke. I'm okay with that.

Actually, I take that back, I have told one person, and will always tell that one person, that I smoke better cigars than he does, simply because that's what we do. If we go to the same shop and pick the same brand cigar from the same box, his will always be inferior. But, that's our relationship. He, since he is a Ravens fan, is just inferior. :)
No, I haven't. Probably will not ever. Unless he joins this board. He was not a local here and was just here for the dove hunt. Might see him next year.
 
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