Cigar help

I've begun to enjoy an occasional good cigar while out fishing. Can someone steer me the right direction to some good stogies?

[Pete]

Cigars, like beer or anything else, are largely a matter of taste. You can learn a lot from Cigar Afficionado magazine, but the descriptions are about as useful as descriptions of the tastes of wine. Either Riches, in Portland, or Cascade Tobacco carry a very good selection of high end stoggies. Places like Tobacco Town also have a good selection, but won't be able to provide the guidance you may want. There are a lot of variables; size, wrapper color, type and source of the filler. When you consider the cost of a decent cigar, you can plan on an investment in finding what you like and in the peripherals to support the habit: humidor, clippers, lighter. Once you've found what you really like or if you want to try something truly high end, there are Canadian web sites that sell Cuban cigars stripped of their identification to get around import laws.

Or, you may decide as I did, that the lingering residue of a cigar after a day or two is offensive. I really hate the taste in my mouth the next day.

[ 11-02-2003, 08:08 AM: Message edited by: Pete ]

[crabbait]

Try one of the Fuentes that come in a cedar tube. Macs are great cigars. Don't be afraid to spend $10+ on a cigar, there is a difference. I like the ring sizes over 40. Enjoy.

[Livin the Dream]

One of my favortes is the CAO Cameroon its usually 6 or 7 bucks. Some others I like are romeo y juliet and Padron (the aniverserios are awesome but spendy) and for the less expensive El Ray de Mundo has some good ones.

As was said before when I first got started I would go in and chat with the people there and just expirement. I would also save the rings off the ones I really liked so I wouldnt forget what they were.

Good Luck!!
AL

[Gobbaworms]

I could set you up with a sampler pack if you tell me what you're after in a cigar. No strings attached.

There is also a website where "herfers" get together. They have a newbie trade section where one could get a nice variety of smokes.

After you pick out several favoirtes, JRCIGAR.com generally has the best prices.

Let me know if you want to do option 1 or need more info on 2 or 3.
Good Luck

[ 11-02-2003, 08:56 AM: Message edited by: Gobbaworms ]

[Gobbaworms]

Got a small assortment put together. Would you like to swing by and pick them up (I'm right off Cornelius Pass) or mail them to you?

[StinkyH]

Was just gonna reply to my previous thread about the cigar I had today ($3-$4 cigar but saw this new thread so I'll reply here with a few suggestions.

Buying a few local to get a taste and then ordering online can save $$$.

Check out the 5-pack deals here @ JR Cigars. There are some nice smokes around $2 a stick. Nice way to figure out what you like without committing to a box/bundle of 20 or 25.

A nice mellow smoke suggested by Conn on this board was the EL REY DEL MUNDO RECTANGULARE - I ordered a 5-pack of them(among a few other 5-packs) and just got though enjoying one. A nice mellow smoke with no harshness. I'll be re-ordering these and at $2/stick it's a good deal.

Since it's getting cold out I find myself smoking in the garage now. I turn on the space heater, open the garage door about 6" listen to the radio and hang out at my work bench reading a magazine or doing whatever. Enjoy it quite a bit. Also read on http://www.stoggiechat.com about enjoying your cigar with a cup of coffee. Seems to compliment it quite well. Some suggest whiskey or scotch with it but I quit drinking so coffee it is. :smile:

That forum also has a lot of good threads from starting a humidor in your home when you decide you'd like to keep some at home to figuring out what you like to smoke. A decent Spanish cedar lined humidor can be picked up for as little as $40. Also - there are always deals on the cigar websites that have cigar/humidor combos.

I also like buying the less expensive cigars so I feel less guilty if I can't smoke it all, plus my taste is not refined enough yet that I'd be getting much more out of a $7 cigar vs a $1-2 cigar from what I can tell. Spending $7 on a cigar - feel like I should smoke it til I almost burn my fingers and then eat the end of it. :tongue: There are a lot of good smokes online for $1-3 per stick.

There is alot of good info on lighting/types/cutting cigars in the FAQs on those pages as well.

From what I've read quite a bit - the average cigar smoker can get just as much enjoyment out of a $5 Honduran or Dominican vs a $20 Cuban. The Cuban cigars seem like a big deal because of the fact that they're hard to get or what not. There are a lot of Cuban seeds used to grow the Honduran and Dominican tobaccos. In a side by side Pepsi challenge kinda comparison - $5 dominicans have been chosen over the $25 Cubans.

All goes back to what you prefer.

Hope this helps shed some light.

...now if I can just figure out a way to exhaust my home office and not stink up the rest of the hosue I'd smoke indoors. :grin:

StinkyH

[ 11-02-2003, 04:30 PM: Message edited by: StinkyH ]

[StinkyH]

Originally posted by Pete:
Or, you may decide as I did, that the lingering residue of a cigar after a day or two is offensive. I really hate the taste in my mouth the next day.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Brushing your teeth & tounge with toothpaste that contains baking soda can help get rid of this residual taste.

StinkyH

[TonTo]

I go the cheap route when it comes to my stogies,BackWoods Sweet & Aromatics,8 fer about $6.00 they come in a pouch and look kinda funny but smoke great and tast great to boot.They are hand rolled in Fort Lauderdale no dout by Cubins who can swim.Give em a try you won't be disapointed and hey you're only out about 6 or 7 bucks.

Originally posted by Gobbaworms:
I could set you up with a sampler pack if you tell me what you're after in a cigar. No strings attached.

There is also a website where "herfers" get together. They have a newbie trade section where one could get a nice variety of smokes.

After you pick out several favoirtes, JRCIGAR.com generally has the best prices.


Let me know if you want to do option 1 or need more info on 2 or 3.
Good Luck

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Yeah Gob option 1 sounds good. I'm looking for a mellower taste

[Tilla]

I have always enjoyed Macanudo Portofinos. The metal cedar lined tube holds up well during fishing adventures. I did try an amazing Ashton #20 Maduro, don't know if I can afford them all the time, but it was verrrry good!

[k9jeff]

There are a lot of good cigars out there. You can purchase sample packs in mild/med/or robust strengths. Check out www.famous-smoke.com They have some serious samplers. You can scan the web and find several online sales outlets. Make sure to compare prices. I have found up to a 45.00 difference in price.
If you like mild,, check out Creme de Jamica,, nice even mild smoke with a good flavor.
Its a neat hobby......

Thanks for the samples Robert! Looking forward to trying these.

[Lured In]

One more...Montecristo Robusto. Its a pretty big stick, but nice flavor and not too sharp.

[Gobbaworms]

You're welcome. Enjoy!!