I'm a n00b with some questions...

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dopey220

Joined Mar 2005
25 Posts | 0+
Hi. My name's Eli. I live in Michigan. I started smoking cigarettes a few months after I turned 18 in May 2004. This past Christmas, I was smoking a black 'n' mild, and my uncle told me how disappointed he was in me, and gave me a Cohiba. Since then I've been exploring different varieties of premium cigars, and I've got a few questions.

1) What's the general concensus on what're referred to as "drug store cigars?" I'm not expecting many favorable opinions, but just for the record I'll say that I find black 'n' milds acceptable, although I'll take a Punch over one of those any day.

2) Do you guys inhale when you smoke cigars? Like I mentioned, I'm also a cigarette smoker, and I'm aware that cigarettes are intended for addicts who crave nicotine, and cigars are supposed to be more of a sophisticated "taste" thing. So do you inhale, or what?

3) I use a Zippo ligher to light my cigarettes, but I've read that it's best to use a butane lighter for Cigars because they provide better flavor. I've gone through a few different butane lighters, and absolutely NONE of them have been reliable. In fact, all but one stopped working the day I got them. I guess my question is, would it be worth it to drop $30.00 or so on a Colibri (or comparable brand)? I've got four Zippos, and each of them cost about the same as a fairly cheap Colibri, but given my track record with butanes, I'm reluctant to buy a high-end one like Colibri. Thoughts?

4) I'm thinking about building a small box humidor. Would it be worth it to undertake such a project? If it is, is there anything in particular I should know?

Thanks. I look forward to your answers.
 
1) Drug store cigars are not real cigars. They suck, and a lot of times there's a lot of, shall I say, "not real" tobacco in them?

2) NEVER INHALE A CIGAR!!! Yes, about one in every 10,000 cigar smokers does. I would advise you NOT to.

3) http://www.payless-cigars.com/items.php/deptid=6#s35

Go to the heading "Colibri Specials," and check out #4. For further information, check out the thread "Newbie Torch Question".

4) Stick around, others will be here with good information.

Welcome to the boards.
 
I'm at work and there's no work right now. So, I get to play on the internet. :mrgreen: :pumpkin: :sm_angel:
 
Eli, at 18 I'd suggest you quit smoking, period. Take up running and other vigourous excercise such as chasing good looking ladies. Come back to the cigars in about 20 years my friend. Best advice you'all ever get if you will take it.
 
Duely noted. I've only been smoking cigarettes for about six months now, and I've considered quitting many times. I'm not what most would consider a "heavy smoker." I'm not too worried about the detrimental effects of cigars, though, as long as I don't inhale.
 
Oh yes, one thing. Get OFF the cigarettes. They are an abomination and NOT a true tobacco product. The fact that the media, politicians and the school systems target "The Tobacco Industry" by slamming the cigarette companies is a joke. Commercially produced cigarettes are not composed of much tobacco. What they do contain besides a multitude of chemicals is a piddling amount of "Grade C" tobacco at best, which after being treated with all the crap the cigarette companies put in it comes out anything BUT a true tobacco product.

Commercially produced cigarettes were created to get you addicted and maintain you as a steady source of income for some shrewd businessmen who needed that income for other pursuits in life, like building movie studios or other businesses, and buying yachts, expensive suits, watches, etc.

CIGARS, on the other hand, will not harm you much if at all, as long as you don't go doing like David Letterman and a lot of celebrities and yuppies did during "the boom." For more on this, just peruse the forums. This was a recent discussion.

As far as nmcowboy's advice, by all means, pay careful attention to good nutrition, vigorous exercise, and proper sleep habits. There is no substitute for "clean living" and moderate amounts of tobacco (read CIGARS) and alcohol need not be avoided in order to be "living cleanly."

If you REALLY want to have a safe and as happy a life as possible, . . .

stay indoors and avoid women. And NO, I don't mean go for men, just avoid women, except as friends. And for those guys who DO go for men, that's fine and that's your business, no problem here, just advising the young man as to how to life a safe and happy a life as possible. :mrgreen: :sm_angel: :pumpkin:
 
You will have no money for cigars or anything to drink if you pursue women. Nor will you have money to eat or have a house, apartment, or cardboard box under the nearest bridge. You will have no money for shoes or clothes, and will have to depend on the nearest church for a ratty old blanket to keep thyself warm in the colder months.

Gaze upon women. Talk to women. Be helpful if you can, but for a fleeting moment, like giving directions, helping out a co-worker or a quick compliment to a young lass on a park bench.

Then, RUN, RUN, RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, . . .

and if need be, when you get home, after slamming the door, bolting it and drawing all the blinds, curtains and shades, . . .

then take matters into your own hands. Four times a day or even more if necessary. But DO avoid getting any closer than that to women. The first thing they will tell you to do is stop smoking cigars, . . .

and spend the money on them.
 
you aint kidding bloof. ive sworn off women forever, that is until i walk outside and see one that looks purty, i forget all about it and stick my balls in a bear trap over and over again. :banghead:
 
I advise you to keep smoking Cigars, and as nmcowboy said, run and exersize. I started when I was 14, by reading book and learning about the cigar culture, if cigars are something you find you enjoy, as with anything, the earlier you start, the more experienced you'll be with a defined palate, a lot earlier than most others. Of course I don't advocate underage smoking, for some reason I just found cigars interesting at an early age :wink:
 
yes give up cigarettes. I started smoking a pack a day at age 13 and just quit at 24 last year. I have always smoked cigars and found cigars much more enjoyable since I got off the cigs. They kill your palate. Not only that cigarette smokers are having a negative effect on cigars. It is becuase of those things that congress is policing all tobacco and not sepcifying cigararettes which is driving up taxes for us casual cigar smokers.

Anyway just my .02
 
women should come with a warning label from surgeon general. my ex is responsable for my stroke, bankruptcy, and divorce. destroyed in every way so cigar smoking doesnt pose a threat. if a man was castrated at birth, there would be no walks in park, v-day,anniv. b-day, no lifetime movies, no inlaws, home inter. crap dangling from walls, and list goes on and on and on and on and on(kinda like a woman) so my advice to you,take matters into your own hands 2-3 times a day, then visit your "friend" while servicing her, think of all the horrable things women have done. this will increase duration dramatically. and she will tell all here friends about the endless sessions. after a few weeks, reverse process, see here first, think of centerfold models, go home 2 minutes later and take matters into own hands. now you are free to smoke cigars and watch guy flicks(until her friends want their turn) repeat process. now for your original question. those aint real cigars but enjoy them while you can. their are plenty of deals on bundles of cheap cigars that you could smoke dom. or hon. long filler at a fairly low cost,and be much better than black n harsh. be careful with expensive ones as your tastes will only progress in one dirrection, and you too, will cringe at "drug store cigars" as far as lighter and humi, check the retailers sites, someone is always giving them away in a combo or promotion.
 
jrinam... so what advice would you have for someone walking down the aisle this Labor Day weekend? Great post by the way, Mondays usually suck but that lightened the mood.
 
I agree with the first step being: Get off of the cigarettes

I agree with the second step being: Never Inhale (at the same, beware of anyone who suggest that you Never Exhale).

If you don't inhale - You'll be surprised at how quickly your palate can start to discern a the nuances of a good cigar. Good taste over a nicotine stupor anyday.

I haven't used any of the drug store type of cigars (I guess you mean Phillies, Te-Amo, Garcia y Vega, etc), I just remember my grandfather smoking them and they didn't have a very pleasant aroma at all. If you want to check out recommendations on some decent inexpensive cigars, search on this website. A favorite of mine in the $3.50 range is Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte, but some of the guys have tried bundles in the $1 to 3 range and will offer strong opinions.

One tip I ignored was getting a larger humidor to begin with. A 25-stick box will be too small, too fast. I quickly had to search for a good deal on a 150+ unit, and am already trying to coerce the wife into a nice cabinet model so I can age a few hundred cigars in display furniture rather than tupperware. Ebay has decent deals on units that you see in the cigar store, at less than half the price (and they aren't "seconds").

As for the women, you are on your own. I lucked out, cause my wife likes the aroma of a good cigar (as long as its not in the house or car), and the perfume of Hoppe's #9 (gun cleaning solvent) when I spend an evening on a cleaning binge. Unfortunately, I can't use the two together without losing my eyebrows.....again...
 
Thanks -- You guys have given me some great advice so far. Usually when I go to the smoke shop I'll hang out in the humidor for about 30 minutes to half an hour just enjoying the smell. Now I'll actually have some idea of what I'm looking at.

I was actually thinking about building my own humidor. Have any of you done that, or know anyone who has? I just have trouble finding projects like this to occupy my time, and I think this would be fun. I've already found a couple of sites with lots of good info pertaining to humidor construction. I guess I probably will just buy one on eBay if building my own doesn't seem feasable.
 
I thought about going the same route, building a humidor, but I have a 75% complete tack trunk I started for my daughter's horse equipment, and since I couldn't get that completed in short order, I had no business starting a humidor project. It was easier to buy a glass-top humidor on Ebay, so my wife could give it to me as a Christmas present.

I am, however, thinking about building a display humi into one of my walls

Be sure to find a source for Spanish cedar for the lining - don't use the aromatic cedar, unless you like smoking gerbils....I won't go there.
 
Yeah, I was thinking Spanish Cedar for the lining, and possibly cherry or maple for the exterior. Right now, I'm storing my fledgling cigar collection in my bedroom in a Kahlua Robustos box, with a small humidification pouch. The room stays between 63 and 70 degrees most of the time, but I don't have a hygrometer, so the humidity inside the box is anyone's guess.

EDIT: By the way, I have a Courvoussier cigar that was in a glass tube when I bought it about a month ago. Are there any special rules pertaining storage of cigars in tubes?
 
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