Collecting cigars

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J. B. Deller

Might Stick Around
Mar 17, 2023
52
87
Out of curiosity, does anyone just collect cigars that suit their fancy, not to smoke, but, more as an aesthetic, or, am I the only one? I have a small humidor with several good cigars. I am a fan of Padron and Rocky Patel. I consider them to be miniature works of art.
 
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J. B. Deller

Might Stick Around
Mar 17, 2023
52
87
This is the very first time I am hearing of anyone doing this. But, sounds like fun. Do you just collect one of each, or do you have bundles of these?
I just collect the cigars that suit my fancy. I have a couple Rocky Patel’s and Padron’s as well as other assorted brands. What started me on just collecting individual cigars is the boxes they come in. In fact, I got the nicest surprise in October. I went to my local tobacconist on a day he asked me to be there. I ended up meeting our local Rocky Patel representative who presented me with a box signed and personalized to me by Rocky himself. I also just love the feel of holding a cigar in my hands.
 
Dec 3, 2021
4,902
41,391
Pennsylvania & New York
I have generally only bought cigars to smoke over the past thirty plus years. There are a few instances where I’ve smoked down my standard “go to” stock save for one or two sticks, and those cigars have bands that are no longer used, where the design has changed two or three times since—I’m tempted to just save the whole cigars with their plainer bands before things got fancy with embossing and metallic inks.
 
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coldsnap888

Lurker
Mar 19, 2023
9
28
Out of curiosity, does anyone just collect cigars that suit their fancy, not to smoke, but, more as an aesthetic, or, am I the only one? I have a small humidor with several good cigars. I am a fan of Padron and Rocky Patel. I consider them to be miniature works of art.

This is how I started off... it was a trip to Cuba and I bought 3 of a few types that caught my imagination. The idea was that I was collecting them and I might smoke them at some point in the far future. I smoke cigars occasionally but there are some that I buy to collect because there's some aspect that appeals to me and some (more run of the mill stuff) that I am smoking now.
 

pantsBoots

Lifer
Jul 21, 2020
2,135
7,542
Terra Firma
I intend on smoking every cigar I have, whether easily available, discontinued, rare one-offs, etc. I had a few unreleased Fuentes at some point (Angel Share in 888 vitola, Opus variant called "The Big Bang," etc). I eventually smoked them and am so glad I did - the Angel's Share was the best expression of the blend by fat and the Opus had an opulent floral theme I've never seen so pronounced in an Opus.

Point is, I'm glad I smoked them rather than just looking at them. I am far less inclined to smoke an irreplaceable or visually appealing cigar unless I can devote my full attention to it, but all of my cigars will be smoked sooner or later.
 
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AJL67

Lifer
May 26, 2022
4,802
25,221
Florida - Space Coast
Out of curiosity, does anyone just collect cigars that suit their fancy, not to smoke, but, more as an aesthetic, or, am I the only one? I have a small humidor with several good cigars. I am a fan of Padron and Rocky Patel. I consider them to be miniature works of art.
Yes the Chinese. They buy vintage, humidors, and especially boxes of Davidoff Cuban cigars as commodities, they show them off but they don’t smoke them.
 
I just have a hard time imagining why. Cigars are almost like living things. You have to keep them in sustained humidity, letting them breath, etc... if not, they just turn to crumbles. It's like collecting fungus as a hobby. You'd have to keep them in very specific environmental conditions. It's just a lot of effort, but I guess if you get something out of it... then who's to say.
 

daveinlax

Charter Member
May 5, 2009
2,000
2,708
WISCONSIN
I collected cigars like I collected pipe tobacco. I always bought more cigars than I smoked and it added up to coolidors full of beautifully aged sticks. A few years ago I decided to smoke up the expensive blue chip cigars I had accumulated for special occasions that probably wouldn’t happen so I enjoyed them for months on my daily commute. I over bought again twice at cigar shops last week. I had fun at a Dunbarton event with Steve Saka at the Grumpy Gringo on Saturday.
802D85C0-6D36-4473-9687-568720DCA9F3.jpeg
 

Razorback

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 4, 2019
104
470
Atlanta, GA
I don’t collect them for the sake of collecting; I plan on smoking each and every one of them.

My issue that I may be aging them to death because i almost always reach for a pipe instead of a cigar.

But when it’s time for a cigar, I gladly “kill my darlings” and smoke the best stuff first.
 
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Worknman

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 23, 2019
968
2,820
Same with pipe tobacco, sometimes I wonder if I'm a collector since I seem to buy way more than I'll ever smoke
 
Feb 12, 2022
3,445
47,775
31
North Georgia mountains.
I've heard of this but don't do so myself. The two reasons I've heard are vintage cigars or someone in the industry who was often gifted cigars from.others in the industry and they just kept storing em away in a humidor.
And as far as what @AJL67 said, i am not surprised in the slightest that the Chinese would do this.
 

Zamora

Can't Leave
Mar 15, 2023
378
987
Olympia, Washington
No, but I do collect the bands. I press them in books. Eventually I'd like to do something cool with them, I just need to figure out what. Right now my tupperdor probably has upwards of 20 sticks, I didn't smoke any during the winter but I kept buying so it added up.
 

craig61a

Lifer
Apr 29, 2017
5,813
48,246
Minnesota USA
I’ve collected cigars for 35 years…

Sometimes I smoke them - sometimes I don’t.

In the last 6-7 years I haven’t smoked cigars as much. I smoke pipes more often. Over the years I’ve gravitated to one or the other more in cyclical fashion.

About 2-3 years ago I bought a box of JSK Nuggs. Hadn’t bought anything for several years before that. Most of the stuff stashed in my Staebell humidor is shifting towards a mellow, floral profile. Oh I think I’ve bought a few Padron 7000’s now and then if I want something fresher.

I usually only smoke cigars when the weather is warm outside. It’ll take a while to work through what I’ve got stashed away.
 
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