Collecting cigars
- Thread starter J. B. Deller
- Start date
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.
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.
I tried collecting cigars, but I unfortunately lost them all in a series of very small fires...
The same thing happened to a box of Cuban cigars that were brought into the country just after the Cuban embargo was signed into law.
Never heard if that before. I smoke mine. I've heard of people collecting the boxes though.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
None of them last long enough for me to be called a collection. They just seem to get smoked.
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.
And as far as what @AJL67 said, i am not surprised in the slightest that the Chinese would do this.
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.
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.
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.