General Grant Cigars for New Cigar Smoker?

[homesteader]

I am exclusively a pipe smoker. I've had maybe a half dozen cigars in my life and couldn't tell you the brand or type. For some reason I am drawn to the General Grant cigars, and thinking about buying a box. They come in 5" Corona or cigarillos. You get 30 Corona or 60 cigarillos for the same price.

As a pipe smoker I prefer American English blends, with burley and Latakia. One of the blends I like is John Bull, which is also a cigar brand. However the John Bull cigars are a little more than what I want to spend.

What are your opinions on the General Grant cigars? On average how long would a cigarillo and Corona burn? I'm thinking I would prefer a 10-15 minute cigar as opposed to something longer. I really don't know much about cigars, just thinking of treating myself for my upcoming birthday.

 

[mossdoug]

I've wanted to buy the general grants just because they look cool. My opinion which doesn't matter is a better birthday treat would be a padron and scotch or whatever you like to drink. I think the londres are low 30s for a 5 pack

 

[mso489]

I hope the cigars are good, since Ulysses smoked about twenty cigars a day which may have contributed to his jaw cancer that ended his life. It makes it an odd naming of the cigars for anyone who knows his life story. However, sick as he was, he kept writing his Civil War autobiography to leave his family a financial legacy, which it did, through book royalties. Interestingly, he did not include any of his years in the presidency. He apparently felt his major contribution was his military career. Or perhaps, had he lived, he would have written the White House years. His presidency was less of a total success than his war years, but he certainly had many successes to claim, despite some corruption that cropped up around him, but with which he has no recorded connection. I like the old tale about someone complaining to Lincoln that Grant was a drunk, and Lincoln retorting, tell me what whiskey that man drinks so I can send some to all my generals. Enjoy the cigars, but don't smoke twenty a day.

 

[pantsBoots]

For cheap cigars, there are none higher for me than Flor de Ybor City and Montesino, both Fuente made.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

I hope the cigars are good, since Ulysses smoked about twenty cigars a day which may have contributed to his jaw cancer that ended his life. It makes it an odd naming of the cigars for anyone who knows his life story. However, sick as he was, he kept writing his Civil War autobiography to leave his family a financial legacy, which it did, through book royalties. Interestingly, he did not include any of his years in the presidency. He apparently felt his major contribution was his military career. Or perhaps, had he lived, he would have written the White House years. His presidency was less of a total success than his war years, but he certainly had many successes to claim, despite some corruption that cropped up around him, but with which he has no recorded connection. I like the old tale about someone complaining to Lincoln that Grant was a drunk, and Lincoln retorting, tell me what whiskey that man drinks so I can send some to all my generals. Enjoy the cigars, but don't smoke twenty a day.

I read a book about Lincoln and Grant. He got stuff done and Lincoln loved him for it.

Reconstruction was such a complete miscarriage of what Lincoln would have allowed. It was a difficult time to be President.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

A corona size is a 30 to 45 minute smoke at a fairly fast pace. I don't know how one would smoke a corona in 10 to 15 minutes without extreme effort and a burnt mouth. A little machine made cigarette sized cigar is a 10 to 15 minute smoke.

 

[anotherbob]

I hope the cigars are good, since Ulysses smoked about twenty cigars a day which may have contributed to his jaw cancer that ended his life. It makes it an odd naming of the cigars for anyone who knows his life story. However, sick as he was, he kept writing his Civil War autobiography to leave his family a financial legacy, which it did, through book royalties. Interestingly, he did not include any of his years in the presidency. He apparently felt his major contribution was his military career. Or perhaps, had he lived, he would have written the White House years. His presidency was less of a total success than his war years, but he certainly had many successes to claim, despite some corruption that cropped up around him, but with which he has no recorded connection. I like the old tale about someone complaining to Lincoln that Grant was a drunk, and Lincoln retorting, tell me what whiskey that man drinks so I can send some to all my generals. Enjoy the cigars, but don't smoke twenty a day.

Just a medical note if he was a drunk like people claimed that would have also been a really significant contributor to jaw cancer as well. Alcohol is a more significant contributor to jaw cancer then cigars, for that matter cigarettes are more likely to lead to jaw or oral cancer then cigars. Not saying the cigars didn't lead to his health issues but that the drinking was probably more of an issue. When you're in pathology class the term that keeps coming up along side carcinogenics is irritation. And see which makes your mouth feel more irritated a cigar or a slug of whiskey? I know it's more complicated then that but not as much more as people think it is.

 

[anotherbob]

oh as far as the cigars. They're probably like most cigars at that price. Not bad but also nothing to rave about. I bet that's the level their on. Like if you really want to savor a great cigar they're probably not it, if you want a cigar that you can enjoy they're probably as much that as any other cigar around the same price.

 

[mso489]

On Grant's health issues, the whiskey could have been a factor, but he was a binge drinker and went for long stretches, when his wife was near him, and when he was engrossed in battles, and other times when he did not drink at all. Whereas, I think his cigar smoking was nearly continuous, both as a general and during his presidency. It's hard to tell what dosing of which exposure did him harm. But the binges might have set him up for the tobacco overexposure. Figuring out the activity of various toxins is one of the holy grails of biomedical science.

 

[anotherbob]

On Grant's health issues, the whiskey could have been a factor, but he was a binge drinker and went for long stretches, when his wife was near him, and when he was engrossed in battles, and other times when he did not drink at all. Whereas, I think his cigar smoking was nearly continuous, both as a general and during his presidency. It's hard to tell what dosing of which exposure did him harm. But the binges might have set him up for the tobacco overexposure. Figuring out the activity of various toxins is one of the holy grails of biomedical science.

alcohol is considered more of a risk for oral cancers. Even just binge drinking.

 

[agnosticpipe]

I've never tried General Grant Cigars, but I've smoked Marsh Wheeling Stogies which is likely one of the cigars that Grant himself smoked. They started making them about 1840 and still make them today. Yeah they're machine made, but are still a decent smoke. Smoking history at it's best!

 

[burleybreath]

Not sure what you're asking; you want a single cigar for a 15-minute smoke, not too expensive, to help celebrate cheating death for another year? I'd take mossdoug's advice above.

As for General Grants, they are apparently a "sandwich" cigar, which means they're probably decent tobacco, but short filler--which means their burning characterisics can be an adventure. But the same holds for too many premium cigars. The best tasting sandwich cigar I've ever had is a Quorum, but there must be others.

The General Grants look interesting, especially the cigarillos, in my case. I have a use for them, namely short smokes. I've never found premium cigarillos to be worth the money, and quit buying them. Only one way to find out about the Grants, I reckon.

But pull off your pants and run wild. Get a Padron, or equivalent! ?

 

[danimalia]

For me, a 5" x 42 corona lasts about 50-65 minutes, so I would definitely suggest the cigarillo size if you are looking for a very quick smoke.

I've never tried the brand so I don't have any input on it. They're a bit more pricey, but some of my favorite, inexpensive, small cigars are the Fuente Exquisitos, L'Atelier Travailleurs, Tatuaje Tattoo Needles. I don't smoke many cigarillos these days, but I have been enjoying some Partagas Chicos lately that a generous friend sent me. They may or may not be feasible for you to acquire, but they deliver a very nice and convincing dose of that classic Partagas flavor profile in a smaller, more affordable package.