Made A Big Mistake: Smoked A Cigar

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Jan 27, 2020
3,997
8,122
The other day I was finally able to travel out of state. I brought one pipe with me and managed to break the stem, the next day I was needing some relief so I popped over to PA which has cheap tobacco prices and bought a cigar: a Drew Estate Mint Java, petite in size. Anyway, I lite up my pipe earlier today and all I could think of I saw that cigar. I feel like a cheater. Didn’t even think I liked it that much half way through.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,610
The disparity in prices between expensive cigars, even the moderately price ones, and even premium tins of tobacco would steer me toward pipe tobacco anyway, but then add to that the flexibility of pipe smoking, that you can adjust, mix blends, pack your own way, adapt to various size and shape pipes, it is the difference between a restaurant meal where the chef makes your serious choices and cooking your own meal where you have all the control, and at a tenth of the price. When you get a bad cigar, you just feel ripped off; when you have a bad pipe bowl, you do it differently. I like a good cigar, usually a Dominican for me, but only on the rare occasion.
 

jdb67

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 18, 2020
145
847
Albuquerque, NM
Some other forum members that smoke cigars helped me decide I would maintain a small humidor with about 20-30 good quality cigars in it in addition to my pipe smoking. I'm enjoying both to be honest. I have 20 Oliva Master 3 cigars right now. A small humidor and the stuff needed to keep it humid is not very expensive. Then off to cigarbid.com for some quality cigars...not to disparage any cigar others happen to like!
 
Jan 27, 2020
3,997
8,122
All good points. I really don’t want to get into humidor land. I do see how cigars could overpower one’s pallet so I think I will leave them as a once a week treat. I like the small size of the DE Java Mint, smokes in about 50mins and was only $6 and change in PA. I feel like it really lent itself to a dessert type experience, a bit like Bob’s Flake. Although I know little about cigars; I don’t think that they could accomplish that nice tangy draw of a bright Virginia in a pipe.
 

sallow

Lifer
Jun 30, 2013
1,565
4,389
I keep about a dozen cigars. No humidor, just large mason jars.

They are worthwhile to me. I have a few a month, but I smoke a pipe every day.
 
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Jan 27, 2020
3,997
8,122
I was feeling the urge so I went to a cigar shop here in nyc looking for another Java and was informed by the owner that it’s been illegal to sell flavored cigars here for over 4 years now. He directed me to a DE Tabak Especial Dulce which apparently is flavored with coffee but because it’s not labeled as such he’s able to get away with selling them. Anyway, can’t really afford to smoke cigars in any regularity to begin with and especially not with New York prices so I guess I will just stick with buying them in PA.
 

Clovis

Lurker
Jun 8, 2020
33
35
Cigars are great, too, though I've very much enjoyed the move to pipes. Don't see myself buying any in the future, but if offered I'll not want to offend by declining. I was a big fan of Oliva and Brick House, but only smoked Nicaraguan otherwise.
 

aguineapig

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 12, 2014
140
774
If I had "screw you" money, I'd probably keep a stable of small vitola sticks around. As it is I smoke like two cigars a summer and call it good. My nicotine tolerance is low so that factors into my ambivalence.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,610
My other complaint with cigars is that the cigar business edges over pipes, even in pipe shops, where the margin of profit on cigars is so much greater, both in terms of much higher prices and higher volume. Back during the cigar boom around the turn of the century, I saw pipes and pipe tobacco fade in chains like Tinder Box and other places.