Tried a cigar out of curiosity

[meerschaumsteve]

I have been enjoying my pipes for a while, and really like them, but wanted to be able to say I tried a cigar.
So, on a whim, I went to my local tobacconist and picked up a Cohiba. Was 16 dollars, seems like a lot for one smoke...
Now, I never tried one, and am a total noob at cigars. The sales clerk loaned me a tool to clip it, and I lit it with my handy dandy Constantine lighter. It smoked really well actually, very very smooth, nice flavor, and no tongue bite at all. Room note was pleasant, a flavor I never smelled in any of my pipe tobacco's. Those were the good points. Now for the bad... I was alarmed at how fast it went down, I lit up in the shop, and drove home, by the time I got home, I was half done. I wasn't smoking fast, only puffing about the speed I puff on my pipes. Also, since I don't inhale, and have never ever smoked cigs, the smoke from it kept getting in my face and burning my nose.. hehe. I know, you guys are free to laugh at me. I kept thinking "This is burning down so fast, its like spending 16 bucks to have one bowl in my favorite pipe.".
Anyway, I think I'll pass on cigars from now on.

 

[mick]

Funny! Yeah, I was reading that article about expensive vs. cheap pipes and in it he talked about "cheap" cigars at about $7 or so and I was thinking, that's 1 smoke! Even a decent tin of pipe tobacco will probably only run you $10 for double digit smokes.
Where I live (in Canada on the border with the US) there are signs everywhere for "Cubans", but I just can't bring myself to pay that much for one smoke. I'd rather have a pint of Guinness. :lol:
I wonder if you would have enjoyed it more had you not been driving. You could always have one once in a while as a treat if you enjoyed it.

 

[martiniman]

This is burning down so fast, its like spending 16 bucks to have one bowl in my favorite pipe

your right... :D
Plus once you start there is no stopping and relighting later.

 

[mluyckx]

It's a topic that comes up occasionally here.

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/cigar-smokers
I personally have always disliked cigars until.... you guessed it... a couple of months ago. I had one and I really enjoyed it. Then a couple more, and some more. Started to figure out differences in shapes, tobaccos, wrappers, fillers, etc.. Then on vacation I bought a couple of smaller boxes... now joined the sister site... my wife is (rightfully) worried :rofl:
But I do agree that the cigar, mainly due to its cost factor, will most likely remain a more occasional pass-time than the pipe. I am starting to like them though.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

Have to second that cigars will probably be a once in a while thing for me. I do enjoy a good cigar from time to time though. If you're interested in giving them a try definitely start out with a more mild cigar. CAO has a number of them that are good like Cameroon and Gold. If you get a Robusto it should last sometime around an hour or so. A Cameroon runs around $7 and a Gold $5-$6.

 

[captainsousie]

I do like a good cigar from time to time. Since Cuban cigars are illegal, I will not admit to having smoked some. If I had smoked some I might tell you that, while good, Cuban cigars are not worth the hype...but of course I wouldn't admit to that. The funny part is that I have had $8 cigars that tasted better than some $20+ cigars. The best cigars IMHO are Maya from Belize. They are hard to find but well worth it if you like mild to medium cigars.

 

[winton]

I have only smoked one cigar in my life. It said "It's a Boy!" on the wrapper. Was that a good one? I smoked the whole thing, but remember puking afterwards. Is that normal? Since I had never smoked anything and had no instructions, perhaps I didn't do it right.
I find pipes much better.

 

[tjameson]

I started my tobacco career in Cigars and will smoke one about once a year now. I never got too into all the differences but I can say my favorite Cigar is a CAO Cameroon.

 

[rlunderhill]

Cigars. I love the EL REY DEL MUNDO. I have 4 boxes of 20 here. I have a couple a week. I mostly smoke a cigar when I have to drive a long distance. I can't keep relighting my pipe when I'm watching the road. It's the best Cigar I've ever smoked. I've had them all over 40 years.

 

[gmwolford]

I, too, started with cigars. But the expense of them drove me away. I still enjoy a good cigar on occasion though, a few times a year. My favorite is a Partagas 10; yum!

 

[judcole]

I smoked plenty of cigars,during a period when I was away from my pipe,but I rarely smoke 'em now. I prefer the taste of pipe tobacco. When I do smoke cigars, I am apt, these days, to get a good quality petite corona - say, a Monte Cristo. It's a short smoke, but a nice one, and not super expensive. A corona or lonsdale is my favorite size,anyway.

 

[weezell]

I was a big cigar smoker for 30+ years.A cigar at least every night to relax.With the escalating cost of cigars,I began to gravitate back to the pipe,and upon discovering this forum,I am now trying to explain how my TAD & PAD are cheaper than a $200 box of cigars.HMMM,whats the ol adage.."Wish in one hand............. 8O

 

[taerin]

I really like CAO Moontrance Cigarillos, they are bigger than the smallest cigars but smaller than small cigars, they are really nice, smell amazing, and taste great. They are $15 for 10, they are my go-to cigars One of them lasts me 40 mins, although many people could probabley smoke one up in 15 minutes.

 

[hawk60ce]

I still have a cigar every once in a while. Depends on what im doing.

 

[photoman13]

Huge cigar fan here. Was the cigar dry? depending on the size mine usually last at least an hour. My favorite is the La Gloria Cubana Series R. I haven't had one in over a year though because cigars are very expensive.

 

[buster]

I gave cigars a try way back when. The flavor seemed to go south half way threw and a rest then relight just tasted BAD. I was gifted cigars, large ones. I tried smaller cigars. Some were enjoyable. I eventually gave them up. Then thought, "A pipe, hey I can load as much as I want!" I found pipe tobacco to have more flavors, strengths(Nic) and pipes come in all sizes. So I think occasionally about cigars but hell I have a years worth of tobacco stocked up and six pipes. I'm happy with what I have.

 

[slownumbers39]

After taking up pipe smoking a few months ago, I have had the occasional cigar as well. They are very expensive as compared to smoking a pipe, but I see them as a treat and have one about every 6-8 weeks. I have a friend that is a big cigar smoker and he told me the Cubans are overpriced for what you get and that the Nicaraguan and Honduran cigars are your best bet for VFM.

 

[sparroa]

I've smoked a couple Cuban cigars but they are too expensive and the selection around here is pretty terrible - plus the turnover is low and they are probably in poor condition. If I had a good tobacconist nearby I might be singing a different tune...

 

[lankfordjl]

I only smoke small cigars like ring 38-42, 4 to 4.5 inches. One of these will last me a good 45 minutes; that's why I like small cigars...45 minutes is enough for me. Don't smoke a cigar fast; it should be smoked even slower than a pipe. Relax...take one or two draws a minute...while you have a conversation, refreshments, walk the dog, etc.... A cigar is "not just to be smoked" (like a cigarette); it complements whatever you are doing at the time. Make the cigar last - that's part of the ritual. I have a 7 or 8 inch, 52 ring, $16 dollar cigar (can't remember the brand now it's in the humidor) - man, that thing is going to last 3 hours I know - I'm waiting for a special day to smoke it. Watch some Youtube videos on "how to smoke a cigar" - this will help you a lot.

 

[igloo]

Cigars used to be cheap until they became all the rage . Then the prices shot up faster than the national deficit . Wine does the same thing . http://www.usdebtclock.org/