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Hi everyone,
I'm new to cigars. A cigarette smoker..... End of last year my mother visited Cuba, brought me back a 5 pack of Cohiba Lanceros. Dry as death. I told her "Thanks mom, but I don't smoke cigars......".
She had also gotten me a nice cutter, so, after walking with one in my pocket for weeks, sniffing it occasionally (that divine herbal smell.....), I finally decided to set it on fire. I had tried cigars before that, maybe 2. Years ago. Both were most likely cheap, machine made dog-rockets. Just a lot of stinking, bitter smoke. I was kinda expecting the same from the Cohiba, but the smoke coming out of it was pleasant - it smelled like perfume. And there wasn't too much of it. It wasn't harsh (I wasn't getting too much smoke, either, at first) and when I learned to open them properly they became a lot of fun. I remember myself standing on my patio, in the middle of winter (an Israeli winter, not all that cold), puffing clouds of smoke from my stick that was down to its last third, feeling very cheerful merely for doing so - I guess at that moment I got hooked.
I don't smoke cigars too often, 1-2 a week, and I've only had about 2 dozens so far. Tried a few Cubans from a local store (one that had/still has some serious humidifier problems). The ones that had not been damaged by excessive humidity were really great (Partagas, El Rey del Mundo - both small vitolas). A friend from the US sent me a collection of Dominican sticks to try (R&Js, Partagas, Oliva, Rocky Patel, LFD, Opus X), and while some of them are decent, I believe I'm beginning to understand why Cuban tobacco and Cuban cigar rollers are considered to be the best in the world.
I keep my cigars in a transparent plastic box, together with a jar of Xikar crystals which I refill with distilled water when needed. I've put some padding in it (bubble-wrap, I think it's called), and a handmade cardboard structure to separate the jar from the cigars. It can hold 20-30 sticks, I think, in crowded conditions. Not ideal materials, but a good solution until I decide to invest in something more professional.
Will be getting a box of Bolivar Bonitas in a few weeks, from a duty free. Excitement : )
Anyways, I'm happy to be here. I sometimes feel I spend more time reading about cigars than I do smoking them, so I am definitely at the right place
Daniel.
I'm new to cigars. A cigarette smoker..... End of last year my mother visited Cuba, brought me back a 5 pack of Cohiba Lanceros. Dry as death. I told her "Thanks mom, but I don't smoke cigars......".
She had also gotten me a nice cutter, so, after walking with one in my pocket for weeks, sniffing it occasionally (that divine herbal smell.....), I finally decided to set it on fire. I had tried cigars before that, maybe 2. Years ago. Both were most likely cheap, machine made dog-rockets. Just a lot of stinking, bitter smoke. I was kinda expecting the same from the Cohiba, but the smoke coming out of it was pleasant - it smelled like perfume. And there wasn't too much of it. It wasn't harsh (I wasn't getting too much smoke, either, at first) and when I learned to open them properly they became a lot of fun. I remember myself standing on my patio, in the middle of winter (an Israeli winter, not all that cold), puffing clouds of smoke from my stick that was down to its last third, feeling very cheerful merely for doing so - I guess at that moment I got hooked.
I don't smoke cigars too often, 1-2 a week, and I've only had about 2 dozens so far. Tried a few Cubans from a local store (one that had/still has some serious humidifier problems). The ones that had not been damaged by excessive humidity were really great (Partagas, El Rey del Mundo - both small vitolas). A friend from the US sent me a collection of Dominican sticks to try (R&Js, Partagas, Oliva, Rocky Patel, LFD, Opus X), and while some of them are decent, I believe I'm beginning to understand why Cuban tobacco and Cuban cigar rollers are considered to be the best in the world.
I keep my cigars in a transparent plastic box, together with a jar of Xikar crystals which I refill with distilled water when needed. I've put some padding in it (bubble-wrap, I think it's called), and a handmade cardboard structure to separate the jar from the cigars. It can hold 20-30 sticks, I think, in crowded conditions. Not ideal materials, but a good solution until I decide to invest in something more professional.
Will be getting a box of Bolivar Bonitas in a few weeks, from a duty free. Excitement : )
Anyways, I'm happy to be here. I sometimes feel I spend more time reading about cigars than I do smoking them, so I am definitely at the right place
Daniel.
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