New member from the North!

[mbro12]

Hello all, pretty much a cigar virgin. Got my first cigar last christmas as a sort of request as Id always been curious about having one and really wanted a try. Had 1 or 2 since but all the ones Ive had, Ive ended up smoking quickly whenever Ive had spare time and not really been able to sit down and really enjoy one. Finally got round to ordering a small 20 capacity humidor along with 10-12 cigars of varying value to give it a go. Will be sure to let you all know of how Im getting on!

[TJCoro]

Knewbee Alert!

Welcome to the show, chico!

Perro, el Perro

[PeeJay]

20 capacity humidor? You'll be buying another in no time as the obsession bites, welcome aboard and remember, winter is coming.

[sheppsea]

Welcome to the forum!

What cigars have you smoked so far?

[Simon Bolivar]

Welcome onboard, just fo rnext time 50 cigar unit is the smallest I'd buy, very difficult to kep the humidity stable in a smaller one; once you have 30-40sticks inside, much easier. But baby steps at first. Keeping 40 sticks sounds an awful lot at first when you might only have half a dozen but we can encourage you to get there in no time

[PeeJay]

Welcome onboard, just fo rnext time 50 cigar unit is the smallest I'd buy, very difficult to kep the humidity stable in a smaller one; once you have 30-40sticks inside, much easier. But baby steps at first. Keeping 40 sticks sounds an awful lot at first when you might only have half a dozen but we can encourage you to get there in no time

+1 to that, we're definitely a bad influence

[tippexx]

Hi an' Welcome mbro12 .... my advice, stick to your small humi and only buy as you want to smoke. You won't have hundreds of cigars, but you'll be a much richer man believe me.

[monkey66]

Hi and welcome.

[ValeTudoGuy]

Hello, always good to see new faces! Don't suppose you fancy posting a picture of what you have? We always Appreciate pictures!

[mbro12]

Hello, always good to see new faces! Don't suppose you fancy posting a picture of what you have? We always Appreciate pictures!

Certainly will, took some a few minutes ago before lighting my first up for the week.

[mattyhall22]

Hello and Welcome, you will end up spending a fortune on cigars, lighters, cutters, humidors etc

[mbro12]

Hello and Welcome, you will end up spending a fortune on cigars, lighters, cutters, humidors etc

I hope not, Im trying to buy a house not a walk in humidor!

[Simon Bolivar]

mbro12, I am keeping a copy of this post, it may be dragged up again in 6/12 or a yr & we'll see if you achieved one or the other, or even both

[mbro12]

mbro12, I am keeping a copy of this post, it may be dragged up again in 6/12 or a yr & we'll see if you achieved one or the other, or even both

We certainly will

Anyway, I promised photos and I shall deliver.

Just a quick pic of the humidor,it was cgars cheapest humidor for ?40 and came with a humidifier, analogue hygrometer and some humidification solution. Got it calibrated using the salt method and it seemed to be overreading by around 5%. After 2 days the humidity was barely above ambient so I added a small tub of around 15ml distilled water and the humidity was up to 72% after a day, Ive since took the water out, re-hydrated the humidifier and it seems solid at around 68% for now. I was surprised how the cigars have changed in feel and even appearance from when they were delivered, particularly the arturo fuentes, it seemed darker and they are all a lot squishier, maybe too much as I found out later.
humidor.jpghygrometer.jpg
As Im a total fish, I thought I wouldnt go crazy from the get go and see how it went. Immediately on receipt of the cigars I noticed "damn these are small". The only cigars Id had previously was a Henri Winterman Corona, Foundry and a Montecristo Petit Tubos, all over 42 gauge, and going purely off the budget cigar list and some recommended ones, I didnt even look at ring gauges and so was surprised at the small gauges, nevertheless, I was happy to have them here!
humidor2.jpg
In the order was
Romeo y Julieta Petit Julietas
Jose L Piedra Petit Cetros
Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Jr.
Cohiba Siglo I
Chinchalero Chicos
Inka Secret Blend Rojo Red Petit Corona
Villiger Premium Tubos
Quintero Tubulares
2x La Rica Tubitos
and 2x Arturo Fuente Cubanitos

I went for the Cohiba as my "luxury" cigar, not luxury to most of you but I wanted a good quality Cuban to try in comparison to the budget ones to see how it took my fancy without spending big bucks on a Behike. And personally, wanted a Rocky Patel as my visit in America to a Cigar store was punctuated by the salesman recommending a Rocky Patel for when I went to vegas, and I didnt get one, instead going for a Foundry that he suggested.

For my first tipple Id ecided on the Arturo Fuente Cubanitos.
I brewed a pot of coffee and sat outside in the nice weather,
table.jpg
however, a fair bit of wind made lighting it up an absolute nightmare, resorting to lighting it indoors eventually.
arturo2.jpgarturo3.jpg
A very smooth smoke which I tasted a nice creamy taste, a refreshing change from my previous tact of taking a puff of a cigar every 10 seconds, for this I knew to take my time smoking so as to prevent overheating. It went out twice and Im not sure if the high humidity Id had in the humidor previously added to my troubles lighting and relighting. Overall, a nice smoke which went very bitter towards the end, I dont think my troubles relighting helped matters but overall, a pleasant smoke. I cant really give an informed opinion as Im starting with a blank canvas in terms of reference points, without knowing what a good or bad cigar tastes like but this seemed a pleasant start. Ill be sure to have a couple more here on my week off work.
oh, and Dexter approveddex.jpg

[PeeJay]

Nice post, that cut looks a bit savage, try not to go past the shoulder or you risk it all unraveling. Regarding that bitter taste, look up the recent post about purging, you might find that helps.