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MISTER BULGARIN
The smoking graphic designer
Me? Im a freelance graphic designer and part time volunteer for a shop in Rochester, Kent. Im into Nutrition and strength training, ironic eh? ive gone through life being a bit different, but usually in a subtle and nonchalant way. What , youre smoking cigars and drinking hennesy neat at 19. Yea so?
My 'adventure' began on Feb 2007. I was talkin about cigars with a mate and we decided that we wanted one. Simply because we liked the image, slightly exhibitionist , but back then, we didnt know better. I did some detective work on where to buy cigars and I could only find newsagents selling hamlets and those little crappy tinned pieces of dust. I got word that there was a cigar shop in Rochester, Kent , so next time I was in town I scoured up and down the highstreet to find this 'cigar shop'. Being local I never ever saw any cigar shops in Rochester.
After a day of college I went down there to meet someone, after crossing the road and looking down an alleyway there was a sign on the wall saying 'CUBAN CONNECTION FAT CUBANS etc'. My eyes light up and I went down the alley, and down that alleyway was a little sideshop, named cuban connection.
I walked in and it was this little quaint shop, the old lady in there was quite funny and good to talk to. I said that I was just looking into cigars and Id like to try one. This shop was great, It was small, had the smell of cigars (to be expected) had some cupboards with interesting items in and a nice little sofa. I could sit down and chat with the owners in there for ages. The shop was owned by the ladies son and she helped out at times (ann & jason kennedy)
When I made the discovery I called up my mate and we went back there a second time and said could you reccommend us a smoke for a beginner. And we bought some 'Davila' cigars. She explained to us what to do, how to light it, take time with it etc. So we went home and smoked out first cigar.
Davila cigar, First stick first cutter, first matches!
I never smoked ANYTHING before so lighting a cigar was hard work. I didn't have the knack for it at all, put it that way. But in the end I got it going, and I was having my first stogie with a mate, a great experience. I think my mate videod my first puff and exhale, with huge volumous smoke surrounding my head. It was great.
My first cuban was good ol Piedra!
Good ol Piedra!
As the months went by I popped into the cigar shop every week or so. I developed a 'regular' disposistion with the owners. Their selection had the standard habanos fare, but also they ALWAYS had something non-cuban and interesting. At times Id buy a cigar and theyd throw in a free for me to just try. The relationship I had was really great, and not like any 'retailer' experience Id ever had. It was real great. I did like smoking, trying new brands and such. For me it's a personal thing, I loved (and still do) the smoking time I allotted. The hour or 2 it took to smoke a stick was an hour of thinking, or listening to music, or herfing with a mate.
One mate likes a smoke now and then , hes slightly more on the exhibitionist, but he knows when a smoke is good. During my time smoking cigars I've met two types of people. One who simply cannot grasp the solace a cigar gives, the benefit you get from a cigar, or simply cigars in general. And the others who do like them, whether they smoke them or not,either due to their smell, look or just for what they are. I have a mate in the former category who said to me the other day (after i'd announced that I just bought a 9 inch cigar and 50 ring gauge), that that is 'too much' to smoke and he'd rather buy some weed because it does something. It makes me wonder how there can be two split types of people with cigars, one that appreciates the workmanship, the time spent to make a cigar, to lighting it, and smoking and savoring the whole experience, to someone who thinks it looks like a turd and 'does nothing for me'.
I went in and out of 'cigar moods'. I went down town to the cigar shop one time and It was shut? Uh ok. Tried again, shut some more. Oh crap, is it shut for good?! Lookd like it. Where do I get my smokes now?! Buying online is unfun
One night I was walking back down Roch highstreet on a winter Thursday night and the alleyway didnt have the Iron gate accross and the cigar shop light was on. Oooh, I felt like running in. I walked in (keep your cool), and said where the hell have you been. Apparently they were only open a couple days a week now because of some personal problems and what not. That was a relief, at least theyre semi back now....
But they aren't! Theyve vanished again. Their phone numbers dont work. So the begining of my Cigar-life is dead. Kinda sad. Luckily the Dickens wine emporium sells a nice range of smokes, so the experience isn't totally gone thank god.
I then found this forum, then I got introduced to online suppliers and humidor sellers. I bought my first humi off ebay. Stoked to get it in the post and just looking at it. I got my first batch of smokes in too yesterday and ive since been looking at the humi. Just in awe actually, the fact that I can just go to my humi and pick out a smoke is...not to put too fine a point on things...fucking awesome. I had to travel just to get one or two, now If I feel like It I can have one anytime. I dont know why i'm so enthralled by my humi. Just seeing it stocked with my cigars is brilliant. Im like a kid with a toy, or a little girl playing with a doll or something.
I suppose my cigar-aficionado rank has been increased to 'Man who will be spending much money on cigars to store in his humi' rather than just 'I only smoke singles because I dont have a humi and therfore cant buy in bulk as I cant store them'. Having the ability to store cigars properly now is great. Normally I felt pressured when I got cigars as gifts as I couldnt store them and I had to smoke them in a couple of days. Now I can say thanks and go oh...ill age that Esplendido for a bit
To me a nice cigar experience is a good draw, lovely volumous smoke (I get in a right paddy when I get shit tokes and major cherry when the ash falls off), and nice texture of flavor. Im not biased towards cubans. I shed my 'exhibitionist' skin, and love to explore what the world has to offer cigar wise. I enjoy any cigar (Except Villiger and Guantanamo (unless im pissed)), I think some non-cubans are superior to cubans, therefore I dont limit myself to just cubans, which is stupid imo.
Nice sunny day today...may go to my humi..take out a smoke..and do a bit of reading. Cheers!
The smoking graphic designer
Me? Im a freelance graphic designer and part time volunteer for a shop in Rochester, Kent. Im into Nutrition and strength training, ironic eh? ive gone through life being a bit different, but usually in a subtle and nonchalant way. What , youre smoking cigars and drinking hennesy neat at 19. Yea so?
My 'adventure' began on Feb 2007. I was talkin about cigars with a mate and we decided that we wanted one. Simply because we liked the image, slightly exhibitionist , but back then, we didnt know better. I did some detective work on where to buy cigars and I could only find newsagents selling hamlets and those little crappy tinned pieces of dust. I got word that there was a cigar shop in Rochester, Kent , so next time I was in town I scoured up and down the highstreet to find this 'cigar shop'. Being local I never ever saw any cigar shops in Rochester.
After a day of college I went down there to meet someone, after crossing the road and looking down an alleyway there was a sign on the wall saying 'CUBAN CONNECTION FAT CUBANS etc'. My eyes light up and I went down the alley, and down that alleyway was a little sideshop, named cuban connection.
I walked in and it was this little quaint shop, the old lady in there was quite funny and good to talk to. I said that I was just looking into cigars and Id like to try one. This shop was great, It was small, had the smell of cigars (to be expected) had some cupboards with interesting items in and a nice little sofa. I could sit down and chat with the owners in there for ages. The shop was owned by the ladies son and she helped out at times (ann & jason kennedy)
When I made the discovery I called up my mate and we went back there a second time and said could you reccommend us a smoke for a beginner. And we bought some 'Davila' cigars. She explained to us what to do, how to light it, take time with it etc. So we went home and smoked out first cigar.
Davila cigar, First stick first cutter, first matches!
I never smoked ANYTHING before so lighting a cigar was hard work. I didn't have the knack for it at all, put it that way. But in the end I got it going, and I was having my first stogie with a mate, a great experience. I think my mate videod my first puff and exhale, with huge volumous smoke surrounding my head. It was great.
My first cuban was good ol Piedra!
Good ol Piedra!
As the months went by I popped into the cigar shop every week or so. I developed a 'regular' disposistion with the owners. Their selection had the standard habanos fare, but also they ALWAYS had something non-cuban and interesting. At times Id buy a cigar and theyd throw in a free for me to just try. The relationship I had was really great, and not like any 'retailer' experience Id ever had. It was real great. I did like smoking, trying new brands and such. For me it's a personal thing, I loved (and still do) the smoking time I allotted. The hour or 2 it took to smoke a stick was an hour of thinking, or listening to music, or herfing with a mate.
One mate likes a smoke now and then , hes slightly more on the exhibitionist, but he knows when a smoke is good. During my time smoking cigars I've met two types of people. One who simply cannot grasp the solace a cigar gives, the benefit you get from a cigar, or simply cigars in general. And the others who do like them, whether they smoke them or not,either due to their smell, look or just for what they are. I have a mate in the former category who said to me the other day (after i'd announced that I just bought a 9 inch cigar and 50 ring gauge), that that is 'too much' to smoke and he'd rather buy some weed because it does something. It makes me wonder how there can be two split types of people with cigars, one that appreciates the workmanship, the time spent to make a cigar, to lighting it, and smoking and savoring the whole experience, to someone who thinks it looks like a turd and 'does nothing for me'.
I went in and out of 'cigar moods'. I went down town to the cigar shop one time and It was shut? Uh ok. Tried again, shut some more. Oh crap, is it shut for good?! Lookd like it. Where do I get my smokes now?! Buying online is unfun
One night I was walking back down Roch highstreet on a winter Thursday night and the alleyway didnt have the Iron gate accross and the cigar shop light was on. Oooh, I felt like running in. I walked in (keep your cool), and said where the hell have you been. Apparently they were only open a couple days a week now because of some personal problems and what not. That was a relief, at least theyre semi back now....
But they aren't! Theyve vanished again. Their phone numbers dont work. So the begining of my Cigar-life is dead. Kinda sad. Luckily the Dickens wine emporium sells a nice range of smokes, so the experience isn't totally gone thank god.
I then found this forum, then I got introduced to online suppliers and humidor sellers. I bought my first humi off ebay. Stoked to get it in the post and just looking at it. I got my first batch of smokes in too yesterday and ive since been looking at the humi. Just in awe actually, the fact that I can just go to my humi and pick out a smoke is...not to put too fine a point on things...fucking awesome. I had to travel just to get one or two, now If I feel like It I can have one anytime. I dont know why i'm so enthralled by my humi. Just seeing it stocked with my cigars is brilliant. Im like a kid with a toy, or a little girl playing with a doll or something.
I suppose my cigar-aficionado rank has been increased to 'Man who will be spending much money on cigars to store in his humi' rather than just 'I only smoke singles because I dont have a humi and therfore cant buy in bulk as I cant store them'. Having the ability to store cigars properly now is great. Normally I felt pressured when I got cigars as gifts as I couldnt store them and I had to smoke them in a couple of days. Now I can say thanks and go oh...ill age that Esplendido for a bit
To me a nice cigar experience is a good draw, lovely volumous smoke (I get in a right paddy when I get shit tokes and major cherry when the ash falls off), and nice texture of flavor. Im not biased towards cubans. I shed my 'exhibitionist' skin, and love to explore what the world has to offer cigar wise. I enjoy any cigar (Except Villiger and Guantanamo (unless im pissed)), I think some non-cubans are superior to cubans, therefore I dont limit myself to just cubans, which is stupid imo.
Nice sunny day today...may go to my humi..take out a smoke..and do a bit of reading. Cheers!
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