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What's the best advice you ever got?

amelia
Petite Edmundo

When I began smoking, @joey  (our resident expert) told me, “If you find something you like, try it in every size.”

Great advice. I pass it along to everyone. And secretly, vicariously feel like an expert, too.

Thanks to that, I found not only my favorite cigars and brands (looking at you Southern Draw and BLTC), but also sizes I now know to lean towards when I search for new stuff to try (lanceros and robustos ftw). It’s a very cool way for a noob like myself to explore cigars since they’re all so different. The choices are overwhelming when you start, but if you find one and just sort of start from there, I’ve found it can be a lot easier to get a handle on.

Case in point: Southern Draw Rose of Sharon. I love this one. It’s smooth and light and it comes in a million sizes. What I found most interesting was the difference in taste between sizes: I didn’t realize it before, but part of why I love this cigar is because of the Connecticut wrapper. You get way more of that flavor with the lancero vs the robusto which has a bigger focus on the inside tobacco. I was already a fan of the robusto, but the lancero totally took it to another level.

By trying other sizes I found out three things:

  1. Size matters. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. The flavor, feel, and difference varies across the board here.
  2. Wrappers make a difference, for me: Connecticuts in particular.
  3. Lanceros are my new go-to, so fair warning for anyone who follows me on IG: you’re about to see a lot of them.

 

What's the best advice you've ever gotten as a beginner?

8 Replies 8

portdawg66
Petite Corona

A SpecOps buddy and I were sharing a few sticks at our favorite local cigar bar.  I don’t remember what I was smoking exactly, but I complained that it kept going out.  He said, “Shut the **bleep** up!”  You know what?  It worked.  Stop bull**bleep**ting, and smoke the damn cigar!

If I’m in a lounge, I enjoy the conversation but I’d also point out that if a cigar goes out a lot but you’re drawing at least once to twice per minute, it’s probably just poor construction/QC. A really well constructed cigar can stay lit for minutes on its own. 

CigarMagician
Corona

This is a great topic of discussion, and a great question.  First I was told “don’t rush the cigar.”  This is sound advice.  Smoking a cigar too fast can cause a myriad of issue, from making yourself sick, to making the cigar burn weird and even bitterness in the cigar.

Second, ratings don’t mean a cigar is good (or bad).  Try the cigar yourself, especially if it is something you are looking forward to, if it is from a brand you like, or if it is tobaccos you like.  You are the best judge when it comes to what you like.  If you like something with a bad rating, it does not change the fact you like it.  And I have smoked the Number 1 Cigar of the Year a few times, and though…meh!

Third, price does not mean anything.  You know there are REAL Good $5.00 cigars out there and there are REAL Bad +$25.00 cigars out there.  Buy what you like and can afford, and if you enjoy a $5.00 cigar…lite it up and smoke it.

My final piece of advice was given to me one night by Master Blender and Cigar of the Year manufacturer Rafael Nodal.  He asked if I knew what the only thing that can ruin a cigar is?  I asked him what, and he stated “Smoking it with the wrong person” (I paraphrased it to keep it PG, but you get the point).  Smoke cigars alone if you like, smoke cigars with people you like, and meet new people while smoking, but never smoke with the wrong person…it will ruin your cigar.


~ The CigarMagician, I make cigars...disappear ~

amelia
Petite Edmundo

Oh shit - I hadn't considered all those factors, but it totally makes sense why any of those could affect the taste of the cigar. Might have to revisit a few of my less-than-favs. Thanks, man!

Yeah, I've had cigars that I didn't love the first time, then gone back to them months later and enjoyed it! 

justinmoore
Corona

When I first started taking cigars seriously, a friend who runs a great cigar shop told me to always be trying new cigars, learn your palate, what you like and don't like. This helped my palate tremendously. Also, I liken smoking cigars to food in a way, it may take a few times before you know whether or not you like it. Something you ate or drank that day could be affecting the way it tastes, you could've grabbed a bad stick, or the one you grabbed either had been resting for a long time or just got to the shop; all of which will affect the experience. So go back to a cigar after a few months and try it again, reevaluate. 

gabrielle
Robusto

I love this! So true, and you definitely started me on the Lancero kick. 😂

Hahaha I'm glad!