Thinking about starting cigar smoking

www.clubstogie.com
All you need.

Hell no!
Possible, but I definitely wouldn't recommend it. Can't imagine it'd be good at all.

hahahahahahahahahaha Yes. You will be smoking one a day within months. But that's okay, b/c smoking and collecting cigars can be a great and rewarding hobby.

I'm not really a cigar enthusiast. I've smoked 10-20 cigars and my favorites of the ones I've purchased have been Acids, specifically the Kuba Kuba. It's very sweet, but not dipped in honey or anything else. It's also not full-bodied, so you should be able to handle it fine. I prefer to cut the end rather than punch it, but you definitely get more smoke this way. Also, I always light with a match as the lighter fluid from the lighter can affect the taste of the cigar. Once you light the match, let it burn for a few seconds until the flame has moved from the match head to the wooden stick, to avoid inhibiting the flavor of the cigar.

Don't start off with extremely cheap cigars, but don't go too expensive yet either. I'd say anywhere from $5-$12 will be good for now until you learn what you like.

It is a horrible idea. Smoking has horrible effects on your health. Smoking one a week will likely become a few a week, which becomes one a day, which becomes regular cigar smoking.

That said, I would consider myself an "occasional" cigar smoker. And by that, I mean less than once a year, usually when a higher up offers me one, or if a friend is celebrating something. I also usually cut mine rather than punch, and prefer butane torch lighters rather than zippos or matches.

So other people are entirely unable to maintain this as an occasional hobby, but you can? How ridiculous. I know a great deal of people who smoke cigars once a week, and have for many years. I myself have smoked about one month, at the most, for about 8 years now.

Someone is a little touchy on this subject. Interesting.

A lot of people are touchy when it comes to hypocrisy.

I wouldn't call it hypocrisy at all. When I was doing science, it was about pharmacology, I studied this stuff extensively. The simple fact is that nicotine is really addictive. However, some people can do a line of coke or smoke a cigar, and be just fine and never have a craving. Others get a hint of it and are hooked for life. Statistically, it is more likely you'll get hooked. The prudent response to a question about smoking, thus, is that it is a bad idea.

Cigars smell awful (with rare exceptions). Please don't smoke them around me. I can smell cigar smoke coming from a car at least a few carlengths ahead of me at city street speeds, that's how strong the smell is. Also, if you are under about 35-40 or hang around people who do, unless they are also into cigars, they will most likely think you are a pretentious dbag for pulling one out. Just FYI. All that said, on birth and wedding occasions I have had a couple of cigars, and I and a friend briefly tried some for a while when I was just out of high school. They can be enjoyable, but it's the type of thing you should do off by yourself or a friend or two, with some drinks, away from other people.

+1

+1
Good that I have some friends who are in their mid 20s and own more than a dozen pipes, so I'm kind of out^^.

Yes. No. No. Yes. No. Cigars are an enjoyable hobby, something I'm quite passionate about. As a beginner, I'd recommend starting out with more straight forward, milder cigars so you can really learn about the different flavor profiles and appreciate the blends. Padron 3000, Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Maduro, and almost the entire CAO line are great start places. They're solid, masterfully crafted smokes, and none of them will break the bank. Most can be picked up for under $5 a smoke. In fact, the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicures are what I consider my every-day-smokes and I buy them by the box (cost averages out to be about $3.50 a cigar). If you really want to get into cigars, avoid Acids and all other flavored cigars. Starting out, all you need is a guillotine cutter and matches. If you go the lighter route, make sure you fill it with clean burning butane as to keep from introducing contaminating and unpleasant flavors that may mar the intended taste of the cigar. Obviously, it's tobacco so you run some health risks. I write for a lifestyle publication that has a lot of cigar content and have talked to numerous people, including physicians, of all ages about the risks involved and it's very minimal as long as you take care of your mouth properly. Brush your teeth and use mouthwash shortly after each session and you should be fine. As long as you approach it the right way, I find cigar smoking to be very rewarding. It's much the same as admiring the craftsmanship of a well made spirit, beer, meal, or even work of art. As your pallet matures, begin treating yourself to higher end cigars and really appreciate the nuance and beauty found therein. A great cigar will tell a story, a poorly made one will just leave you with a buzz and foul taste in your mouth. If you have any further questions, feel free to shoot me a private message. I'm pretty knowledgeable on the subject.

In addition, this is sort of a "no shit" statement but I'll go ahead and make it any how: Don't inhale.

Cigar smoke is intended to be held in the mouth, allowing for it to hit all parts of the tongue, and then exhaled.

When I had been into cigars for a few months, my Dad was diagnosed with emphysema. I told him he might want to think about cigars, to give his lungs a break for a while. I was smoking a Padilla at the time and so he took a drag. I guess it never crossed my mind, but out of a natural reaction from smoking for 40 years, he inhaled. The next few moments were hilarious and sad to watch all at once.

my grandfather smoked cigars a couple of times a week for 30 years. I thought they smelled terrible and still do. He develped cancer in his mouth and it killed him. I have never smoked a cigar and never will. I fervently hope my kids will never pick up smoking. Having said that, I think if you spend time informing yourself of the risks but want to do it anyway, its your life and you're harming no one else.