Cigars

[gdrudd13]

So seeing the way this thread has gone, any objections to changing the title to something more broad to cover pipes as well instead of just cigars? Any suggestions for what that might be would be nice as well.

[gdrudd13]

I'm still a hobbyist I've just bought more than I smoke for the last 10 years. lol. Its not hard to build a nice collection that way.
I call a connoisseur someone who can pick out all these complex flavors like "leather with a small under tone of walnuts and black pepper on the back" some times I think those people are just blowing smoke and just saying stuff to try to impress, other times I wish I could taste small nuances like they can.
I simply smoke what I like whether it be a Davidoff or a black and mild, and there is nothing wrong with a black and mild as long as you enjoy it! I'll bet there are more black and milds sold than Opus X each year.

Fair enough lol. I've decided a lot of them just make stuff up to impress people. Either that or I'm like you and can't taste that stuff. I've given up on the reviews and hold judgement until I've tried it myself. I'm like you though, I smoke what I like. And what I'm able to. Otherwise I'd be smoking Cubans. Of course, I'm sure that if I had another one it wouldn't be as good as I remember, but oh well.

Also, the vanilla-ish smell of a black and mild is really pretty enjoyable. Not a huge fan of the taste, but I wouldn't be opposed to lighting one in a corner and letting it burn just for the smell.

I also enjoy a pipe every now and then. That's a fairly recent development though, as in like the last 6 months. I'm still using a corncob pipe. Probably need to upgrade that at some point, but it works.

[DKtime]

I think with the amount you have, and especially the brands that you listed, you might be past hobbyist.

I'm still a hobbyist I've just bought more than I smoke for the last 10 years. lol. Its not hard to build a nice collection that way.
I call a connoisseur someone who can pick out all these complex flavors like "leather with a small under tone of walnuts and black pepper on the back" some times I think those people are just blowing smoke and just saying stuff to try to impress, other times I wish I could taste small nuances like they can.
I simply smoke what I like whether it be a Davidoff or a black and mild, and there is nothing wrong with a black and mild as long as you enjoy it! I'll bet there are more black and milds sold than Opus X each year.

[chief]

I've smoked a pipe since I was 19... Navy. I will smoke a cigar on occasion, and have tried a bunch of them... some very expensive. I prefer my pipe and a dark blend of tobacco.

[gdrudd13]

I would call my self a hobbyist

I think with the amount you have, and especially the brands that you listed, you might be past hobbyist. That is an impressive collection. I do have quite a few CAO's as well. They do make some good cigars at fairly reasonable prices.

I smoked it too fast, and got so sick I had to go sit down the rest of the evening!

If you ever try one again, try something more mild. It sounds like it was full-bodied cigar. Something with a Connecticut (light colored) wrapper tends to be more mild. If there is a local cigar shop, you might get their advice. Just tell them you're a beginner and will probably want something fairly mild. You might also try a shorter, smaller cigar at first as well. If you ever decide to try them again. Or a tobacco pipe wouldn't be bad either. They tend to be fairly mild as well. Again, local shop should be able to help.

[greenbarn]

At the risk of getting flamed... (oh, that is funny )...   I enjoy a Black & Mild once in a while

I guess that rates me like the guy on the fine wine forum that drinks Boone's Farm?   Cigar smoking is one thing I just never got into that much.  My boys both like cigars - they bought me one for Christmas, I don't even remember what it was.   It was OK, but I smoked it too fast, and got so sick I had to go sit down the rest of the evening!   After that, I'm sticking with the Black & Milds...

[DKtime]

I'll chime in here also...
1. I would call my self a hobbyist, although I enjoy my pipes more often in the winter and fall seasons. Pipes just seem to taste better in cooler weather while cigars seem to go better with warmer weather.
2. I also own 2 humidors... 1 desktop ,rated at 200, and 1 footlocker type, rated at 500. Both are fairly full, I would say I'm at right around 550 total at the moment.
3. I do keep quite a wide selection, from maduros to Connecticuts mostly smaller ring gauge. I rarely smoke anything over a 50rg. I'm a moody person and I like to match my cigar, along with my libation, with my mood.
4. My favorite individual cigar is the Ashton made La aroma de Cuba, alas Pepin took over the production and the original is no longer available. As far as makers, you'll find mostly A.Fuente, CAO, and Pepin in my humidors.
5. I use whatever lighter and cutter I can find at the time, usually I cut with my Xikar but I have a Palio floating around here some where, and I must have 10 Ronson torch lighters, I've tried several of the more expensive torches but even filling them with the 3x distilled or better butane they eventually clog, so I just stick with cheep lighters and toss if they stop working.

[gdrudd13]

So I'll start things off (only seems fair).

1. I would say I have reached the hobby stage, but I always enjoy learning about cigars and hope to keep doing so.
2. I own two humidors, I outgrew the first one so I just bought a second one. One holds about 100, and the other is listed as a 300 count, but my guess is that with the large ring gauge cigars I like it'll hold around 200. I like to keep mine around 67%-68% humidity
3. I like trying new ones, but I like having several of each of my favorites, and more on hand of the ones I like the most.
4. My favorite brand is anything made by A.J. Fernandez. These include the San Lotano, Man O' War, and Diesel lines to name a few. My favorite cigar is a toss up between the Man O' War "Ruination", and Ave Maria "Holy Grail".
5. I use a black ops 3 flame torch lighter, and my favorite cutter (I got it for Christmas, I'd never pay that much for one, but it is awesome) is a Xikar.

As a side note, I buy a good portion of my cigars from the local cigar shop, but I also buy some from online depending on the availability of my favorite kinds. Any new ones I try I but local first no matter what.

[gdrudd13]

So I was on my computer which happens to be next to my humidors, and that got me thinking. Surely I am not the only one on here that enjoys a nice cigar every now and then. So I figured I would start a thread since I couldn't find any. So just to get things started, here are a few questions.

1. How would you rate yourself as a cigar smoker? (ex. newb, hobbyist, to connoisseur)
2. Do you have a humidor? If so, how many cigars does it hold, what humidity do you keep it at, etc.?
3. If you keep cigars on hand, do you keep a wide variety, or just duplicates of your favorites.
4. What is your favorite cigar? This can be brand, or a cigar line, or a single cigar.
5. What cutters and/or lighters do you use?

These questions are just conversation starters, so share more or less if you want. Feel free to ask questions, I'm sure someone one here will be able to answer it.