Smoking culture

Smoking a cigar means a lot to me.
Sometimes it is the best bonding when with friends, sometime, when I'm alone it is a good buster for my thoughts, a good companion for a book.

Once in a while, expecially if it is the first time I smoke that kind of cigar I try to concentrate technically on the cigar.

I've been told (please thake this as a discussion point) that the approach to this is different all around the world.
At one side cuban people. They say tobacco tasts only of tobacco. On the other side Americans and French that can find a lot of flavours while smoking.

So I'm corius to know what do you think about cigars.
Do you prefer a thoughtless smoking with friends? When alone you don't pay attention to flavours and perfume? (mybe using a check list or kind of)

Thanks
AB

[md4958]

I would rather smoke with a friend than solo, but even solo i try to relax and clear my mind rather than try to discern flavors.

I dont know if my palate will ever be as refined as some of the BOTL here... they can pick up the slightest nuance...

I can only tell if I like a cigar or think it sucks.

[G G]

Originally Posted by md4958

I would rather smoke with a friend than solo, but even solo i try to relax and clear my mind rather than try to discern flavors.

I dont know if my palate will ever be as refined as some of the BOTL here... they can pick up the slightest nuance...

I can only tell if I like a cigar or think it sucks.

I am the same way Moe, especially that last sentence.

[goalie204]

Originally Posted by md4958

I would rather smoke with a friend than solo, but even solo i try to relax and clear my mind rather than try to discern flavors.

I dont know if my palate will ever be as refined as some of the BOTL here... they can pick up the slightest nuance...

I can only tell if I like a cigar or think it sucks.

Totally with you there Moe. Mind you i'm still a learning newb

[Don Fernando]

Originally Posted by md4958

I dont know if my palate will ever be as refined as some of the BOTL here... they can pick up the slightest nuance...

It is all about training yourself Moe, you are in the food industry, I bet you can taste the differences in dough, whipped cream and different kinds of sugar because you have to in your line of work. And those skills didn't come natural, you trained yourself, same goes for cigars.

When I started to smoke my palate wasn't as refined as it is now, I trained myself to discover flavors and not only when smoking cigars but also with foods and drinks. And it made my life richer when it comes to enjoying good foods, drinks and indeed, smokes.

[macpappy]

I used to read all the reviews trying to find new cigars to try and then when I would smoke one I would struggle to find those flavor profiles. Hints of cinnamon, leather, coffee or the many other flavors often described? Maybe I tasted those but maybe my mind said, "ok, this is what other people tasted so I can taste those flavors, too." So I've always wondered if what I'm tasting is related to what I've read about a cigar.

On the other hand, I'm big into sniffing MY cigar before I light it. Some of my favorites smell like finely aged tobacco and they are generally always a pleasure to smoke. Then there are those cigars that I pull out and sniff and they just smell green, or a slightly woodsy vegetation smell, or even worse something again to the elephant attraction at the local zoo. In my experience I have found that the ones that smell green have no mellowness to them when smoked. The slightly woodsy, vegetation smell often translates into an okay smoke and the ones that smell like elephant dung usually don't get smoked all the way.

I've stopped trying to write the best reviews in the world and telling everyone about the subtle nuances of different cigars. When and if I write another review it will be about how well the cigar looked and smelled before I put the heat to it, how it burned and how much spice my tongue detected.

But that's just me.

It's all the mood to me, sometimes I just want to relax with a smoke, other times I study and try to enjoy the craftsmanship as well as the taste.

It's really just a mood by mood basis.

I try to pay attention either way if possible. As for the Cubans, they smoke very fresh cigars compared to us and our vinotemps, active humidifiers and 10yr+ old sticks. Fresh tobacco is going to be the primary flavor IMHO

~Vitis

[Texan in Mexico]

I have a rotation of smokes that I use as everyday smokes (Taboo, Siglos) and honestly I smoke them while driving, on the ferry, etc... Non-herfing situations and most times I enjoy the "known" flavors and use it as a way to think or escape the present for a bit.

If I am at home or with some friends I do concentrate on the smoke (usually a PAM, had a Tabby recently or an unknown stick) alot more and try to discern what´s going on with the smoke.

I hope this answers your question from my perspective - this is one of the great parts of our passion IMHO.

Travis

[Don Fernando]

It depends, when I try a new stick I always try to discover the flavor and write a review. Sometimes I am not in the mood to do that and I grab a stick I reviewed in the past. When I am smoking with friends I don't review, then its all about the company.

[Texan in Mexico]

Originally Posted by Don Fernando

It depends, when I try a new stick I always try to discover the flavor and write a review. Sometimes I am not in the mood to do that and I grab a stick I reviewed in the past. When I am smoking with friends I don't review, then its all about the company.

Spot on Fer.

[Bax]

Although I do like smoking with friends and family, I prefer smoking by myself.

I don't get to smoke often so it's more of a chance to be alone and reflect on things in my life or just an hour to read a good book. Then let the flavors find me. If I try to think about flavors too much I don't enjoy it as much.

[BlackIrish]

Originally Posted by Texan in Mexico

Spot on Fer.

+1. I enjoy smoking with others, but I do most of my smoking alone, and I try to focus on flavors and craftsmanship.

[South Shield]

My favorite place to smoke is at a Raiders tailgate and its usually with the worst cigars I have since I'm busy cooking, drinking, preparing for the Raiders to get killed, etc.

but it is the perfect atmosphere for smoking.

I love smoking good cigars at this great new cigar lounge where I live

[Ratters]

Hey, where is the cigar lounge?

And are you herfin with us on the 27th?

And I've come to the conclusion that I'm just addicted. I'll smoke with buddies or alone, happy either way.

[South Shield]

Its in Walnut Creek called O'Sullivan Cigars, its about the size of your living room but its very cool

[Ratters]

Is that the hole in the wall place on Locust? Didn't look large enough to have a lounge. I'll have to check it out.

[South Shield]

Originally Posted by Ratters

Is that the hole in the wall place on Locust? Didn't look large enough to have a lounge. I'll have to check it out.

Thats the exact one, there are only 5 chairs but the place is great, I have a bottle of bourbon there for me while I watch sports on the tv.


Liston bought the place in September and completely remodeled it

Originally Posted by Ace$nyper

It's all the mood to me, sometimes I just want to relax with a smoke, other times I study and try to enjoy the craftsmanship as well as the taste.


It's really just a mood by mood basis.

I enjoy cigars period whether it is with others herfing, or at the B&M and even alone. Cigars relax me and gives me time to clear my head of things and at the end of the cigar I usually have answers to a lot of questions I had before.

Originally Posted by Don Fernando

It depends, when I try a new stick I always try to discover the flavor and write a review. Sometimes I am not in the mood to do that and I grab a stick I reviewed in the past. When I am smoking with friends I don't review, then its all about the company.

If I concentrate enough I can pick out flavors but that's not why I enjoy cigars,,,I don't want to make a job out of it as I just want to enjoy the flavor and time spent. If I want an in depth analysis of a cigar I will send it to a lab and they can tell me what hints it has.

[hsmunoz]

I know enough to pitch a stick I don't like and nub one that I do.
But you never really know what your going to get. I have had a great stick and a crappy one sitting next to each other in the same box.

I don't know about all these "flavors" etc, but there are differences I pickup from one to the next.
what I don't do, is let having a cigar turn into work,