Are you an "oblivious smoker"?

[ColdCuts]

I was just watching an hour-long documentary called The Havana: Cigar Of Connoisseurs (2005). It's a good documentary and it's free if you're an Amazon Prime member. In any case, on the program they interview a number of habanos dignitaries, one of which is Jose Luis Vilallonga. I had to Google him. He was a Spanish aristocrat and bit-part actor who co-starred with Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. He passed in 2007. Anyway, he had this to say about cigars...

"I smoke two cigars a day. One after lunch, and one after dinner. Sometimes when I go out at night I smoke another one. Three altogether. But, I never never smoke when I'm out on the streets. I never smoke driving a car. I smoke, like many other Spanish do, during the bullfight, which is barbaric, because you don't savor the aroma or taste the cigar." He goes on to explain that he smokes at the bullfights simply because it's tradition.

The documentary immediately cuts to a scene in Cuba of a man puffing away while driving a car. The posh sounding narrator says, "Almost everybody smokes cigars here, whatever the time, whatever the place."

Toward the end of the documentary, Vilallonga continues, "The Americans are what I call oblivious smokers. Oblivious smokers, because they smoke in the streets. They smoke when driving a car. They don't have this european sense which is more civilized, really. Smoking a cigar is like taking a break in the day. I sit here and, three-quarters of an hour, an hour, I smoke a cigar."

This got me thinking. I want to know how it is for you. For me, if I didn't smoke on the streets, it would cut my cigar smoking in half. And, as it is, it's difficult for me to make time for a cigar. I don't smoke inside my home either. Perhaps that's part of it. I guess I admire this guy. If I could sit everyday for an hour after lunch and an hour after dinner and smoke in my opulent living room, I suppose I would. So, are you guys like me, or are you guys like Jose?

[RWhisenand]

I can't help but find it ironic that he smokes during a bullfight, but considers Americans less civilized then Europeans.

[CdnStogie]

I tend to smoke anywhere but 'walking around on the street'... I smoke cigarettes though.

I find cigars are more for a relaxation time for me - I'll light one up on my porch, camping, fishing, golfing... if I have a long drive in front of me I sometimes will have one... But walking downtown - nope.

Has to be 'the right moment' for me to enjoy.

[jhedrick83]

I typically only have time to smoke at home. I prefer to smoke at home anyway as it is all about relaxation for me and forcing myself to slow down and enjoy life.

[tsolomon]

I tried the walk the dog and smoke a cigar while doing it a couple of times and just didn't enjoy it. I do like to just sit and smoke when I have the time to enjoy it. The only exception would be on the golf course as I can drive the cart and smoke at the same time.

[pektel]

Originally Posted by jhedrick83

I typically only have time to smoke at home. I prefer to smoke at home anyway as it is all about relaxation for me and forcing myself to slow down and enjoy life.

Yep. 99.9% of the time, my cigar time is "me" time. It's not just the cigar for me (well, SOMETIMES it is). More often than not, it's the de-stressing/relaxing/therapeutic effects that the hour-or-so of reflection time spent smoking that I get the most benefit. Smoking cigars - I think - IMPROVES my overall health.

[Porch Dweller]

Originally Posted by RWhisenand

I can't help but find it ironic that he smokes during a bullfight, but considers Americans less civilized then Europeans.

I'm with you on that one.

Originally Posted by tsolomon

I tried the walk the dog and smoke a cigar while doing it a couple of times and just didn't enjoy it. I do like to just sit and smoke when I have the time to enjoy it. The only exception would be on the golf course as I can drive the cart and smoke at the same time.

Same here. If I smoke while walking the dog I find I can't focus as much on picking out nuances in the cigar. I can light a cigar, walk the dog, find the cigar boring without much flavor, get back home 15-20 minutes later, sit down on my porch, and suddenly that same cigar has depth of flavor.

[baust55]

I smoke in my enclosed court yard with a fire in the evening , on the porch/deck admiring the plants , flowers , my fig trees or in my Billiards room/ Cigar Lounge .

Occasionally at a Cigar lounge Like Jakes or the Havana Garage. It's all about relaxing!


AUSTIN
S.E.Nebraska !

[icehog3]

The majority of my smoking is done while sitting around relaxing....in my home, at a lounge, at a herf.....but if I am driving anywhere that takes longer than 30 minutes to get to, I am smoking in my truck. Takes the edge off driving for me if there is traffic, and makes it more relaxing/enjoyable in any circumstance.

[the MacDonald]

I used to be an oblivious smoker, but these days I'd agree with Vilallonga. A cigar is an event, not a time killer or an accessory.

[Sweet_Leaf_PDX]

Most of my smoking time is done while sitting around and relaxing. When the weather is nice it's in my back yard and when the weather is bad I will go to one of my local cigar bars or B&M's that have a smoking lounge.

Sometimes I will smoke while playing golf or doing some sort of group outdoor activity. But that is usually if others are smoking so it's more of a social smoke. I find that when I smoke this way I don't get as much out of the cigar, so I try to pick a lower priced cigar that I am familiar with.

[Steve]

Guilty as charged...

I enjoy a cigar anytime I have an opportunity; sitting on my deck, on the boat fishing, walking the dog, at the archery range, etc. But then again, I've been accused a few times of being a barbarian

[RUNYYFan]

Originally Posted by the MacDonald

I used to be an oblivious smoker, but these days I'd agree with Vilallonga. A cigar is an event, not a time killer or an accessory.

Agreed.

Back in the early to mid-1980's, I can recall attending Yankees games in the old stadium where the older gents would have no problem lighting up whatever they wanted. While most of the cigars were the "stogie" type, there was one guy who I remember would always wait until the second out in the bottom of the 9th to start his cigar. And he would sit there in the 300-level as the rest of the fans left just smoking the cigar as if that would be his last night and he was going to enjoy it forever.

To this day, I cannot tell you what the name of the cigar was. But I remember it being a wonderfully rich aroma that was, at least to a kid in his early teens, just great.

[8zeros]

I was once on a business trip that had me in San Fransisco. I proudly walked around smoking the biggest cigar I had. I was not oblivious at all.

[CigarSquid]

I smoke to enjoy and relax. In a car, I only do it on my longer trips and when I am alone.

So, to answer the question; No, I am not an oblivious smoker.

[nutcracker]

A stroll in a park with a cigar is a rare pleasure.
Probably soon to be banned.

[nutcracker]

I spoke with the lady in Barcelona who used to sell the meat from the bullfights. Apparently it was tough and quite revolting. Forutnately bullfighting is now banned in Catalonia.

Smoking a cigar is hardly barbaric compared to torturing a creature for entertainment.
Now that's barbaric.

[The Poet]

Me, I Aqualung. So, no.



Or yes, depending on how one defines it.

[RobR1205]

I accidentally picked the wrong answer in the poll, but I prefer to sit and smoke. I walk fast and take long strides, so I've found that I smoke much faster based on past experiences. Plus I find it harder to monitor the burn when I'm smoking.

[timj219]

I usually smoke on my deck and try not to do anything else though I will sometimes read a book. But I only smoke on weekends or when on vacation. So maybe two or three per week. I used to smoke a cigar while doing yard work but now I smoke a pipe if anything.