How tolerant are you? And can you live with out it?

[FriendlyMan]

That's exactly what the question is.

How tolerant are you to Cigars? And can you live with out it?

I'll explain the questions.
When I started about six years ago. I didn't have the confidence of just pulling out the cigar and smoking it. I got a buzz & the nauseating headache a few times, or just just didn't enjoy the experience. With time I learned many things that help the smoker or at least me make it a better experience.
Things I have heard from others mostly on the thread and tried and followed and a lot of them I figured out on my own until I mastered or adjusted my self to most of them.
A few examples:
Don't smoke on an empty stomach
Drink something sweet,
If your very tired you might get a headache.
If you feel constipated your asking for trouble lighting that cigar.
If your body temp is to hot that's not good. & if your hot and the cold A/C is blowing in your face in the car that's even worse.
A humid day is the worst day to smoke out side. Or at all.
that it some of the things I can think of right now.

The interesting thing is, I slowly figured out a few things with the years.
I'll walk in to the shop asking for something not to strong, and the guys will laugh and say you always say that but all you smoke is medium to fulls. Like Padrons, Tatauje, A fuente, 107's etc.. They almost call me the not to strong guy.

So,
#1 I did build up some kind of tolerance.
#2 Lately for months, I'v been trying to smoke a 50-60 minute cigar on the way in to work. I guess they are mostly mediums. I pull my car over under a shady tree in a quiet street roll down the windows and smoke a cigar. That's about 8:30 AM, I do wake after 5 so by then I had three Decaf coffees and only some eggs. That's it, and I'm fine. I do have a diet Snapple handy if I need a flush once in a while.

I know some will laugh it off. As they just light in go anytime anywhere. But I'm sure some can relate something????

Oh, And I could live with out a cigar for months......

I used to get sick, that was about a year ago. I guess I've just gotten used to the nicotine. Now I can smoke whatever I want whenever I want. It's great.

I love the strong cigars now, they are my fav.

[FriendlyMan]

oh, I did forget to write one thing,
I'm still afraid of the word "SRTONG" cigar.

Originally Posted by kickerb

I used to get sick, that was about a year ago. I guess I've just gotten used to the nicotine. Now I can smoke whatever I want whenever I want. It's great.

I love the strong cigars now, they are my fav.

[Jefft72]

Over the past year of smoking I have certainly taken my lumps as I have learned. I used to keep only strong full type smokes, but have made an effort to mix in some good medium stuff so that I have a variety to choose from depending on my smoking situation. Sometimes I don't want or need a 1.5hr kick you in the balls smoke. Those are the times I would like a 45min medium smoke while I am in the back yard burning some meat for dinner and playing with the kids.

I don't smoke everyday, but usually make time for at least one on a weekend.

[smitty81]

I must have a very high tolerance to nicotine and caffeine. It usually takes a LOT to get me buzzing on either.

I have only gotten sick off of one cigar ever in my whole life and I think it was due to me retro haling almost half of the cigar. I wasn't even buzzed, it just hit me out of no where.

I can and have literally walked into a humidor and picked up any cigar that looks good and have never gotten sick. Not to say that I won't someday. I have a couple of sticks in my humi that I have been warned about so I will probably go easier on those at first.

I could live without cigars but it would suck. I like collecting them more or less so I'm not overly addicted to them.

I have smoked cigarettes (casually) and cigars both and have not gotten addicted to them. The only thing I had to build a tolerance for is Skoal/Copenhagen. When I first started chewing, I got so frickin sick it wasn't even funny. Whatever made me try it again...........I don't remember. I didn't chew a LOT as in a multiple cans a day but I was really addicted to it. It took me multiple try's and lots of months to get myself off of the with drawls from quitting.

Haven't chewed in about 6 years or so.

[pektel]

I got sick on the second or third cigar I ever smoked, and only because I smoked two back to back. IIRC, it was an Indian Tabac.

I haven't gotten sick from a cigar since.

I'm not addicted to cigars. I've gone for weeks without a cigar, with no cravings or anything like that. I definitely don't smoke them for the nicotine.

[FriendlyMan]

I just reminded my self two more things, Slow down when smoking,

and don't go crazy on those last few puff that can kill everything. It's not worth it, just let it go.

[WittyUserName]

Great questions and answers, I have never really put much though into this.

When I first started smoking cigars I stuck with Connecticuts and very mild/light smokes. I had to work my way up to what I really enjoy now which are the medium to "strong" sticks. If I plan on smoking a few cigars in one night I will do my best to start with the "lightest" and work my way to the "strongest". I take breaks and cleanse the pallet with drink or food in between smokes.

[markem]

One SoCal or Shack herf will either give you amazing tolerance or kill you.

[CigarNut]

Originally Posted by markem

One SoCal or Shack herf will either give you amazing tolerance or kill you.

[area51]

You mentioned it but I always smoke on a full stomach and make sure to have a soda or something with a ton of sugar to keep my levels up.

[GodOfFire]

I remember in the beginning thinking there is no way a cigar is ever going to make me sick... I remember the one day I had a CAO Brazilia and was at Pig Gig in Bay City Michigan and my buddy saw me lighting up the Brazilia and he said hey becareful if you have an empty stomach that one could make you queasy. I blew him off and started to enjoy what to this day is a fantastic cigar to me. However, on that one about half way through I put it out and thought I was going to hurl. Since then I have taken it alittle easier with "stronger" smokes. I have gotten sick on one other one can't remember the name of the line. However I steer toward mild to medium for my casual smokes and have stronger heavier smokes for after meals and in the evening and I never "push it" if I feel queasy I'll just call it good right there. I prefer not to be macho if it keeps me from hurling thats the best advice I can give a newbie. If you ever do start to feel sick just stop smoking before it gets any worse.

[WittyUserName]

Originally Posted by area51

You mentioned it but I always smoke on a full stomach and make sure to have a soda or something with a ton of sugar to keep my levels up.

Cream Soda!!!

[maninblack]

Pffft. Stronger the better. I ain't no sissy.

[andromalius]

When I smoked my first cigar a few years back I was told (by someone who also had never smoked a cigar) that you're supposed to inhale when you smoke them. I had never before smoked anything. Of course, I got horribly sick, and am surprised that I didn't puke.

[SmokinPhysics]

Originally Posted by FriendlyMan

A humid day is the worst day to smoke out side.

This is the worst. I was outside smoking one evening that it was cool (65ish) and humid (94%), and the burn issues were atrocious. I took a good hour to labor through the first half, then couldn't keep it lit after the second ash fell.

I can go fairly long without smoking. I generally try to look for the perfect evening to light one up, with an early-ish dinner and nothing to get done/nowhere to go. Seeing as how those evenings are fairly rare, I average less than one a week.

[Mugen910]

I have gone months without a cigar. No biggie
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[Silound]

I used to run a B&M, so whatever lack of tolerance I may have had, I certainly built it up quickly I think I peaked at around 4-5 sticks a day.

Some things I've noticed over 10 years about my smoking:

- I used to love madruo and oscuro wrappers for the strength, richness, and slightly sweet flavors. Now I generally prefer Connecticut or other shade wrappers for the delicacy of flavor and the richness, letting the body of the cigar add the strength I like.
- Raw strength is less desirable now to me as a complex body that will sneak up on me. I like the surprise and the evolution of a cigar more now.
- These days, I find myself being a very lazy smoker. I used to be an "anytime, anywhere, any size" smoker, but now I enjoy it most either right after a heavy meal, or while driving down I-10 with the windows cracked. Mid-day lunch smokes are more of a way to get out of the office for an hour and recharge my batteries than a desire to smoke. I still enjoy them though.
- When I started smoking, my two favorite sizes were the traditional Cuban sized pyramides and churchills because I felt they had more depth of flavor and could showcase a blend better. I love those sizes still, but I find myself smoking a lot more robustos and coronas (time thing I suppose). And Perfectos....WTF, need I say more



All cigar lovers evolve to some degree or another. Some roll the full spectrum of things to experience, and some maybe are just as happy finding that "one" thing and staying there. It is a hobby about enjoying your time and your company after all

[FriendlyMan]

I see you'r referring to humidity as bad for the Cigar, I'm talking about how I feel if I smoke when its humid, I hate it. I feel that I need clear air when I smoke.

Originally Posted by SmokinPhysics

This is the worst. I was outside smoking one evening that it was cool (65ish) and humid (94%), and the burn issues were atrocious. I took a good hour to labor through the first half, then couldn't keep it lit after the second ash fell.

I can go fairly long without smoking. I generally try to look for the perfect evening to light one up, with an early-ish dinner and nothing to get done/nowhere to go. Seeing as how those evenings are fairly rare, I average less than one a week.

[mosesbotbol]

Stay away from Nicaraguan cigars if you can get sick easily.