Just Not Enjoying Excellent Cigars at the B&M's

12-03-2009, 11:14 AM

I had this conversation with my buddy Travis (Pilon) a little while back, but ironically...it hit me right in the face again yesterday. Travis nicknamed me "Cigar Snob" because he only see's me smoking LE or pricier cigars, and I will admit that I really enjoy Padron 64's & 26's (includes 40th's, 45th's, 80th's) Tat Reserva HTF's & T110's, Anejo's, VSG's, ISOM's, ECCJ's...etc...etc...you get the idea. A while back I noticed that I didn't enjoy these cigars as much at the B&M's as I do at home or at a friends. I realized that it was the combination of cigarette smoke and occasional pipe smoke in the air that was affecting the overall taste and smell of my cigars. The cigar was still enjoyable (we smokers must all band together...right?), but they don't taste the same as when there's no other types of smoke around.
So here's the irony. I packed my travel humi with some of the sticks I mentioned above, yesterday. It was my 1 year anniversary since being laid off (Dec 2, 2008), and I was planning on smoking something special to offset my thoughts of it. So I head to a B&M looking forward to grabbing an Anejo 55 to smoke. It was my first and OMG what a great smoke it was. Good cigar, great conversation with the owner (this is my favorite shop), and another gentleman that lit up an Anejo as well. I brought up what I had figured out about the "other smoke in the air effecting the overall taste of the cigar". The other gentleman and I agreed whole heart-idly...and conversation continued onto other things. He's about a third of the way into his Anejo, and I'm digging through my humi for something to smoke next, since the shop was open for another 90 minutes and it was just the 3 of us shooting the breeze. I decide on a T110 and two more gentlemen join us at the table for a smoke as well. I no sooner light my stick, looking forward to the handful of black pepper getting thrown in my face...when the two that just joined us each lit up a Backwoods Grape. Have you ever been around somebody with a burning Backwoods Grape? It was like I had cases and cases of unwrapped Grape Tootsie Pops right under my nose. Remember the guy that was enjoying his Anejo? I had just lit up a T110...and both of us looked at each other. Both our sticks were instantly transformed into something no better than a Muniemaker (no...I have not smoked a Muniemaker). The irony was that we had just discussed this just moments before. Everybody has a right to be and smoke where ever and whatever they want. It was actually my fault for thinking I'd be able to really enjoy 2 smokes in a row in one shop visit. I'm glad I hadn't lit up the 45th I had with me...though it'd be easier to replace than a T110.

So here's where I'm at with B&M's. GREAT place to get together with others to enjoy a smoke, good conversation and each others company. But LE, HTF and pricier sticks are staying at home from now on.

12-03-2009, 11:14 AM	#1
klipsch Guest Posts: n/a	Just Not Enjoying Excellent Cigars at the B&M's I had this conversation with my buddy Travis (Pilon) a little while back, but ironically...it hit me right in the face again yesterday. Travis nicknamed me "Cigar Snob" because he only see's me smoking LE or pricier cigars, and I will admit that I really enjoy Padron 64's & 26's (includes 40th's, 45th's, 80th's) Tat Reserva HTF's & T110's, Anejo's, VSG's, ISOM's, ECCJ's...etc...etc...you get the idea. A while back I noticed that I didn't enjoy these cigars as much at the B&M's as I do at home or at a friends. I realized that it was the combination of cigarette smoke and occasional pipe smoke in the air that was affecting the overall taste and smell of my cigars. The cigar was still enjoyable (we smokers must all band together...right?), but they don't taste the same as when there's no other types of smoke around. So here's the irony. I packed my travel humi with some of the sticks I mentioned above, yesterday. It was my 1 year anniversary since being laid off (Dec 2, 2008), and I was planning on smoking something special to offset my thoughts of it. So I head to a B&M looking forward to grabbing an Anejo 55 to smoke. It was my first and OMG what a great smoke it was. Good cigar, great conversation with the owner (this is my favorite shop), and another gentleman that lit up an Anejo as well. I brought up what I had figured out about the "other smoke in the air effecting the overall taste of the cigar". The other gentleman and I agreed whole heart-idly...and conversation continued onto other things. He's about a third of the way into his Anejo, and I'm digging through my humi for something to smoke next, since the shop was open for another 90 minutes and it was just the 3 of us shooting the breeze. I decide on a T110 and two more gentlemen join us at the table for a smoke as well. I no sooner light my stick, looking forward to the handful of black pepper getting thrown in my face...when the two that just joined us each lit up a Backwoods Grape. Have you ever been around somebody with a burning Backwoods Grape? It was like I had cases and cases of unwrapped Grape Tootsie Pops right under my nose. Remember the guy that was enjoying his Anejo? I had just lit up a T110...and both of us looked at each other. Both our sticks were instantly transformed into something no better than a Muniemaker (no...I have not smoked a Muniemaker). The irony was that we had just discussed this just moments before. Everybody has a right to be and smoke where ever and whatever they want. It was actually my fault for thinking I'd be able to really enjoy 2 smokes in a row in one shop visit. I'm glad I hadn't lit up the 45th I had with me...though it'd be easier to replace than a T110. So here's where I'm at with B&M's. GREAT place to get together with others to enjoy a smoke, good conversation and each others company. But LE, HTF and pricier sticks are staying at home from now on.