cigar tips for a noob..

[cmdavid]

so i've smoked 4 or 5 good cigars in my past, but have never been responsible for picking them out, cutting them or anything like that..

anyways, a real good friend of mine is having a baby today and I would like to buy some decent cigars (~5$ each) for some of us.. but i don't know which ones to buy. I'll be stopping buy a nearby cigar shop here shortly..

so, my question is, what advice do you have? cigar brands? cutters? lighters? how to cut it? all that stuff? thanks...

 

[PingSpike]

Don't put the hot end in your mouth. That is all.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I like the Montecristo torpedo myself. They have a shorter mild cigar as well that's pretty good and should be around $6-7 each in a cigar store.

You can pick up a decent cutter for a few bucks at the cigar shop.

Light it with whatever you like. If you use matches make sure the material that ignites the match burns off before you start sucking the flame through your cigar though. If you want to get fancy ask the cigar shop for some cedar strips and use those to light your cigar. They should have plenty of it around as it is frequently used to divide cigars in the box.

 

[bobbybe01]

Great cigar tip: don't light it.

 

[Modeps]

Originally posted by: bobbybe01
Great cigar tip: don't light it.

Spoken like a man who's never smoked a good cigar.

Honestly, I dont know what brands are good though. Whenever I have them, I'm given them from my friends. I'd like to know the answers as well!

 

[IceBlue]

I thought this custom was for the new father to pass out the cigars to celebrate the birth of his own new child.

However, this is a kind gesture on your part. Cigars are cool, and my wife's having our first son or daughter in the next 2 weeks. This topic hit a little close to home for me. I'm staying tuned for more cigar suggestions.

 

[Jzero]

If it's a decent shop, just ask the guy working there for advice.

Generally I prefer a fatter cigar for a cooler smoke, maduro wrapper because I like the taste. Usually I opt for shorter length. Long cigars can be time-consuming endeavors, especially coupled with me being a fairly slow smoker.

There are good name brands like Arturo Fuente and Macanudo, but a good tobacconist will be able to point you towards lesser-known brands that are less expensive but with comparable quality.

For cutting, just don't cut too far. You'll see a "cap" on the end of the cigar. If you cut beyond this cap, the cigar will begin to unravel. You can "stick" the wrapper back together with some spit if you do cut too far. The flip side is that if you don't cut far enough you won't get a good airflow through it.

For lighting, the cedar strip is the "preferred' method.
BUt when using anything, here is the key: Don't set the cigar on fire. In fact, the best way I have found is to hold the cigar just ABOVE the flame and rotate it while drawing in air. It will take a while to light, but it will taste great.

 

[TMPadmin]

cigar aficionado

You'll need an account. It's not bad...

 

[djheater]

If you've only smoked, 4 or 5 good cigars stick with milder brands.

Go to a decent shop and ask for a reccomendation of a mild cigar. Cigar shops are usually staffed by afficionados and they'll take pride in trying to help you out.

 

[Kipper]

Get Philly blunts.

 

[PsychoAndy]

protip: don't use a zippo unless you let the fumes burn off for a couple seconds