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gummy jones
Herf-A-Holic Topic Starter

11 years ago

Think back to when you started smoking cigars or at least back to the time when you really started getting satisfaction from the hobby.

What do you know now you wish you knew then?

What sticks do you wish you were exposed to or sampled earlier?

Making a solid effort to take this hobby to the next level after dabbling for many years. Thanks brothers/sisters.

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zerohourhero
Herf-A-Holic

11 years ago

I thank the heavens that I never got into machine mades. My first cigar was a "Welcome to the unit" stick from my first NCO outside the barracks 10 years ago. Put a beer in one hand, and a gurkha in the other and I never looked back.

Now I don't smoke gurkhas anymore (minus the occasional Limitada) but I wish I had someone who had shown me the difference between a top shelf cigar and a full on dog rocket earlier.

I only now have been shotgun blasted with boutiques and now understand what that label really means thanks to DCLover.

I mean, I will still always love my AJ Fernandezs, Joya De Nicaraguas, and Don Pepins, but now I have a bar for comparison.

What I wish I was exposed to back then? Mild-Medium cigars.

I've only ever had Medium-Full cigars, and now Im a full cigar smoker, so I have no bar for what a good mild should be. Smoking one is like smoking air to me.

DrafterX
Herf-A-Holic

11 years ago

The internets had a lot to do with my smoking habits.. prior to then I smoked about a million La Corona Whiffs... 🇨🇮

bgz
Herf-A-Holic

11 years ago

Back in the day when I first started, my main goto was Padron Londres Natural and sometimes Maduros.

Things I bought from time to time were little 5 pack tins, like RP 1990, Cohiba, and what ever else came in a tin back then... CAO Brazillia is another one that comes to mind, but I went through a butt load of Londres, those were by far my main goto.

Those were about my only regulars, but I would usually buy something the smoke shop guys recommended as well. Smoked a lot of Camachos as my higher end smokes because they would recommend them to me regularly, at the shpo I went to, they were big Camacho fans. Other than that, don't really remember a whole lot.

Then I would not smoke for a while and then start and stop ... etc... (This went on and off like this for several years)

Ended up buying a lot of Oliva V and Melanios before I started seriously buying the last time along with My Fathers. So when I started buying seriously, those were some of the first things I stocked up on.

Anyway, to your question, what I wish I would have done differently...

I did buy a humidor at one point several years ago, and did stock it up at one point from various internet sites...

What I wish I knew back then was that cigarbid.com existed. I would have saved a lot of dough and probably had an absolutely HUGE collection by now because I hear epic stories of deals that were once had but are no longer.

Oh, and I used to use 2 cubes in my scotch, now for most scotches just a splash of water, wish I would have known better about that one.

I was such a frickin noob back then.

tonygraz
Herf-A-Holic

11 years ago

I started out smoking swisher sweets and for more power Parodi or the other Guinea stinker I can't remember. When I gave up cigarettes I went to gas station crap and the pipe, I smoked a few drug store cigars that were premiums and just about everything else that was cheap. My cigar of choice was Topstone Bouquet and I probably smoked a thousand of them along with other machine made CT broadleafs. Then I smoked a few premiums through a company I sold for and smoked some Cubans on vacations out of the country. I started buying cigars on line and from southern sellers on trips. So I moved into the premium or so called cigar market. I've probably smoked more crappy cigars than anyone here looking for the holy grail of premium cigars at an affordable price. I even found a pretty good La Corona, Drafter. I smoke a lot, so price is important since I go through nearly a thousand cigars a year - mostly working in the yard to repel the bugs. I enjoy a cigar with friends and on my own from time to time. Some of my cigars of choice for those times with drinks and a friend are often Gurkhas, which despite the commentary here do make some pretty damn good cigars among the plethora of crap they turn out. I have a limit of what I will spend for a cigar, which rose several years ago to $ 7 a stick and still hold to that. I have some that sell for more, but they were gifted and are waiting a special occasion.

danmdevries
Herf-A-Holic

11 years ago

Only thing I wish I'd done is started sooner.

Also not buying boxes immediately. Ignored that advice early on and ended up with a LOT of dog rockets.

The chase for a good cheap cigar probably cost me just as much as just buying good stuff.

Whistlebritches
Herf-A-Holic

11 years ago

Wish I had known those RyJ Churchills my XO turned me on to back in the 80's would have tasted so much better had a I placed them in a humidified locker for a few years.Instead I picked up 2-3 boxes at a time,mostly in Hong Kong,placed them in my locker and smoked them fresh.IIRC a box back then went for about $80........my times have changed.

Ron

gummy jones
Herf-A-Holic Topic Starter

11 years ago

great responses guys, thanks.

i always had and loosely mantained a humidor but most often smoked ashtons in cigar lounges. my wife would buy me whatever the cigar shop guy recommended for Christmas and my birthday and i would parse through those throughout the year.

when i decided to dig deeper into the hobby and really try to get as much out of it as i could i decided i needed to have a better stash on hand and maintain that stash as well. i still keep the humidor running but have had my best success with tupperdors. cheap and effective!

i have been buying a few boxes of things i like and things i want to experiment aging but mostly looking for 5 pack deals. i had quite the dog rocket collection ~10 years ago but now the worst i keep on hand is flor de oliva. i dont mind them and they have some sentimental value for me. they are what i bought in MASSIVE quantity for my wedding >5 years ago to have for any guest who wanted them (some guys smoked >4 that night).

im glad i found cigarbid and im also pissed. im the type of guy who loves the thrill of the hunt and finding a good deal. so while i am saving a good bit i am also buying way way way more than i would otherwise. i wish i had been here for the glory days.

Speyside
Herf-A-Holic

11 years ago

I wish I had not bought cigars based on B+M wployee recommendations. They often suggested cigars they liked and seldom suggested cigars that had the profile I explained. I wish I had found here sooner. Buying singles was much more helpful finding cigars I like.

Edited by user 11 years ago | Reason: spelling

gummy jones
Herf-A-Holic Topic Starter

11 years ago

#10

I wish I had not bought cigars based on B+M wployee recommendations. They often suggested cigars I liked and seldom suggested cigars that had the profile I explained. I wish I had found here sooner. Buying singles was much more helpful finding cigars I like.

Speyside wrote:

yea thinking back it seems that some of the stuff they sold my wife was more aimed at rotating their stock

thurson
Herf-A-Holic

11 years ago

#11

Speyside wrote:

yea thinking back it seems that some of the stuff they sold my wife was more aimed at rotating their stock

gummy jones wrote:

That's the result of a crappy B&M...IMHO 🌫

The guys at my local know my profile, and when I want to try something new or different they never steer me wrong.

tamapatom
Herf-A-Holic

11 years ago

#12

My first were curly heads for $1. Then I went to lower end padrons and some local boutique handrollers in town - all the buckeyes here are supplied by oliva tobacco co. ....some I tried early on were CAO and store brands from the place that starts with a T. but the worst recommendation from a b and m was Kuba kuba - like grandma's potpouri Early on never knew what I really liked till I tried them. Had a few cc r and j working in Bermuda. Was gifted an anejo when they first came out. After 20 years of buying infrequently, I have recently ramped my experimenting using Internet reviews and recommendations from others. A doctor I know got free CA mags that couldn't go in waiting room and I started reading. My only regret was not picking up some good ones to stash away in the old days......not until recent years has my humidor been more than a temporary storage for a couple of fresh sticks. I now have the problem of too many to try and not enough time.

delta1
Herf-A-Holic

11 years ago

#13

Wasted a lot of time and money looking for a great cigar for less than five bucks, but price also does not equate to quality. There are some gems in that range and maybe the time, energy and money discovering them is fair.

I've spent a bunch on over-priced cigars too. New limited editions and releases rarely match the hype. Prolly "wasted" as much cash on them as on the hunt for the bargain gems. Although I like to blaze my own path and have enjoyed the road to cigar nirvana thus traveled, I should have paid more attention to the guys who have been around awhile. Especially the advice not to get too smitten with a specific flavor profile: wrapper/binder/filler blend. The cigar palate continues to change.

Looking back, despite the so-called lessons learned, it has been an interesting journey. Life is learning, right? The bumpy road is more educational and fun than the perfect path.

Especially beneficial are some of the people I've met, real and virtual, many here, because of cigars.

gummy jones
Herf-A-Holic Topic Starter

11 years ago

#14

delta1 wrote:

Everyone's palate is different.

That being said, any specifics in sticks you were happy or sad to find

skydiverd
Enthusiast

11 years ago

#15

My first 20 or so cigars were all cubans, variety of RyJ, Montecristo's, Bolivar and H Uppman. My co workers got me started on these during our trips to Germany. I had no idea of the quality I was smoking back then. Wish I did... LOL Didnt know what I was doing, smoking them really fast. Now that I have learned to appreciate, I look forward to my next trip back there...in 2017!! dammit! LOL

delta1
Herf-A-Holic

11 years ago

#16

Everyone's palate is different.

That being said, any specifics in sticks you were happy or sad to find

gummy jones wrote:

You're right about each palate being different so take this with a grain of salt:

Bargain (< $5 ea) gems include - JdN Antano 1970 and Dark Corojo (both in smaller viltolas, though the JdNA 1970 lance is really good), CyB lonsdale, Fuente Flor Fina 8-5-8, Cabaiguan coronas, Oliva O and V, old Camacho Corojo, esp the maduro lonsdale, La Aurora 1495, La Riqueza, El Triunfador, DPG Black with some age, Perdomo Grand Cru Habano (smaller ones)

Sadness: not many cigars above $20/ea seemed to be worth the money...

I don't browse in the bargain basement much anymore...lots of great cigars in the $6-10 range...

Edited by user 11 years ago | Reason: Not specified

namadio
Herf-A-Holic

11 years ago

#17

I wish i bought the cooler at the beginning when yall told me to. Also wish i didnt buy a buncha **** 3 dollar range singles to try a bunch. They mostly sucked and i still got a ton left. Opfth one of these days....

stoogiegirl89
Enthusiast

11 years ago

#18

The one thing I wish I knew was to never smoke an infused cigars that had notes of flowers. The cigars make me so sick to my stomach. 🤒 I admittedly started with infused and smoke a little bit of everything but have been smoking nothing but full bodied. I am on a current streak with the Joya de Nicaragua's. 💓

gummy jones
Herf-A-Holic Topic Starter

11 years ago

#19

namadio wrote:

I actually think there are plenty of gems to be had on here in the $3-$5 range if you know what you are looking for

I've gotten pretty lucky, only a couple drockets

Edited by user 11 years ago | Reason: Not specified

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