The kilt and other favourite pastimes

[gazbot]

Hello everybody, some advice.

Wearing the kilt has become a favourite pastime of mine over the past few years, as has having a few drams whilst wearing it.

I have recently enjoyed a few cigars with this but would like to become more knowledgable. It seems that the world of cigar smoking is just as tricky as the world of kilt wearing firtsly....

1. My pallate generally tends to be sweater, which cigars will give me this i like a big ring gauge and good length.

2. What are the different types of cigars for example what is Romeo y Julilieta? is this the brand or shape or size of cigar. If its the brand how do the brands differ.

3. What are the diffrent shapes of cigars.

I have for example in my humidor at the moment.

Luis Martinez Silver selection

Te Amo Aniversario vintage 99

Quorum hand made nicaragua

What do all of these fantastic sounding things mean?

I look forward to some advice so that I can truly enjoy my cigars kilted

[Riverkilt]

Well, I hope you show more discretion than I did with cigars. Tended to inhale them and chain smoke them. Woke up one morning feeling like I had food poisioning, or the flu. Drug myself to the doc who smelled me and ordered a lab test. A while later he told me, "You have nicotine poisoning."

So, please...moderation...and downwind so I don't get that delicious aroma and wanna light up again...

Big regret is never having savored a Cuban cigar.

Big fear today would be setting my kilt on fire...did that a few times with bifurcated garments...

[islandkilt]

Look into the many selections from Drew Estates. They offer "infusions" of different spices and such that might appeal to your sweeter tastes without being overdone - they compliment rather than overpower the flavours of the tobacco in the cigar.

As for Cubans... I recall my first with the same tender affection that I otherwise reserve for only one other...

[Downunder Kilt]

A short time back there was a thread on cigars that maybe of some help to you.
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f134/cigars-68650/

[mookien]

I have smoked cigars, moderately, for many years. The most important advice I can give you is ...

A. Don't ever inhale cigar smoke. Cigars are not meant to be inhaled, unlike cigarettes. Instead, they are meant to be puffed, and then immediately exhaled. They are also meant to burn very cool.

The filler tobacco provides the taste while the smoke is in your mouth, before you exhale it. The aroma (the most important aspect of cigar smoking, IMHO) comes from the outer leaf tobacco, as it is gently heated from within the body of the cigar.

B. Don't smoke indoors unless you want the indoors to smell like burnt cigars, not a very appealing odor, IMHO.

C. Cigars, like scotch, are VERY subjective. Find the ones you like and smoke those. Take all "expert" advice, mine included, with a grain of salt.

D. I strongly recommend that you lay hands on an introductory book, or two, that describe the basics of cigars and the cigar industry. It is even a bigger and more involved subject than scotch. Those books will answer all the questions you pose, plus many others.

[mookien]

Big regret is never having savored a Cuban cigar.

Ron: Trust me. You haven't missed much.

Despite all the hype and swooning, the Cuban cigar industry went down the drain after Castro took over. All the growers, who knew how to grow, process, and manufacture cigars fled Cuba, mostly to the Dominican Republic.

Today, the best cigars in the world are not made in Cuba, but in the DR, Nicaragua, and Jamaica, IMHO. I have smoked a number of Cuban cigars, mostly obtained from countries in which it is legal to sell them.

Most are good, but not great. The best I have ever had might be considered very good, but again not great. They are technically well made, but the tobacco quality (and probably the ageing and curing, too) leave something to be desired.

John

[Ryan Ross]

Despite all the hype and swooning, the Cuban cigar industry went down the drain after Castro took over. All the growers, who knew how to grow, process, and manufacture cigars fled Cuba, mostly to the Dominican Republic.

"You wouldn't be tryin' to sell me Dominicans in a Cuban wrapper, would ya'?"

[flyingshamrock]

Look into the many selections from Drew Estates. They offer "infusions" of different spices and such that might appeal to your sweeter tastes without being overdone - they compliment rather than overpower the flavours of the tobacco in the cigar.

I agree... ACID by Drew Estates are some of my favorite. There are quite a variety of acids from mild and sweet to robust and full bodied. I also enjoy professor cila's and erin go braughs.

[Mickey]

All of those fantastic sounding names are simply the brand name. The maker. Same with Romeo y Julieta.

All makers make different blends, from very mild to super strong. Size and shape affect the flavor too, among the same blends.

Mookien covered the main bases very well. The single most important one is to find something that you enjoy, and don't worry about what anybody else thinks of it. What I love, you may find disgusting and vice versa.

Here a a decent site to get some more basics. http://www.cigargroup.com/faq/#2.4

There is a ton of information out there online. As mentioned, stogies are like Scotch and wine. Very subjective. Price does not always equal quality for every individual.

Good hunting on your favorites! I enjoy shopping at cigarbid.com when I want to try something new. You can buy singles and 5 packs at very reasonable prices if you don't have a good smoke shop in your area.

[mookien]

"You wouldn't be tryin' to sell me Dominicans in a Cuban wrapper, would ya'?"

Mi? Absolutamente no!

But a lot of folks wouldn't hesitate. Many, if not most, "Cuban" cigars are counterfeit. Somebody wraps a fifty cent "El Dildo de Groucho" or "Phallico de Fidel" under a "Partagas" or "Cohiba" label and sells it for ten dollars.