Cigar help

[stillbr]

So I want to buy a humidor and some cigars. I enjoy smoking cigars, but have NO clue as to what I should look for. All I know is I like mild/medium. Nothing too strong. I would like to spend no more than $200 for the humidor and cigars.

[wrto4556]

I like Cohiba.

[James Boston]

cigars (http://www.thecigarstore.com/product.php?p=546)

humidor (http://www.thecigarstore.com/product.php?p=68024)

cutter (http://thecigarstore.com/product.php?p=284)

[STLantny]

Personally, I find those fuente's far away from mild. H Upman vintage cameroons (churchill) are my fav and the perfect amount of mild. Make sure you talk to someone before you try to cure your humidor, its kind of a pain in the ass. If you PM me, we can work out a deal, and Ill get you a contact of mine that has just about any cohiba you can get.

[morgan180]

Avo #6 are my personal favorites. For starters any Macanudo is good because they blend vintages making for consistent taste in their cigars.

i like a larger cigar like a churchill as well.

[Ponks]

The H. Upman Vintage is a very good cigar for the price. I got myself a box of these last year. They should come out to about $4 a stick.

Ponks

[partygirluk]

How good are the prices on thecigarstore.com ? Say, compared to duty free? Do they ship to the UK?

BTW I like medium-big length cigars that are fat, and am looking for something with a nice flavour. Any recommendations? I have had a few Romeo and Juliets and didnt care for them, had an Upmanns which I liked, had a few non-cuban cigars which I didn't like.......

[STLantny]

I honestly can say, Ive had hundreds of cigars, and the H Upman vintage cameroons, are the most simalar to a decent cohiba a la the 2004 anniversie sublime edition. They are pretty much all I smoke, when i run out of cubans. Even hte padron 1926 aniv, which kipin turned me on to (at 29$ a pop) I didnt like as much.

[dibbs]

JRCigars.com

[James Boston]

[ QUOTE ]
How good are the prices on thecigarstore.com ?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know. I Googled Fuente and found the site. I wasn't really recommending the site as much as I was recommending what he would need. I have never actually purchased anything there.

[STLantny]

Imo, just get 2 cheap 2$ snips, and one 10$ hole style cutter to put on your keychain (dont get the cheap ones *hole style* for 2$, you will lose the cutter too quickly). A good 50 cigar humidor will run ya about 50-100$, dont pay mure than that. More expensive doesnt necassarily mean better in the case of cigars, imo.

[JTrout]

Torano (http://www.seriouscigars.com/types/Build_mfr.asp?mfg=Carlos+Torano&Cat=Cigars#1916%20 Cameroon) is one of my favorites.

[Inthacup]

Ben, IM me and I'll send you a few sticks to try.

A few inexpensive recommendations I'd suggest:

Arturo Fuente(AF)- 858 Natural or Maduro
AF Sungrown- any size, I like the Cuban Belicosos
AF Don Carlos- #3(these can be in the upwards of $10, but can be found for about $5)
Punch- Maduro Maduro Rothschild
Punch- Rare Corojo(any size)
Padron- any size(I really like the anniversary line, but the regular line is good and inexpensive)
La Gloria Cubana- Serie R Maduro

There are some more quality smokes at that price, but I would focus on those.

Regarding a humidor, Sam's Club/CostCo usually has a decent 75-100ct humidor. Get a digital hygrometer because analog hygrometers are very inaccurate

I would spend about $50 and get a good double-blade cutter. Xikar makes a good one. Some people don't like that style.

Cup

[Inthacup]

I like Cohiba.

If you're talking about the Non-cuban Cohibas, they're way overpriced. For that money, you can find much better.

If you're talking about Cuban Cohibas, you either bought them from La Casa Del Habano, or you got fakes.

[tonypaladino]

http://www.thecigarstore.com/productimages/MAC-CDIP_1.jpg

&

Sosa Cigars (http://www.cigar-review.com/Sosa.html)

[chisness]

you should also consider getting a colibri lighter or lighter/cutter

i just ordered a decent humidor for about $100 on eBay

i also ordered the colibri ceo, a great lighter/cutter (it's even a double guillotine cutter)

i'm also fairly inexperienced though -- when the hygrometer is reading below 65% (mine's at about 63%) should i add more water to the humidifier thing?

[STLantny]

Yes, you should keep it at 70% 72 degrees F, for optimal conditions, according to kipin.

[chrisdhal]

[ QUOTE ]
Arturo Fuente(AF)- 858 Natural or Maduro

[/ QUOTE ]

These are my favorites. I got a couple of the AF "Cuban Coronas" for father's day and they were pretty good too and about the same price.

I'll have to check out Sam's for a humidor, thanks for the pointer.

[Inthacup]

Yes, you should keep it at 70% 72 degrees F, for optimal conditions, according to kipin.

65-70% is generally considered the optimal humidity range. I keep my humidors at 65%. This prevents burn problems from the cigars being too humid. They also age better at 65% than at 70%.

Also, 65 degrees is optimal for long term aging. The most important thing to remember is that the cigars should be kept 75 degrees or above. Tobacco beetles potentially hatch at 75 degrees and can do massive damage to your cigars. For instance:

http://people.ambrosiasw.com/~andrew/cigars/buggy_pams.jpg

/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

[A_C_Slater]

When you smoke cigars do you inhale the smoke? I've heard that most don't and it makes me wonder what the "point" is...?

[Inthacup]

When you smoke cigars do you inhale the smoke?

noooo. Most people definitely don't inhale, and I wouldn't recommend it. IME, even without(intentionally) inhaling, cigars are a relaxing experience and sometimes can really knock someone on their ass.

[JTrout]

[ QUOTE ]
The most important thing to remember is that the cigars should be kept 75 degrees or above

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't you mean "or below"?

[A_C_Slater]

How is it relaxing if you're not inhaling the smoke? Is it dangerous to inhale cigar smoke (say like, a cigar a month.)

[Inthacup]

haha. whoops.

It should read:

The most important thing to remember is that the cigars should NOT be kept 75 degrees or above

[Inthacup]

The effects of a cigar differ greatly from person to person. I like strong cigars and they don't give me a buzz nearly as bad as some of the people I've smoked with. I had a friend who smoked this cigar:

http://www.cigarsforless.com/images/dbthumbs/dbimages/opusX_perfection_xXx.jpg

And it's strength made him feel so sick that he didn't smoke another cigar for about a year. I've smoked several of these and have never had similar problems with them.

You're not in realistic danger of lung cancer if you inhale one cigar a month, but you would be if you did it on a regular basis(one per day). Cigar sizes vary greatly, so that obviously plays a factor. But, in general, you'll be fine.

[partygirluk]

Is this definitely legal for people in the US to use? I thought there was an embargo on cuban goods...... If someone from, say, California, orders some cigars what is the worst that could happen to them?

[The Stranger]

[ QUOTE ]
So I want to buy a humidor and some cigars. I enjoy smoking cigars, but have NO clue as to what I should look for. All I know is I like mild/medium. Nothing too strong. I would like to spend no more than $200 for the humidor and cigars.

[/ QUOTE ] Cigars International (http://www.cigarsinternational.com) has a of great combos you can check out.

My favs are CAO Black and Gurkha Centurian Double-X

[Aces McGee]

[ QUOTE ]
Punch- Maduro Maduro Rothschild

[/ QUOTE ]

Cup, I've heard that these are the same as the also Villazon(?)-made Hoyo de Monterrey double maduro rothschild. If that's the case, than these are my favorite cheap smoke. I love the HdM 2x maduro. I can't say enough good things about them. Great volumes of smoke, good flavor, pleasing scent.

Padrons are also a great recommendation; as Cup says, even the 2000s and 3000s are excellent for the price.

If the original poster wants something with more of a kick, The Edge by Rocky Patel is a good, flavorful smoke for ~$5 a stick.

-McGee