The Lost Pig

[PigFish]

Since the joint has been pretty much devoid of cigar related banter as of late I thought it might be nice for a token cigar thread. Well... the fact is I don't have much good to say about cigars today.... mmmm, maybe Diplomatico #1. If I had something good to say about cigars it would be that... Diplomatico #1.

I have been in a smoking funk. You guys ever get those? I just have not had a great interest in cigar the past couple of weeks, I am just kinda' burnt out. I did enjoy a really nice Diplo #1 the other day when out on my scooter. That was really a nice cigar. Complex, with good evolution and a robust finish. All my regulars have been letting me down. I am glad the D-1 was up to the task that makes at least one cigar that I want out of my stash.

A friend had sent me some nice looking larger ring cigars that I would normally not buy. I have been wanting to dig into some of those now that they have been in the humidor a while but I don't want to tackle them when my palate is playing to a different drummer. I might need to go back to those damn Diplomaticos!!!!

With a lot of cigars in your box... do you ever say to yourself something that equates to no every time you look inside for a cigar? That is where I am. I have a reason to say no every time I go the humidor and I come back with nothing; I just don't smoke. I hope it breezes over soon... my taste buds are actually beginning to work again!

Maybe tomorrow I will smoke a Diplomatico #1. Now why did I not think of that before?

Cheers! - the Lost Pig

[mbrody]

Cross over Pigfish. All are welcome. There is peace and serenity in the light!

I'm just getting over a funk myself. What got me out was a big ol' Mag 50 Tubo. Something I have not tried before. Whammo! Major flavor and a spanking of a reminder of the pure enjoyment that a cigar can bring. Try something totally different that you don't have any expectations for! Go and grab that big ring smoke!

Good luck, and please come back to us soon...

[Colt45]

I guess all our individual situations are a bit different. With me, I've never smoked every day - even in good weather (I mainly smoke outdoors). And with some

pretty cold weather right now, it's been well over a week since my last (probably closer to three). And even though I do look forward to having a cigar, I usually

don't expect the "ultimate" cigar experience every time out, which is not to say I don't expect great tasting cigars. I don't know that any of this makes any sense,

but I do know that if cigar smoking were to become a chore, I wouldn't do it.

[gfoster]

I've been in a funk lately but not because I can't find anything interesting. I've been in a funk because with the weather here (it's raining cats and dogs) it's downright impossible to smoke. Even trying to smoke in the garage doesn't work. I'm nice and dry, but there's so much moisture in the air no matter no matter what stick I set on fire stops burning and becomes fireproof within about 15 mins. It just soaks all the moisture out of the air like a sponge.

-- Gary F.

[perfectform]

Yeah Pig, I've had funks before as well and yes I've looked into the humidors and wine fridges and have come up empty. Coupled with just getting over a 48 hr stomach flu and our chilly so cal weather ( ) I've only been having about 2 cigars a week, down from about 6-7. Partagas 898V's and SCDLH El Principes should fix you right up my friend! Happy smoking (or lack there of )

[Bartolomeo]

I was like this with PGA Tour golf clubs, buying/selling/trading for 8+ years..........got into a funk with those and that led me to my new passion, cigars

I am Hyperfocused on cigars right now if nobody can tell

Maybe this is a weak time for Piggy and an great time to raid his stash with my check book for all of those cigars that I want but nobody has.........hmmm...........I dont think so, Piggy dont play that

Its just a funk your going through is my guess for someone who has been a devoted fan of cigars for so long..........this will pass in time and you will be back to the lovely smart ass person FOH has all come to love

Maybe I need to send you more big gauge cigars to get you going again, I think so

Look forward to you posting in your previous thread about your daily cigar experiences

Your friend,

Bart

[Kangaroo495]

Smoke a panatela or something tiny. That usually puts me back on track. You might even like to try a Cuaba Divino - tiny smoke, but something capable of rekindling your palatte.

Good luck Funky Piggy!

[samb]

If it makes you feel any better, I've been craving cigars so bad that I actually want to start smoking cigarettes again. Im not in a very good situation right now.

[OZCUBAN]

Hi Piggy (or should i say Mr Piggy esquire )

I am sure it is just a phase you are going through its all swings and roundabouts in my opinion the lust will return ,i think you should get out of your comfort zone ,be dangerous and have a EL or a larger ring gauge,just to break the drought

cheers mate hope your over it soon

Oz

[bolivr]

It's what the French call 'ennui'. I call it that too. Sometimes its natures way of saying we need to look outside the square. Other times it can be cured by an early morning blast on a motorcycle. Good luck brother.

[android]

Find your way home little pig. I do that every so often myself....I can get my funk back by digging through my humidor and finding a smoke that connects me to my past, an enjoyable smoking experience that I had. May have been one I had by myself or with friends. Reflect and enjoy my friend.

[cgarner]

For me I'm on a Bolivar Royal Corona high. Every cigar I smoke I find myself comparing it to the Bolivar experience. I've smoked about 4 a week for the last 2 weeks, which is a lot for me, and every time I smoke a cigar that isn't a Bolivar RC I find myself wishing I had picked up the Bolivar instead. I'm down to 5 RC's left so I'm a bit nervous/bummed at the moment.

[semery74]

I am my own Sommelier. Each day I ask myself three questions on the way to the humidor. How long do I have to enjoy this? What will I be drinking when I smoke? And what will I be doing while I enjoy my cigar? These questions refer to size, power, and quality. It would not be a coherent choice to be wasting a Gran Reserva when I plan on leaving to go somewhere or while mowing the lawn or while I'm drinking a lemonade. Hopefully the choice, freedom, or power to say No will always remain our own.

[matthew261]

When this happens to me (and it does happen), I take a short break and then resume at a different time of day. A morning smoke is quite pleasurable especially with a good cup of coffee. And that brings up the next thing I do...I change up my beverage of choice. A single malt whiskey, bourbon, wine, a Mojito, coffee, water...they all have a different effect on flavor and enjoyability.

[MontrealRon]

Hi, Ray -

Many of us on this board tend to be a little obsessive.

(Bart, you're not the only one!)

We get super passionate and involved with our current obsession,

as we try to understand it fully.

Some things in life, however, like wine, women and Cuban cigars,

are impossible to really understand.

The more we learn, the less we seem to know.

This ultimately leads to frustration.

Only when we let go, and start living in the moment,

does this dark cloud of ennui begin to disappear, and the sunshine break through.

When we abandon all expectations,

and our attachment to our preciously held (mis)conceptions,

we become free again.

Each new cigar will be a delight, when we do not hold it up to any pre-conceived standard.

Sure, there will still be duds, but we will simply toss them aside, and pass on to another.

While it is hard to maintain such a detachment, if one can reach it even for a short time,

it kind of allows us to re-boot, and experience things from a fresh perspective.

May these blues quickly pass, and your next cigar be the best ever!

[LeafLover]

Funk, ennui, boredom, burnt out......all applies. But it's hard to pinpoint the word that best describes the feeling.

I've been through this a couple times. And it is depressing and frustrating. How I got over it? Don't remember. Perhaps it was smoking more around buddies, or was it changing the environment I was smoking in. Was it changing the whole routine of smoking? Changing day of when I smoked, It wasn't trying a different scotch. Can't remember. But, I do remember that it was miserable.

Hope someone or something or some event occurs that pulls you out of it.

[Van55]

I can relate (sort of). Monday's after-dinner cigar for me was a custom rolled salomone that was given to me by a good friend. I thought I was giving myself a real treat. The reality was that the cigar was so-so and was far too tightly rolled. I made the mistake of smoking it directly from the humidor without dry boxing. What a waste!

Tuesday's after-dinner cigar was a RASS from 2005. Again my high expectations were not met. Blah.

I thought I was in a funk caused by over-smoking. But Wednesday was an awakening. Smoked a LGC Gloriosos which was exceptional and which I reviewed on the Cigar Reviews page.

[BobLobLaw]

When we abandon all expectations,

and our attachment to our preciously held (mis)conceptions,

we become free again.

This was well put. I am only going on year three of being a serious smoker. I define serious as buying boxes and actively seeking out smoking opportunities. I started late summer of 07 and that winter was all about learning/posting/ and buying my first large humi. First box purchases were in Feb/Mar 08. Anyway, to get back on track, living in an Chicago condo can make smoking difficult. One thing I have learned in my short time is to stop forcing cigars.

Meaning when I really want to smoke, have the free time, apartment to myself, but its 40 degrees and windy out, its not the right time. Similarly when its 70 with no wind and sunny, but I need to be ready to go out in an hour and it would be rushed its not the right time. I used to push it and smoke anyway thinking it would be enjoyable. I usually ended up frustrated by a bad burn due to weather or a hot smoke from trying to finish in time to annoyance at having "wasted" what under different circumstances would have been a great cigar.

So my advice is to let it come to you, don't force the issue and everything will work itself out. (in the cigar world that is!) Hope you are back on track soon.

[thechenman]

When I find myself in a Cuban cigar funk, I take time to sit down and smoke a NC. Then I come to the realization that it does not get any better than a Cuban cigar.

[BobLobLaw]

BTW have you ever heard of the high school prank where you take 3 pigs (or other hard to grab type animals) and release them in the school with the numbers 1, 2, and 4 written on their sides in sharpie? So the school admins spend extra time looking for #3, the lost pig. Well that is what I originally thought of when I say this title. Made me laugh.

And no, sadly never did this prank myself.

Sorry for the distraction, Carry on.

[Habanos2000]

Sounds to me like you feel habitually obligated to smoke a cigar and are consequently dissappointed when nothing tickles your fancy. I say just take a break, cold turkey, for a week or more then when you don't NEED to smoke that cigar you'll come back refreshed and will enjoy it even more.

[PigFish]

With no desire to stop posting at this point on the thread, I want to thank you all for sound, sage advice. Some of which I have be thinking about currently and others with some new ideas. I still don't know if it is me... a tad down on life in general, my cigars, tastes or perhaps an amalgamation of all the above.

I have to add a note here about the board and myself. I am "Pig" headed. Sorry, I simply could not resist the pun!!! I am typically the guy who gives advice and generally rejects; certainly does not seek it from others. Of course getting some thoughtful advice from well intentioned people goes a long way to resetting my compass. I too am thinking my rut may be caused by a refined direction in smoking. This feeling of entitlement... the one that I am owed a stellar cigar every time I light one. I have had long spans where each and every cigar just stuns me with the pleasure that I can derive from it. Sometime reality "saps" you down!

I think the path may be in the exploration of cigars. A path I have more or less abandoned long ago. Unlike some of you who are exploring the hobby... I am kind of an old goat. I am pretty complacent in my ways and that is not bad as long as the system is working. Has my system let me down; well I don't think so, but it certainly may be time to open a new box, go outside the box or do something to correct the parallax problem?

So maybe it is time to light up a 50 ring cigar! The ones that you don't weigh in grams but short tons.... This makes me a little nervous! Will I return the pig headed, sarcastic know it all that many love... and some love less???? -LOL

Maybe instead I cut out the polar bear and whale meat and just pick up a nice Lanceros????

Oh... and Mr. Chen! I just as soon slam my fingers in my gun safe than even consider a NC cigar! No... make that slam my testicles in my gun safe just in case I leave any doubt in anyones mind about it!

Cheers, and thanks for reading! -

[Colt45]

Ray, not that this helps you in any way, I had some time before work today, and though it's still quite cold, the sun shone brightly, and there was

little wind to speak of. I decided to smoke a Partagas SdC3. While the cigar was excellent, for me it was more about being outside with the sun

shining on my face.

I hope the sun shines on you today

[thechenman]

Piggy...after reading that...I do not question your disdain for NCs in any way, shape or form.

[PigFish]

Piggy...after reading that...I do not question your disdain for NCs in any way, shape or form.

I just wanted to make that perfectly clear!!! -LOL

And thanks Ross, it does. I have not smoked in a few days now... not like me, I have been known to smoke 3 a day and I am now wondering what it will be when I smoke. Will it be one of the cigars from my friend Bart? Will I find that box of Punch SS#2 that Ken reminded me about? There is behemoth cigar that Rob gave me in Vegas that he got right off the roller's table. I don't even remember what it is now! I think it will have to be something out of my ordinary realm. I think that is a good idea.

I have not had a Bolivar PC in a while, perhaps it is time to open a new cab. Since I have not been buying cigars I have been a little weird about opening new boxes. My hoarding instinct is overtaking my, "I could be dead tomorrow" defining cigar mantra. I think that is part of the funk. I have never "saved" boxes. For what am I "saving" them for; my friends to divvy them up at my funeral? I have never though twice about breaking a box just to have one... why should it concern me now? The fact is... It shouldn't.

The good news is that I am thinking about having a cigar and not the contrary! That is part of the funk.

Anyone else with a suggestion on what to smoke?