What Is A Cigar?

[Colt45]

Whatever prompted any of us to try our first cigar? I imagine that for many, it was out of curiosity - what's all the fuss about. Perhaps a

certain initial aesthetic - a look, "cool factor"? Though it's been a while - quite a while, I don't think I can personally deny that aspect.

Did we enjoy that first time - really?

What made us try again, and what kept us and keeps us coming back? There's flavor, of course, but is that it? Does it make us feel a certain

way - perhaps a distant attachment to the process, or some kind of sense of belonging, even if we smoke in solitude?

Camaraderie, a reason to get together - we don't need a cigar for that - it might even relegate the cigar to a mere excuse. A way of life or

simply one small facet. A reward, a crutch, sustenance?

When we take a draw, we can taste where it comes from. We can paint a picture or we can draw a blank. Solve the world's problems, think

of new ones to create, or see and hear nothing at all. It can take us away, it can take us back, or simply take us within.

Have you ever stopped, looked down at your cigar and wondered - what is it?

[PigFish]

Great thread Ross. I have some chores so I am not going to get too philosophical on this topic right now but one word comes to mind when I contemplate cigars. The word is MAGICAL. That is it, that is the best way I can describe them.

I started smoking cigars to deliberately offend people!!! -LOL That is all I am gonna' say for now on what got me smoking cigars. That was almost 27 years ago. -Piggy

[anacostiakat]

Great thread Ross. I have some chores so I am not going to get too philosophical on this topic right now but one word comes to mind when I contemplate cigars. The word is MAGICAL. That is it, that is the best way I can describe them.

I started smoking cigars to deliberately offend people!!! -LOL That is all I am gonna' say for now on what got me smoking cigars. That was almost 27 years ago. -Piggy

Don't ever break your streak!

[cigcars]

*What drew me to eventually become a cigar lover was when I was in my single digit years, my uncles & other relatives were always tobacco smokers. Though, it was mainly pipes, and the use & aroma of tobacco always made me feel at home. I attempted pipe smoking at first, and couldn't really get into it. Felt no buzz and only got tongue bite. Cigars just then took their place. Then it became my hobby. That was 25 years ago!

[SethLG]

The first time I had a cigar I was 13, my brother had just flown from his boarding school in Mass. to our home in Budapest, and picked up a couple of cigars in Zurich before moving on. I still have the band actually, haha, it was an H Upmann Sir Winston.

My mother actually took a picture of the two of us, though she doesn't have it up in the house, friends just might question her parenting.

I don't know if I was just an annoying younger brother or wanted to actually experience a cigar but I asked him and he shared one with me. I remember enjoying it, I couldn't tell you what I got out of it except for a wonderful time with my brother, feeling like an older man. My love for cigars then reemerged when I became 17 and have been in my life since.

I have often had great smoking experience with friends and on my own, and because of that I would not say it is something in which I search for camaraderie.

I could get into the flavor and body but it is more than that, I can't explain it.

[groza]

My father used to smoke the occasional cigarillo (Davidoff) and I always liked the smell. The first cigar that I took some draws from was a CoRo that we gifted to a mate for his 18th birthday. I was lucky because I got to taste it before it was 'gang-raped' so to say when literally everybody wanted to puff it

My first own CC was a tubed Siglo II that went far to long withut proper humidification (no humi back then) and, as a result, was extremely strong.

Since then, I have enjoyed pretty much every cigar, CC or NC, with only a handfull of exceptions.

[in0gravity]

Great thread.

My Great Grandfather and Grandfather both smoked cigars. I always liked the smell when I was little. I remember when my grandfather was smoking a cigar I was taking puffs when he put down his cigar and not looking. That was in my teenager years.

I was working in New York from 1999 until October 2000 and my colleagues, when we had a company dinner, were smoking cigars (cubans) afterwards. So I was joining them. Since then I always enjoy a cigar after a meal and reflect on the days work.

[cgarner]

I don't remember what got me into cigars, but I continue to smoke them for one reason. Cigars take me to a place of complete relaxation with no worries.

[jacksfull]

I think my first interest in cigars had something to with communing with a past I was born too late for. My dad was a cigar smoker, as were several of his friends, and many of my other heroes also smoked them... Babe Ruth, the tough-guy Seargent on Rat Patrol (or was it Combat! ?), all sorts of movie heroes (and heavies) like Clint Eastwood, Edward G. Robinson, Bogie, Gable, Paul Newman... and the list goes on. I think I felt like I belonged more to those glory days of my parents' "greatest generation" (and beyond) than the leisure suits, disco and drugs of my own generation coming-of-age in the 1970's.

[mbrody]

A cigar is a tool for relaxation.

[terrasco]

A cigar is a celebration of life, time, companions and place. A cigar is like a condiment to life. The time it takes to enjoy a fine cigar, added to the pleasure and sensations provided, enhance some of life's finer moments, even if it just a quiet moment at the end of the day or a stolen moment during the day.

[samb]

My dad smoked cigars, not CCs, but I thought it was interesting and cool that he did, after I was old enough, I tried my first cigar. Fell in love with it. For me though, a cigar is a moment to relax and enjoy and reflect on life. Its a force that demands the time needed to smoke to smoke and focus not on the troubles and worries of the day, but on the history and culture of the cigar itself.

[PointSource]

It was the aroma of an 1999 Ashton VSG that tempted me....I've been hooked ever since.

[Habanos2000]

My parents and brother smoked cigarettes. I absolutely hated the smell and addiction. So why do I smoke cigars? Other than being the polar opposite of a cigarette, I appreciate the physical and mystical beauty of them. The craftsmanship involved from the planting of the seed to placing them the box. The relaxation that comes with them. The deeper thought they can provide. It can be a transcendental experience at times.

I like looking forward to having that cigar at the end of the week. It just brings everything together.

[Guest rob]

My first cigar, if I recall correctly, was a flavoured cigar that I had after lunch on ANZAC day 1997.

We were at the Hyatt Hotel in Canberra (back when they had a cigar lounge) and my friends who were cigarette smokers wanted to go and have a smoke. I always wanted to try a cigar, so on the "sommelliers" advice I tried a Vanilla faloured one. I quite liked it... and the rest is history.

I purchased a box of Monte 4's and a desktop humidor that next week.

[anacostiakat]

"A woman is only a woman, but a good cigar is a smoke. "

Enough said!

[JasonInChiTown]

Free therapy.

But seriously, to think of the process of making just one cigar - amazes me. The time and effort [we hope] to develop it, helps me appreciate the notes and subtleties that each experience brings.

[MIKA27]

I always had a fascination with cigars, always loved watching movies where one sees another smoking a stogie like Telly Savallas in Kellys Heroes, or Arnold Schwarzanegger in many of his flicks.

But what really started it all for me was hunting with my father in the High country of East Gipsland.

At night, he would light one up at the camp fire where he and his friends would drink, talk, laugh and smoke the cigars. My father only smoked cigars when we went fishing and hunting.

One night, I asked him for one, it was a Padron #35 and that was it! Whilst my initial perception of it all wasn't all that positive, I did find it fascinating nonetheless and since then, I have enjoyed cigars.

I used to always smoke NC's in the initial years (Didn't know better), mostly Padrons and I still love the Padrons. I still keep a few #35's in my humi and Anniversario's. The rest of my goodies are now all CC's and I love them.

Great thread by the way.

[Colt45]

The word is MAGICAL. That is it, that is the best way I can describe them.

Ray et al, I had the same thought. This all came about on one of the few recent bearable days (it's been hot and humid for some time). As I sat in the shade of

a tree smoking a RA Estupendos (it might have been a Hoyo Epicure No.1 ), looking at the cigar, smelling it, tasting it, the feel of it between my fingers,

my mind began to wander as it often does under these circumstances.

It dawned on me that as often as I've professed that in the main I smoke for the flavor, that there's more to it - there is a kind of magic. I couldn't, and still can't

quite put it into words, and perhaps if I could, some of that magic would be lost. But for one very brief moment, I almost understood.

[tjhernandez34]

I definitely started for the cool factor, but what keeps me coming back was best put by Rudyard Kipling, "There's peace in a Larranaga, there's calm in a Henry Clay..."

[Smokin Bulldog]

Got offered a great job (at the time) and wanted to celebrate. Saw the small cigar shop and stopped by for a celebration smoke. That was my first cigar, it was a "House blend" Robusto. Little did I know how much cash that one cigar would eventually cost me!

[OZCUBAN]

Great post Colt

Well to begin i started smoking cigars on the little rum dipped ones

Makes me cringe now ,Cuban's came about 15 year or more ago now ,and for me it is the flavor ,but there's that thing that you can't quite put your finger on ,It is magic there is no other word that does it justice when you have a good cigar that,transports you to a another place ,for want off a better word ,truly special

Cheers OZ

[Stalebread]

. . . there's more to it - there is a kind of magic. I couldn't, and still can't quite put it into words, and perhaps if I could, some of that magic would be lost. But for one very brief moment, I almost understood.

Exactly. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

There's more than can be described and if you could describe it would it, in some way, be diminished?

And what is the "it"? Cigars or cigar smoking? This seems to me one of those situations where it is difficult, and maybe not even desirable, to separate the object from the process or the overall experience. But it's compelling to keep trying.

I always got a kick out of these two opposing quotes, they kinda fit the cigar situation.

Nothing has really happened until it's been described.

-- Virginia Woolf

You lose it if you talk about it.

-- Ernest Hemingway

Very interesting thread, Gents.

.

[MIKA27]

There must be more to Cigars than just smoking them.

This morning, I met Steves (OZ) wife who is in Melbourne on business. She gifted my children some prezzies (Thanks to Lucinda and Steve ) and additional to that, Steve gifted me two beautiful Punch stogies, a royal selection #11 box date Apr 2007 and a Punch royal selection #12 June 2008. Both discontinued stock I believe.

Getting to the point, I had a look at both cigars in the car and the smell was mesmerising, it left the interior of the car smelling amazing! That in itself to me is another component to why I love cigars as it truly is unique to all senses IMO.

[OZCUBAN]

One word Mika ENJOY at the end of the day thats is what is really important ,to me cigars are taste relaxation and friendship

my work here is done

Cheers OZ