You are handed a cigar....do you

[warren516]

If it's anything greater than a 56 ring guage, I would politely tell him thanks but I don't like smoking something so large. It's not enjoyable for me.

[TheCoach]

Do you tell the truth?: YES! id like to think that all of those who have a genuine love for cigars to be connected in some way. I would want someone to tell me if i gave them a crap cigar, and point me in the right direction so it won't happen again. I believe cigars are way to good to waste time smoking crap.

Do you finish? Rob, as a young smoker i learned most of my cigar etiquette, and cigar social taboos from you! Hell, no you don't finish it...

[Orion21]

Smoke as much as I could stand and explain its not my cup of tea. Hand him something I enjoy and see how he likes it. If he gets butt hurt that's a sign of someone I wouldn't want to smoke with anyway. Cheers!

Life is too short to smoke bad cigars!!!!

[PapaDisco]

I carry a variety of CC vitolas at all times. At least one robusto, a corona gorda, churchill, canonazo, double corona, and piramide. All tubed of course. My suits fit like ****, but this is a necessary evil to avoid the aforementioned cigar faux pas.

Upon being presented with the hypothetical stick, I praise its length and girth, its very virility if you will; allowing the well intentioned giver to bask vicariously in the manliness of the proffered smoke. Upon lighting and early realization that I am, once again, sucking on a prodigal dog **** of a cigar, I merely suck it up, slow my puffs to absolute minimum knowing I won't have to wait long. I size up the stinker in my hand, quickly judging its ring and length, and loosening the band with my pinky finger. When Monsieur de la Merde du Chien is distracted or goes to the bar for a refill, I deftly slip the band off, slide it on to my already de-tubed selection in my left hand and grind the freebie ****-stick out in rug (if at the fellow's house) or wrap it in a Jackson and slip it to the nearest waiter for disposal.

Works every time. You just have to be prepared that's all.

[Jeremy Festa]

If it was an NC I would say "thanks but no thanks" before lighting it.

And, if it was a big Cuban, and it was not to my taste, I would be polite and honest.

[pwhite]

If he truly loves the cigar, I would not be the one to burst his bubble. I would smoke it just enough to keep it burning and when he's not looking get the cigar cutter and cut a few inches off.

[stillinger]

How big is the cigar? If it's smaller, I choke it down, give it a full go, and tell him honestly what I think and gift him something I like.

If it's wretched, and gigantic (a situation I see way more in the area I'm in, where Gurkhas fly off the shelf) I have to judge whether I will see this chap more, and if so, give it a fair run (half/two-thirds) and then be honest about what I think as kindly as possible.

That said, if I've never had the smoke, who knows, last third could be amazing. Doubtful, but who knows.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Skitalets]

I try not to get in this situation--I bring plenty of my own stuff to smoke and would usually bring a gifted stick home for later. (Even in the case of something really great--delayed gratification.) People are rarely pushy if you show that you appreciate the gesture and promise to smoke it later. I also mostly hang out with guys who smoke good cigars, so when I've been gifted cigars at a lounge in the moment, they've been sticks I'm familiar with, even if I've never tried them.

That said, if really pushed to it, I would give it my best so as not to offend. For my palate there are very few things out there that are truly disgusting and unsmokeable. Something might not be my cup of tea, but it's not likely to make me gag.

[LordAnubis]

Be honest that you are not liking your cigar, but i would smoke the whole thing provided it didn't taste like burning plastic.

[Rye]

I'd start smoking it like Ken does in the reviews and hope for a bad burn!

[dicko]

I would say it is plugged

[IanMcLean68]

By shocker from the opening I assume you mean shockingly good, then goes south half inch in.

I would give it another quarter to half inch to see if it improves. If yes, we are good. If not, I would put it down, be open and honest with my feedback and while reaching for a stick for me, return one of mine to him and say thanks for the generosity. I'd go on to say that my time is precious and I'd prefer to smoke something I will enjoy more and would appreciate the opportunity to continue to smoke with him and encourage him got try my gifted cigar.

If shocker as in horrible from the beginning, same story except I wouldn't give and xtra quarter to half inch..

---

I am here: http://maps.google.c...9459,-81.383608

I like your response too Rushman. I haven't been faced with this situation yet but if I am I would go down this line too.

[anacostiakat]

Sigh. Tell the truth. How hard is it to say thanks but this really isnt what I like.

[laficion]

Sigh. Tell the truth. How hard is it to say thanks but this really isnt what I like.

+1, I like that,I would do that too. !!!!

[TheDistrictJP]

At the last local cigar club meeting I attended, I had just finished a PSD4 and was about to cut a PLPC that just came in when the guy across the table from me asked if I wanted to try something different. Where could this possibly lead? He handed me a Churchill sized Tainos Indian cigar from Mexico that he brought back and wasn't sure if they were Cuban or not.

Yes, I smoked most of it very sparingly and had a good time. At one point I thought I was hallucinating, told him I detected notes of walnuts and roman candles. The last time this happened to me it was a Paul Garmawhoever that tasted like newspaper.

This thread made me think of how to avoid that situation and I think I'll just politely say that I have really been looking forward to a stick I brought with me.

jp

[almudawi]

Oooooh, this happened to me twice actually. I have started smoking cigars steadily in 2008. And as a novice at the time fell for the NC hype machine. So I started seeking them and believed that they were superior. Add to that the fact that NCs are rare to find in the Middle East and therefore is considered "forbidden fruits" due to their HTF nature in the region. Luckily, within a year I discovered that NCs are a waste of money, effort and time and became what my mates call the Anti NC. Now, to answer the question. Being the Anti NC my NC loving friends would gift me an "excellent" nc every now and then in their endivour of making me "see the light". The most memorable ones were:

1- a macanudo Maduro perfecto: horrible, sour and had a nicotine kick akin to one of a mule.. The gifter kept asking me for my opinion every 2 puffs while waxing lyrical about how greatly misunderstood and under appreciated macanudos are. I had to soldier on. Nub the darn thing "as a friendly gesture" and then tried to be as polite as possible and say that it was an ok smoke.

2- Don pepin my father: pepper, pepper and some more black pepper.. Through this hellish black pepper ordeal I had to set there wipe the sweat of my bolding head and pretend to like the cigar. Again thanking the gifter and praying for all the gods in every single religion that existed in humanity to get it over with. At the end I managed to leverage my delight of finishing this stick from hell into saying that it was a decent cigar. The gifter was delighted

So I guess the short answer would be accept, smoke and LIE

[KoreanCowboy]

I just slowly smoke the cigar and let it go out a few times and act like it won't stay lit. Thank them and then move on to a good cigar.

[DrunkenMonkey]

I carry a variety of CC vitolas at all times. At least one robusto, a corona gorda, churchill, canonazo, double corona, and piramide. All tubed of course. My suits fit like ****, but this is a necessary evil to avoid the aforementioned cigar faux pas.

Upon being presented with the hypothetical stick, I praise its length and girth, its very virility if you will; allowing the well intentioned giver to bask vicariously in the manliness of the proffered smoke. Upon lighting and early realization that I am, once again, sucking on a prodigal dog **** of a cigar, I merely suck it up, slow my puffs to absolute minimum knowing I won't have to wait long. I size up the stinker in my hand, quickly judging its ring and length, and loosening the band with my pinky finger. When Monsieur de la Merde du Chien is distracted or goes to the bar for a refill, I deftly slip the band off, slide it on to my already de-tubed selection in my left hand and grind the freebie ****-stick out in rug (if at the fellow's house) or wrap it in a Jackson and slip it to the nearest waiter for disposal.

Works every time. You just have to be prepared that's all.

A regular Boy Scout, you are. I love it.

[TheDistrictJP]

ALmudawi I laughed through that whole post. Awesome.

[Mr.T]

I'd smoke the whole thing and thank him for the thought and for sharing it with me. I'd dig deep to find something positive about the experience. And I'd give him a smoke on the way out.....

[Warren]

You accidentally drop it in your drink and go "oh damn I was enjoying that"

By the way how did Ken take it.

[NastyPirate]

I have to be honest, I stop smoking it and tell him the truth. I make sure that he knows I am truly grateful for the gift, but that it just isn't my cup of tea.

^ This. I am presuming that the new friend is a guy. I have zero problem saying, with my most diplomatic skills, that the cigar is actually not very good. I would then offer one of mine to him.

Only in my dreams does a chick offer me a cigar (and then herself)...

[superconductor71]

If this was at my local watering hole, hmmm.....My time there is limited, and when i'm there I really want to enjoy the cigars that I have already chosen, so I might have to say "Well that is some fine BIG cigar, but I just dont think I have the time to finish it all.....mind if we have it another time?" (and light up my chosen stick of the day). If I see him again, I say "I had that cigar on my own the other night...thank you so much".

However, if I really dont have anything with me (not often), I might just suck it up (literally) and take it with the spirit it was intended...friendship, and smoke it.....choking it down. After all, it's just one smoke and in the grand scheme, i'll move on and feel good that I made the guy happy and enjoyed his company (even if not the cigar). Just one smoke...life moves on.

[polarbear]

I'd persist with it for as long as I could in the hopes that it improves towards the 2nd third

If it doesnt, I'd be honest

I'd find a few good points about the cigar (construction, draw, smoke output) in order to soften the blow and then say that its not my cup of tea.

If he took offence then he's not a true cigar fan, as a true cigar person would understand that there will always be cigars that one person loves but another hates

At the end of the day, I've got enough friends anyway

[Laxman]

I'd persist with it for as long as I could in the hopes that it improves towards the 2nd third

If it doesnt, I'd be honest

I'd find a few good points about the cigar (construction, draw, smoke output) in order to soften the blow and then say that its not my cup of tea.

If he took offence then he's not a true cigar fan, as a true cigar person would understand that there will always be cigars that one person loves but another hates

At the end of the day, I've got enough friends anyway

x2