Answer this one for me.....how long does it take to get a handle on the world of cuban cigars.

[El Presidente]

This as an e-mail received from a new member. I gave him my opinion but stated it was better put to the forum in order to get a wider point of view   I thought it was a cracker

"I must tell you that I am enjoying FOH and the way members interact with each other. You have a fine house!

Being new to Cubans is not that easy. While I have smoked NC for 5 years, the world of Cubans appears overwhelming. It is hard enough to choose the right vendor (no offense) let alone the right cigars. There are issues of ageing, dry boxing, freezing, different humidity level, fakes, beetles, wood mites, embargos, labels and boxes with imperfections, discontinued cigars, fatties, skinnies, stock shortages. It is enough to make one want to crawl into a small ball in the corner of the room!

Rob, how long does it take to get a handle on the world of cuban cigars. I know I can't taste everything in a year or three but is there some sort of direction that you can advise to shorten the learning cycle?"

[subport]

The devil lives in the details. Why would anyone want to shortcut a life time journey in the cuban cigar world? That journey is the point. That IS the beauty of it. Trying out cigars and find the best suits us. This has to take a lifetime journey and passion. We are changing as human beings. Our taste is changing with us. The cigars are changing too. Find a handful to smoke regularly and take the ride and enjoy finding more...

no matter how long it takes...

[anacostiakat]

Please define "handle". 

[Jeremy Festa]

12 to 24 months


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[LordAnubis]

I find the exact opposite is true!

I go to non cuban sites and see about 1000 different "lines" and each line has 4 to 10 different sizes. At the end i get confused and send a message to this bloke i know and say "send me a box of cigars please" and he sends me something good.

I find all those problems listed to be exactly the same for both cubans and non-cubans. I've seen tobacco beetles once, in non cubans i bought. Only thing from his list that doesn't effect me is embargo stuff obviously.

The thing about fakes is, you read a lot about it, but i would think its super hard to find a fake supplier compared to a legit one. If you read any easily available cigar enthusiast sites its pretty easy to get a lay of the land and the easy majority of those will be reputable vendors.

How long will it take got a handle on cubans? All of them? A long time. But do you need to? Theres plenty of cigars i haven't smoked. I'll get around to it one day, but for now i know what i like and i keep going back to the ones i've found i like. It's that simple. Get a sampler of a few different ones, try em out and go from there.

[Corylax18]

I was leaning along the same lines. I hope my knowledge continues growing for years. Those suprise discoveries (think punch punch at santi) are my favorite. 

Despite all the complaining we do about deletions there are still a large number of vitolas available across a range of marcas. It can be daunting, I still reference cubancigarwebsite.com almost daily. 

I can only recomend a begining point and I think reaching for something familiar from NCs, like a vitola or flavor/strength profile you like is a great place to start. Grab a five pack of your choice, and maybe one or two other differing cigars for comparison. (e.g. Some BBF and Choix supremes).  Ho in, take notes, repeat. 

There is no single, difinitive source for Habanos knowledge out there. The amalgamation of knowledge stumbling around this corner of the internet is pretty damn impressive though. 

[El Presidente]

22 minutes ago, anacostiakat said:

Please define "handle". 

to feel comfortable. 

[David88]

I think it depends on your level of interest and finances. If you have the coin to buy up whatever you want and the time to smoke whatever you want I imagine that within 6 months you would have a good handle on everything. 

If you have more limited fund then I think up to a year. I personally find NCs almost impossible to get my head around. There are so many different brands, each with many different blends and each blend comes in a bunch of different sizes.

[canadianbeaver]

Time is forever.

Collection is limitless.

This place is a good read.

That is all grasshopper.

[Smallclub]

2 hours ago, El Presidente said:

 There are issues of ageing, dry boxing, freezing, different humidity level, fakes, beetles, wood mites, (… ), labels and boxes with imperfections, discontinued cigars, fatties, skinnies, stock shortages.

All this is also true for non cubans, if one wants to see these things as "issues", which they're not IMHO.

[dicko]

Obviously I know only a fraction of a fraction of a percent of what there is to know but I felt "comfortable" around the 3 year mark of being into cigars including reading this forum every other day, sampling cigars 3 times a week and probably a dozen herfs at that stage.

The next big thing milestone in my learning was in the last 12-18 months whereby some of the first boxes I bought have now got 5+ years age and I've started to see how individual cigars can develop.

I have so much respect for guys who have been in the game DECADES not years.

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[PatrickEwing]

I'll echo interest and funds/availability. There is no substitute for experience, but also no leeway for lazy ignorance if one considers themselves truly interested. Disagree on 6 months though.

I joined in Feb 2015. Zero knowledge prior, they were generally a drunk diversion with friends to that point. However, once I did join and dig in and did experience various cigars, the bug hit me. I am of the sit and listen camp; others are the shout and get answers camp. I don't think one is better than the other, though I have a preference. At this point, I feel more knowledgeable than the average Joe, but inferior to most on this board. That's a good thing. It means there is more to know and learn. And in my opinion, the quirkiness, inefficiencies and inconsistencies of Cubans makes it all the more interesting. It can be frustrating and quixotic at times, but the history and uncertainty of it has really grabbed me. I know it's cliche, but the more you learn, the more you realize you don't know. 

[JoeyGunz]

2 years to get a handle on CC's then some fine tuning over the years with aging.

So many people try and shortcut the learning of aging, I think you need to be able to really see how  a box of cigars changes and develops over time by smoking from that same box yourself.

[nonameno]

Hello Fellow FOHers,

I think subport's response was excellent in that the whole learning process is a journey and the journey is half the fun.  Another thing I learned here at FOH is that everyone's palate is different and you may pull different flavors and aromas from cigars than the next person, and that's alright.  The journey is to find what YOU like, not someone else, and remember, your own tastes will change with time as well.  The particular cigar you enjoy will also depend upon the circumstances and the time you have for each cigar.  For me, it is my hour or so of total relaxation time away from all the hassles of the world where I find peace.

Welcome to the brotherhood and I hope you enjoy the journey.

Best wishes,

Curtiss

[SaintMickey®]

Cuban Cigars

I would say that if the average guy tried to learn CC by visiting his B&M it would take 2-3 years if he was very diligent.

For folks that fully use the internet and plug into all the info out there including a quality forum such as FOH I think one could feel comfortable with what they are smoking in about 12 months...

OH and about $7500 USD worth of cigars smoked....that's the key I think. Smoke them just don't discuss in "theory".

NON Cubans

When I walk into a large Cigar shop here in US I think that I would NEVER get a handle on NC's. So many brands, sticks, flavors, countries, marking BS with no discernible way to tell them all apart.  Thats the main reason why I've given up on NCs. Its like trying to drink EVERYTHING in a liquor store instead of knowing you like red wine,  bourbon and tequila and then focusing within those blends.

[Elvis]

One more year.

[Fugu]

3 hours ago, subport said:

The devil lives in the details. Why would anyone want to shortcut a life time journey in the cuban cigar world? That journey is the point. That IS the beauty of it. Trying out cigars and find the best suits us. This has to take a lifetime journey and passion. We are changing as human beings. Our taste is changing with us. The cigars are changing too. Find a handful to smoke regularly and take the ride and enjoy finding more...

no matter how long it takes...

Very well put!

There is no universal answer to that question. It really depends on how much enjoyment one personally draws from engaging oneself with Cuban cigar matters.

Finding a cigar that suits your tastes, simply providing you a satisfying smoke, can take you as short a period as just a few weeks to months. On the other hand, it can also easily be a lifelong process.

But the only way, always, is: Start delving in. Just - smoke - cigars! Trial and error, make experiences, good and bad, even make mistakes, but make them and learn. With time, one might feel the urge to widen horizons, to know more about the Cigar, its variety, its origins, its making and its history. The more you know, the more you get to appreciate a smoke. There is two mentalities obviously: For the one it is "just" (not meant pejoratively) the smoking, the enjoyment of a fine cigar. For the other one it can become more than that, with an accruing experience and interest in cultural aspects and all those academic facettes of all things related to the leaf, which we so much enjoy discussing day to day. The latter is an enduring process. Both approaches are valid and can be equally satisfying, but often there will be a natural transition from one to the other with gaining depth of knowledge.

There is no shortcut really - "Se hace camino al andar"

[topdiesel]

Long answer:

Depends on how much money and free time you have.  If married, does your spouse approve?  This site, CCW, and a couple other forums make it a lot quicker than if they didn't exist.  It also depends on how much you want to learn and how much initiative you take.  Of course, how often you smoke plays into things.  

I have learned a lot from great experiences, but more from bad ones.  Whether mine or other peoples.

 

Short answer:

A year to get bearings

The rest of your life to experience

 

[BrightonCorgi]

There is no end.  The deeper you delve into Cuban cigars, the more you realize what you do not know.  Look at the amount of literature there is on Cuban cigars and if you asked the authors if they know everything on Cuban cigars I bet they'd say no.  You have to know a little something in order to grasp how much you don't know.

I started buying Cuban cigars almost 25 year ago and still learning all the time.  I know "something", but don't consider myself an expert.  This is not my career, so only so much time is put in the hobby.

There's plenty of good advice on the boards for cigar culture and etiquette.  Follow what makes sense to you.  Been on this forum for 12 years, other forums longer...  A handful have great advice, others are just parrots...   In the end they are cigars and just enjoy them.   Don't make something like enjoying a cigar become a point of contention. 

[wabashcr]

It can happen as quickly as you want it to, given the wealth of resources and cigars available through the internet these days.  There is so much information available, that it doesn't take long now to figure out how different marcas and vitolas are perceived in the cigar community.  Armed with that information, it's pretty easy to set out exploring which cigars suit your personal tastes.  Of course, second hand knowledge is no substitute for exploring for yourself what you like and don't like.  That learning process takes years of experience.  To me that's more of a journey than a destination, anyway.  Just to feel comfortable about how Cuban cigars work, and how to feel confident in buying, I think that can happen in a matter of just a few months.

As others have said, the supposed differences with Non Cubans are definitely overstated.  They're not that different.

[hedgeybaby]

I would love it if there was a course for cigars to take you on a step by step journey. Maybe something similar to what the wine world offers. Perhaps a tasting club that sends out certain cigars every month with notes and how they compare to last month's offering, The different marques flavour profiles etc etc so that you build an inventory of tasting good cigars.  

More oftern than not, I buy a cigar blind, with the main factors being price and what looks shiny. 

A wine example: http://www.winespectator.com/school/courseList 

[Philc2001]

I guess I differ from the crowd. I think the following statement is what is overwhelming, and he can ignore virtually all of it:

There are issues of ageing, dry boxing, freezing, different humidity level, fakes, beetles, wood mites, embargos, labels and boxes with imperfections, discontinued cigars, fatties, skinnies, stock shortages. It is enough to make one want to crawl into a small ball in the corner of the room!

KEEP IT SIMPLE MAN!

Let's see:

1. Aging? Don't bother, just smoke what tastes good, then stock up on what you like and the rest just happens.
2. Dry boxing? Don't bother. In 25 years of smoking I never have.
3. Freezing? Don't bother. Buy from a reputable dealer and you're good to go. You can quarantine for 4-6 weeks if you are really worried, but in 25 years I've only had one cigar with beetles, and it was non-Cuban.
4. Humidity level? This is not unique to Cubans, you have to maintain a stable humidity in the range of 60-65% RH. Simple stuff. 
5. Fakes? This is not unique to Cubans - ask anyone who buys Fuentes or Padrons. Not a concern if you buy from reputable dealers.
6. Beetles? This is not unique to Cubans. See #3 above re: freezing.
7. Wood mites? See #6. Never had a problem in 25 years.
8. Embargos? Ah well, that's Cuba and politics.
9. Labels and boxes with imperfections? You buying boxes and labels, or cigars? Smoke the cigars, throw the labels and boxes away.
10. Discontinued cigars? Yeah, it happens. But not exactly a Cuban only concern. A lot of NCs go out of business, or many get bought out, then they change their blends, etc. Buy the cigars in production, stock up on what you like, and roll with the punches.
11. Fatties/Skinnies? This is not unique to Cubans. It's personal preference. I like sub 48 RG, mostly Lonsdale, Corona and Panetella. Others prefer fatties. 
12. Stock Shortages? This is not unique to Cubans. Ever try to get a Fuente Shark, or some of the seasonal Anejos, Opus? Stock up on just what you enjoy smoking, don't worry about the rest. 

Out of 12 concerns, only one is really applicable to Cubans... Embargo. That is one you have to square with on your own.

It's as simple or complicated as you make it. I once worried about much of these things, and then I came to realize I just like to smoke cigars, so I stopped fussing over them and started enjoying cigars much more. 

[SaintMickey®]

2 hours ago, Philc2001 said:

KEEP IT SIMPLE MAN!

I like it..in your opinion how long will it take to master 1 through 12 sans 8?

My answer based on 1-12 would be smoke some Cuban cigars. If you smoke a lot then you will feel comfortable quicker and if you only smoke 2 a month it will take you 20 years to know what you like (feel comfortable)

[beanaux]

I’ve been a cigar lover since the mid eighties and have smoked my share of NCs. But in the fall of 2015 my wife’s boss gave me two Monte 2s for my birthday and they were just beyond any other smoke I had ever experienced. In January 2016 I joined FOH, bought a couple of those “33 Cigars” notebooks and began to  stroll through 6 of Rob’s samplers taking notes along the way. I really don’t care how long it might take to get a “handle” on the Habanos. It’s  going to be a hell of a party.

[Dave001]

a pretty tough question to ask and in some ways can be really easy, at the beginning its going to feel like youre overwhelmed (if living in usa) how to get them etc ok not really just get them here LOL but if youre coming from NC's its not as overwhelming as it might seem 27 brands compared to who knows how many the NC's have now just way tooo many IMO start with singles and go from there youre already a smoker with experience I assume so start there once you establish what you like BOOM youre in the time frame is up to you!!