Do you give up smoking for a while?

[LordAnubis]

As the month of ramadhan rolls up in a week or so, I use the month to go without cigars. Not that I’m a regular smoker anyway, but still for the whole month I’ll go without. I find that first cigar is often really good after a month off. It’s probably the addiction taking over or maybe the taste sense reset but whatever it is it seems to help anyway.

Does anyone else have times where they don’t smoke at all? How do you find your experience when you get back to it? 

[MD Puffer]

I didn't smoke during medical school at all.  Actually gave up a number of hobbies and interests during that time.  Got back into them on rare occasions during residency- mostly because of time limitations.  Once I was done with residency I gradually got back into them.  I usually smoke just one every night after everyone else has gone to bed, but it's no trial for me to not smoke (eg poor weather).

[SonGoku]

I don’t smoke during ramadan either. Living in Scandinavia it’s 19/20 hours of fasting so there simply isn’t the time for it. Besides you just don’t have the urge for it.

[Fuzz]

I give up smoking for a while... then I light another one.

[kobsjones]

I don’t smoke in the winter much being in Minnesota 

[nKostyan]

For me it is close to gastronomic desires. Sometimes I want cake, sometimes steak with black hot pepper, sometimes I'm full and I don't want anything. But when I want to smoke, I remember the taste, it turns in my head and does not give rest.

[cfc1016]

1 hour ago, LordAnubis said:

or maybe the taste sense reset

I've been smoking fewer cigars lately, than usual - maybe 2-3 per month, as opposed to usually 2-4 per day, this time last year. I definitely notice that my palate is far more sensitive after a break, as discussed by many other users, historically. I taste the subtle savory, nutty, and sweet flavors far more acutely when I haven't smoked in a while.

On a grander scale... I gave up cigars (save the odd one every few years) for almost a decade. I had picked up cigarettes and ruined my palate. Just couldn't enjoy them anymore. It was only after giving up cigarettes for a few years that I realized I could actually taste again, and excitedly got back into cigars.

[Duxnutz]

Might do it next LENT. 

[Derboesekoenig]

I do not like smoking when it is really windy, otherwise I smoke 1-3 per day. If I'm sick, I can't taste the cigar anyway, so I won't smoke. I don't have to smoke. I can go a week and it won't bother me. But 1 per day can be the perfect break to just relax and enjoy that moment in time, reflect on your day, and what the future brings. Like my meditation.

[CaptainQuintero]

  I only smoke outside so realistically I have an off season from November to February. I quite like it really, it makes me look forward to Spring and stops me getting used to something special and it becoming routine. 

  I think cigars might lose their special appeal for me if I just had them on tap constantly

[smoking fool]

I don’t smoke that much compared to most. Maybe 1-2 week in the good weather months and nothing in the months when I’m going to be miserable outside. I’m a very fair weather smoker. With that pace most cigars have a distinct flavor to me. 

[Cigar_83]

  I only smoke outside so realistically I have an off season from November to February. I quite like it really, it makes me look forward to Spring and stops me getting used to something special and it becoming routine. 
  I think cigars might lose their special appeal for me if I just had them on tap constantly

Same here. Weather plays a huge part when smoking inside is not an option.

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[canadianbeaver]

Great thread. Most get sick sometimes, or bored and take a break, like anything? Then get back and choose the absolute favorite and wow, fantastic.

CB

[BJRPorter]

Sometimes I get bored, and without even realizing it, I’ve stopped.

or,

Cigars are usually linked to activities. When I stopped the other activities, cigars stopped with them.

 

[ShortFatHokie]

I haven't had a cigar since October...pretty typical for me as I don't smoke cigars in the cold weather.  Look to break that streak very soon, probably this afternoon...

[Brian24]

If I’m lucky November - January I will be able to sneak in 1-2 a month due to weather.

[dragn270]

Like most other northern Americans, November to early March is a no go. I’ve tried it and even with a blanket in my garage with the door only open a couple feet it’s just too cold and makes it more of a chore than a luxury. However, I find that this is the perfect time to repair the damage I do to my stock during the warmer months. 

[BoliDan]

I think it depends on what you're smoking. If you like mild "creamy" nutty cigars then probably, but if you like savory cigars that have more strength, then probably not.

I actually find myself smoking more after a break because my palete needs to adjust to smoke in order to taste everything again. After a long break, mild cigars are better and easier to taste, yes, but full cigars become harder to taste because my palete gets burned out so quickly if you're not used cigar smoke anymore. Retrohaling is painful again, in medium to full arena, so I need sit through pain in order get my nose readapted, and I dont get any ash tray mouth after I've adapted to cigar smoking. So I usually take my break, ramp up smoking in spring to get back on track, then slow back down to 1-2 a week in summer.

Much like whisk(e)y, your palete needs to be trained in order to experience a lot of flavors and complexity. Taking too much time and.you are no longer "tuned-in", so to speak. And the best training for your palete for cigars is... by smoking cigars! Provided a reasonable break between each one, as also like whisk(e)y, excess harms the palete.

[TBird55]

To answer your question.....NO

[SigmundChurchill]

I’m currently on a break.  I have an insurance physical on Wednesday at 9:00 AM where they will check for nicotine.

 

...I am very much looking forward to Wednesday at 10:00 AM.

[Jal154]

On 4/27/2019 at 1:02 AM, LordAnubis said:

As the month of ramadhan rolls up in a week or so, I use the month to go without cigars. Not that I’m a regular smoker anyway, but still for the whole month I’ll go without. I find that first cigar is often really good after a month off. It’s probably the addiction taking over or maybe the taste sense reset but whatever it is it seems to help anyway.

Does anyone else have times where they don’t smoke at all? How do you find your experience when you get back to it? 

I remember some years ago I worked in a local upscale cigar shop downtown by the intracostal. It was suppose to be part time but turned into 3 12 hour days in a row. I would smoke 3 MAYBE 4 cigars a day and I always rotated what I smoked. They started to taste like CRAP. Now I am working on smoking 3-4 a week. Even if I stick to that schedule I still have to rotate. Can’t smoke the same cigar back to back. The flavor for me is never there when smoking the same cigar over an d over. 

 

[LLC]

I give up smoking for a while... then I light another one.

Yes, it’s hard to enjoy a cigar when your sleeping.


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[frenchkiwi]

I give up regularly if I have any illness that disturbs my tastebuds e.g. cold (just coming out of a month-long neverending cold - good for my cigar budget).

Bad weather will dissuade me temporarily as I don't have the swankiest indoor smoking facility (tiny garage i have to reverse car out of).

I just don't see the pointing in wasting good cigars on bad tastebuds.

Technically i know I should swear off'em when i have any mouth injury (burn/cut) or ulcer, as that is meant to be really bad for your long term health, but that rarely stops me. (as an aside that's apparently why it's also really important not to burn your mouth when smoking e.g. the hot nub or cigarillos. Not just smoking either, saw an article the other day quoting a study that drinking hot beverages over 60 degrees celsius quadruples your chances of getting mouth/tongue/throat cancer or some such). 

[captain]

 I do. I’m in South Florida so the weather is pretty much optimal year round. However, I find that I smoke more in the summer months. For me, smoking in the hot summer nights just go together. During a no smoking phase a typically go a few days or even a few weeks without a cigar and then go right back to one every night after everyone goes to bed. No rhyme or reason 

[IanMcLean68]

On a break right now for the last two weeks because of a nasty flu. Being full of snot is definitely not conducive to enjoying a cigar because it affects the taste too much and not in a good way. On the mend so hopefully I'll get to enjoy one soon.