You all made me do it!

I decided enough is enough of waiting around for family gatherings to smoke fine cigars. My family gets together a few times a year and several of the men bring zip lock bags full of stogies to share with us along with a mixed drink or 12. I've always enjoyed it thoroughly and said it was something I'd like to get more into but never actually took the dive. Now after finding this site and just starting to educate myself in the world of cigars I decided today was a good day to finally get involved.

I went down the the local shop to pick my first cigars out. I told the guy that owns the place I was a virgin and just needed help finding a starting point. An hour later I learned that this guy and 12 of his best customers had stayed with Rocky Patel's at his place a few months back and learned all about his love and passion for cigars dating back 2 generations to when the store opened in 1912. Moments like that I cherish forever.

I ended up choosing and Ashton VSG, Rocky Patel -The Edge and 3 Santa Damiana's simply because they were buy 2 get 1 free and they're also mild compared to the full body smoke that's going to put me on my ass from the first two

Let me know what you all think about these choices as I am truly excited to be able to enjoy a good smoke tonight!

Thanks for all your help

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Comments

betasynn

Any plans on a humidor? The Ashton VSG is a very good stick.

xmacro

Yeah, get a decent humidor and start buying boxes (WARNING - it's an expensive hobby). You can get a humidor that'll fit 50 nails for around $20; though most on these forums will recommend you start with a 100 or 150 (which start around $50-100), since, well . . . boxes of cigars are cheaper than individual nails, and if you get into the hobby, and the nails start adding up. You should know the number they typically quote on humidors assume you're storing corona's. If you store churchills (around 50 gauge or bigger), then a supposed 50 nail humidor will hold about 30 or 40; a 100 humidor will hold 60-80 churchills. So . . . go big!!

alienmisprint

The Ashton VSG is supposed to be a great stick, I haven't had one yet, but I have never heard anything bad about them either. The Rocky Patel Edge was a little bland I thought, but then when it comes to RP's, I either love em or hate em, the Edge just happened to fall into the hate em category.

Some of the first cigars I really loved, like the ones that opened my eyes to how good cigars could be were the Gurkha Regent, Carlos Torano Exodus 1959 Gold, Rocky Patel Signature, Rocky Patel Vintage 1999, 5 Vegas "A", 5 Vegas Gold, and Graycliff 1666. Give any of those a shot and I don't think you will be dissapointed. Another good idea would be to grab a couple of samplers, like ccom has samplers for all strengths, sizes, a few different wrappers, and a variety of others.

You can generally get just as good a deal on samplers as you can on boxes, sometimes even cheaper. That is definately the best way to start out, get a taste for what you really dig and then buy boxes/bundles of your favorites.

And yes, definately get a BIG humidor. Then get a bigger one.

Luko

I'm a huge VSG fan, and I really like the Edge...good choices there, and you're right, not for the feint of heart. Never had the third one.

Vidarien

Ive had the edge, thought it was ok but I wasnt amazed. For me, the mainstay of the rocky patel line is the vintage series, its their crowning achievement and what i usually stick with if i buy RP.

As for buying directly, i dont buy a box unless its one of my top 5 go-to cigars (price factored in). Otherwise i just wait it out and fish around the daily deals to keep some variety in my humi.

kaspera79

My thought is why would the shop guy suggest a VSG ( great cigar) and an Edge to a cigar novice ? Both are Full bodied and will give you an unpleasant experience in my opinion. Rocky Patel Connecticut, 5 Vegas, Avo, The Griffins, even Macanudo to name a few, would be better suited to a novice.

0 That Guy 0

Thanks everyone for your insight on humidors! I have definitely been drooling over them but have yet to worry about making a purchase simply because I'm so new to it all I want to make sure I'm in it for the long haul before purchasing one. What I did purchase however was a humidor bag with some sort of gel pack inside that's supposed to keep the cigars fresh for up to 6 months. I realize it's not the best option but I figured this way I could get a good amount of smoke in the next few months and truly decide the direction I should take as far as storage is concerned.

I'm pumped though, in fact I think I might just go sit on my front porch and have my first...........................here goes nuttin

0 That Guy 0

He didn't suggest these we just talked cigars and he was showing me everything they had to offer. I actually chose the full bodied cigars as well as some milds so I could experience the difference right from the get go.

I'll make sure to have a nice meal before the smoke and a even nicer place to lay down should I need it for after the smoke

kaspera79

0 That Guy 0:
He didn't suggest these we just talked cigars and he was showing me everything they had to offer. I actually chose the full bodied cigars as well as some milds so I could experience the difference right from the get go.

I'll make sure to have a nice meal before the smoke and a even nicer place to lay down should I need it for after the smoke

I have been there.. Along with the toss your lunch from an overpowering cigar...I am past that now, mostly. I think a Cusano 59 got me, a Punch, and a Cuban Bolivar.

phobicsquirrel

LOVE the VSG!!!! enough that I bought a box of the toro's! spendy but 37 cigars of pure lovely bliss. I didn't like the edge though. if you can find one at a good price, give a esg a try after you had a vsg. they aren't bad but the price is a bit much.

0 That Guy 0

Just finished smoking my first ever self purchased cigar - what a treat it was. I went with a mild Santa Domiana. Help me here, I'm trying but please correct what I'm saying - It's from the Dominican, had a Connecticut wrapper and I want to say it has a Nicaraguan filler. The cigar comes from the same company that makes cigars that come packaged in a white box. Can't remember what the guy told me but said whatever the white box cigar was was a top notch brand. Although mild it definitely took my head away a few times throughout the smoke. I may need to stick with milds for a while as I'm still feeling it a little bit. Very enjoyable nontheless and you don't realize how long the ol' churchill takes you until you smoke it by yourself. WOW!

Out of curiousity, how many here enjoy a good cigar daily? Or is daily considered overkill?

Thanks to all

xmacro

I smoke a cigar daily when the stress is on (since I'm a grad student, that's typically finals week); even then, I can't handle a full churchill without something on my stomach, the nicotine is just too much for me. - - - other than finals, I usually smoke once every week or 2.

Garen B

Your not inhaling the smoke right? Usually milds shouldn't be giving you lightheadedness. You want to puff a cigar like your trying to suck something through a straw.

xmacro

I really hope I'm not inhaling; I try to close down my throat, but I think some still gets past. I can handle about half a churchill before it becomes too much

0 That Guy 0

I wasn't inhaling (intentionally at least) but still throughout I could feel a little head change every now and then. It wasn't anything major also keep in mind I have never smoked any form of tobacco on a regular basis. I don't know if that makes a difference but I just assumed what I was feeling probably came with the territory in the early stages.

0 That Guy 0

I mean how does one lose their lunch or feel sickly if they aren't inhaling at least a little bit every now and then? Am I missing something? I'm not trying to sound like a smart ass I'm honestly curious.

I know not to sit there in inhale cigar smoke but from time to time your going to ingest at least trace amounts I would have to assume.

0 That Guy 0

MORE QUESTIONS FROM THE ROOKIE:

I'm guessing this is a no brainier but when ordering cigars from Cigar.com do they come packaged in some form of a humidor to keep the the quality and freshness in place?

Like if I was to go out of town for 5 days but ordered a box of "x cigar" because the deal of the day was too good to pass up before I left. When I got back would they still be good if they were brought inside upon arrival?

betasynn

I don't know, but I do get this empty stomach feeling when I smoke something really spicy on an empty stomach. Smoking just feels great after a meal, though. As far as how cigar.com ships the order, the daily deal is always a 5-pack, I believe, and comes shipped in a slide-zip style bag with a humi-pillow, and should be good for a week or so if it's necessary.

Garen B

Alrighty, let's get to answering some of these questions, easiest being, C.com always ships their sticks in a bag with a Humi Care pillow. Yes, they will keep their freshness, but you should be more worried about the temp fluctuations in transit and wherever you have your orders delivered.

You do end up inhaling trace amounts of smoke, not a real big deal.

Now, I don't really know why you end up losing your lunch because of the strength of a cigar, but I do know how to avoid it. Since your just starting off, start with a good mix of milds and mediums, then try medium-fulls, see if you like them and then head to a full if you find a taste for the medium fulls. For some reason, something in your stomach helps you enjoy a fuller cigar more, and keeps the nausea away.

Xmacro, try going for a smaller size and then moving up from there, and also you should be puffing with just your mouth, if your intaking air or feel your lungs expanding, your inhaling.

Matt Marvel

0 That Guy 0:
Just finished smoking my first ever self purchased cigar - what a treat it was. I went with a mild Santa Domiana. Help me here, I'm trying but please correct what I'm saying - It's from the Dominican, had a Connecticut wrapper and I want to say it has a Nicaraguan filler. The cigar comes from the same company that makes cigars that come packaged in a white box. Can't remember what the guy told me but said whatever the white box cigar was was a top notch brand. Although mild it definitely took my head away a few times throughout the smoke. I may need to stick with milds for a while as I'm still feeling it a little bit. Very enjoyable nontheless and you don't realize how long the ol' churchill takes you until you smoke it by yourself. WOW!

Out of curiousity, how many here enjoy a good cigar daily? Or is daily considered overkill?

Thanks to all

I smoke at least one every day. Sometimes it can be more, and I'll usually take a day or two off if I smoke three or four in a day.

bbc020

For the most part I smoke one a day...maybe two. Some days my schedule doesn't allow for enough relaxation time to smoke a cigar, but most days it works out.

gmill880

Matt Marvel:
0 That Guy 0:
Just finished smoking my first ever self purchased cigar - what a treat it was. I went with a mild Santa Domiana. Help me here, I'm trying but please correct what I'm saying - It's from the Dominican, had a Connecticut wrapper and I want to say it has a Nicaraguan filler. The cigar comes from the same company that makes cigars that come packaged in a white box. Can't remember what the guy told me but said whatever the white box cigar was was a top notch brand. Although mild it definitely took my head away a few times throughout the smoke. I may need to stick with milds for a while as I'm still feeling it a little bit. Very enjoyable nontheless and you don't realize how long the ol' churchill takes you until you smoke it by yourself. WOW!

Out of curiousity, how many here enjoy a good cigar daily? Or is daily considered overkill?

Thanks to all
I smoke at least one every day. Sometimes it can be more, and I'll usually take a day or two off if I smoke three or four in a day.

I usually smoke at least one a day maybe more sometimes ...depends on the circumstances...I usually never go more than 3-4 days though without a smoke ...

nsezell

I traditionally smoke about 3-4 a week, but that depends on weather. During the winter I might smoke in a bar, or just cowboy up and smoke, but in the summer I smoke pretty much daily.

I was just like you when I started out and grabbed big ass churchills and double coronas and whatever I thought looked like the most cigar for the money, but learned real quick that I didn't have 2 hours to smoke. The problem with big sticks is that you draw on em too often cause you're trying to finish them and they overheat.

With the sick feeling, even if you don't inhale, you are still holding the smoke in your mouth, so you're absorbing it through your mucus membranes. It's not quite the same, but you can still buzz a bit if you get too much cigar, especially if you have a drink with it.

Welcome to the hobby...get ready to blow a lot of money

Krieg

I smoked a RP OWR once on an empty stomach...bad mistake, will not do that again. I usually smoke a couple of cigars on the weekend, my schedule during the week usually doesn't allow me to smoke more (because I will not smoke in my car)

kuzi16

the stronger tobacco gets you light headed because nicotine does enter your system through your gums and cheeks.