Am I losing my taste buds for cigar?

rzaman

I know that I still love cigar and passionate about cigar and the culture around it. However, I am surprised about some recent changes to my smoking habit.

I smoke more cigarettes. Day before yesterday I practically forced myself to smoke a Hoyo de Monterrey and enjoyed it. The same day in the morning, I walked around in my cave over an hour and end up smoking a cigarette. I used to smoke everyday and slowly started smoking during the weekend and rarely after work. In Cuba I smoked a lot but also felt tired of smoking everyday. The tiredness was mental not physical. After coming back from Cuba, I think I am smoking less cigars.

Yesterday and today, I didn't smoke any cigar though I was at home. I lost my motivation to buy new cigars. I used to spend more free time with cigar related activities. I used to have the mentality to collect and age and now I want to reduce my collection. I feel tired to review cigars. This is odd.

I am wondering am I losing my taste of cigar or it happens to all of us sometime? Though I am working on my books regularly so I know that I like it but I am also missing something.

rzaman

Oh I forgot to mention that I still enjoy hanging out with here so that means I still like it so what am I missing?

J.S.

For me (been smoking 20 yrs now) there is an ebb and flow. Sometimes I go through long stretches where I don't want to smoke more than 1 or 2 a week. This often coincides with being very busy but not always. It might last as long as a 3-4 months but then I am back to 1 or 2 a day.

I don't smoke cigarettes, however, so I cannot help you there. I do smoke a pipe and honestly when I am not in the mood to smoke the pipe goes down too.

I will say that sometimes changing flavor profiles will sometimes get me out of the doldrums but not always. Hang in there man. I have been there many times.

bigfnsteve

Id say its just a phase. I know I go through similar time periods were I simply just dont smoke for a week or I smoke 1 a week for a bit. Those are the times I even slow down my activity on the forum and stop buying. Then after a month or so Im back to smoking 2-3 a day and zeroing out my bank account.
Cheer up. I think you might just need a little break until you desire to smoke again.

catfishbluezz

Give it a week or two, you'll be fine. It's happened to me multiple times. I think that's when y palette changes and I start searching for things I might not otherwise smoke, find a new type of cigar I like, then look for any more like that, and the process starts all over lol. I understand the reduction thing, I've found I refined my collection after it got out of control and now concentrate on a select few brands I enjoy, then new releases. As soon as another cigar blows your mind, you'll be right back in it.

Ken Light

Rip, I don't know your personality from anything but your posts, but if I had to guess I'd say you've made it too much of an obligation for yourself right now. Between the reviews, the aging projects and the book, it has to have changed the experience for you considerably and it has moved away from the leisurely adventure it used to be. Combine that with the fact that the one bit of real mystique left, a trip to Cuba, is over and you have a pretty surefire recipe for what you're experiencing. My advice is to give yourself a break from the obligations, which removes your obligation to smoke. I think you'll find that you'll come back to it pretty quickly, and might even have a different and better experience for it. In the outside chance you don't (I very much doubt it, but you never know), there are always other hobbies and new adventures.

Amos Umwhat

I'm with the ebb & flow guys, sometimes the time just isn't right. I try to stay away from the cigarettes, although I go through tiimes when I go back to them. When I do, I try to make sure it's high quality tobacco, preferably rolled by me, or something like American Spirit, or Dunhill. Also, smoke the cigs like you'd smoke a cigar. It'll come back around.

For further inspiration, read Mark Twain's short story, "The Appetite Cure", the same principles apply.

firetruckguy

Ken Light:

Rip, I don't know your personality from anything but your posts, but if I had to guess I'd say you've made it too much of an obligation for yourself right now. Between the reviews, the aging projects and the book, it has to have changed the experience for you considerably and it has moved away from the leisurely adventure it used to be. Combine that with the fact that the one bit of real mystique left, a trip to Cuba, is over and you have a pretty surefire recipe for what you're experiencing. My advice is to give yourself a break from the obligations, which removes your obligation to smoke. I think you'll find that you'll come back to it pretty quickly, and might even have a different and better experience for it. In the outside chance you don't (I very much doubt it, but you never know), there are always other hobbies and new adventures.

+1

So send my your stash for safe keeping, I will test one a day to make sure they are at perfect humidity..........

firetruckguy

Oh yeah, and Marry Christmas Rip!

Rain

firetruckguy:

Ken Light:

Rip, I don't know your personality from anything but your posts, but if I had to guess I'd say you've made it too much of an obligation for yourself right now. Between the reviews, the aging projects and the book, it has to have changed the experience for you considerably and it has moved away from the leisurely adventure it used to be. Combine that with the fact that the one bit of real mystique left, a trip to Cuba, is over and you have a pretty surefire recipe for what you're experiencing. My advice is to give yourself a break from the obligations, which removes your obligation to smoke. I think you'll find that you'll come back to it pretty quickly, and might even have a different and better experience for it. In the outside chance you don't (I very much doubt it, but you never know), there are always other hobbies and new adventures.

+1

So send my your stash for safe keeping, I will test one a day to make sure they are at perfect humidity..........

+2 Merry Christmas Rip!

jliu

Rip have you considered dipping into what us Americans call weed or chiba chiba? I know it is not all that conventional but it may be worth a shot

Note: Jiunn in no way, shape, or form condone the use of this product. He is merely joking. Merry Christmas.

rzaman

Dear friends, thank you very much for your input. You are right, maybe I need a break. Ken's obligation analysis is something to think about. I was suppose to attend a Xmas cigar event here, it was organized by the Casa del Habano. I was suppose to present a paper on how the Cuban cigar production is changing with new lines. I did all the research and gave it to the sole distributor(my friend He-man: The Master of the Cuban cigar) and asked him to excuse me. He agreed as you- I need a break.

Thank you all for your kind suggestions. This is very helpful and I sincerely appreciate it.

Update: didn't even feel to smoke a cigarette all day. It seems like my body doesn't want any nicotine.

Lee.mcglynn

Honestly for me it's time! Cigarettes take a couple minutes where cigars hours...if I have the time I choose cigars but if I can't give a cigar my full attention I go cigarette

0patience

I've gone through bouts like that.
I go through cycles where I lose interest for a bit.
A lot of it had to do with stress, things going on and health.

Every once in a while, it seems like my desire to smoke cigars goes on a vacation for a while.
Summer before last, we were going through a lot of things and I went the entire summer with little interest in smoking cigars or buying them.
I think it is the same with any hobby, activity or things like that. As was said, it seems to go in cycles.
Merry Christmas My friend.

catfishbluezz

I agree with Ken as well. You just achieved a high point of sorts. The good thing is, new blends, new cigars, and aged jems make this hobby an evolutionary journey of sorts. You've made a personal connection that mixes business and responsibility with something that is a leisure. It's funny, when I first started reviewing for Robby I sent him 2 a week. Lately, I've been wanting to sit back and enjoy my smokes instead of analyzing them. The artistic expression must outweigh the enjoyment lost in the analysis, or the analysis serves no purpose. I love the reviewing aspect, because I like to write, but my love of the leisure is why I'm here.

bigharpoon

Well said, Dustin. Whenever pleasure becomes associated with work the fun is taken out of it. While this hasn't happened to me with cigars it has happened to me in other areas of my life and I believe this may be where you are. If you take a couple steps back, cut down on the work associated with the cigar industry and simply enjoy a cigar for the pleasure of it I think you will fall in love with them all over again.

Good luck, Rip and Merry Christmas!

webmost

Try a pipe.

catfishbluezz

bigharpoon:

Well said, Dustin. Whenever pleasure becomes associated with work the fun is taken out of it. While this hasn't happened to me with cigars it has happened to me in other areas of my life and I believe this may be where you are. If you take a couple steps back, cut down on the work associated with the cigar industry and simply enjoy a cigar for the pleasure of it I think you will fall in love with them all over again.

Good luck, Rip and Merry Christmas!

being a musician, I had the same issue when a bad I was in for signed. Once it became a business and failed, I had to reconnect with the love again.

BigT06

I have 3 dif phases, or types, of tobacco enjoyment: Cuban cigars, NC cigars, and pipes. There are many sub categories in each of these, but before I smoke anything, I decide which of these 3 types of tobacco I want. I have noticed that I go through phases where the honest answer is none of them. It just happens sometimes. Sometimes for weeks. But when I don't smoke, I try to stay away from tobacco culture all together. That way when I do find myself in the mood once again, there are new things for me to read about and learn about and new things to smoke. Then the excitement comes back. It's a passion, so it will always come back. To be afraid to sit it aside for a while.

Gaetano7890

The one thing I will say is smoking cigs can def effect your desire for cigars at least in my experience. My suggestion is to not smoke a cig for at least a whole day and then at night try to enjoy a cigar. I have in the past got to the point your describing and only wanted cigs, they have a weird way of doing that. I have since quit smoking cigs and enjoy cigars more and more.

rzaman

Thanks again for all your comments. In fact, I have been enjoying the break. I will see how things go. I do know that I love cigars. Best regards.

rzaman

Very interesting thought Dustin and I agree.

catfishbluezz:

I agree with Ken as well. You just achieved a high point of sorts. The good thing is, new blends, new cigars, and aged jems make this hobby an evolutionary journey of sorts. You've made a personal connection that mixes business and responsibility with something that is a leisure. It's funny, when I first started reviewing for Robby I sent him 2 a week. Lately, I've been wanting to sit back and enjoy my smokes instead of analyzing them. The artistic expression must outweigh the enjoyment lost in the analysis, or the analysis serves no purpose. I love the reviewing aspect, because I like to write, but my love of the leisure is why I'm here.

Heavy

I'm in a lull right now myself. Haven't really wanted to smoke too much lately and haven't had a huge desire to do so. No real reason why, it just is what it is right now. However in the back of my mind I know that the right moment will hit and I'll just have to smoke a cigar and it will be great all over again.

Vulchor

I am going to make a confession (and probably start a thread based on confessions later). I have never enjoyed cigars as much as I wanted to. I enjoy the hobby, the chatting, the buying, the smelling, the hunt for new stuff, the arranging a humidor, the seeing new shops------and all of it I love more than smoking the cigar itself. Not to say I hate smoking, but of all the "cigar related things" I probably enjoy the actual smoking the least.

Lee.mcglynn

Rip I'm sorry too say this happened too me today. I went to the lounge to have a cigar and relax. I looked at what they had in the shop and just could not make up my mind. I'm padroning myself too death and even the davidoff's just didn't feel right. I don't know what it is maybe everything is getting old too me and it sucks!!!!!

rzaman

It seems like my smoking appetite came back. I smoked at least eight cigars this week. Even after work I attended two cigar events and a cigar testing session. It is a great feeling. I do love cigar.

Next week I am having some special guests in my house. Alan, Chris and Kyle from Ezra Zion. Actually Dustin introduced me with Ezra folks. I really like their Inception cigar. I am so happy my cigar appetite is back so I can have a blast with them. life is good!

Jasonc1982

It's definitely a phase. I've had times where I didn't smoke for 2 weeks and I was fine. And many times with at least a week without. I also have 11 pipes and I haven't smoked one in several months.

rzaman

Agree...but now it is becoming scary. I am smoking my fifth cigars of the day now LOL.

Jasonc1982:

It's definitely a phase. I've had times where I didn't smoke for 2 weeks and I was fine. And many times with at least a week without. I also have 11 pipes and I haven't smoked one in several months.

chemforever

rzaman:

Agree...but now it is becoming scary. I am smoking my fifth cigars of the day now LOL.

Jasonc1982:

It's definitely a phase. I've had times where I didn't smoke for 2 weeks and I was fine. And many times with at least a week without. I also have 11 pipes and I haven't smoked one in several months.

I guess that explains your Carrillo inch choice, not one I would have thought you would try

danielzreyes

rzaman:

Agree...but now it is becoming scary. I am smoking my fifth cigars of the day now LOL.

Jasonc1982:

It's definitely a phase. I've had times where I didn't smoke for 2 weeks and I was fine. And many times with at least a week without. I also have 11 pipes and I haven't smoked one in several months.

Rip, you ever tried or consider smoking a pipe?

rzaman

No because my wife will kill me. First cigarette then cigar. Now if I start pipe she will kick me out from the house LOL

danielzreyes:

rzaman:

Agree...but now it is becoming scary. I am smoking my fifth cigars of the day now LOL.

Jasonc1982:

It's definitely a phase. I've had times where I didn't smoke for 2 weeks and I was fine. And many times with at least a week without. I also have 11 pipes and I haven't smoked one in several months.

Rip, you ever tried or consider smoking a pipe?