need help, a strange in-lounge cigar experience yesterday
p.aulmartin
Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 17
Hi guys:
I need some help trying to make sense of a strange experience i had yesterday.
I'm within close proximity of 2 cigar lounges. I usually hit the closer one. Now, note, I'm still a 'newbie.' I've probably smoked a grand total of less than 30 premium cigars in my life, & I only smoke at lounges.
Anyway, I went in with the intent of trying something 'new'... the Oliva Serie O. It was very odd. It didn't seem to want to 'smoke.' Had a nice glowing red end when I'd puff away on it, but had very minimal smoke output... & when I'd put it down for a little bit (say, 30 seconds or less) & then pick it back up, I'd really have to puff away at it to bring it back to what little life it had.
I finally gave up. It was very dissatisfying. So, I went to a 'known quantity' for me, the E.C. Chupacabra. SAME THING. Even tho I had experienced this stick to be a great smoke in the past, it was behaving the same way. I made it about 1/2 way thru & then gave up.
I ended up going to Lounge #2, and had a totally enjoyable smoke there.
ANY IDEAS?
Did I inadvertently choose two overly new or overly old sticks? Humidity issue in the humidor? The 2 other guys in the lounge puffing away didn't seem to be having trouble or complaining about their experience.
This was a first for me.... (and I might add, a flush of $20 down the toilet).
P.
I need some help trying to make sense of a strange experience i had yesterday.
I'm within close proximity of 2 cigar lounges. I usually hit the closer one. Now, note, I'm still a 'newbie.' I've probably smoked a grand total of less than 30 premium cigars in my life, & I only smoke at lounges.
Anyway, I went in with the intent of trying something 'new'... the Oliva Serie O. It was very odd. It didn't seem to want to 'smoke.' Had a nice glowing red end when I'd puff away on it, but had very minimal smoke output... & when I'd put it down for a little bit (say, 30 seconds or less) & then pick it back up, I'd really have to puff away at it to bring it back to what little life it had.
I finally gave up. It was very dissatisfying. So, I went to a 'known quantity' for me, the E.C. Chupacabra. SAME THING. Even tho I had experienced this stick to be a great smoke in the past, it was behaving the same way. I made it about 1/2 way thru & then gave up.
I ended up going to Lounge #2, and had a totally enjoyable smoke there.
ANY IDEAS?
Did I inadvertently choose two overly new or overly old sticks? Humidity issue in the humidor? The 2 other guys in the lounge puffing away didn't seem to be having trouble or complaining about their experience.
This was a first for me.... (and I might add, a flush of $20 down the toilet).
P.
Comments
Hi guys...
Thank you all for your thoughts on this.
Here in Chicagoland it's been brutally cold and yesterday was no exception. In the lounge itself it was toasty warm. The walk-in humidor didn't seem any different to me--but as I say, I'm not there every day.
The cigars themselves *felt normal to me (again, me being a total newbie). The Oliva was in a tube & had a normal 'dry' feel to its outer wrapper. The Chupacabra was in a box with others & also felt normal [to me].
I'll have to try the Serie O again some time, but given the expense of the 'hobby,' I'm feeling a little gun shy about this place now. I might stay away for a couple of months & then dip my toes back in tentatively.
I know we all have our own reasons for doing this, but for me a cigar is supposed to be one of the 'good things' of life... a bright spot in an otherwise difficult week or month, so it was very disappointing to experience what I did. Thankfully, I had an alternative location not too much further away.
P.
If this ever happens to you again, I would also second the "go talk to an employee" approach. I think of it this way, if I owned a store, and a customer was having a difficulty that could cause them to no longer shop at my store, I would want to know about it.
Thanks for your thoughts & suggestions on this. I *would've* felt a little bit strange about saying something to the management--being I'm such a newb & it seemed like others were enjoying their smoke--but next time, if there's a next time, I will say something.
P