Any cigar smokers here?
So I've quit smoking cigarettes for a good couple of years now, which left a big empty hole in my daily life that I've been trying to fill, and believe I may have found it. I'm not sure if I am better or worse off switching to cigars, but it is definitely, so far, much more fulfilling and enjoyable. Also, the smell is a lot less offensive during, and after the task (of smoking a cigar) has been completed.
So I've only been smoking the cheapest cigars I can find, and have learned to only buy them if they are stored in a temperature/humidity controlled room, otherwise it would be a complete waste of money because you do not know how long the cigar has been sitting there drying out. Also thanks to the internets, I believe I have learned most of the basics (do's and don'ts), and have since ceased to smoke, light, and store them like cigarettes, as that has never worked out for me with cigars.
So since I am still new to this game, I figured I should continue to smoke the cheap $1-$2 type until I have more or less "mastered" the art of cigaring, or would I be wasting both money and time doing so (like trying to drink cheap wine)?
I have so far gone through about half a dozen cigars over the past couple months, so it is not a frequent, or even daily thing I am doing, just occasionally something to enjoy after a hard day's work or on a nice and slow weekend. (Used to go through about half a pack of cigarettes a day in comparison.)
Thinking about buying a small cigar "humidor" and filling it with cheap cigars for my next move.
Posts
Don't buy a bunch of stuff till you're a) a little more knowledgeable and b) are sure you want to stick with this as a hobby. At this point I buy one when I want it, I don't get to smoke them nearly enough to bother storing them.
Cigars are really different from cigarettes on a fundamental level. They both contain tobacco and you light them on fire, and that's about it. You smoke them differently, you store them differently, and they are terrible for you in entirely different ways. You smoke them less frequently, but they have no filter on them, but you inhale differently. You're less likely to end up with lung cancer and more likely to end up with mouth cancer, that sort of thing. Seriously, don't smoke them all the time like you would a cigarette, they CAN actually be pretty terrible for you if you do. Don't treat it as a replacement tobacco for your addiction or you will wind up super sad. It's best to keep it to something you can enjoy doing sometimes to relax or unwind IMO.
Beyond that, I feel like the best advice I can give you is this: Don't get advice on what you should smoke on the internet. Storage, price points, purchasing, sure. But cigar preferences are highly personal, and a more expensive cigar or one from a fancier location is not necessarily the one you'll like best. Find a cigar shop where someone on staff is really enthusiastic about the hobby and willing to take the time to go over the basics with you. I did this and it was amazingly helpful. The guy took a bunch out and let me smell them, and just doing that it was pretty easy to narrow down what I'd enjoy best. I was surprised at the result.
You can easily spend tons of money on one cigar... or you can spend $1-2. Buying three figures worth of cigar is a waste if you're only doing it because you think more expensive is better, but so is spending $1 on something you're meant to stop and enjoy. I luck out; my favorites tend to run in the $10-30 range.
if you don't leave close enough to a shop with a humidor you can order online; I have a buddy who does this and they ship in little humidor-adjacent boxes that you could use on at least a temp basis
that's why we call it the struggle, you're supposed to sweat
Definitely invest in a little humidor. Also a nice bottle of bourbon is an excellent addition.
I can also recommend the herfadore travel humidor.
I've also enjoyed some stuff by Punch.