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Author Topic: The stogie thread  (Read 3928 times)

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twifosp

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Re: The stogie thread
« Reply #30 on: March 16, 2015, 09:52:58 PM »
Great info!

As an avid BBQ smoker, (big green egg represent!) that analogy hits right home for me. 

You mentioned earlier in the thread that you cut your cigar after you light it.  That's a definite technique change for me, I always cut the cap and then light.  I light a big match and let that drift up into the bottom of the cigar and start to blow on it.  Then I get some puffing going to even it out. 

Do you use a match or a cigar lighter? 



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Anaxilus

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Re: The stogie thread
« Reply #31 on: March 17, 2015, 12:00:02 AM »
I was using cedar spills for awhile but it takes forever and you go through spills like crazy with the cap closed off. Now I use a torch in a 2-3 step process. I roast the foot at a long enough distance that the foot's color turns dark and I let it sit for a few minutes. Then I do it again till it begins to smolder and smoke and blow on it hopefully getting most of the foot red. Depending, I'll let it sit again and do it once more to make sure I get an even, consistent red hot glow. By the time I cut the cap, hopefully the temp is settled back a bit. I do a gentle purge first to evacuate any bad combustion compounds, then get it going with some puffs.
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MuppetFace

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Re: The stogie thread
« Reply #32 on: March 21, 2015, 12:24:30 PM »
Thanks for your reply, Anax. I'll answer your PM soon.

I could go for mild or full bodied. I like coffee, earthy flavors, and spicy flavors. Fruits are fine, but I'm not so big on nutty flavors. I'm not drinking these days (meds), so I'd prefer something that stands on its own. Though something that pairs well with coffee sounds good. Not sure how long I'd be able to spend with a cigar, as I'm not that experienced. I had a few cigars in college, but I've mostly smoked from a pipe or smoked kreteks. Right now I don't have a humidor, but I wouldn't mind investing in something to get me started.
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Stapsy

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Re: The stogie thread
« Reply #33 on: March 21, 2015, 05:55:58 PM »
If you are looking for coffee/earth/spice I would recommend trying Brickhouse Robusto or Alec Bradley Black Market...solid entry level cigars IMO. I really like the Tatuaje cigars I have tried as well, but I am not as familiar with that brand. If you can find them, the Cuban Bolivar Royal Corona is the the best earthy/spicy cigar I have tried.

It can be hard to find a mild cigar that isn't creamy. Most cigars with lighter wrappers tend to follow that flavour profile. I have really enjoyed any of the Illusione cigars when I am in the mood for a more mild smoke. It is easygoing without being boring and doesn't have any of that creamy/nuttiness.

Like Anax said the biggest thing is to not overheat the cigar. If you start to smoke too fast you will lose all the subtleties and the cigar can turn acrid. Take your time and enjoy. I won't smoke any cigar unless I have a solid two hours to dedicate to it. That seems to be how long it takes me to smoke a standard size Robusto.

Don't be afraid to try different vitolas. I love the smaller ring gauges. They seem easier to keep lit when you smoke slow and the flavour from the different filler to wrapper ratio can be drastically different to the larger sizes.

Lastly I have had great success taking a sharp pocket knife and peeling the outer wrapper from the foot of the cigar without actually cutting into the filler. I got frustrated at how cutters would crush the end of the cigar and kill the airflow and read that this method was how tobacco workers would cut cigars when they were working in the fields. I have no idea if it is true but I have really enjoyed this method and gave away my high-end cutters because if it.
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twifosp

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Re: The stogie thread
« Reply #34 on: March 29, 2015, 10:04:04 PM »
Been wanting to explore more cigars and based on this thread I've recently picked up a wide variety of new cigars to try.  I usually just smoke Ashton VSGs as my go to but wanted to branch out. 

It's been awesome weather where I am this whole week.  Mountain Laurels are blooming in the back yard and it has been amazing outside, perfectly sunny at 70.  Perfect time to go on a "cigar tour" and I've smoked 5 cigars in 6 days.  My goal was to try different stuff and see where my tastes are.  Here are my notes, being a cigar noob feel free to chime in and tell me if I'm missing a boat somewhere.

Rocky Patel Royale Robusto

This one was right up my alley.  A lot like the VSGs I've been smoking.  Perfect tobacco spice, and good chocolate and espresso.  Will be getting more.

My Father Crema #3

Very nutty.  Despite not having a darker wrapper, it came off as a strong cigar for me. Went well with the bunnahabhain I paired with it.  If I go for this again will get a smaller size if it comes in one.

My Father 1922 Le Bijou

This stick was doomed from the start.  After removing the band, some of the adhesive pulled part of the outer wrapper off, so I started with a hole in the top of the leaf wrapper.  Never had a cigar where the band adhesive was attached to the leaf. 

It went out twice while smoking it and the way it burned was off.  It didn't burn to nice fine white ash.  The smoke was yellowy instead of blueish and the whole smoke was off.  I didn't like it very much.  Too much chemical and nicotine in the taste.  Too many things went wrong for me to say this is a bad cigar or not, but it wasn't for me.  I may try it again some day to see if the one I got was a lemon.  t.

Illusione MJ12

A pleasant smoke.  Mild but still a hint of tobacco spice.  Kind of boring over all.

Ashton ESG 22 salute

Being a VSG fan I always see this one next to the VSGs in the cigar store, but always pass it up.  At 22 bucks how can it be better than my good ole 12 dollar VSG?  I smoked this one today in the sun with some nice talisker scotch.  Loved it.  It's probably considered mild, but mild doesn't really describe it for me.  Subtle but complex is more accurate.  First cigar I've smoked that really had multiple flavor profiles.  On the inhale it was like a white tea, turning into a mild tobacco spice like pipe tobacco smells, and ultimately changing into nutty aftertaste.  A cigar this mild usually bores me, but this one was amazing.  I usually only smoke larger cigars a bit past halfway but I burned this one all the way to a nub. 

Verdict:  Just ordered a box and a new humidor to put them in.

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Anaxilus

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Re: The stogie thread
« Reply #35 on: March 30, 2015, 09:47:29 AM »
Quote from: MuppetFace on March 21, 2015, 12:24:30 PM
Thanks for your reply, Anax. I'll answer your PM soon.

I could go for mild or full bodied. I like coffee, earthy flavors, and spicy flavors. Fruits are fine, but I'm not so big on nutty flavors. I'm not drinking these days (meds), so I'd prefer something that stands on its own. Though something that pairs well with coffee sounds good. Not sure how long I'd be able to spend with a cigar, as I'm not that experienced. I had a few cigars in college, but I've mostly smoked from a pipe or smoked kreteks. Right now I don't have a humidor, but I wouldn't mind investing in something to get me started.

I'd advise checking out the La Aroma de Cuba 'Mi Amor' lineup in a Belicoso shape or perhaps a Padron 1964 Maduro to get a feel fomr your flavor profile. If you like pipe tobacco, you could try something of an experimental cigar by AJ Fernandez called 'Spectre'. It's made with a Turkish pipe tobacco filler that's cured in various meat houses so they also have that smoky BBQ flavor as well. For another smoky type Texas BBQ smoke you could try a Kentucky Fire Cured from Drew Estate. If you want to try a coffee infused stick (sort of cheating if you ask me), there's the Java lineup in different coffee flavors. Some online retailers have build a bundle options where you can pick a humi, cutter, cigar sample into a discounted bundle. Try Cigar's International or Famous Smoke and have a look. I can give you more details on what to look for if interested.

Quote from: twifosp on March 29, 2015, 10:04:04 PM
Been wanting to explore more cigars and based on this thread I've recently picked up a wide variety of new cigars to try.  I usually just smoke Ashton VSGs as my go to but wanted to branch out. 

It's been awesome weather where I am this whole week.  Mountain Laurels are blooming in the back yard and it has been amazing outside, perfectly sunny at 70.  Perfect time to go on a "cigar tour" and I've smoked 5 cigars in 6 days.  My goal was to try different stuff and see where my tastes are.  Here are my notes, being a cigar noob feel free to chime in and tell me if I'm missing a boat somewhere.

Rocky Patel Royale Robusto

This one was right up my alley.  A lot like the VSGs I've been smoking.  Perfect tobacco spice, and good chocolate and espresso.  Will be getting more.

My Father Crema #3

Very nutty.  Despite not having a darker wrapper, it came off as a strong cigar for me. Went well with the bunnahabhain I paired with it.  If I go for this again will get a smaller size if it comes in one.

My Father 1922 Le Bijou

This stick was doomed from the start.  After removing the band, some of the adhesive pulled part of the outer wrapper off, so I started with a hole in the top of the leaf wrapper.  Never had a cigar where the band adhesive was attached to the leaf. 

It went out twice while smoking it and the way it burned was off.  It didn't burn to nice fine white ash.  The smoke was yellowy instead of blueish and the whole smoke was off.  I didn't like it very much.  Too much chemical and nicotine in the taste.  Too many things went wrong for me to say this is a bad cigar or not, but it wasn't for me.  I may try it again some day to see if the one I got was a lemon.  t.

Illusione MJ12

A pleasant smoke.  Mild but still a hint of tobacco spice.  Kind of boring over all.

Ashton ESG 22 salute

Being a VSG fan I always see this one next to the VSGs in the cigar store, but always pass it up.  At 22 bucks how can it be better than my good ole 12 dollar VSG?  I smoked this one today in the sun with some nice talisker scotch.  Loved it.  It's probably considered mild, but mild doesn't really describe it for me.  Subtle but complex is more accurate.  First cigar I've smoked that really had multiple flavor profiles.  On the inhale it was like a white tea, turning into a mild tobacco spice like pipe tobacco smells, and ultimately changing into nutty aftertaste.  A cigar this mild usually bores me, but this one was amazing.  I usually only smoke larger cigars a bit past halfway but I burned this one all the way to a nub. 

Verdict:  Just ordered a box and a new humidor to put them in.



Been curious about the Royale, VSG and ESG for some time now. Heard good things. Never tried a Bijou or Crema My Father yet. Sometimes the special editions are just a different profile with marketing be hind them rather than an 'upgrade'. Just like audio....
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smitty1110

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Re: The stogie thread
« Reply #36 on: March 30, 2015, 01:13:11 PM »
Wow, I was just checking the recently updated posts and ran across this thread. I've been moving from one sale/deal to another blindly trying out cigars, so this is actually quite the welcome discovery. I'll have to try some of the cigars mentioned in this thread. Thanks for the advice guys.
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