Cigarette Question

[Simply Refined]

After smoking a cigar in the garden today, I realized even smaller cigars are generally more of a good thing than I want. After the first 15 minutes or so, I find myself enjoying a cigar less and less, and inevitably find myself putting it down before it's properly finished.

Reading Mr. Storey's new book, I was yet again intrigued by the elusive Turkish cigarette of yesteryear. I'm too young to have ever had the chance to smoke one, so was wondering if there are any recommendations for something similar or at least in the same vein. Wilde always said the cigarette was the perfect pleasure, exquisite but it leaves one completely unsatisfied. I'd love some rich, flavorful cigarettes to keep for when I do get that urge.

Thanks all.

[st.tully]

I enjoy the Stokkebye cigarette tobaccos. Of course you have to roll them yourself - not too difficult once you have a bit of practice.

http://www.peterstokkebye.com/cig_ps.htm

[storeynicholas]

I mention Tor cigarettes in the book, which are readily available in specialist tobacconists in London and major centres and come as tipped or untipped and there are Sobranie Black Russians. It is worth noting that most of the Havana cigar brands make minis, such as the Romeo y Julieta Petit Julieta, at four inches and 30 ring gauge, which might provide the answer.

[carl browne]

This may not be exactly responsive to the question, and I'm no expert on cigars, but I do notice that If I smoke my cigar too quickly, the second half becomes bitter and sulfurous. But If I smoke it more slowly, it's nice all the way through.

I also notice that thin cigars tend to have this problem more than wider ones. It stands to reason that you might experiment with shortish cigars with larger ring sizes, and focus on the milder ones.

[Jack Albans]

The Gauloise brand is still manufactured in Spain using dark Turkish tobacco. And the very underrated small Henri Wintermann's uses an excellent and well-aged tobacco. Smokers of quality cigars will not speak poorly of the small Wintermann's.

This is an interesting point about the second half of a cigar. In my experience there is A WORLD of difference between very high quality cigars and the rest - and in spite of popular beliefs about particular brands, it is not clear in my mind that they all deserve the reputations they have.

I had to chime in on this conversation because of the reference to the 'second half...' There is an important point about this... Assuredly the pace of smoking a cigar is crucial. But there are two distinctly different TYPES of cigar when it comes to the second half experience: there is a sort of mild pleasant version - even in the robusto format - that never alters its taste or strength. Some of these are nonetheless excellent and very acceptable.

The cigar equivalent of a major vintage Bordeaux or Burgundy, exhibits a very characteristic second, well, in fact usually last third... Never never is it bitter or sulfurous - such a thing is a bad characteristic. I wouldn't attempt to describe the sensation but I must say epicures know what I am talking about. This is all much more complicated a scenario than what 'Simply Refined' is seeking, no doubt, though not as complicated as the Arabic waterpipe or ordinary pipe smoking.

The waterpipe has little 'kick' to it, I find, but another interesting, pleasant sensation all the same.

We are a long way away from those days when I was a small child, in which my parents both smoked tins of comparatively strong Players cigarettes every day, especially into the long late evenings in the lounge, with animated discussions on sex, politics, and religion... ...with rakes, ministers and jesuits.

Regards,

J.

[alden]

I seem to recall a story about Churchill that he only smoked his cigars half way then lit a new one. This seems to be a bit of a shame because a good cigar evolves and delivers different tastes from beginning to end. The secret, as with pipe smoking, is to smoke very slowly. Some of us are too nervous or impatient to get the hang of this technique that just barely keeps the tobacco lit. And so a cigarette may indeed be a better choice. There are many excellent tobaccos to choose from to roll cigarettes and it is about the only way left to get a good smoke.

Cheers

M Alden

[uppercase]

An interesting discussion.

I am smoking a Trinidad Edicion Limitada 2010 as I read this and I can confirm that the second half is indeed sulfurous and bitter. This particular cigar is a short robusto and it turned bitter quite early on in the smoke. I usually smoke a robusto and find this length more pleasureable as it stays smoother, longer.

Now I must qualify this assessment of the Trinidad noting that I have not had a cigar in more than 2 months, so my palate may not yet be acclimated. On the other hand, I feel happier than I have in a while and think that abstinence does not suit me well. Others find me somewhat more agreeable as well.

[Aristide]

If you hold lighter to cigar at 1/3 and 2/3 points of smoking and blow (exhale) through cigar, it will rid cigar of accumulated tars and gasses and produce a much more subtle smoke.

[uppercase]

^
that's a good tip...

Tonight, having restarted smoking, I am enjoying a Cohiba robusto.

I've got to say it's a much better smoke than last nights Trinidad which smoked hot and bitter the whole while; it was also partially plugged.

Todays Cohiba on the other hand is a joy. I have a good tobacconist who takes care of me: the Cohiba I originally chose and cut turned out to be plugged. My man wouldn't let me take it, went to the humidor and chose another which has a beautiful draw, and this I am enjoying now. How's that for old fashioned service?!

[alden]

I've got to say it's a much better smoke than last nights Trinidad which smoked hot and bitter the whole while; it was also partially plugged.

Trinidads are great cigars. It probably smoked hot because it was partially plugged. We tend to apply too much puffing effort into smoking a plugged cigar and this puffing makes for bitter steam.

You did get good service. Can you choose the cigars from the box yourself? If so, learn how to roll the cigar in your fingers to feel for any plugging. It is easy to do and you can just enjoy a fine, unplugged and cool smoke.

Cheers

Michael

[uppercase]

I do like Trinidads. I thinks that yesterdays was just too closed to smoke cool.

Yes, I can choose my own from the walk-in humidor and rarely get a plugged cigar when I buy individual cigars.

Having said that, when buying a box, it's the luck of the draw. There are always at least a few which draw hard and these I just have to put up with and discard early.

Tomorrow I'm going to get a Trinidad robusto rather than the short robusto and see how that smokes.

As I write, the Cohiba, now nearly finished, is smoking nice and smooth, more concentrated, dense and satisfying.

btw, has anyone here visited Cuba?

(I'm not going to ask here how LL's resident physician, tteplitzmd, views cigars....)