General cigar questions

[HabanoMan]

I would also add in that when you smoke cigars, as best you can pair it with water or a drink with little flavor, and take notes on the cigar as you smoke it.

Just to expand a little bit on this: Until you learn the nuances of the different flavors try just a touch of lemon or lime in your water. This will really help cleanse the palate which in turn will help you pinpoint any nuanced changes in flavors throughout the stick. While a great cigar and Scotch/Bourbon pairing is awesome it is really not the best for beginners since the alcohol can tend to overpower the subtleness of the tobacco.

The discovery is half the fun!

Hell, I would say it is more than half, at least in the beginning.

[Brimy]

Great advice. I would also add in that when you smoke cigars, as best you can pair it with water or a drink with little flavor, and take notes on the cigar as you smoke it. Flavors you are getting, evenness of burn line, draw, etc. Write a mini review just for yourself. It will really help you start to see what you like and dislike and you can compare that to the descriptions of the Wrapper/Binder/Filler so you can start to see what leaves bring what flavors. It can also help you find other cigars that you might like.

The discovery is half the fun!

So true!!

And IMO the environment (indoors vs outdoors) makes some difference.
On this note, smoking indoors alone vs smoking with folks who are smoking something different makes a difference too.
For me, there are a LOT of little nuances that affects the journey.

[jhedrick83]

Just to expand a little bit on this: Until you learn the nuances of the different flavors try just a touch of lemon or lime in your water. This will really help cleanse the palate which in turn will help you pinpoint any nuanced changes in flavors throughout the stick. While a great cigar and Scotch/Bourbon pairing is awesome it is really not the best for beginners since the alcohol can tend to overpower the subtleness of the tobacco.

Good point. I have never tried it but, I have heard club soda (if you like it) works great as well.

[Demuths1770]

IIRC, some time ago Zippo changed their lighter fluid formula to burn cleaner and not impart a flavor onto cigars. That would take some Googling to confirm.

You want to light it with something that burns "clean." Butane and cedar splints are known to burn clean so they're most commonly used. If you use matches make sure the sulfur is burnt off before lighting.

i never understood the not lighting a cigar with a zippo if people use zippos to light pipes. i know there is a difference in tobacco but still. i have never lite a cigar with a zippo but i have use bic butane matches and cedar spills and never noticed a difference in taste. i do prefer a butane lighter but when in a pinch you do what ya gotta do!

[Hardheaded]

i never understood the not lighting a cigar with a zippo if people use zippos to light pipes. i know there is a difference in tobacco but still. i have never lite a cigar with a zippo but i have use bic butane matches and cedar spills and never noticed a difference in taste. i do prefer a butane lighter but when in a pinch you do what ya gotta do!

Some people claim zippos don't burn clean enough. I find that if ai let it burn a few seconds before I use it that I can't notice a difference. They are a bugger to constantly refill though, so I don't use it often.

[Demuths1770]

Some people claim zippos don't burn clean enough. I find that if ai let it burn a few seconds before I use it that I can't notice a difference. They are a bugger to constantly refill though, so I don't use it often.

that has to be the worst part having to refill a zippo so much lol. thats why i like butane but zippos are just so bad ass looking its hard not to want to carry one

[Bruck]

+1 on samplers.

But if you get one that contains a Gurkha, send it to someone you don't like

& yes, avoid the bargain basement samplers.

[bluenoser]

All I had was a zippo for the first few months, once I got a torch lighter I can honestly say I saw no difference in taste. You might get a hint with the first puff or 2 but once it's lit I haven't noticed any difference. The one nice thing about a torch is I only smoke outside so I don't need to worry about the wind as much.

[Upstatemax]

that has to be the worst part having to refill a zippo so much lol. thats why i like butane but zippos are just so bad ass looking its hard not to want to carry one

That's why my butane torch Zippo insert perfect! I get the badassness of the zippo and the awesomeness of the a butane torch.

Also known as, badawesomness.

[Socoemt]

Thank you all for the great advice and suggestions! I would love to join the newbie trade, but we'll have to wait until I get my next paycheck.

So far I have just been using a bic lighter and it hasn't been bad, I just want sure if I was missing something obvious about lighting up.

Btw, what is it with some of you and ghurkas? Lol!

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