Cigars and Cigarettes

Lost Virtue

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I won't say I dislike Fuentes because I certainly don't, but I think the greatest appeal of their cigars is you can usually count on being able to find a decent one wherever you are. In general they smoke ok and there are some nice flavors, but I've never been impressed with the build quality. When I pull one of those La Privadas out of the humidor I'll spend a couple seconds just admiring the craftsmanship. I haven't ever done that with a Fuente.
I agree, Ligas are crafted insanely well. But this is a work of art... I've watched rollers make dual (sometimes triple) wrappers, and it is an art-form to do it properly, especially when one wrapper is MUCH less durable than the other.

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Borzak

Bronze Baron of the Realm
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I've seen it all now. Been wanting a few cigars while I'm away from my humidor. I mentioned it to my dad who said there was a shop in town (small town) that had a whole bunch of cigars. I figured they were gas station cigars but I went by. They had a whole wall in cabinets of boxes from the floor to the ceiling 3 boxes deep. I don't know how many hundreds of boxes and thousands of dollars of quality cigars all the way up to padron anniversary and such. So not gas station quality.

I looked, they were literally cabinets with glass doors that didn't shut well. I asked the owner. Nope, not a humidor.
 

Lost Virtue

Trakanon Raider
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I've seen it all now. Been wanting a few cigars while I'm away from my humidor. I mentioned it to my dad who said there was a shop in town (small town) that had a whole bunch of cigars. I figured they were gas station cigars but I went by. They had a whole wall in cabinets of boxes from the floor to the ceiling 3 boxes deep. I don't know how many hundreds of boxes and thousands of dollars of quality cigars all the way up to padron anniversary and such. So not gas station quality.

I looked, they were literally cabinets with glass doors that didn't shut well. I asked the owner. Nope, not a humidor.
Wow...

Had a buddy who was trying to get into pipe tobacco. His pipe tobacco dried up so he put it into his humidor (large humidor, 300+ cigars). Let's just say after 2 weeks or so, he had to basically throw out every cigar and the humidor as the aromatic pipe tobacco basically ruined everything. He didn't realize the smell of thr stuff gets absorbed into the tobacco and wood, so the pipe tobacco smell basically seeped into everything and made everything taste like shit.

I basically called him an idiot and laughed at his stupidity. Was also mad because he had some decently rare cigars that he had to trash.
 

Royal

Connoisseur of Exotic Pictures
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Yikes.

Tell your friend that if he wants to restore moisture to dried out pipe tobacco in the future to put it in a bowl large enough to spread it out a bit then drape damp paper towels over the top of the bowl but not touching the tobacco. Keep rewetting them when they dry out and in a couple of days the tobacco should be back to it's old form.

Or he can just do what I do and just throw it out and buy more, since pipe tobacco is still pretty cheap these days.
 

Lost Virtue

Trakanon Raider
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Yikes.

Tell your friend that if he wants to restore moisture to dried out pipe tobacco in the future to put it in a bowl large enough to spread it out a bit then drape damp paper towels over the top of the bowl but not touching the tobacco. Keep rewetting them when they dry out and in a couple of days the tobacco should be back to it's old form.

Or he can just do what I do and just throw it out and buy more, since pipe tobacco is still pretty cheap these days.
I agree, wish he had asked me how to restore dried out pipe tobacco. He ruined a few thousands dollars in cigars due to his stupidity.
 

Borzak

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Gah that sucks. I would think anything aromatic, infused or pipe tabacco should go in a separate humidor. Even a cheap herfador or a tupperware one at least.
 

Ancallagon

Silver Knight of the Realm
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Just relocated to Tucson, AZ, and found a really nice cigar shop - Anthony's Cigar Emporium. Great selection, lots of options. Lots of Drew Estate stuff, that I just couldn't seem to find locally in Cincinnati.

Picked up just a bunch of them to sample.

Only smoked a pair so far -

Undercrown - unfortunately, by the time I was most of the way through it, I was bored of the smoke. It was fine, smooth, very well wrapped (of course), smoked well, just pretty devoid of all flavor imo.
Undercrown Shade - was thinking it'd be the same as the above, but was very pleased by it. Had a bit more taste, exceptionally smooth, and definitely got a decent buzz by the end of it (I tend to smoke indoors in my office/tv room, so I'm sure I'm hotboxing myself some too). Much better than the Undercrown above.

Also grabbed some Liga Pravadas, will smoke those another day, and a couple other various ones that they had there.

Very pleased to find a great shop down here, was concerned I'd have to order most things online, but not the case.

The cigars are a bit more expensive than in Cincinnati, about $1 more per smoke, so not going to break the bank.
 

Lost Virtue

Trakanon Raider
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Just relocated to Tucson, AZ, and found a really nice cigar shop - Anthony's Cigar Emporium. Great selection, lots of options. Lots of Drew Estate stuff, that I just couldn't seem to find locally in Cincinnati.

Picked up just a bunch of them to sample.

Only smoked a pair so far -

Undercrown - unfortunately, by the time I was most of the way through it, I was bored of the smoke. It was fine, smooth, very well wrapped (of course), smoked well, just pretty devoid of all flavor imo.
Undercrown Shade - was thinking it'd be the same as the above, but was very pleased by it. Had a bit more taste, exceptionally smooth, and definitely got a decent buzz by the end of it (I tend to smoke indoors in my office/tv room, so I'm sure I'm hotboxing myself some too). Much better than the Undercrown above.

Also grabbed some Liga Pravadas, will smoke those another day, and a couple other various ones that they had there.

Very pleased to find a great shop down here, was concerned I'd have to order most things online, but not the case.

The cigars are a bit more expensive than in Cincinnati, about $1 more per smoke, so not going to break the bank.
Sounds like you may have had a dud of an Undercrown.
 

Adebisi

Clump of Cells
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I've got a Monte Cristo No 2 waiting to be smoked on the next nice evening.
 

Borzak

Bronze Baron of the Realm
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Big changes in the cigar world. Apparently tucked away in the new vaper law cigars that are handrolled and such have to be submitted for FDA approval. Considering how often they change and the number of varietes they produce I don't see that happening.
 

Picasso3

Silver Baronet of the Realm
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Prob some crooked shit by altadis to knock out smaller producers.

Canadians, mail me Cubans.
 

Lost Virtue

Trakanon Raider
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Big changes in the cigar world. Apparently tucked away in the new vaper law cigars that are handrolled and such have to be submitted for FDA approval. Considering how often they change and the number of varietes they produce I don't see that happening.
Talked with Jonathan Drew at an event last week week. There are lots of cigar companies that will likely pool together (via 'Cigar Association of America') to fight this or lobby for the congressional bill (Bills H.R. 662 and S. 441) that cuts funding to regulate premium cigars. If anything, they will push a suit that will put this ruling on hold for a few years. I am going to remain optimistic
 

mkopec

<Gold Donor>
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Yeah same thing with e-cigs. There are companies that are already starting to sue FDA regulations over this shit. shit like this is more regulated now than smokes themselves, lol.

Big tobaccos money is all over this shit, ligning the pockets of these FDA fucks. I would not even be surprised that the FDA has some big tobacco past employees working for them like the food industry has.
 

Lost Virtue

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RoMa Craft cigars (CroMagnon Aquitaine especially) are my new flavor of the month. Outstanding cigars, impeccable quality, great flavor. I recommend everyone give one a shot ASAP
 

Ichu

Molten Core Raider
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CAO's MX2 is probably my favourite cigar at the moment. They come in a small size as well, which is awesome.

My humble humidor:

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Picasso3

Silver Baronet of the Realm
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Have had a thermoelectric vinotemp since college. I usually load up with $2-8 smokes, try to keep it random. Typically like any padron, and oliva V's. Another two that have stood out are diamond crown maximus and don lino africa, but I generally don't go out of my way to hunt them down.

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Picasso3

Silver Baronet of the Realm
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Can't smoke in the house anymore so that really puts a damper on my shit. Firing up company of heroes and a churchill was glorious.
 

Borzak

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I can't imagine smoking a cigar indoors at your own house. Blah. Either outside while doing something like working in the shop or out on the deck.