Who was it that said, “A woman is just another pretty face, but a cigar is a smoke“? In light of all the anti-smoking laws passed in the last five years, it’s shocking that stogies are even legal anymore. It’s a pleasure that has been practically forced into an exclusive man room activity.
GearCrave interviews Tobacconist Jeff Runokivi and brings some insight into starting your cigar collection, or at least buying your very first smoke. Read more after the break…
Cigars can be a mystery if you’ve never smoked one before, but they don’t have to be. Take the advice of tobacconist Jeff Runokivi for your first-time smoke. “I usually start people out on cigars that come from the Dominican Republic. Dominican Cigars have a light body and tend to range from medium to mild in body and light in colour. They are a very forgiving variety of cigar, indeed. For this, Arturo Fuentes is a good starter.”
Other good starter brands; Romeo y Juliette, Macanudo, or Partagas. Says Runokivi, “I would also include some of the new cigars that are coming out of Honduras, for example the new Por Laranaga Cuban Grade or H Upmann Signature series.”
Like drinking scotches or wine, finding a good cigar means trying a range of smokes. “Find one style you like and try more of those kinds. This is all trial and error. More often than not, the local tobacconist will also have some good suggestions for them. If you have tried a number of kinds of cigars then the tobacconists can use what you’ve tried as a kind of springboard for investigating other tastes. “
Runokivi says keeping a little list of the varieties you’ve smoked can help. “Another good thing to do is to save the bands of the cigars that one has smoked. If you save the band, you know what to look for if you liked it or what to avoid if you did not. Going to the tobacconist and asking for the ‘cigar with the green band‘ is not going to work.”
Folks, don’t bother buying a grocery store cigar. Really. Go to a tobacco shop and get a real cigar and some real advice on what’s hot, what’s lame, and how to spot the difference.
Oh, and it was writer Rudyard Kipling who said “A woman is just another pretty face, but a cigar is a smoke.”
Take Jeff’s advice, try a smooth and fragrant box of Dominican cigars, starting at $24.99.
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1 Crave of the Month: Looking Back to August 2007 | GearCrave | Stuff you want to touch // Sep 3, 2007 at 1:15 pm
[…] buy their first cigar. For a beginner or a gift buyer, this guide is a great start. Check out our Cigar beginner guide […]
2 Cigars 101: More Advice From A Tobacco Pro | GearCrave | Stuff you want to touch // Sep 7, 2007 at 7:05 am
[…] Runokivi is a professional tobacconist and a serious cigar smoker. We asked him to give us some advice on cigars, and to tell us what a tobacco pro looks for in his own smokes. Runokivi dispelled a couple of […]
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