Herfin Bigdog
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2005
- Messages
- 582
Welcome ALL NEWBIES to the Cigar Pass Bulletin Board!
I am by no means a Newbie to cigars. But I am a relative Newbie to this BB. I have thrown in the towel trying to "Welcome" each and every one of you as you have joined this BB. Sometimes I don't get to it until you have been here for several days or weeks later.
Therefore, I Welcome each of you Newbies to the CPBB with my gift to you new members, The Newbie's Cigar Primer. I first posted this at another cigar BB some time ago. I thought I would bring it here as well to help you brand spankin' new Newbies on your way to your latest obsession.
Whether you are new to cigars, or just new to the CPBB, you might find some useful information in The Newbie's Cigar Primer. This compilation of basic information is what I wish I knew when I first started. It took several months for me to gather on my own, what you see here. I know that it may seem a bit long but I hope you find it helpful.
Feel free to ignore the parts that don't apply to you.
After you've read everything in this thread and the subsequent posts, you'll think to yourself, "Self, I know more about cigars than I used to thanks to Herfin Bigdog. (Hmmmm... maybe I should send him a few cigars to thank him)." :whistling: [DISCLAIMER: Simply a joke, and not mooch attempt, serious or otherwise. DISCLAIMER]
A lot of people get started here by "lurking" on the board. Lurking is just sitting back, reading the various Bulletin Boards offerings, and getting familiar with how things are run. You might have come across this thread because you have been lurking. Think of this as the Cliff Notes version of “Cigars for Dummies”.
That's when you'll come back here, click on the "Search" feature, and use Search to start looking for threads and posts that may answer any questions that you might have. If your question is one of the more common questions, chances are that you’ll find it very easily because it has already been asked…on numerous occasions…by several hundred other Newbies. Use that Search tool first. But if you can't find an answer, start a thread with your own question. As far as questions go, The only stupid question is the one that you don't ask. We were all Newbies at some point.
First, the answer to the $64,000 question that all Newbies ask…”Hey, what does ‘herf’ mean?” Your prayers have been answered, and so has your question. The best description of what ‘herf’ is, and from where it originated can be found at this link: http://cigar-store.port5.com/what-is-herf.shtml The short version is that it has two meanings: 1) herf - to draw smoke from a cigar into one’s mouth; or 2) herf – an occasion initiated or attended by one or more people where the cigar is the focal point. However, at any herf there is the possibility that a cookout might breakout. Or discussions based on any of a number of a wide variety of topics may also occur.
The most important thing that you must remember about cigars is that you, and only YOU can know what cigars you will or will not like. And the only way you can know what a particular cigar tastes like is by smoking it. Only YOU can know what your taste buds tell you.
And you can not judge a whole cigar line based on one cigar, OR what anyone else says about a cigar. You have to smoke many samples of any one cigar to really determine whether it is worth buying more. Smoking 3 to 5 cigars can give you a good idea of what to expect with a particular cigar. Getting opinions from other cigar lovers can be very beneficial, but taste is subjective to the cigar smoker and it comes down to what YOU like. No one can smoke a cigar and determine whether or not YOU are going to like that cigar.
The first thing to do is acquire some cigars.....
Being new to cigars, you need to check out the "Newbie Sampler Trade Thread..." on the 'Buy/Sell/Trade & Group Purchases' board. "A place where a Newbie can trade for a variety of Cigars." This thread was started a while ago with the idea of getting a Newbie to trade with an "experienced" guy who wanted to get some cigars. The Newbie would buy the old guy what he wanted and the old guy would send the Newbie a nice package of assorted singles to get the Newbie started on some new favorites."
If there are any tobacconists in your area, check them out and inform them that you are new to cigars and that you want a sampler of smokes. If they know their stuff, they should pick a couple of smokes from each of the three main cigar-producing countries, the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua. Tell them how much you would like to spend. $25-$30 should get you a good sampling of 8 to 12 cigars to try.
The general price and quantity range suggestion of 8-12 cigars for $25-$30 must be adjusted for types of cigars, type of shops, taxes in the retailer's state, etc. In SC, bundle, house and bargain sticks retail in most shops as singles for about $2-$3 each, middle range is $4-$6 each, and of course you go higher as you move into premium and super premiums sold as singles in brick and mortar shops.
Each country's cigars have their own taste and character. Cigars are made in many parts of the world. They are made with tobacco grown in different soils very often coming from different countries. They can be cured by different processes, and rolled with different techniques. A cigar made with its' wrapper, binder and filler all grown in the same country is called a "puro".
These are not hard and fast rules, but in order to have something to go by when you're faced with a humidor full of cigars from which to choose:
- Cigars from Jamaica are usually considered mild bodied. However, very few cigars are coming out of Jamaica now. (Macanudo and Royal Jamaica as examples.)
- Cigars from the Dominican Republic are mild to medium in body. (for example: Arturo Fuente is the best known from the D.R., H. Upmann, and Romeo y Jullietta are examples)
- Cigars from Honduras and Nicaragua are generally fuller bodied smokes. (Honduran: for example, Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, and EL REY DEL MUNDO; and Nicaraguan: Padron, Perdomo and Mantequilla.)
- And cigars from Cuba are considered to be some of the richest and creamiest in the world! But your tastebuds may think otherwise.
Cigar Terminology:
Cigar lovers often talk about a cigar using terms such as the “body” and “strength” of a cigar. Body usually refers to the fullness and richness of the flavor of a cigar. Cigars are rated from mild bodied to full bodied. You might also be able to relate ‘body’ to how some describe the character of a wine. White wine would usually be considered light bodied wine, where as a burgundy might be considered a full-bodied wine.
"Body" and “taste” are relative terms used in describing cigars. Each person’s sense of body and taste is subjective, meaning what one cigar smoker thinks about one cigar, someone else might think differently about that same cigar. It is very common for that to happen. For example, one smoker might think of an El Rey del Mundo Robusto Larga (which has an Oscuro wrapper) as being a full-bodied smoke, while someone else might think of it as a medium bodied smoke. And as far as the taste or flavor(s) a cigar might have… one person might perceive a cigar as having a spicy taste, or they might detect a certain flavor like chocolate or coffee. Yet another smoker might not detect anything but the fact that they like or don’t like a cigar. It is very common to not be able to detect the subtleties a cigar might have to offer. Yet continue to smoke the same brand and size cigar and over time you might begin to taste the subtleties.
Strength generally refers to the nicotine content in a cigar. The type of tobacco the cigar is made with has a whole lot to do with the amount of nicotine a cigar might contain. You can get a real "buzz" from some cigars due to the amount of nicotine it contains. You can become dizzy and/or nauseous while smoking a "strong" cigar. Strong cigars are better smoked after having a full stomach.
People's body chemistries are different and react differently to content of nicotine in a cigar.
Most people favor cigars having a similar "body". But every once in a while a person likes to smoke something that has a body that is not typical of what they normally smoke. Variety is a good thing upon occasion. Buying a sampler of cigars and trying cigars from the different producing countries will help you find what "body" type you prefer.
I hope that helps you in your search for your favorite cigars.
Fill out your member profile to include your address. You never know what might show up in your mailbox.
When you've decided to start buying cigars in quantity, come back here and check out "The Humidor" room to have your storage questions answered by the numerous and knowledgeable people here.
If you are looking for information about what makes up the wrapper, binder, and filler of a particular cigar, don't forget about the Internet and the online vendors. Another source, and I don't know why I didn't think to add this initially when I started this thread because I look at them several times a week, Cigar Catalogs!
I find cigar catalogs to be a great source for the typical information about cigars. What country it was made in, what tobacco it is made of, cigar sizes and the "body type", i.e. mild, mild-medium, etc. of a cigar. There are several catalogs that I find very informative. Famous-Smoke and Cigars International have very good catalogs for this type of information. I'm sure there are others that I don't know about that are as equally good sources.
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Get on a few mailing lists and start receiving catalogs! :thumbs:
Good Luck and Have Fun.
I am by no means a Newbie to cigars. But I am a relative Newbie to this BB. I have thrown in the towel trying to "Welcome" each and every one of you as you have joined this BB. Sometimes I don't get to it until you have been here for several days or weeks later.
Therefore, I Welcome each of you Newbies to the CPBB with my gift to you new members, The Newbie's Cigar Primer. I first posted this at another cigar BB some time ago. I thought I would bring it here as well to help you brand spankin' new Newbies on your way to your latest obsession.
Whether you are new to cigars, or just new to the CPBB, you might find some useful information in The Newbie's Cigar Primer. This compilation of basic information is what I wish I knew when I first started. It took several months for me to gather on my own, what you see here. I know that it may seem a bit long but I hope you find it helpful.
Feel free to ignore the parts that don't apply to you.
After you've read everything in this thread and the subsequent posts, you'll think to yourself, "Self, I know more about cigars than I used to thanks to Herfin Bigdog. (Hmmmm... maybe I should send him a few cigars to thank him)." :whistling: [DISCLAIMER: Simply a joke, and not mooch attempt, serious or otherwise. DISCLAIMER]
A lot of people get started here by "lurking" on the board. Lurking is just sitting back, reading the various Bulletin Boards offerings, and getting familiar with how things are run. You might have come across this thread because you have been lurking. Think of this as the Cliff Notes version of “Cigars for Dummies”.
That's when you'll come back here, click on the "Search" feature, and use Search to start looking for threads and posts that may answer any questions that you might have. If your question is one of the more common questions, chances are that you’ll find it very easily because it has already been asked…on numerous occasions…by several hundred other Newbies. Use that Search tool first. But if you can't find an answer, start a thread with your own question. As far as questions go, The only stupid question is the one that you don't ask. We were all Newbies at some point.
First, the answer to the $64,000 question that all Newbies ask…”Hey, what does ‘herf’ mean?” Your prayers have been answered, and so has your question. The best description of what ‘herf’ is, and from where it originated can be found at this link: http://cigar-store.port5.com/what-is-herf.shtml The short version is that it has two meanings: 1) herf - to draw smoke from a cigar into one’s mouth; or 2) herf – an occasion initiated or attended by one or more people where the cigar is the focal point. However, at any herf there is the possibility that a cookout might breakout. Or discussions based on any of a number of a wide variety of topics may also occur.
The most important thing that you must remember about cigars is that you, and only YOU can know what cigars you will or will not like. And the only way you can know what a particular cigar tastes like is by smoking it. Only YOU can know what your taste buds tell you.
And you can not judge a whole cigar line based on one cigar, OR what anyone else says about a cigar. You have to smoke many samples of any one cigar to really determine whether it is worth buying more. Smoking 3 to 5 cigars can give you a good idea of what to expect with a particular cigar. Getting opinions from other cigar lovers can be very beneficial, but taste is subjective to the cigar smoker and it comes down to what YOU like. No one can smoke a cigar and determine whether or not YOU are going to like that cigar.
The first thing to do is acquire some cigars.....
Being new to cigars, you need to check out the "Newbie Sampler Trade Thread..." on the 'Buy/Sell/Trade & Group Purchases' board. "A place where a Newbie can trade for a variety of Cigars." This thread was started a while ago with the idea of getting a Newbie to trade with an "experienced" guy who wanted to get some cigars. The Newbie would buy the old guy what he wanted and the old guy would send the Newbie a nice package of assorted singles to get the Newbie started on some new favorites."
If there are any tobacconists in your area, check them out and inform them that you are new to cigars and that you want a sampler of smokes. If they know their stuff, they should pick a couple of smokes from each of the three main cigar-producing countries, the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua. Tell them how much you would like to spend. $25-$30 should get you a good sampling of 8 to 12 cigars to try.
The general price and quantity range suggestion of 8-12 cigars for $25-$30 must be adjusted for types of cigars, type of shops, taxes in the retailer's state, etc. In SC, bundle, house and bargain sticks retail in most shops as singles for about $2-$3 each, middle range is $4-$6 each, and of course you go higher as you move into premium and super premiums sold as singles in brick and mortar shops.
Each country's cigars have their own taste and character. Cigars are made in many parts of the world. They are made with tobacco grown in different soils very often coming from different countries. They can be cured by different processes, and rolled with different techniques. A cigar made with its' wrapper, binder and filler all grown in the same country is called a "puro".
These are not hard and fast rules, but in order to have something to go by when you're faced with a humidor full of cigars from which to choose:
- Cigars from Jamaica are usually considered mild bodied. However, very few cigars are coming out of Jamaica now. (Macanudo and Royal Jamaica as examples.)
- Cigars from the Dominican Republic are mild to medium in body. (for example: Arturo Fuente is the best known from the D.R., H. Upmann, and Romeo y Jullietta are examples)
- Cigars from Honduras and Nicaragua are generally fuller bodied smokes. (Honduran: for example, Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, and EL REY DEL MUNDO; and Nicaraguan: Padron, Perdomo and Mantequilla.)
- And cigars from Cuba are considered to be some of the richest and creamiest in the world! But your tastebuds may think otherwise.
Cigar Terminology:
Cigar lovers often talk about a cigar using terms such as the “body” and “strength” of a cigar. Body usually refers to the fullness and richness of the flavor of a cigar. Cigars are rated from mild bodied to full bodied. You might also be able to relate ‘body’ to how some describe the character of a wine. White wine would usually be considered light bodied wine, where as a burgundy might be considered a full-bodied wine.
"Body" and “taste” are relative terms used in describing cigars. Each person’s sense of body and taste is subjective, meaning what one cigar smoker thinks about one cigar, someone else might think differently about that same cigar. It is very common for that to happen. For example, one smoker might think of an El Rey del Mundo Robusto Larga (which has an Oscuro wrapper) as being a full-bodied smoke, while someone else might think of it as a medium bodied smoke. And as far as the taste or flavor(s) a cigar might have… one person might perceive a cigar as having a spicy taste, or they might detect a certain flavor like chocolate or coffee. Yet another smoker might not detect anything but the fact that they like or don’t like a cigar. It is very common to not be able to detect the subtleties a cigar might have to offer. Yet continue to smoke the same brand and size cigar and over time you might begin to taste the subtleties.
Strength generally refers to the nicotine content in a cigar. The type of tobacco the cigar is made with has a whole lot to do with the amount of nicotine a cigar might contain. You can get a real "buzz" from some cigars due to the amount of nicotine it contains. You can become dizzy and/or nauseous while smoking a "strong" cigar. Strong cigars are better smoked after having a full stomach.
People's body chemistries are different and react differently to content of nicotine in a cigar.
Most people favor cigars having a similar "body". But every once in a while a person likes to smoke something that has a body that is not typical of what they normally smoke. Variety is a good thing upon occasion. Buying a sampler of cigars and trying cigars from the different producing countries will help you find what "body" type you prefer.
I hope that helps you in your search for your favorite cigars.
Fill out your member profile to include your address. You never know what might show up in your mailbox.
When you've decided to start buying cigars in quantity, come back here and check out "The Humidor" room to have your storage questions answered by the numerous and knowledgeable people here.
If you are looking for information about what makes up the wrapper, binder, and filler of a particular cigar, don't forget about the Internet and the online vendors. Another source, and I don't know why I didn't think to add this initially when I started this thread because I look at them several times a week, Cigar Catalogs!
I find cigar catalogs to be a great source for the typical information about cigars. What country it was made in, what tobacco it is made of, cigar sizes and the "body type", i.e. mild, mild-medium, etc. of a cigar. There are several catalogs that I find very informative. Famous-Smoke and Cigars International have very good catalogs for this type of information. I'm sure there are others that I don't know about that are as equally good sources.
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Get on a few mailing lists and start receiving catalogs! :thumbs:
Good Luck and Have Fun.
