Just Not Enjoying Excellent Cigars at the B&M's

[klipsch]

I had this conversation with my buddy Travis (Pilon) a little while back, but ironically...it hit me right in the face again yesterday. Travis nicknamed me "Cigar Snob" because he only see's me smoking LE or pricier cigars, and I will admit that I really enjoy Padron 64's & 26's (includes 40th's, 45th's, 80th's) Tat Reserva HTF's & T110's, Anejo's, VSG's, ISOM's, ECCJ's...etc...etc...you get the idea. A while back I noticed that I didn't enjoy these cigars as much at the B&M's as I do at home or at a friends. I realized that it was the combination of cigarette smoke and occasional pipe smoke in the air that was affecting the overall taste and smell of my cigars. The cigar was still enjoyable (we smokers must all band together...right?), but they don't taste the same as when there's no other types of smoke around.
So here's the irony. I packed my travel humi with some of the sticks I mentioned above, yesterday. It was my 1 year anniversary since being laid off (Dec 2, 2008), and I was planning on smoking something special to offset my thoughts of it. So I head to a B&M looking forward to grabbing an Anejo 55 to smoke. It was my first and OMG what a great smoke it was. Good cigar, great conversation with the owner (this is my favorite shop), and another gentleman that lit up an Anejo as well. I brought up what I had figured out about the "other smoke in the air effecting the overall taste of the cigar". The other gentleman and I agreed whole heart-idly...and conversation continued onto other things. He's about a third of the way into his Anejo, and I'm digging through my humi for something to smoke next, since the shop was open for another 90 minutes and it was just the 3 of us shooting the breeze. I decide on a T110 and two more gentlemen join us at the table for a smoke as well. I no sooner light my stick, looking forward to the handful of black pepper getting thrown in my face...when the two that just joined us each lit up a Backwoods Grape. Have you ever been around somebody with a burning Backwoods Grape? It was like I had cases and cases of unwrapped Grape Tootsie Pops right under my nose. Remember the guy that was enjoying his Anejo? I had just lit up a T110...and both of us looked at each other. Both our sticks were instantly transformed into something no better than a Muniemaker (no...I have not smoked a Muniemaker). The irony was that we had just discussed this just moments before. Everybody has a right to be and smoke where ever and whatever they want. It was actually my fault for thinking I'd be able to really enjoy 2 smokes in a row in one shop visit. I'm glad I hadn't lit up the 45th I had with me...though it'd be easier to replace than a T110.

So here's where I'm at with B&M's. GREAT place to get together with others to enjoy a smoke, good conversation and each others company. But LE, HTF and pricier sticks are staying at home from now on.

 

[JHolmes763]

Wow, that sucks. Nice stick that got ruined, too. Luckily there are only cigar and rarely pipe smokers in the B&M I hang out in, so I haven't had this issue.

Those kind of people need to be run off or bought proper cigars, depending on how friendly you're feeling...

-John

 

[klipsch]

I would have gladly given the two of them a cigar from my humi. But once those Backwoods were lit...the shop wasn't suitable for smoking a decent cigar anymore.

 

[Bitaemo]

Man, thats a bummer...

Here in Canada, we can only smoke at our local B&M between 2-5pm and for a Maximum of 1hr once a week. I am told thats a law, but Im guessing they mean the 1hr per week thing... do you guys have similar restrictions in the US?

 

[uptown_isy]

My store carries ACID. But while I don't enjoy them or their aroma, I would never look down on someone for smoking them....to each his own. One things for sure....if ALL of us smokers are unable to band together as ONE entity, we will never be able to stop the infringement on our right to enjoy a quality cigar at B&Ms, public parks, etc...
To look down upon someone who's smoking something as crappy as a White Owl Grape, and to not consider them "one of us" is what will ultimately kill everything that retailers, the CRA, and the IPCPR is trying to do for us. But I cannot look at them as "them", while talking about "us" cigar smokers. Just my opinion.

 

[klipsch]

My store carries ACID. But while I don't enjoy them or their aroma, I would never look down on someone for smoking them....to each his own. One things for sure....if ALL of us smokers are unable to band together as ONE entity, we will never be able to stop the infringement on our right to enjoy a quality cigar at B&Ms, public parks, etc...
To look down upon someone who's smoking something as crappy as a White Owl Grape, and to not consider them "one of us" is what will ultimately kill everything that retailers, the CRA, and the IPCPR is trying to do for us. But I cannot look at them as "them", while talking about "us" cigar smokers. Just my opinion.

People lite up ACID's around me all the time, and they don't bother me. I hadn't gone into the shops for a few weeks after spending more than I care to admit on HTF's that I made a point to smoke at home or at a friends. It was my own fault really. It's kinda like enjoying honey from a jar at home, and thinking that you can just go dig it out of a bee hive without a bee keepers suit...and enjoy just as much. Same thing...only different.

 

[uptown_isy]

My store carries ACID. But while I don't enjoy them or their aroma, I would never look down on someone for smoking them....to each his own. One things for sure....if ALL of us smokers are unable to band together as ONE entity, we will never be able to stop the infringement on our right to enjoy a quality cigar at B&Ms, public parks, etc...
To look down upon someone who's smoking something as crappy as a White Owl Grape, and to not consider them "one of us" is what will ultimately kill everything that retailers, the CRA, and the IPCPR is trying to do for us. But I cannot look at them as "them", while talking about "us" cigar smokers. Just my opinion.

People lite up ACID's around me all the time, and they don't bother me. I hadn't gone into the shops for a few weeks after spending more than I care to admit on HTF's that I made a point to smoke at home or at a friends. It was my own fault really. It's kinda like enjoying honey from a jar at home, and thinking that you can just go dig it out of a bee hive without a bee keepers suit...and enjoy just as much. Same thing...only different.

I see what you mean, Walt. It doesn't bother me all that much, either. If it starts to, I go to the back office and continue working there. But ACIDs have turned a whole lot of people into cigar smokers, like us. the important thing is that we all have to band together.....even those who smoke those nasty White Owl Grapes. I promise that if you come into my shop (as you have in the past), NO ONE will light up one of those WO, swisher, dutch, or philly shit sticks! PROMISE!!!

 

[Yeahthatsme]

This is part of what I enjoy about smoking at my local, since there aren't very many local cigar smokers(at least not ones that smoke socially) it's usually just me and the owner smoking. The Outlaw events, however, are a different story. I had to suffer through 8 hours of Jon and Brent chain smoking pineapple white owls, it was horrendous.

 

[tmoney2007]

Man, thats a bummer...

Here in Canada, we can only smoke at our local B&M between 2-5pm and for a Maximum of 1hr once a week. I am told thats a law, but Im guessing they mean the 1hr per week thing... do you guys have similar restrictions in the US?

I've never seen anything like that anywhere before... you mean, you are personally only allowed to smoke in public for one hour per week? That is insane...

If a place allows smoking, it generally allows it all the time in my experience.

 

[Bitaemo]

Well not in public.... but at this particular store yes thats correct.

As far as I know, its the only B&M in my city that allows indoor smoking, and Im not even sure how they get away with it, as we have a complete smoking ban here, except outdoors and in your own home of course.

But yes, theres a big sign there saying time limit 1 hr per week, between 2-5pm only. Please adhere to the time limit, as Shamrocker will verify.

I am seriously considering turning my garage into a smoking lounge so I can host a herf to some of you fine people.

 

[Bsneed51]

I had to suffer through 8 hours of Jon and Brent chain smoking pineapple white owls, it was horrendous.

Hey, it wasn't really a treat for us either having a long haired hippie kid in a wizards robe sitting between us. It's hard to conversate with you while trying to keep up the appearance to all the others that we don't know or like you. :laugh:

 

[Yeahthatsme]

I had to suffer through 8 hours of Jon and Brent chain smoking pineapple white owls, it was horrendous.

Hey, it wasn't really a treat for us either having a long haired hippie kid in a wizards robe sitting between us. It's hard to conversate with you while trying to keep up the appearance to all the others that we don't know or like you. :laugh:

I didn't put on my robe and wizard hat until after sunset, dude, get the time line straight.

 

[Shamrocker]

Well not in public.... but at this particular store yes thats correct.

As far as I know, its the only B&M in my city that allows indoor smoking, and Im not even sure how they get away with it, as we have a complete smoking ban here, except outdoors and in your own home of course.

But yes, theres a big sign there saying time limit 1 hr per week, between 2-5pm only. Please adhere to the time limit, as Shamrocker will verify.

I am seriously considering turning my garage into a smoking lounge so I can host a herf to some of you fine people.

I'm not sure how they get away with it either... and I'm pretty sure the time limit is something that Dave in the shop set. All I can say is I'm glad they allow it at all because smoking a churchill in -20 with a 15km/h wind just wouldn't be fun. It's nice that Phil and the other guys in the shop aren't so picky about the 1 hour limit.