Brands

MAJORdorMo

j0z3r

If I had a stock of unbanded cigars but they were all good, I wouldn't much care what they were as long as I knew I was getting something good. I don't think it makes anyone more or less an "aficionado", which is a term I would never, ever use to describe myself, but just more comfortable with their cigars and not so concerned with brands in particular.

smokester

In other countries sometimes it is considered rude to smoke a cigar with the band on it because some people like to show off with what they are smoking. So not having a band on it makes everyone equal.

Matt Marvel

They might not have been a certain brand. I know the lounge I go to has a young girl come in every week, and you can watch her roll cigars. They're available to buy for a couple of bucks. I'm not saying they were smoking anything like that, but I have seen unbanded cigars at a few places that don't belong to any certain brand.

MAJORdorMo

havanaal

Not unusual. My next door neighbor seems to genuinely like a good smoke, and I see him out on his deck occasionally. One day I asked him what he was smoking and he had taken the band off, and actually didn't know. I asked him about his available stock, and he wasn't sure what he had. He goes to the bargain bin at the local B&M and simply doesn't care. I'm the same way about wine. I'll drink it occasionally. My wife usually buys it. If some wine connoisseur came up on me while I was out on my deck and asked me what I was drinking, I'd probably say "I have no idea" (and he or she may find that very odd).

gmill880

betasynn

Also, if they view you as very well-versed in the cigar world, they might be leery of sharing what they're smoking with you, for fear of judgment? Just a guess, unless they keep very big stocks in their humidors, in which case an unbanded cigar or two might easily go unknown.

madurofan

betasynn:

Also, if they view you as very well-versed in the cigar world, they might be leery of sharing what they're smoking with you, for fear of judgment? Just a guess, unless they keep very big stocks in their humidors, in which case an unbanded cigar or two might easily go unknown.

Good Call, this is also a good possibility.

Doughty421

Ya know, i've have noticed that some people kinda judge people when someone else is puffin' an "infused" stick. Why is that? I sometimes enjoy a Java,Blondie or anything by Drew Estates. Not sure why some people do that.

madurofan

I personally do not like the Acids, tastes like licking a perfume bottle to me. Aside from the Java, I like that stick. HOWEVER, I respect them. They have brought a lot of people into the hobby that likely would have never gotten into it had their only initial option been a traditional cigar. I have a buddy that smoked nothing but Acids for quite some time, he's now graduated to traditional cigars but I doubt he would have gotten into it without Acid. Anyways my point is I never look down I someone who smokes Acids but to be perfectly honest subconciously I probably do think they are fairly new or in expeirenced, its an unfair assumption and one I should scratch from my head.

gmill880

Just this weekend I converted a co-worker from drugstore dog rockets to handmade with a Java ...

madurofan

Good smoke to start someone on.

betasynn

Madurofan, I agree with you. I KNOW I have a stilted view toward people that smoke infused sticks. And to be able to admit it, that's pretty awesome. We all have our biases, and I think understanding them is as good as not having them. I also don't really like infused cigars, partially because I really like the tobacco taste, as underlying as it is. Infusion seems to wash it out.

gmill880

betasynn

Oh I have no doubts about it, but I'm trying to stick with the regulars since I'm still very new, and I already have so much on my plate in terms of trying new things. Adding infused cigars, which are a whole different beast, would be a lot. The Tabak Especial looks like a great cigar, too, and I have been tempted. But I have two humidors brimming with cigars. And also, the whole thing about keeping them separate from regular cigars... it's just a lot of maintenance.

PuroFreak

I started on natural cigars and had been smoking them for about a year before I tried my first Acid and it was rancid tasting to me. It was what I would imagine smoking a scented tampon would be like. LOL I have nothing against the Acid line or any of Drew Estates smokes though. They have great customer service and from I've heard use some top shelf stuff to roll their cigars, but they are honestly just not for me.

adamkhalil

I had the opposite experience Puro. My first cigar was a Philly Blunt of some flavor from the local gas station back in high school. Now i look back and laugh though, since the actual flavor of the cigar i find to be way better than anything infused. I guess i just like cigar flavored cigars now :-p (Although i'm sure the Drew Estates or CAO flavored sticks are a little better than the philly blunts ahha)

betasynn

adamkhalil:

I had the opposite experience Puro. My first cigar was a Philly Blunt of some flavor from the local gas station back in high school. Now i look back and laugh though, since the actual flavor of the cigar i find to be way better than anything infused. I guess i just like cigar flavored cigars now :-p (Although i'm sure the Drew Estates or CAO flavored sticks are a little better than the philly blunts ahha)

When I was in high school, my first cigar was the Dutch Master Honey's or something to that effect. I generally don't count those as cigars, per-say. My dad actually got pissed at me, not for smoking, but for WHAT I was smoking. Started me out on Romeo y Julieta's and now we trade sticks back and forth. However, as I mentioned before on this forum somewhere, I have a Black & Mild, STILL IN IT'S CELLOPHANE that I've aged for over a year. How bad-ass is that? I left it in a drawer somewhere, and it's still in decent shape. I'll trade it to some "lucky" BOTL someday.

Doughty421

I guess I like to mix it up a little. I'm consistent about not being consistent. I probably had 30 "regular" sticks before I tried my first infused. It (at the time) was kind of like dessert. I had a favorite cigar then later followed it up with a Tabak. It was definetly different but enjoyable nontheless. I'm a extreme car guy, i drag race a Mustang, so its kinda like me looking at a Fast and Furious style car and saying "hey I applaude the passion and enthusiasm but it's just not for me". I can always throw in a car reference somewhere.

smokester

Totally read that wrong on my first response thought you were talking about bands my bad haha.

adamkhalil

betasynn

Think about my dad is he's got good taste, but he's still learning, and he knows that. He asks me questions all the time. I got him to love the Padilla Hybrid.

alienmisprint

MAJORdorMo

gmill880