7 ms·

The most coveted cigars will never be smoked

dageshi 10y ago
There is at present a sort of golden age for the cigar afficionado, individual countries highly regulate and tax cigars (priced even more highly than cigarettes for reasons that escape me), but are quite happy to allow vendors to sell internationally, the upshot is for any country outside the US it's far cheaper to buy from neighbouring countries or from the other side of the world for that matter... How long it will last, who knows, sooner or later cross border sales of tobacco will be banned, but for the time being those who can are stocking up while they can. Cigars last for decades and peak in the 5-25 year range depending on the cigar so right now there's no downside to buying as many as you can, even the none special editions (cuban) are probably good for about 10% a year in appreciation. Personally I'm buying a box a month.
- brianwawok 10y ago
  To smoke or as an investment? For someone who doesn't smoke it would seem an odd investment vehicle.
  - dageshi 10y ago
    To smoke. I do know people who make a point of buying a couple boxes of the Cuban UK Regional editions as long term investments but personally I'm not interested in that, I buy what I enjoy to smoke in years to come, the trick is not smoking them all before they've had chance to age well, I've not really mastered it yet...
- ghostbrainalpha 10y ago
  If you are not currently working for Big Tobacco, then you should be. You just convinced me to start smoking.
  - dageshi 10y ago
    Hah, I'm very hesitant to discuss cigar smoking outside of forums dedicated to it because people tend not to know a lot about it and lump it in with cigarettes. In reality they're quite different, for one I have personally never found cigars in any way addictive, they certainly do have nicotine in them, lots of nicotine but since you don't inhale (mouth only) cigar smoke it seems like you don't get the super fast hit that cigarette smokers do which in turn means they're not addictive? I'm not sure of the science behind it, all I know is myself and the others who I know in the hobby do consider cigars a hobby to be picked up and put down, in a weird way the actual collecting becomes more important than the smoking. I know people who maybe smoke 1 cigar a month but are constantly buying and selling to expand their collections.
    - CodeMage 10y ago
      As someone who used to smoke an average of one pack of cigarettes a day, for five years before quitting, I am curious: what's the appeal of smoking cigars? I only smoked one once and even then I missed out on the authentic experience, because nobody told me you're not supposed to inhale the smoke...
      - dageshi 10y ago
        I've never smoked a cigarette so I really don't know how to compare them, but I personally find them a great way to relax and wind down, even though you're not inhaling you will absorb nicotine through your mouth. And then there's the flavour, the best comparison there I can give is it's a bit like single malt scotch, if you give someone who has no experience of spirits a 20 year old speyside Single malt chances are they're just going to think it's fire water initially, someone with more experience is going to really appreciate what they're drinking, their palette is more tuned to Scotch and they'll pick out flavours the newbie can't.
      - pc86 10y ago
        I have a few friends who I regular smoke a cigar with, sometimes as often as once a week when the weather is really nice but usually at least once every 4-6 weeks even in the winter. 1) The taste is objectively better. Sure some aren't great but even when I smoked a pack of day many years ago I always smoke menthol because I thought regular cigarettes tastes like ashes (imagine that). 2) No noticeable effect on breathing. I often could feel it in my chest after having multiple cigarettes back-to-back or at the end of a day of heavy smoking. Never had that problem with a cigar, even after having two back-to-back. 3) Social. Very few people smoke a cigar by themselves. For me it's a social event. I sit around a table with friends and beer and we talk about whatever we want for the 60-90 minutes we're there.
- gingerlime 10y ago
  Even in Europe? I always thought there's heavy duties for importing tobacco and alcohol. How do you store your cigars? Humidors aren't that cheap and require some maintenance to keep cigars in good shape for longer. Don't they?
  - dageshi 10y ago
    Yes, partly due to the way cuban cigars are sold (regional monopolies), partly due to the EU Single market and partly due to... how shall I say it... customs being very busy... It's vastly cheaper to buy internationally in the UK, like 1/3 the cost. As for storage, you don't really need a humidor especially if you buy by the box. You need a large tupperware container (or cooler) and some Boveda packs (self regulating humidity packs), to seal in the tupperware with your cigars. If you want to get really serious, you get a wineador which is basically an electric wine chiller, put your cigars in with some humification device and it'll keep them at the exact temperature and humidity you need.
    - gingerlime 10y ago
      Thanks! I think customs are far more strict in places like Germany where I now live. Any other tips on getting started? forums / websites to buy from etc? (I enjoy the occasional cigar, but feel quite lost in this world).
      - dageshi 10y ago
        Actually Germany is a pretty cigar friendly country, it's not the absolute cheapest but it's far better than the UK, I know people who regularly order from www.cigarworld.de due to their range and fairly reasonable prices. Another site worth checking is www.top25cigars.co.uk (this is actually a Polish site). Both those should be no issue with German Customs because they're inside the EU (and one's in Germany obviously). If you want some advice, head over to reddit.com/r/ukcigars that's where I hang out and bore people about cigars, I have the same username there. I'll be happy to answer any questions you've got.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- alanpca 10y ago
  May I ask where you are purchasing from?
fatdog 10y ago
I don't know anyone in tech who appreciates cigars. It doesn't go with things like rock climbing, kayaking, snowboarding, ultramarathoning, CrossFit, or redditing that our fields are known for. I love them, but what's the HN connection?
- sehr 10y ago
  https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
- solnyshok 10y ago
  I enjoy reading hn smoking a cigar outdoors - at the park or rooftop bar
- pc86 10y ago
  I own a CrossFit box and have a cigar probably once every 6 weeks with our corporate attorney. There's zero noticeable effect on lung capacity of stamina, aside from the minor mouth/throat cancer risk I don't see any reason smoking an occasional cigar would be incompatible with health and fitness.
  - ythl 10y ago
    > I don't see any reason smoking an occasional cigar would be incompatible with health and fitness. Sounds like rationalization: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/cigars-fact-sheet https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/t... TL;DR: - "Some premium cigars contain the tobacco equivalent of an entire pack of cigarettes." - "Cigar smoke is possibly more toxic than cigarette smoke" - "...the larger size of most cigars (more tobacco) and longer smoking time result in higher exposure to many toxic substances" - "There is no safe level of tobacco use."
    - pc86 10y ago
      There's a big difference between "rationalization" and accepting the risks. I never said there was a safe level of tobacco use, but there are many recreational activities that are much riskier than the occasional cigar.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
GFK_of_xmaspast 10y ago
Enjoy your emphysema.
- pc86 10y ago
  Enjoy your crippling inability to recognize a joke when you see one.
- dang 10y ago
  Please don't do this here. We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12566677 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12566677 and marked it off-topic.
raldi 10y ago
The headline teases "Here's why" and then never seems to explain it. Can someone find it, or distill it down to a single sentence?
- seangrant 10y ago
  Because people value collecting them more than they do smoking them. Would you smoke your 5 million dollar cigar collection? Probably not. It's burning money!
  - raldi 10y ago
    Doesn't this line of reasoning apply to everything from wine to truffles?
- dageshi 10y ago
  Not exactly one sentance but basically... after the Cuban revolution all the previously independent cigar brands like Montecristo, H Upman e.t.c. were all forced into a single company called Habanos SA. That company controls all Cuban cigar production, every year they bring out limited edition releases of cigars which are released sometimes in very ornate packaging and typically in very limited quantities these have basically in the past 5 or so years become "investment grade" cigars. In addition to that, said company, Habanos SA grants regional monopolies to specific companies to distribute their cigars, these companies bring out "Regional Special Editions", which are special edition cigars available for sale only in the country they distribute too. Again the tendency has been towards limited quantities and much higher prices in certain countries. They've basically become a bit like Modern art or old single malt scotch, they're so expensive that even if you can afford to buy them you think twice about smoking them because you know that next year they'll be worth even more. That and collecting turns into as much of a hobby as smoking them does.

There is at present a sort of golden age for the cigar afficionado, individual countries highly regulate and tax cigars (priced even more highly than cigarettes for reasons that escape me), but are quite happy to allow vendors to sell internationally, the upshot is for any country outside the US it's far cheaper to buy from neighbouring countries or from the other side of the world for that matter... How long it will last, who knows, sooner or later cross border sales of tobacco will be banned, but for the time being those who can are stocking up while they can. Cigars last for decades and peak in the 5-25 year range depending on the cigar so right now there's no downside to buying as many as you can, even the none special editions (cuban) are probably good for about 10% a year in appreciation. Personally I'm buying a box a month.

brianwawok 10y ago
To smoke or as an investment? For someone who doesn't smoke it would seem an odd investment vehicle.
- dageshi 10y ago
  To smoke. I do know people who make a point of buying a couple boxes of the Cuban UK Regional editions as long term investments but personally I'm not interested in that, I buy what I enjoy to smoke in years to come, the trick is not smoking them all before they've had chance to age well, I've not really mastered it yet...
ghostbrainalpha 10y ago
If you are not currently working for Big Tobacco, then you should be. You just convinced me to start smoking.
- dageshi 10y ago
  Hah, I'm very hesitant to discuss cigar smoking outside of forums dedicated to it because people tend not to know a lot about it and lump it in with cigarettes. In reality they're quite different, for one I have personally never found cigars in any way addictive, they certainly do have nicotine in them, lots of nicotine but since you don't inhale (mouth only) cigar smoke it seems like you don't get the super fast hit that cigarette smokers do which in turn means they're not addictive? I'm not sure of the science behind it, all I know is myself and the others who I know in the hobby do consider cigars a hobby to be picked up and put down, in a weird way the actual collecting becomes more important than the smoking. I know people who maybe smoke 1 cigar a month but are constantly buying and selling to expand their collections.
  - CodeMage 10y ago
    As someone who used to smoke an average of one pack of cigarettes a day, for five years before quitting, I am curious: what's the appeal of smoking cigars? I only smoked one once and even then I missed out on the authentic experience, because nobody told me you're not supposed to inhale the smoke...
    - dageshi 10y ago
      I've never smoked a cigarette so I really don't know how to compare them, but I personally find them a great way to relax and wind down, even though you're not inhaling you will absorb nicotine through your mouth. And then there's the flavour, the best comparison there I can give is it's a bit like single malt scotch, if you give someone who has no experience of spirits a 20 year old speyside Single malt chances are they're just going to think it's fire water initially, someone with more experience is going to really appreciate what they're drinking, their palette is more tuned to Scotch and they'll pick out flavours the newbie can't.
    - pc86 10y ago
      I have a few friends who I regular smoke a cigar with, sometimes as often as once a week when the weather is really nice but usually at least once every 4-6 weeks even in the winter. 1) The taste is objectively better. Sure some aren't great but even when I smoked a pack of day many years ago I always smoke menthol because I thought regular cigarettes tastes like ashes (imagine that). 2) No noticeable effect on breathing. I often could feel it in my chest after having multiple cigarettes back-to-back or at the end of a day of heavy smoking. Never had that problem with a cigar, even after having two back-to-back. 3) Social. Very few people smoke a cigar by themselves. For me it's a social event. I sit around a table with friends and beer and we talk about whatever we want for the 60-90 minutes we're there.
gingerlime 10y ago
Even in Europe? I always thought there's heavy duties for importing tobacco and alcohol. How do you store your cigars? Humidors aren't that cheap and require some maintenance to keep cigars in good shape for longer. Don't they?
- dageshi 10y ago
  Yes, partly due to the way cuban cigars are sold (regional monopolies), partly due to the EU Single market and partly due to... how shall I say it... customs being very busy... It's vastly cheaper to buy internationally in the UK, like 1/3 the cost. As for storage, you don't really need a humidor especially if you buy by the box. You need a large tupperware container (or cooler) and some Boveda packs (self regulating humidity packs), to seal in the tupperware with your cigars. If you want to get really serious, you get a wineador which is basically an electric wine chiller, put your cigars in with some humification device and it'll keep them at the exact temperature and humidity you need.
  - gingerlime 10y ago
    Thanks! I think customs are far more strict in places like Germany where I now live. Any other tips on getting started? forums / websites to buy from etc? (I enjoy the occasional cigar, but feel quite lost in this world).
    - dageshi 10y ago
      Actually Germany is a pretty cigar friendly country, it's not the absolute cheapest but it's far better than the UK, I know people who regularly order from www.cigarworld.de due to their range and fairly reasonable prices. Another site worth checking is www.top25cigars.co.uk (this is actually a Polish site). Both those should be no issue with German Customs because they're inside the EU (and one's in Germany obviously). If you want some advice, head over to reddit.com/r/ukcigars that's where I hang out and bore people about cigars, I have the same username there. I'll be happy to answer any questions you've got.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
alanpca 10y ago
May I ask where you are purchasing from?

fatdog 10y ago

I don't know anyone in tech who appreciates cigars. It doesn't go with things like rock climbing, kayaking, snowboarding, ultramarathoning, CrossFit, or redditing that our fields are known for. I love them, but what's the HN connection?

sehr 10y ago
https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
solnyshok 10y ago
I enjoy reading hn smoking a cigar outdoors - at the park or rooftop bar
pc86 10y ago
I own a CrossFit box and have a cigar probably once every 6 weeks with our corporate attorney. There's zero noticeable effect on lung capacity of stamina, aside from the minor mouth/throat cancer risk I don't see any reason smoking an occasional cigar would be incompatible with health and fitness.
- ythl 10y ago
  > I don't see any reason smoking an occasional cigar would be incompatible with health and fitness. Sounds like rationalization: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/cigars-fact-sheet https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/t... TL;DR: - "Some premium cigars contain the tobacco equivalent of an entire pack of cigarettes." - "Cigar smoke is possibly more toxic than cigarette smoke" - "...the larger size of most cigars (more tobacco) and longer smoking time result in higher exposure to many toxic substances" - "There is no safe level of tobacco use."
  - pc86 10y ago
    There's a big difference between "rationalization" and accepting the risks. I never said there was a safe level of tobacco use, but there are many recreational activities that are much riskier than the occasional cigar.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

GFK_of_xmaspast 10y ago

Enjoy your emphysema.

pc86 10y ago
Enjoy your crippling inability to recognize a joke when you see one.
dang 10y ago
Please don't do this here. We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12566677 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12566677 and marked it off-topic.

raldi 10y ago

The headline teases "Here's why" and then never seems to explain it. Can someone find it, or distill it down to a single sentence?

seangrant 10y ago
Because people value collecting them more than they do smoking them. Would you smoke your 5 million dollar cigar collection? Probably not. It's burning money!
- raldi 10y ago
  Doesn't this line of reasoning apply to everything from wine to truffles?
dageshi 10y ago
Not exactly one sentance but basically... after the Cuban revolution all the previously independent cigar brands like Montecristo, H Upman e.t.c. were all forced into a single company called Habanos SA. That company controls all Cuban cigar production, every year they bring out limited edition releases of cigars which are released sometimes in very ornate packaging and typically in very limited quantities these have basically in the past 5 or so years become "investment grade" cigars. In addition to that, said company, Habanos SA grants regional monopolies to specific companies to distribute their cigars, these companies bring out "Regional Special Editions", which are special edition cigars available for sale only in the country they distribute too. Again the tendency has been towards limited quantities and much higher prices in certain countries. They've basically become a bit like Modern art or old single malt scotch, they're so expensive that even if you can afford to buy them you think twice about smoking them because you know that next year they'll be worth even more. That and collecting turns into as much of a hobby as smoking them does.