New Member, trying to find my brand - I've had a good start

[Ianmmmm]

Hello Everyone,

I am from Seattle but I work overseas. I quit smoking cigarettes in September of last year, and decided a few months later that I would like to enjoy cigars. I do olympic weightlifting as a hobby so not inhaling smoke is much better for my training. I spent some time navigating through the forums and figuring out which brands to try. My end goal is to find the one cigar that I love more than all the others. With other things: beer, rum, ice cream, whiskey, steaks - I just get the same thing every time. Hopefully I can find that with Cigars.

I ended up buying my cigars that I have at the Duty Free Shops in the Dubai Airport. The tobacconist there didn't really seem to know his stuff, but the selections was awesome. I went to the duty free website and found a price sheet prior to my arrival. According to the sheet, all the brands they sell are in quantities of 25. With a 50 Cigar limit to get through customs I could only choose 2 different types so I settled on Partigas Serie P No. 2 and H. Uppman 46.

To my surprise when I arrived in Dubai, I found that they had a much larger selection than the website showed; and also I could buy most brands in packs of 5's and 10's. So I ended up getting the 2 mentioned above + Cohiba Siglo II, Montecristo No 2, Trinidad Coloniales, and another Cohiba, smaller ones (special editions) that I can't remember the name of right now.

I somewhat feel like I don't have the understanding to appreciate these cigars as much as some of you would. But they're all I have and I'm going to smoke them haha!

The Trinidad Coloniales I do not like and I have not heard of them before arriving in Dubai. The tobacconist said they are very popular so I bought a few.

Montecristo's - I enjoyed it, but I could not figure out why they are so special. Maybe I got a batch of the not so good ones, or maybe I'm just a dumb noob. Probably a little bit of both.

H. Uppman 46s - My notes indicate that I read on here to let these suckers age. I tried one and liked it a lot. I think I am going to wait for a while to see how much more I can like them.

Smaller Cohibas - They're nice because of their size. I like that I can smoke one when I might not have a lot of time. Especially since it's cold at night where I am.

Partigas Serie P No. 2 - I like this cigar quite a lot. One thing I noticed is how nicely it pulls and the thick milky smoke it creates. I could actually tell I was smoking a good cigar with this one.

And last, my favorite - Cohiba Siglo II. Man this cigar opened my eyes to the how much I am going to grow to love cigars. Tasted great, perfect pull, mmmm. But I am not able to figure out why it tasted so great yet - I just know that next time I have a chance I'm going to buy different Siglos and try them all.

I wonder about Sample Packs too that some of you guys send. Can you ship Cigars to an APO without them drying out? The mail usually takes 2-3 weeks.

Also attached is a picture of the Cigar Room at the last hotel I stayed at.

[ggiese]

From what you seem to like, try....


Cohiba Robusto
Vegas Robaina Famosos
Ramon Allones Specially Selected or Special Club Corona
Bolivar Gold Medal
Montecristo Edmundo


...and I'm quite surprised you did not like the Trinidad.

And Cuban cigars always do much better with some age on them - the Cubans do not age cigars like our domestic brands typically do.

Welcome!

[CoventryCat86]

I wonder about Sample Packs too that some of you guys send. Can you ship Cigars to an APO without them drying out? The mail usually takes 2-3 weeks.

Cigars will survive without drying out in a ziplock bag for much longer than 2-3 weeks.

[CptnBlues63]

Hello Everyone,

I am from Seattle

Aren't Cuban cigars still illegal in the US?

[ashauler]

Aren't Cuban cigars still illegal in the US?

Good thing he's in Dubai. Not from the legality for him personally, but the cigars in general.

[Ianmmmm]

Thanks for the suggestions and replies. I will order some now that I know they'll last in the mail.

[CptnBlues63]

Good thing he's in Dubai. Not from the legality for him personally, but the cigars in general.

I must have gotten the wrong impression when he said the following:

I ended up buying my cigars that I have at the Duty Free Shops in the Dubai Airport. The tobacconist there didn't really seem to know his stuff, but the selections was awesome. I went to the duty free website and found a price sheet prior to my arrival. According to the sheet, all the brands they sell are in quantities of 25. With a 50 Cigar limit to get through customs I could only choose 2 different types so I settled on Partigas Serie P No. 2 and H. Uppman 46.

That just sounded to me like he was thinking of bringing them back to the US.

My only real experience in a duty free shop was coming back from Mexico last year. The one in the airport in Cancun, well, you can't get into it when you're arriving........only when you're leaving (at least, I didn't notice a way in from the arrival area).

I guess the duty free at the Dubai airport must be available for arrivals too............good deal! Too bad it isn't available after you pass through customs..........LOL

[CoventryCat86]

Aren't Cuban cigars still illegal in the US?

Yes and outside the United States, you're not supposed to have them either if you're a US Citizen. Good thing I'm a Canadian.

[CptnBlues63]

Yes and outside the United States, you're not supposed to have them either if you're a US Citizen. Good thing I'm a Canadian.

LOL

My wife's a US citizen and as such WILL NOT go to Cuba with me

I capped and bolded that because that's how she says it to me whenever I bring it up, which is rarely.....lol

Oh well, I can still go but it wouldn't be half as much fun without my crazy ol'lady with me!