Poor Americans with your damn embargo. That is a crime.
Been enjoying the odd cigar to celebrate for a few years now. New Years, birthdays, big achievements, birth of my god son. Grab a bottle of scotch, a smoke and some good friend. Enjoy!
Cohiba all the way. I have had a few different varieties and they always blow me away. There Rubustos are a great start for a newbie, not a huge cigar, nice smooth flavour. Then try out there Siglo range, talk to the guy in the smoke shope about the differnt flavours and try what sounds good to your pallete. Some like spicy flavours, some like sweet, some like earthy - some cigars even deliver all three. I've had a few nice Romeo y Julieta's, Bolivar make a nice cigar as well.
Most importantly learn to cut/pierce the cap correctly (do not chew off the end or cut a big piece) and light correctly so you get an even burn and good draw. Took me some trial and error and research, was hard to sort the shit advice from the good online.
What ive found so far is to use a fine razor blade like kinfe and cut the cap just cut around the edge barelly a mill or two in from the end. Once you have the cap off or pierced its a good idea to blow through the cigar, not hard like a balloon, but enough so you can feel the air coming out the other end. This will help with the draw, some say it can also get out impurites or some shit - I dont really buy it.
Then light the sucker. Some die hards will tell you to avoid gas lighters like a zippo because the fluid taints the cigar. The best way is to use a cedar strip, light that then use the strip to light your cigar. Wood matches are a simpler solution. Butane lighters (pretty sure Zippo now make one called BLU) are the next best, far more convenient. However for my taste buds I cant notice the bad taste of a regular lighter. What the pros do that I agree with is to be really particular about how you light it. The method I use is pretty much described -
http://www.thesmokingjacket.com/lifestyle/cigar-facts-trivia-information Your not scorching the end like a cigaret.
Some cigars, particularly if they have been rolled to tight and you haven't been puffing away too much will burn out. Thats ok, just re-light. Also you don't have to smoke the cigar all at once, flick the ash off, DO NOT stub it out but just let it sit and it should stop burning soon. Also in my experience most cigars good flavour diminishes rapidy with about 1/3 left - don't smoke it till your finger tips.
As for scotches to smoke with, for something affordable and light try Monkey Shoulder - its not a single malt, but its cheaper and tastes better than many single malts double even triple its price. I love Tamdhu for middle of the road. Either of those are also great for newbies and women. Glenmorangie's Nectar d'Or, Ardberg and Laphroig are all great for something with a bit more balls. I particularly like Laphroigs Quater Cask with a full bodied cigar. Suntory and Bailiie Nicol Jarvis are also options for lighter.
If your a bourbon man, Knob Creek or Basil Hayden are a fair substitute.
But take my recomendations with a pinch of salt in terms of both cigars and drink. Everyones taste is different, talk to the guy in the shop, hell talk you through the different flavors and notes each cigar produces and try one that sounds good to you. Just steer clear of the cheap shit - your better off saving your money and inhaling exhuast fumes in some cases.
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