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We've all got a few like this, the brother-in-law who thinks some short-fill Don Nobody's are the greatest cigar ever.  The neighbor who smokes dried out shite sticks from the local beer distributer and thinks he's smoking a slice of heaven.  Or the co-worker who puffs on some crusty Garcia y Vega and thinks he's basking in luxury like a Kennedy.

[b]Question: [/b]  When these folks come a'moochin' do you have cheap-ass low grade sticks set aside for them?  Or do you hook them up with something you would smoke? 

[b]Question:[/b]  As a rule do you try to educate them as to what better quality cigars are, or just let them go on thinking that they know what they're doing?

[b]Question:  [/b] What the hell do you do when they hand you something they think is a good cigar?  Do you actually try smoking it in front of them so as to avoid offending them?  Do you make an excuse and tell them you'll smoke it later and then pitch it and lie the next time you see them?  Or do you actually tell them that there's no way in hell you'd actually smoke their rancid pooch projectile?

Inquiring minds want to know.  :cool:

Interesting questions...I know some people that are exactly like this.

Whenever I know I'm going to be in the company of a more 'novice smoker', I pack accordingly.  Granted, I don't really have any 'cheap' sticks by any means, but in an effort to support local B&M's, I'll pick up various Oliva's and Fuente's, along with my Padron and Opus.  That way, when the time comes, I can hand someone a decent lower-grade/cost stick.  Still, not junk.

As for educating someone that thinks garbage is gold, it's really a case-by-case for me....if I know that they're genuinely interested in this hobby/passion, I'll be specific in asking what it is they enjoy about said cigar, what flavors/notes/undertones they pick up, etc.  If it's just someone that puffin' on something just to puff on something, then it'd just be a waste of time.

Whenever a more novice smoker gifts me a cigar, I treat it as I would an Opus.  I look at it as someone spending their money on a passion that they know I have and respect the hell outta them for doing so.  Do I smoke it in front of them?  Doubtful.  I always come prepared and typically will say something to the affect of "...I'll want to let this rest for a few weeks, for optimal smoking pleasure"  :lookatme:

That's my spin on it all!  Looking forward to some other opinions!


Jeffrey L.

Great post Jeffery.  You make some excellent points.  I too appreciate it whenever anyone gifts me a cigar.  I accept it in the spirit it was given in.  Just the same, I don't always want to smoke it... EVER!  I too usually find a graqcious way to back out of it.  Unfortunately, this does require lieing to the gifter at a later date when they ask how I enjoyed the smoke. 

[quote author=Knuck42 link=topic=5435.msg29405#msg29405 date=1286330120]
Unfortunately, this does require lieing to the gifter at a later date when they ask how I enjoyed the smoke. 
[/quote]

LOL, been there done that  :rotf:

I had a really cool neighbor when I lived in WI that would always come over and smoke at the club and one night he stopped by with the biggest grin on his face..........he then pulled a cigar in a glass tube out of his pocket and said "I got you the biggest cigar I could find."  It was a Grenadier's (sp?), from Walgreens!  He was GENUINELY excited to give that to me.  That was awesome.  I pulled the ole 'wanna let it rest' deal and he'd ALWAYS ask me if I'd smoked it, yet.  Never did.  I kind of felt bad for him spending his money on something for me that I knew I wouldn't smoke, but bought him a case of beer and no longer felt bad  :rotf:


Jeffrey L.

[quote author=Knuck42 link=topic=5435.msg29401#msg29401 date=1286325411]
We've all got a few like this, the brother-in-law who thinks some short-fill Don Nobody's are the greatest cigar ever.  The neighbor who smokes dried out shite sticks from the local beer distributer and thinks he's smoking a slice of heaven.  Or the co-worker who puffs on some crusty Garcia y Vega and thinks he's basking in luxury like a Kennedy.

[b]Question: [/b]  When these folks come a'moochin' do you have cheap-ass low grade sticks set aside for them?  Or do you hook them up with something you would smoke?  [b]I usually have a fairly wide variety of cigars in my humi's and depending on whether it's a career mooch or a newbie, I'll hook them with the appropriate cigar.  I NEVER give a newbie a strong cigar or an expensive cigar because too often I've seen them stubb them out one too many times about 1" into a $15 smoke.  I usually find a nice medium to mild name brand cigar or if they have some limited experience I'll give them a great value smoke.[/b]

[b]Question:[/b]  As a rule do you try to educate them as to what better quality cigars are, or just let them go on thinking that they know what they're doing?  [b]I will ask what they regularly smoke and if it's real rockets I let them stew in their own shit.  If they act as if they have an interest in learning I'll share some of my experiences witht hem and will gift them something nice.  Actuall, I handed out a Cabiguan last night.[/b]

[b]Question:  [/b] What the hell do you do when they hand you something they think is a good cigar?  Do you actually try smoking it in front of them so as to avoid offending them?  Do you make an excuse and tell them you'll smoke it later and then pitch it and lie the next time you see them?  Or do you actually tell them that there's no way in hell you'd actually smoke their rancid pooch projectile?  [b]Like a lot of things in life, It depends on the situation.  i've suffered thru the first 1" or too of some real crap and then feigned burn problems and let it go out.  I've also dug a cigar out of my box that was eith previously cut or I hide and cut a fresh one.  That way I can tell them I've already cut one and will smoke theirs later.[/b]

Inquiring minds want to know.   :cool:
[/quote]

I always seem to have a handfull of special sticks to hand out!
We are talking about mooches.............right?

Answer: I always have a bundle or two of cigars.  They are in a separate, cheap humidor and very visible in my kitchen.  Where I live and work, I get a steady flow of friends or acquaintances asking for a cigar.  I throw a lot of small parties, bbqs, and herfs at my house.  I will supply budget cigars to the novice or non cigar guy.  I just say these are kick ass cigars, and they smoke up.  I do give out top shelf stuff to certain friends, because they would do the same as well.  

Answer: That depends.  If it's a new cigar smoker that wants to learn more, absolutely.  I always like to inform or give insight to those that would appreciate it and I like to listen to their insight as well.  I can find out in a minute or two where the cigar talk will go.  I do have a couple of friends that are experts in the world of "CI exclusives" and "famous exclusives" and will only talk and preach these.  I have no intentions on dogging these cigars(most of them are my handout cigars and they aren't bad), but I'm not going to sit and listen to them go on and on and on about how good that 'Don Elias' is and how it tastes like an 8 dollar stick.  I'll either change the subject or talk over them.  I'm very good at that anyways.  

Answer:  2 of my friends(as described in above paragraph) do this regularly and I always tell them I'll smoke it later.  Those "exclusives" will usually have the band removed and go in my pile of handouts.  Next time I see them, I tell them how awesome it was.  I don't really care to tell them I won't smoke them, because they are actually providing me with more handout cigars.  

Some good suggestions here on this topic!  I think I will take all of the input into consideration when setting aside cigars for friends/visitors  :)

1) I normally keep a few lower cost but decent smokes in the top of my humi. One that I will occasionally smoke myself when I don't have time to really savor a cigar, but still want something that doesn't taste like ass. These work well around July 4th.

2) Most people I know either know what is good or have no clue and will never know. When I do get a chance to meet someone just starting into the hobby I generally try to steer them toward something good.

3) I have actually had some one hand me a swisher sweet and brag on how good it was. I took it said I had something already planned for the night and gave it to my Dad (who has no clue about good cigars). I take them all, and appreciate the thought. I have smoked some and others have went in the humi to pass out to others.

I keep a small humi of cheapos for the moochers. It seems most moochers are never happy with any cigar the get for free. I tried to relay what I learned in the short time I've been smoking, but they don't seem to care. I gave up. Most times you can tell right off that the don't care. I just sit back and watch them hot box the cigar. If I get a cigar from them many times I hand it out to the next mooch. Goes in that special humi.