The "stigma" of flavored cigars...

[souldog]

Starting out on cigars, I gott admit that I puffed on a Havana Honey :throws up:: ), and had my fair share of flavored, or tobacco-infused (or whatever these crazy kids are callin' em' these days!), cigars...

Now, some of my favorite flavored are the Java by Drew Estates Maduro, the Super Toro 58, the Kahlua torpedoes, and the Acid 1400CCs.

I'm now branching out into other cigars like the La Gloria Cubana Series R, Romeo y Julietas, and Macanudos. In regards to the flavored cigars, it seems like there are few cigar lovers who have love for the flavored ones...


Why is that? Is it a bad experience, bad construction, or just overall crappy experience with these cigars? Opinions por favor!

 

[Wurm]

I like Backwood's Honey

 

[AVB]

Compared to a good all natural cigar they pretty much taste like crap. The good ones are few and far between.

 

[Brickhouse]

I dislike them for all the reasons you stated.

If I want to get some flavors or aromas going I have a pipe I can spark up.

 

[mysterea]

I've smoked my share, and enjoy em at times.
Hard to compare the two though. Also, now that I've tried a variety of sticks I'm not as much of a fan.

 

[BlindedByScience]

If you like them, then they are good. However bear in mind the usually things with "flavors added" (coffee, tobacco, liquor, etc.) are done to mask the taste of the core components, which aren't quite as good as it should be. I think it's reasonable to say that these are considered the "wine cooler" of the cigar world.

Moki hit this one on the head.

I don't drink wine coolers, but lots of folks do. I don't enjoy flavored cigars, but if you do, more power to you.

The taste of finely cultivated, fermented, rolled tobacco is what I enjoy. Any added flavors just get in the way.

My $00.02 - B.B.S.

PS: There are a already lot of threads on this subject, with a ton of knowledge and opinions there for the taking. Try searching the board; you may be very surprised what you find.......

 

[gtadroptop]

It comes down to a matter of personal preference. A big difference between cigars and cigarettes is that cigars are natural tobacco while cigarettes are a chemical stew of lord knows what. Cigars derive their flavors from the mix of different tobaccos included in each sticks construction. Flavored cigars try to mask that with additives. Is this bad? To a purest, it's heresy. I used to smoke a lot of Acids, but as I've 'evolved', I've strayed away. Why? Because as I'm learning, I'm becoming more appreciative of the fine art of constructing a good cigar. My tastes are changing and I'm learning more about the complexities of the natural flavors. Does that mean I won't occasionally go back and have a flavored one? Absolutely not. In fact I had and thoroughly enjoyed an Acid Liquid last night. Three weeks ago, I had a different Acid and damn near gagged on it.

One of the polarizing topics on this site is the discussion about flavored cigars. The flavored cigars that you see at the local convenience store are mass produced, cheaply made and aimed at the casual cigar smoker who probably doen't even own a humidor. Companies like Drew Estates make a higher quality cigar, but it's still flavored and carries that stigma.

Opinions are like rear ends - everybody has one. My opinion is if you enjoy it, then smoke it and don't worry about what anybody else thinks.

 

[jlada]

There are only a few flavoreds I will smoke... and thats if nothing else is available.

 

[flamchop]

I used to like smoking flavored cigars from 7-11 but over time as I realized what a "real" cigar was and what went into making it, I realized how much much much much better it is to smoke a premium hand rolled! I do want to try an Acid one of these days. But a few weeks ago I was leaving a bar with a friend of mine, both of us were craving a cigar for the ride home and had nothing so we got some vanilla flavored sticks from the gas station. Neither of us could bring ourselves to finish them. Really soft, draws weird, burns weird, tasted weird...

 

[Devil Doc]

I've never smoked a flavored cigar. I don't put cream and sugar in my coffee and I drink my booze straight. If you don't like the real thing, then why bother. If you like grapes and pineapples, then eat grapes and pineapples. Don't smoke 'em.

Doc.

 

[Putz Mulligan]

IMO sparking an Acid in the shop is like sparking a cigarette, you are bound to get some dirty looks! I'm with Wyatt on this count as well. Pipe tobacco is not nearly offensive as Acid smoke.

 

[Sunward]

I agree with Andrew, some of the tobacco may be inferior, and the flavor masks this. It's kinda like what grocery stores do with old chicken, they "season" it and repackage it to mask it.

i will say that CAO honey taste okay to me, they make a reasonable tasting short winter smoke.

 

[classyndry]

I have a friend who's father has a house on the bay. When they invite me on a fishing trip, my friend's father will often light up a Java around 5am when we head out to the bay. I haven't had one myself, but it smells amazing. Once, after an unsuccessful trip, we pulled up to a sandbar to play some horseshoes and drink some beer. He pulled out some cohibas (red dot, the legal ones of course) he brought back from overseas. I wouldn't mind having a box of both.

 

[septumus]

The only flavoreds I've ever been known to light up (without holding back vomit and throwing it) are the Gurkha Cognacs and the Maker's Mark smokes. Any other flavored is pretty nasty to me but still cigars are all about whatever floats your boat, if you like em smoke em.

 

[souldog]

The only flavoreds I've ever been known to light up (without holding back vomit and throwing it) are the Gurkha Cognacs and the Maker's Mark smokes. Any other flavored is pretty nasty to me but still cigars are all about whatever floats your boat, if you like em smoke em.

I want to try the Gurkha Cognacs, I've heard good things about them...

 

[Dr. Marneaus]

I like some, but I also like alot of cigars that the FOG's here consider to be quality smokes. I'm not gonna lie, started off on havana honeys, moved to Acids...

My first box purchase several months ago was CAO Eileen's Dream...white chocolate truffle and Irish cream.

Have I touched one of those CAO's in the last 3 months? Nope, I give em away to people who like the sweeter things, since I have been enlightened. I do, however, still enjoy an acid every once in a while.

 

[Smokyballs]

I've never smoked a flavored cigar. I don't put cream and sugar in my coffee and I drink my booze straight. If you don't like the real thing, then why bother. If you like grapes and pineapples, then eat grapes and pineapples. Don't smoke 'em.

Doc.

AMEN! I unfortunately have to try them because it's part of my job. Vanilla belongs in my ice cream, bourbon belongs in a glass. Tobacco is so varied why do you need to flavor it? I'm also a firm believer in to each his own, so you want to smoke that shit I will sell it to you all day long!

 

[tandblov]

Moki is COMPLETELY wrong on this one.

Flavored cigars are not the wine coolers of the cigar world, they are the Boone's Farm.

 

[Aeroscott]

Moki is COMPLETELY wrong on this one.

Flavored cigars are not the wine coolers of the cigar world, they are the Boone's Farm.

I agree with the Boones Farm analogy, however, Boones farm or Mad Dog 20 20 was the first wines I tried that led into more sophisticated taste in wine, just as the Swisher sweets I used to smoke led me to follow my tastes and preferences to where I am today, stll a newbie as far as cigars go, my wife bought me a bunch of flavored cigars for christmas, I enjoyed the two pack she got me called ram rods, they were heavilly rum soaked and long and skinny, they were my favorite flavored out of the bunch.

 

[tandblov]

Sorry, but Boones farm and MD 20/20 is NOT wine. Ain't even close. It's ETOH with artificial sweetners and food coloring. Same for Swisher sweets. They are NOT cigars. They more closely resemble a cigarette. This ain't being snobby, it's just the truth. I don't know anyone who "started" on this hooch who later became a wine enthusiast. They developed a love for fine wines because they had a taste for it anyway, were educated in it, or came to it through a different path.

That was sweet of your wife to buy you some cigars for a gift. Nothing wrong with liking them or being grateful. However, I would suggest picking up some had rolled premium cigars that ARE NOT flavored, and seeing what you think. I hate to see anyone smoking or spending money on that junk. There plenty of people here willing to give their opinions on good cigars to start with. I would hazzard a guess that none of them would include a flavored cigar.

A good palate is an educated palate IMO.