Recommendation for Cuban Cigar...

My son, who is 18, has never smoked. I haven't smoked in near on 20 years. But, we both want to try a Cuban Cigar while in Grand Cayman next month.

Need someone with experience to recommend a mild, but tasty cigar, for novice smokers.

Can anyone help?

Thanks,

Bob

I recommend Montecristo, the #4 size is very nice. A bit more spice is found in Partagas and Romeo y Julieta, but stick to the "regular' lines, in other words, don't choose a Serie D, or a Reserva stick. These three will be easily available.

Go to La Casa del Habano, on the main drag. The door is hidden, kinda sunken in between some shops.

Caution: these very same "mild" cubans are typically those that are counterfeited the most. For this reason, buy them in shops that bear the La Casa del Habano label as a registered distributor. Obviously the company owned store (La Casa del Habano) is legit. Churchill's is near the dock, and has a La Casa emblem, and appears to have a nice selection as well. Prices are the same in either store.

http://caymanislandsdiscounts.com/LaCasadelHabano.htm

Also, prices are high for these cigars throughout the Caribbean. Just be prepared to pay alot for a cigar. In other parts of the world, such as Spain, Germany, etc these same cigars retail for $4-$8. Expect to pay $15-$30 for a Cuban in these stores.

Nevertheless, enjoy the cigar, as they can be wonderful, and there is something a bit special about sampling "forbidden" cigars!

the legit cuban cigars have a hologram sticker on them now....... new cuban law.

they also have a new brand "Guantanamera", husband likes them

other poster is right with the brands he suggested, don't forget "Cohiba"!

The holograms are found on the boxes and five pack outer carton only, not on the cigars themselves. If you are purchasing an entire, unopened box, this is useful, but as for singles, seeing the hologram on the box is not very useful given an unscrupulous dealer could simply put counterfeit cigars in a legit box. Best bet is to go to reputable dealers only. These include La Casa and Habanos registered dealers.

Cohiba's are a good choice as well, typically a medium cigar. But Cuban versions typically are very expensive, due not necessarily to their significantly higher quality, but due to the legend that they were Castro's private brand for years. However, today they are simply another mass commercialized brand, and this surely has impacted the quality from when Castro was getting a few boxes a month specially made.

Thanks for the information...it is just what I was looking for.

Bob

I just couldn't help but add this comment:

If your son and you have never smoked before, and he is only 18 and very impressionable, why would you want to show him that smoking is okay? Cigar nicotine is worse than cigarettes.....................sorry, but having lost two parents to cancer, is this what you really want to do on your "vacation"? Please don't flame me....I'm really genuinely concerned. :eek:

Celia,

I have to agree with you.

Why in the world would an 18 yr. old that has never smoked want to start with a cigar?

Is this some sort of strange bonding ritual?

Let the flames fly if you must.

mcboo:confused::confused::confused:

One of the most wonderful benefits of travel is the experience of dabbling in culture. This experience as no different than eating a piece of Boston Cream Pie while in Boston; or seeing Phatom of the Opera on Broadway while in New York.

I also believe there are certain things in life that are just worth experiencing. If you have the opportunity to parachute out of an airplane, you should. If you have the opportunity to see the Grateful Dead in concert, you should. If you have the opportunity to drink Russian Vodka, you should. If you get the opportunity to fly an F-16, you should. Everything in life, to an excess, could be harmful or bad, but that shouldn't make one afraid to experience them. He will experience other things for the first time on this cruise, as well. Dressing up in a tuxedo and walking into a casino to play blackjack, for example. And no, this is not a Male Bonding ritual, as I would encourage my 16-year old daughter to participate, as well.

Paraphrasing Mark Twain, twenty years from now, you will not regret the things in life you did, but will regret the things if life you didn't do.

You both have valid points which should not be ignored, which is why I chose to reply. However, for reasons that are best left untold here, I am quite certain that neither of them will pick up a lifelong habit from this experience.

Thanks,

Bob

I am a 50 yr old mother of 2 adult children......... I agree.

On my death bed, I don't want regrets of the "risks I didn't take".

My 2 kids were not denied the ability to take the risks associated with "their" times, they are well adjusted, clean living adults. They have both tried Cuban cigars and are not hooked, nor do they smoke.I hope they continue to experiance other cultures, and all life has to offer with zest.

I agree with the try everything you can approach.

My kids will have every reasonable opportunity I can make available to them. When they are responsible enough for a given opportunity, I will make it available to them. If I can supervise thier experience, I can interject if an adverse outcome is approaching. ie: smoking and drinking. I would rather have them try a cigarette with me vs elsewhere, i can also educate them on the risks.

Before the flaming begins, I DO NOT promote them using drugs just to see if they like them, no will I let them get drunk with me, but I would rather have an open relationship regarding their lives, and be more open to questions they have. I believe in a rounded education and experienced upbringing.

Also, Cigars have been shown not to be addictive like cigarettes. There are less additives, and more natural ingrediants, but each individuals make up is different.

Cruising 4 Fun.......... I agree

I love how you said, "you wouldn't let them get drunk with you'.......... was that a slip? I had a little chuckle......... I have had drinks with my daughter and her husband, but haven't let them see me tipsy!:D

Also' date=' Cigars have been shown not to be addictive like cigarettes. There are less additives, and more natural ingrediants, but each individuals make up is different.[/quote'] I was curious about that claim, since it seems counter-intuitive. Both products cantain nicotine after all, and nicotine is what what makes cigarettes addictive. So I Googled it and came up with this:

 

Are Cigars Addictive?

 

While the reasons people smoke cigars are varied, the fact is, like cigarettes, cigars can become addictive. Nicotine is the substance in tobacco that causes addiction. Most cigars have as much nicotine as several cigarettes. When cigar smokers inhale, nicotine is absorbed as rapidly as it is with cigarettes. For those who do not inhale, it is absorbed more slowly through the lining of the mouth. People who use smokeless tobacco absorb nicotine the same way. Both inhaled and non-inhaled nicotine are highly addictive.

 

 

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_2X_Cigar_Smoking.asp?sitearea=PED

 

 

 

And this:

 

Are cigars addictive? Nicotine is the agent in tobacco that is capable of causing addiction or dependence. Cigarettes have an average total nicotine content of about 8.4 milligrams, while many popular brands of cigars will contain between 100 and 200 milligrams, or as many as 444 milligrams of nicotine.

 

As with cigarette smoking, when cigar smokers inhale, nicotine is absorbed rapidly. However, because of the composition of cigar smoke and the tendency of cigar smokers not to inhale, the nicotine is absorbed predominantly through the lining of the mouth rather than in the lung. It is important to note that nicotine absorbed through the lining of the mouth is capable of forming a powerful addiction, as demonstrated by the large number of people addicted to smokeless tobacco. Both inhaled and noninhaled nicotine can be addictive. The infrequent use by the average cigar smoker, low number of cigars smoked per day, and lower rates of inhalation compared with cigarette smokers have led some to suggest that cigar smokers may be less likely to be dependent than cigarette smokers.

 

Addiction studies of cigarettes and spit tobacco show that addiction to nicotine occurs almost exclusively during adolescence and young adulthood when young people begin using these tobacco products. Also, several studies raise the concern that use of cigars may predispose individuals to the use of cigarettes. A recent survey showed that the relapse rate of former cigarette smokers who smoked cigars was twice as great as the relapse rate of former cigarette smokers who did not smoke cigars. The study also observed that cigar smokers were more than twice as likely to take up cigarette smoking for the first time than people who never smoked cigars.

 

http://cis.nci.nih.gov/fact/10_16.htm

Paraphrasing Mark Twain, twenty years from now, you will not regret the things in life you did, but will regret the things if life you didn't do.

On my death bed, I don't want regrets of the "risks I didn't take".

If I put those two quotes together, which is admittedly entirely unfair because the result I get is something that neither one of you exactly said, you get something like this:

"On your death bed you won't regret the risks in life you took, only the ones you didn't take."

I don't believe that for a second.

Ask some 50 year old on their death bed with lung cancer whether they regret the risk they took when they started smoking.

The 18 year old kid that took a risk by drag racing with his friends and is dying because he had an accident sure regrets the risk he took.

Basically anything you do that has the chance to get you killed would be regretted if it does indeed kill you.

I will stand corrected on the addiction statement, It was based on the idea that a cigar smoker generally smokes less per day, and generally smokes less of the cigar itself (letting it burn, without actually taking a puff), even though the nicotine is equivalent by size comparison.

that being said, I still have the occasional cigar, I will continue to race my car (legally), and will continue to try new experiences as they present themselves to me. If my daughter wishes to try these things, I hope I can be part of her first experience, so I can be assured of the particular risks, and make sure they can be as controlled as possible.

Each person has the responsibility to inform themselves of the risks, and judge if they are acceptable, no matter if it is smoking, drinking, skydiving, racing,gambling, or enlisting in the military.

Ultimately, the individual has to pay the price, whether it is positive or negative. (Hopefully, how it would affect others would come into the picture as well, ie: family). As I get older, my chance taking gets superceded by my want to be around for my family, though I refuse to sit in a vacuum, drink only purified water, and breathe only filtered air. I will live life, not watch it.

Cruisin 4 Fun;) ........Well said..... thank you.....

When some folks read these thoughts they see them as words on paper, but forget that humans are speaking them, and using their god given brain to formulate decision makings on whether they will take "the risk". Risks are different for all, they range from dancing with wolves, wearing a pink shirt, betting on a horse etc etc........... I agree, I am living life to the fullest too.

My risk factors are always based on my family first, danger, and then my satisfaction! Remember, we only have a .25 second window of opportunity to make "that" decision to take a risk.............