The Finer Things

TheProdigalModern · 01-08-2007, 06:28 PM

I am an all-around smoker, and cigarettes, cigars, pipes and sheesha have all helped me make at least one friend apiece.

FTS · 01-08-2007, 06:49 PM

I was able to bond with a member of some important board involved with Auckland University (it was a while ago, so I forget the particulars) through pipe smoking. He came down to have a bowl of Borkum Riff ultra light, which I could smell, so I went over to ask about his tobacco and his pipe. Had a good conversation for half an hour before I had to go to class.

**H.M. Murdock** · 01-08-2007, 07:32 PM

Hahaha. A kid came up before the old man came up and had some smokes with me today. He went, "Cook pipe." I said thanks. He asked if pipes were different from cigarettes, and I told him, "Indubitably." He asked what kind. I go, "Sir Walter Ralleigh- cheap stuff for a cheap kid." Then I ask what he was smoking. I already knew- Marlboro by the smell, lights by the acrid quality, and he was still too much of a lightweight to handle it- every drag resulted in a wheeze. He didn't actually know what he was smoking. "Just some kind of cigarette," he says.

Cigarettes can be enjoyed. I only knock them because I proclaim the existence of subjectivity in matters of taste, but do not actually realize them. But still, if you're going to smoke, have a little pride in it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vershal

...sheesha...

Question on that: I found some herbal sheesha the other day in a store in Alexandria off of Macarthur. The guy working the register, of course, was under the impression that it was to be smoked in a bong, and thus had ordered a shipment of useless glass bongs to go with that sheesha. But the weird part was that it was... herbal. Thoughts? Experience? A hookah is high on my list of things to get when I am out on my own (at $40 for a decent, but not by any means artisan hookah, they're attainable even by a poor guy), and I want to learn a bit more about them...

And learning that herbal sheesha is wickity-wack is not something I want to learn first hand.

**The wirerat** · 01-08-2007, 08:31 PM

How good are Black and Gold cigars?

4stringfreak · 01-08-2007, 09:08 PM

never smoked a Black and Gold, but i take back a Derenger Peach every onece and a while. Im quite miffed that camel took the twists off the market. the tropicals = smoking a fruit loop.

TheProdigalModern · 01-09-2007, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H.M. Murdock

Question on that: I found some herbal sheesha the other day in a store in Alexandria off of Macarthur. The guy working the register, of course, was under the impression that it was to be smoked in a bong, and thus had ordered a shipment of useless glass bongs to go with that sheesha.

To give the guy some credit, he had probably heard that you can smoke pot in a hooka, and just assumed that "hooka" was another word for "bong".

Quote:

But the weird part was that it was... herbal. Thoughts? Experience?...And learning that herbal sheesha is wickity-wack is not something I want to learn first hand.

I've never had any herbal sheesha. I have, on the other hand, had a few herbal cigarettes. I imagine that it'll be much the same -- nasty. My friend who got a whole group of us started on a weekly sheesha smoke would use all kinds of flavored stuff, but it was always sweet flavors. I imagine that anything herbal would be pretty acrid.

**H.M. Murdock** · 01-09-2007, 02:52 PM

Hm. Yes. Sheesha is good flavored, though I can't stand other flavored tobaccos. The general rationale seems to be that you can get the same sweet flavors (it was available in an exciting array of flavors, from strawberry to root beer) without tar or nicotine. I imagine that smoking a clean herb would make maintenance a breeze, since tar is the hardest thing to clean up after.
But still. It seems wrong. It's like marijuana and tobacco got together, and their lovechild never lived up to its potential.

Visirale · 01-09-2007, 07:23 PM

Ugh. I had a horrible cigar tonight... it was a romeo y julieta. The smoke stung my nose, and the smoke stung my throat.. nothing like the C.A.O.'s that I am used to...

But I did get my pipe to stay lit for a while tonight (cold front came through). I think I just need to dry out the tobacco some more... I'm still going through Butane like it's water...

FTS · 01-09-2007, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Visirale

Ugh. I had a horrible cigar tonight... it was a romeo y julieta. The smoke stung my nose, and the smoke stung my throat.. nothing like the C.A.O.'s that I am used to...

It might not have been that it was a Romeo Y Julieta, it could have been that it was too dry.

**Role Modlin** · 01-09-2007, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Visirale

Ugh. I had a horrible cigar tonight... it was a romeo y julieta. The smoke stung my nose, and the smoke stung my throat.. nothing like the C.A.O.'s that I am used to...

But I did get my pipe to stay lit for a while tonight (cold front came through). I think I just need to dry out the tobacco some more... I'm still going through Butane like it's water...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kepa

It might not have been that it was a Romeo Y Julieta, it could have been that it was too dry.

I've only had positive experiences with that brand.

TheProdigalModern · 01-09-2007, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

I've only had positive experiences with that brand.

I've just the opposite. I suppose that the difference between our experiences could be the difference between a humidor and a glass "cigar case".

**Role Modlin** · 01-09-2007, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vershal

I've just the opposite. I suppose that the difference between our experiences could be the difference between a humidor and a glass "cigar case".

That is possible. I've never smoked a cigar that didn't come from a humidor. I take that back...the one true Cuban I had wasn't from a humidor.

FTS · 01-09-2007, 09:43 PM

About 12 hours is the longest you want to let your cigar be outside a humidor before smoking it.

**meatfinger** · 01-09-2007, 10:18 PM

Seattle area folks:

Have any of you heard of a brewery in Centralia called Dirk's (or maybe Dick's) Brewing Co.? If yes, is it any good?

**H.M. Murdock** · 01-09-2007, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Visirale

But I did get my pipe to stay lit for a while tonight (cold front came through). I think I just need to dry out the tobacco some more... I'm still going through Butane like it's water...

When I was using butane, it was ridiculously hard to get my pipe lit. No idea why. It was just nigh impossible. Try matches or (gasp) a zippo. Theoretically, a zippo will ruin the flavor of tobacco. But I've lit cigarettes (for others), cigars and pipes with mine, and personally haven't noticed any difference whatsoever. Plus, when I use my zippo (as opposed to a match or butane or even firewood) the sucker stays lit way longer. On a dry day, it'll go to the bottom of the bowl. On a humid day, it'll go two thirds.

I've yet to have a Romeo y Julieta I didn't love. Macanudo was a disappointing experience (petit corona = not horrible, but not worth no six bucks either), and we shan't even speak of Swisher.