[need advice] social smoking?

[Hammerhead]

Originally Posted by Mullet

he's an obnoxious prick, salesman type (no offense).

On behalf of obnoxious prick salesmen types everywhere, I'll not take offense to your remark.

I think you've gotten some good advice here so far. I'd have handled it a couple different ways depending on the scenario.

1) My first choice, take it and say "Thanks, I'll save it for this coming weekend - I was really looking forward to one of mine, and it'll give me a chance to evaluate it thoroughly at home."

2) Smoke it for a few puffs. If he asks, give him honest but polite feedback along the lines of "not bad, but I tend to prefer a different flavor profile." Then offer one of yours to him, light your own and let the dog rocket go out.

3) Stand your ground and politely say "Yeah, I'm familiar with the line and it's not really my favorite. But here... try one of mine and see if you like it more..."

[tonyrocks922]

I don't see how there are any other options but

-Take it and smoke it anyway
-Take it, tell him you'll smoke it later and chuck it

You come across as being very rude in the OP, hopefully it's just the way it's written and not how it actually was.

[c2000]

After not taking "no" for an answer and coming at you a second time I would have told him to shove that dog rocket up his ass.

Jerry in Minnesota.

[dwhitacre]

[SIZE=3]I would have knocked it out of his hand and run away as fast as a could!!![/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3]Just kidding [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3]Seriously, I would have taken it and said "I'll save it for a special occasion"... mowing the lawn!!![/SIZE]

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by bigloo

You always take the offering. You dont have to smoke it, a simple "I really had my heart set on smoking <whatever>, but I will have yours sometime this week and let you know" would have worked. If you dont want it, toss it when you get home. A real touch of class is "I will take yours if you try one of mine I think you would like". My

I like this answer the best.

As an aside, I bought a bundle of Don Mateos back in the 90's when a national (non-cigar) magazine named it the "World's Best Cheap Cigar". You did NOT make a mistake by not smoking it.

[SeanGAR]

Doesn't matter if the guy is a tool or not, it is common courtesy to accept offered gifts. Me, I would have also smoked the thing straight off.

However, icehog3's review does not make the Don Mateo toro look too promising:

"Absolute crap, the cigar tasted crappy, burned crappy and drew crappy. Had a crappy finish too. No better than a Black'n'Mild or the like. Waste of time and cash."

[BD Strummer]

Originally Posted by Darrell

It's not about "saving face" it's about recognizing that common courtesy goes a LONG way in this world.

I agree. I have a few sticks that I have no intention of smoking, but I took it thanked them and reciprocated with one of my sticks. It's kind of like shaking hands, if you offered to shake some ones hand and they refused you wouldn't think much of that person. Right?

[kgraybill]

I think I would have done the same as Mullet. I guess it just depends on the company.

If you were to walk into a party carrying a 6 pack of Becks beer and someone offered you a Milwauklee's best light, would you take it? or bring in a bottle of fine wine and someone offers you som MD 20/20?

[neoflex]

I'm on board with the others. I have smoked many a dog rocket just because the person offered it and I sat and smoked it with them out of courtesy. You could have done like others said and taken it and just said you had something in mind for the affair and tell him you would smoke it later and offered him one of yours. Unfortunately prick or not, he is family and you do not want to ruffle feathers over a smoke. I would have smoked it and than offered him one of mine to smoke after and who knows you may have been able to push him down the slope and turn him off of the rockets and at the same time may have had a smoking buddy for family affairs to come. It beats my brother in law who I gave a cigar to at a BBQ a couple summers ago and all he did was b*tch and moan the whole time that it was not flavored when I told him right from the start I didn't have any flavored cigars. Eventually, I just told him if he didn't like it to just pitch it. He and his wife(my wifes sister) b*tch about everything though and would be the ones who would complain about winning lotto because they have to pay tax on their free money. Yes, every family has their annoying members.