Women and Cigars

[Darren's Godiva]

So, I have been wanting to post this for a while. When I started smoking cigars I started off with the Javas and moved on to the CAO Flavors....then some more flavors. In a pass I received a MB3. I smoked it and fell in love.

Since then I have enjoyed many Olivas, especially the Lancero V. What I have found is that I enjoy what most would call a full bodied cigar -- like the Don Pepin Blue Label, Gurkas, LFD, Tempus, and a few others I can't remember.

I say all this, because I know there are more brothers than sisters on the boards, but I would like to know -- do you find more women smoking the fuller bodied cigars?

I find that the Maduro leaf has so much flavor, but not that much kick that I hear others talk about. I think it is the lijero (sp) leaf that will knock your socks off. I just want to get your opinions -- I very curious.

[Cypress]

I personally like fuller flavor and strength cigars. Now my wife did start out with flavors, and really could not get into them. Then I thought why doesn't she try some mild cigars. Well that didn't work either. Come to find she enjoys pretty much the same cigars as I. I think some times we may think girl and always think of a mild or flavored cigar. This is obviously not the case as I see more and more women likeing the big boys cigars.

[DBCcigar]

I think most women start out smoking the flavored cigars and they are too intimidated by the size of a "Regular" cigar in fear that it will be too strong for them. That's the feedback I've gotten.

[Slow Triathlete]

The few women that I have hung out with that smoke cigars (CGAR Girl bing one of them) I would say that your assessment is correct. The ones that are truly serious about smoking cigars, rather than doing it to try and pick up guys, seem to follow the natural progression of most cigar smokers male or female. Start out with the milder stuff and then move on.

[Rah55]

My wife smokes the CAO Earthnectars on a regular basis but she likes to steal a taste from my smokes here and there. Recently she surprised me by really liking a 3 Siglos, a Series V and Saturday I almost had to steal back a Dominican cigar that we got at a local promotion for New England Cigar Company. I agree, she seems to be making the natural progression to more full bodied flavors.

[boomerd35]

I can't exactly speak for Rhonda, but I know she was scared off what some people said was very strong like LFD DL, Camachos and 601 Oscuro. But she just had the 601 Oscuro and loved it. She wondered what she was scared about? Next, I'm pushing the LFD Oscuro on her.

[Damsel-cl]

Originally Posted by Darren's Godiva

So, I have been wanting to post this for a while. When I started smoking cigars I started off with the Javas and moved on to the CAO Flavors....then some more flavors. In a pass I received a MB3. I smoked it and fell in love.

Since then I have enjoyed many Olivas, especially the Lancero V. What I have found is that I enjoy what most would call a full bodied cigar -- like the Don Pepin Blue Label, Gurkas, LFD, Tempus, and a few others I can't remember.

I say all this, because I know there are more brothers than sisters on the boards, but I would like to know -- do you find more women smoking the fuller bodied cigars?

I find that the Maduro leaf has so much flavor, but not that much kick that I hear others talk about. I think it is the lijero (sp) leaf that will knock your socks off. I just want to get your opinions -- I very curious.

Hi Mel, great thread!

You know about Cigars4Women don't U?

We are a growing network of SOTLs, and we discuss, review and virtually herf over live chat - and I will tell you, on behalf of the ladies over there, a full bodied, tasty complex flavored ligero, and the darker a real Maduro the better cigar is what we're smoking!

As a matter of fact, we just had our first cigar pick for the Cigar of the Month Club, where we herfed over an Oliva Serie V - we're picking July's cigar. We're either going with the Partagas Spanish Rosado, the CAO America - its still up in the air, and suggestions are open till the 5th. But that sort of gives you a sense of what your sisters are smoking....

Come by and see...

Damsel

[silentjon-cl]

My wife is a big fan of the CAO Flavours, but she likes smoking non-flavored cigars as well.

[Damsel-cl]

Originally Posted by Slow Triathlete

The few women that I have hung out with that smoke cigars (CGAR Girl bing one of them) I would say that your assessment is correct. The ones that are truly serious about smoking cigars, rather than doing it to try and pick up guys, seem to follow the natural progression of most cigar smokers male or female. Start out with the milder stuff and then move on.

I totally agree with that... and I think we get fooled in the beginning to believing that a more slimmer ring size vitola will be an easy and milder smoke - getting past that hurdle is part of the evolution too. I'm getting into the perfecto lately, I had a Gurkha Master Select just recently, that cigar and its vitola is at the top of my fav list. So I would have to say, choosing my cigar by brand is huge, but vitola and wrapper is my first attraction...

[patefengreen]

Originally Posted by Reverend Mike

.

Awesome. <groan>

[karmaz00]

personally i like medium bodied, full of flavors in a perfect world.

[patefengreen]

Originally Posted by Slow Triathlete

The few women that I have hung out with that smoke cigars (CGAR Girl bing one of them) I would say that your assessment is correct. The ones that are truly serious about smoking cigars, rather than doing it to try and pick up guys, seem to follow the natural progression of most cigar smokers male or female. Start out with the milder stuff and then move on.

Okay, back on topic. I think you're dead on, Scott! The girls who just want to pick up guys and flirt and giggle about it, aren't really "cigar smokers." And they won't be smoking them next week. They're just trying to do what they think may be cool. (We all know the type.)

Just because the smoker is a woman, doesn't mean she will only like dainty cigars (if there is such a thing). That's got to be the most common misconception. It definately is still a guy's club, but I know most (if not all) of the guys at our Houston herfs enjoy sharing the hobby with their spouses or girlfriends. And gender doesn't really seem to matter, we all just trade and smoke the same range of cigars. I myself have been leaning towards medium to full bodied cigars.

[smh0768]

my wife started in with the cao flavors, but quickly got out of them and tried fuller bodied smokes after stealing draws off of mine here and there. she hasn't touched a flavored smoke since then. her go-to smokes are now the perdomo champagne and trinidad maduros. she also has recently fallen in love with the padron 64s...there goes *my* budget.

but, yes, i have found that she was somewhat intimidated by the larger smokes at first, but realized quickly that she loved the flavor they give off more than the flavored ones. she does still go for a java here and there, though...but only full-sized ones.

[Darren's Godiva]

Its great to hear this kind of feedback. Its funny, because I know women have a much stronger pallet than men. We can pick up on flavors a lot quicker and not just in cigars. I suppose the trend is true, many women start of with flavors and go to the "regular" ones. I like the full bodied cigars -- it just seems to be much more flavor.

[samsgrl28]

Great thread Mel! As Sam mentioned earlier, I also started out smoking the flavors and have not had one in a while since I am intent on trying a lot of new smokes my dear husband likes. I had to practically beg him to buy me a box of AB Tempus (wasn't too hard though). I've also found myself smoking with him in the evenings more often than I probably should but that is the wonderful thing about having a common interest with a spouse. As Rhonda mentioned there are quite a few of us SOTL's in the Houston area who join our husband and smoke our fare share of cigars at the monthly herfs. I have yet to try my Tempus, come to think of it I may have to do that tonight, after a long day at work and school.