As what I might consider a frugal cigar smoker, I often try to find the best value for my money when it comes to buying cigars. Often times I smoke my cigars beyond the band and the remaining nub varies from cigar to cigar.
On occasion I have to give up on a cigar a little sooner than I would like. This sometimes comes from the flavor turning bitter, the stick getting hot, a construction issue, or any other common cigar ailment. From time to time I don’t mind so much when these issues arise late in a cigar. Its as if I feel like I’ve gotten my monies worth and can accept the fact that I can’t smoke another inch before laying it down to rest.
I’d like to know what your thoughts are on the subject. How much of any particular cigar do you smoke before you feel that you have gotten your monies worth? Does this vary depending on price or manufacturer? Are all cigars viewed the same and expected to smoke down to a one inch nub (for example) before you feel alright about giving up on it?
I try to smoke down to about half an inch remaining. That’s about as far as I can go without it burning my lips. But, if a cigar is shit, I may give up on it early. Or, if it’s really good and turns bad sometime after the band, I may give up, too, so my impression doesn’t change. I’m a college student, so I have to stretch out that cigar as long as possible…lol
I rarely “nub” a cigar. When I was a newbie, back in 1978, I asked the Tobacconist “How far down should I smoke it? He was a wise young man and said “The Cigar will tell you when it is done.”
Some cigars tell you this in the first inch! Some you can smoke until you feel the burn on your lips.
OK that’s enough I am tired of working for you guys for no pay! LOL
Bill PappyFerrara
For me it does depend on price and I think it also depends if I have any remaining stock of that stick; if I’ve got a 5-er I am more ok with smoking less of it, but if it’s excellent and it’s all I’ve got…I’ll need to go pretty close to the nub to feel like I’ve gotten all I want to get. Rarely, like Bill, do I nub a cigar though…
I always feel I have to nub a cigar in order to get my monies worth. I cant afford to buy the high end sticks, so this presents a challenge a LOT of the time. If a stick will let me use a toothpick and burn that puppy down, that stick will be at the top of my list for future purchases!!
price will factor in also. I have smoke some more expensive cigars down to the nub, even though they were not that good, just so I did not feel like I was wasting my money. I really should not do that, but I do 🙁
Mike
I think that it depends on why you bought the stick. If it is a gift, I am good with putting it down when they go out on thier own. Usually this is right above the band. If I bought it to try out, I feel that I have gotten my monies worth anywhere past 2/3 smoked. The sticks that I have bought boxes of, I bought because they were great cigars and I want ALL my money out of them so, I don’t feel that I have invested well unless I burn my lips or fingers.
I spoke it down as far as I feel like it depending on how the cigar is going. Whether or not I nubbed the cigar is not the determining factor in deciding if I got my money’s worth. If I enjoyed the taste and burn, then I will feel like I got my money’s worth and more than likely nub the cigar but not always. I don’t always feel like smoking for an hour or more.
I usually smoke the cigar down to the numb, unless it is really bad then I just give up on it earlier. It really does depend on the cost of the cigar. The more I paid for it the more I’m disappointed if I can’t smoke it down to the nub.
As far as value, it is whether or not I enjoyed it. If I didn’t enjoy it then I won’t buy it no matter how inexpensive it is. On the other side of the scale I have to really enjoy it to spend more than about $12 on it because there are many other cigars under that (even under $10) that I really enjoy.
I suppose that I would tend to agree with most of the other comments I smoke, regardless of what it is or how much it cost to that point where it no longer is satisfying. So, once the smoke goes south…I’m done.
ps. Love my El Triunfador’s and La Riqueza’s
I expect any premium cigar to taste good to the band, but I will make concessions for less expensive smokes or bundles. Sometimes it’s a matter of size compared to price — I don’t mind pitching a double corona at the mid-way point if the flavor turns, if I paid a robusto-sized price for them.
I feel I have gotten my money’s worth if I liked the cigar.
It doesn’t matter how much I spend, I smoke it until it no longer tastes good. My money has already been spent, so why would I want to endure a resinous hot nub simply because I paid more?
I can usually tell if I gotten my monies worth after a few ouffs of a stogie. If so then I usually nub it.
Remember life is too short to smoke s.h.i.t.t.y. cigars
Last night I smoked the new le Bolivar 2009 and it was awesome, but it got really hot at the end, but the flavors were still there. I had to put it down with about an inch to go. I feel like I got my monies worth, but I was a little disappointed in the fact that it was still producing great flavors.
I never nub a cigar to the end, in fact, I personally frown upon it. You don’t ever want that last puff to be harsh or leave a long bitter finish in your mouth. A cigar should always end on a good note/flavour. That said, i leave about an inch and a half to my cigars. Two for Dbl Coronas.
Well if it’s good cigar I alaways smoke it to the nub, but some of them will start to get hot and bitter so 1″ to 1 1/2″ then I say I got my money’s worth. good notes good taste keep on puffing
If I find the cigar remarkable then I feel like I found something worth spending my money on. There are good and average cigars out there that are unremarkable. Since I enjoy cigars as a hobby and not a habbit, I only buy cigars that wow me. I never buy cigars considered ‘daily smokers’.
When the cigar starts to get hot or bitter and it’s within 2 inches of being done I usually stop. If it stays tasty, I’ll go to the nub (1″ or less).
I’m with Bill above. I find the cigar tells me when it’s time. I figure I have really received my money’s worth when I have reached the “nub” and I wish like the dickens there was 2 more inches of cigar left to smoke. Course, the truth is not all of them are that good. I tend to smoke cigars i really like, so I get more good than bad.
I agree with Vince because I as well don’t buy cheap bundled stogies that are made in some guys backyard in the Dominican Republic, I rather work on purchasing some of the slightly more expensive ones, although I do make sidetrips for a bargain stogie every once and awhile. On the issue of feeling that you’ve gotten your monies worth I agree with Bill, A cigar will tell you when you’ve gotten your monies worth, it’s never about price it’s about enjoyment. I remember a really nice Esteban Carerras Habano Double Corona that I had about a month ago that I loved and smoked to about the final inch and a pricy Graycliff Professional presidente that I had a few weeks ago that I extinguished because It was sub par. Enjoyment dictates the cigar being worth it’s weight not the price tag.