Smoked: Lion Leaf Original 4.38 x 14

My wife often chuckles and says to me, “You’re so weird.”

My response? “Thank you.”

When it comes to cigars, yes, I tend to be weird. I have certain, shall we say, rituals and personal preferences that I maintain, such as:

1) When I receive a package containing cigars, especially if the weather is cold, I allow the unopened box to acclimate to the indoor ambient temperature for a few hours or more before opening it.

2) Once unboxed, any newly acquired sticks, whether or not they were shipped with some sort of humidification system, go into a humidor to rest for at least 14 days. I have, on rare occasion, broken that rule at 10 to 12 days because, well, I just couldn’t wait any longer.

3) When I smoke a cigar for the first time, I always journal the experience, noting the many different aspects of said cigar. It does, though, get somewhat tedious at times to do that. (Like right now. And I just broke my “14-day-rule.” I received a free 5-pack of Lion Leaf Original 4.38 x 14 cigarillos with a recent JR Cigars order. I thought it would be a good time to smoke a little stick. It’s quite tasty. But I’m trying to write here. And journal.) Despite it being somewhat tedious, looking back at my first-time cigar experiences, I’m glad I took the time and effort to journal.

4) Before I light a cigar, I like to meticulously smell its wrapper. (Funny, but I don’t usually get much aroma from the foot.) I have a full moustache, so I roll the cigar gently underneath it to act like a brush to bring out subtle fragrance from the oils, etc.

5) Unlike many aficionados, I do not enjoy the ritual of cutting and/or lighting a cigar. Gimme a lit cigar without all that hassle any day. Cue to Edward and Eddie Sahakian: if I were ever so fortunate to actually be able to visit your beautiful shop, Davidoff of London, I would be greatly honored if either of you would cut and light my cigar in your wonderfully unique style. Please?

6) When all is said and done, I do not simply trash a cigar’s nub. Instead, I respectfully place it in a baggie to later burn in a fire. Those I smoke outdoors when we don’t have a fire going, are placed into the fire pit to either return to the soil or eventually be burned so that the smoke rises yet again to the heavens. And, when burning them, I whisper, “Thank you” a few times to honor the roughly 150 souls/300 hands that had a part in creating something so truly wonderful.

7) I absolutely love the aroma of a baggie full of nubs. I often open the baggie and take 3 deep breaths to fill my senses with that wonderful, heady tobacco smell. And, when passing by the nub-filled baggie, I often again whisper, “Thank you,” and give it a gentle pat.

So, in this instance, I agree with my wife; I fully acknowledge the fact that I am genuinely weird. And I like me that way. What about you? Are you weird? Do you have any cigar rituals that you believe may be weirdly unique to you? I bet you can’t out-weird me!

Cheers!