Monday, September 26, 2011

Tobacco Management II: Field Report

I had my first cigar a few weeks ago at my advisor’s farewell and graduation party.  It was a Java (or I think it was; I also had my first Jack Daniels, so my recollection of the evening might be a little off).  J, the other PhD graduate who gave it to me said he bought it in a tobacco shop for $15, although they seem to be available online for about half that.

J assured me that the cigar would be “smooth”.  Although I lack any basis for comparison, but I was surprised how easy smoking turned out to be.  (I hasten to add that it’s less easy to look cool doing it, which I assuredly did not.)  I knew in advance that I would never get through a whole cigar, so I asked for and received about an inch and a half worth.  J warned that a cigar that short might burn a little, but that really wasn’t my experience beyond the one time I accidentally inhaled.

I had expected that whatever effect one would get from tobacco smoke would be felt immediately, but that turned out not to be true.  I gamely puffed away about a quarter inch before saying, “Don’t take this personally, but your cigar is doing nothing for me.  It’s mainly just a lot of work.”  But I had no sooner snuffed out the remainder when I began to feel it:  a pleasantly dizzying sensation.  I might say that the cigar intensified the effect of the Gentleman Jack, but “intensify” seems a poor choice given that the cumulative sensation was very mellowing.  I found myself uncharacteristically relaxed and talkative.

A word on the after effects.  I drank plenty of water that evening, so I didn’t have anything like a hangover the next morning, but both my breath and the clothes I was wearing felt and smelled like an ashtray.  And . . . I woke up the next morning thinking about cigars!  Along the lines of, “Mmmm, cigars . . . .”  Kind of a lot.  Fortunately, the craving went away by midday, but I can kinda see how someone who woke up in the morning with those kind of thoughts and who had tobacco on hand would be tempted to light up.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had my first cigar a few weeks ago at my advisor’s farewell and graduation party.

Hee hee...

But I had no sooner snuffed out the remainder when I began to feel it: a pleasantly dizzying sensation. I might say that the cigar intensified the effect of the Gentleman Jack, but “intensify” seems a poor choice given that the cumulative sensation was very mellowing. I found myself uncharacteristically relaxed and talkative.

Yeah, tobacco is awesome. At least, it would be if it weren't so terribly bad for you.

Grim said...

I've been smoking cigars and pipes for a few years now and I only smoke 1 a week or so and generally with friends. I've yet to have the cravings that cigarette smokers talk about.

If you want to avoid the smell on the clothing and such then smoke pipes. The bad after smell from cigars and cigs is from the ash and pipe smoking produces a heck of a lot less airborne ash to settle on your clothing. Most people find 2ed hand pipe smoke very pleasant as well.

dienw said...

Good cigars and good whiskey are a sublime combination.

Dr. Φ said...

NJ: That's so true! I'm looking forward to finding a job so that I can afford a life of dissipation.

Unknown said...

My experience with Acid cigars also happened recently. It was good.

Dr. Φ said...

Mmm . . . the website says they are for "short" smokes, but the pictures look like full size cigars.