From Cigars to Pipes or Pipes to Cigars?

[Appayipyip]

I usually see people posting in various forums that they have gone from cigars to pipes and almost always say they love it and that pipes will replace or take a significant amount of their cigar smoking time.

But I have not seen anyone say they started trying cigars after smoking pipes and have replaced a significant amount of their pipe smoking time with cigars.

Personally I usually smoke cigars socially. I do enjoy them though but for me they are more of a commitment and stink up all your clothes.

Has anyone switched from majority pipe smoking to cigars and if so why?

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

I went from cigars to pipes, then back to cigars.
I didn't appreciate cigars when I first tried them out. I wasn't buying anything premium, usually cigarbids best deals or whatever the b&m suggested. Nothing really did it for me - though I will say, I was a cigarette smoker and I think that was a big reason for me not enjoying anything.
I quit cigarettes and got into pipe smoking. Cigars were occasional but still not enjoyed as much. Later in my pipe smoking I decided to invest in "premium cigars". Whatever got the best ratings, I was gonna try it. It took some time but I finally got a grasp of what I enjoyed and what I didn't. To this day I'm still learning about cigars - I haven't gone down the rabbit hole necessarily, but I do have a stack or tupperdors filled with my favorites. I smoke at least 1 or 2 per week.

 

[mtwaller]

I have done exactly that for about the last year. Gone from pipes to cigars, that is. Reason being is the second to last time I caught Covid I lost almost all sense of taste, and it hasn’t fully returned to what it was before. Blends that I used to love now just taste like mostly hot air. And I’m talking stout blends like Plum Pudding, Artisan’s Blend, etc.

It makes me slightly depressed to think about, honestly. I hope I can rediscover the joy of pipe tobaccos again. Cigars are much more pungent, and despite their nuances they still kinda just taste like a cigar at the end of the day (to me, anyway). I can still taste them enough to enjoy them, so I’ve been smoking them almost exclusively.

 

[Appayipyip]

I have done exactly that for about the last year. Gone from pipes to cigars, that is. Reason being is the second to last time I caught Covid I lost almost all sense of taste, and it hasn’t fully returned to what it was before. Blends that I used to love now just taste like mostly hot air. And I’m talking stout blends like Plum Pudding, Artisan’s Blend, etc.

It makes me slightly depressed to think about, honestly. I hope I can rediscover the joy of pipe tobaccos again. Cigars are much more pungent, and despite their nuances they still kinda just taste like a cigar at the end of the day (to me, anyway). I can still taste them enough to enjoy them, so I’ve been smoking them almost exclusively.

Sorry to hear about what happen to your sense of taste. I hope it will recover.

I do enjoy cigars a lot. I like the idea of the pure tobacco leaves still in one piece. But as you said all cigars share that cigar flavor

 

[cshubhra]

Most days I smoke a pipe in the morning.

Then I have an urge to switch to cigars so it’s cigar in the afternoon.

But then when it is evening, I again feel the urge to switch to pipes - So I do.

Then again in other days it’s more unpredictable so I would switch from a pipe to a cigar or from a cigar to ha pipe.

Happens every day

 

[mtwaller]

Sorry to hear about what happen to your sense of taste. I hope it will recover.

I do enjoy cigars a lot. I like the idea of the pure tobacco leaves still in one piece. But as you said all cigars share that cigar flavor

Yeah how they manage to get a good cigar to burn like it does by just rolling a pile of leaves together amazes me. Helluva lot of skill and technique involved.

 

[jaytex1969]

I smoked cigs for 33 years, used vapes to quit and got into pipes while researching making my own "vape juice" with natural tobacco extractions.

I HATED cigars when I smoked cigs. Only after going fully to the pipe and learning to appreciate the nuances of different tobacco types, and eventually developing good pipe technique, did I finally begin to appreciate cigars.

I only enjoy them occasionally and doubt they will ever replace the pipe for me but I CAN now appreciate them.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I went from cigars to pipe, back to cigars and settled on pipe now for 7 years. Still smoke some cigars while playing golf but pipe is the main choice.

 

[username]

I switched to pipes as cigars were to expensive to get regularly as a poor college student (at the time) I do enjoy the occasional cigar now and then.

 

[pipingfool]

I went from cigars to pipes because of the cost at the time. Pipe blends are just more economical usually. Hell, even a $300 bag of Penzance will give you a lot more smoking time than the equivalent cost of premium cigars.

But now with the amount I’ve spent on pipes alone, that justification is out the window.

I still enjoy cigars and have a humidor full of them. But like @hoosierpipeguy, I mostly smoke them on the golf course which is a rare occurrence these days.

 

[Peter Turbo]

Pipes I’ve only been smoking for three years. Cigars I’m just getting into now, smoking one as I type this - Padron 1926.

 

[Buckeyestime]

I started with cigars five or six years ago and now somewhat jump back and forth weather dependent. The seasons seem to influence what I am reaching for much of the time. Non-winter months in Northern Illinois I can pull off a couple of hours outside with a cigar. Winter time I am lucky to grab a quick pipe, often huddled in a cold garage.

 

[WerewolfOfLondon]

Fags to pipe so far. I have smoked quite a few cigars since I made the aforementioned transition, but they don't do much for me. They just seem so uniform in taste, any variations are small in that department. I actually smoked a Drew Estate earlier this evening, first cigar I have smoked in about two months. Now smoking a bowl of Dockworker, infinitely more satisfying. One thing I will say though, whether it be pipes or cigars, that is proper tobacco smoking. Nasty cigarettes just placate an addiction.

 

[andrew]

I love cigars, more than pipes, but I mostly smoke pipes as a cigar is quite time consuming and expensive. But pure enjoyment bliss for me is a good cigar. I started with pipes

 

[andrew]

Fags to pipe so far. I have smoked quite a few cigars since I made the aforementioned transition, but they don't do much for me. They just seem so uniform in taste, any variations are small in that department. I actually smoked a Drew Estate earlier this evening, first cigar I have smoked in about two months. Now smoking a bowl of Dockworker, infinitely more satisfying. One thing I will say though, whether it be pipes or cigars, that is proper tobacco smoking. Nasty cigarettes just placate an addiction.

What cigars? Major transitions are more with premium cigars, also sizes and wrappers. I find theres quite a bit of difference between cigars

 

[boston]

More cigars now than pipes. Not nearly every day but when on a walk, a cigar is relaxing and less work for me than a pipe.

 

[WerewolfOfLondon]

What cigars? Major transitions are more with premium cigars, also sizes and wrappers. I find theres quite a bit of difference between cigars

All different ones. I can't even remember them all now, but the ones we all know, Rocky Patel, Arturo Feuntes, Montecristo, Padron etc. Plus a few Cubans which I don't believe are available in the States. Apparently there is some huge difference between New World and Cuban cigars, I never got it. I'm sure there is difference between them though, and between sizes and wrappers as you say. But for me, I have my plate full with pipe tobacco, which I know I refer a lot more. And, the prices of cigars are prohibitive. I'm not one to complain about shelling out money for the finer things, but 50 quid and upwards for one Cuban stick, nah, they can stick it, pun intended.

 

[andrew]

All different ones. I can't even remember them all now, but the ones we all know, Rocky Patel, Arturo Feuntes, Montecristo, Padron etc. Plus a few Cubans which I don't believe are available in the States. Apparently there is some huge difference between New World and Cuban cigars, I never got it. I'm sure there is difference between them though, and between sizes and wrappers as you say. But for me, I have my plate full with pipe tobacco, which I know I refer a lot more. And, the prices of cigars are prohibitive. I'm not one to complain about shelling out money for the finer things, but 50 quid and upwards for one Cuban stick, nah, they can stick it, pun intended.

I hear you. It took me awhile to fully pick apart the subtle nuances to cigars, another factor for me is most of the cigars I smoke have a good 7-10 years age on them which is a result of stockpiling years ago when the dollars were at par. I'm in Canada. I find for a good everyday Cuban that wont break the bank and give you a Cuban tasting experience is Jose L. Piedras. But it took me awhile to develop a palate for cigars as they all have that cigar note. Pipe tobacco is quite different in that regard. I've recently gotten into custom rolled cubans which are much more affordable. I wish I'd gotten into cubans when the dollars were at par but yeah the price point isn't there anymore. I can't justify spending the money they demand for a product that has stayed the same but is over 100% more than a fee years ago

 

[Buckeyestime]

Started with cigars a few times a year and then built up to most weekends when the weather allows. I picked up pipes for the cost savings and variety, but still end up more with cigars. They just seem easier to control and I sometimes struggle with pipe cadence.

 

[DesertDan]

Both.
Started with pipe, switched to cigars only smoking pipes occasionally.
Went back to pipes and only smoke cigars occasionally.
Now both of my humidors hold tins of pipe tobacco, though I must admit that lately I have been thinking of turning one of them back to cigars.