mgs said:
I'd call those cigarillos, and have been known to smoke them from time to time. As for what actually passes for cigar, anything machine rolled, or that cheapo cardboard shit, does not deserve the title.
mgs said:
I enjoy the smell of them in a tobacco shop. I'd definitely be open to trying on on recommendation...err at a point in time when I have extra money...I am living on nickels and dimes these days.
Hmm, if you're already used to smoking half-to-a-full pack a day cigarettes or equivalent, I think you can skip the mild bodied stuff (but if you wanna go there, Macanudo and Avo make decent stuff, but I'm not big on milder cigars, I want something with impact, or a full on punch in the gut). You'll have to experiment and find your desired flavor profile and strength; you can stay in the $6-8 range to start. Nicaruagan puros (that is to say, the wrapper, filler, and binder are all Nicaraguan tobacco) are my favorite, but they tend to be full bodied and pack a spicy zing that isn't for everyone. Try anything by Padrón as far as that goes, it was their 1926 series that got me into cigars. Off the top of my head, La Aurora, Romeo y Julieta, and 601 put out quality stuff. I like me some Rocky Patel and Humo Jaguar too. As far as popular stuff I don't like, but you might, CAO is pretty big, and I don't often go for Arturo Fuente or Gurkha due to their being overpriced IMO.
If you live or travel outside the US, the Castro regime keeps the quality of Cuban exports high. Had a Cohiba (not to be confused with the non-Cuban brand by the same title*, which is still good) smuggled into the country in a friend's extra shoes once, it was great. Robust yet creamy.
*When the commies took over, the families that owned the big cigar companies fled the country, taking their brand names with them, Castro doesn't give a shit about international copyright law, and kept the same names on the isle. For you non-Americans, don't solely patronize Cubans, it'd be like only drinking French wine, yeah they put out some of the best stuff out there, but they're not the best at everything.
Protips: the non-standard shaped cigars (torpedo, perfecto, pyramid, etc.) are more difficult to roll, and are thus made by more skilled rollers. So don't be afraid to shell out an extra couple bucks for one, it's often worth it. Also, you're bound to come across poorly constructed cigars (with a terrible draw, uneven burn, etc.) or one infested with tobacco beetles, sooner or later, even from a top brand. This will be infuriating. Wooden matches or a torch lighter are preferred for lighting; take no more than 2 puffs per minute, doing so will overheat your cigar and ruin the flavor, and leave you much more likely to get nicotine sickness; since you don't have a humidor, don't keep any wrapped cigars more than a week and half lest they dry out, or unwrapped for more than a few days; make sure you cut it right, i.e. don't chop off the entire head.
I am certain Miss Willow would be happy if I quit smoking; she never has and finds it incomprehensible. Then again, I find binging on chocolate and then getting depressed pretty mystifying also. 
