Time to take a break!

[Donk]

So I have decided that it is time for me to take a break from cigar smoking, I have been hitting it a little hard these past few months. I've gotten to the point where I can't really taste the cigars anymore. It seems like no matter what I smoke they all just taste similar now. So I'm thinking a few months off to give my taste buds and my wallet a break. I doubt I will quite buying cigars, I'll just not be smoking them. I need to work on refilling my desktop and also work on buying a few boxes that I'm dying to get my hands on.

So has anyone else had this problem?

 

[mdwest]

Not to the extreme that you are describing... but yes.. I have times that I know I "need a break" and will not smoke for a week or two.. mostly its boredom for me I think.. and I just need to change the pace a little bit.. typically I will pick up pipes a little bit more during the "down time" from cigars though.. so I really dont cut out smoking.. so much as I am altering my patterns a little bit... happens maybe once or twice a year for me.. I also typically take a little bit of a break (or at least slow the pace down considerably) during the winter months.. I enjoy smoking at the B&M/Lounge.. but dont have a whole lot of time for that.. and cant stand sitting out in the cold.. that usually helps give the taste buds a little bit of recovery time.... and is also when I do a whole lot of humidor restocking..

 

[D Quintero]

just fell off the wagon this weekend, @8wks - longest in years ...

like Curtis , ' i got it on me ' but have been quite preoccupied as of late

Thanks !

 

[Smoqman]

and cant stand sitting out in the cold.. that usually helps give the taste buds a little bit of recovery time.... and is also when I do a whole lot of humidor restocking..

Can you believe this guy? "cold".......... :skew::skew::skew::skew::skew::skew::skew::skew::skew::skew::smokingbo

 

[mdwest]

lol.. cant really complain about today's high of 46

not looking forward to the high 20's that Jan and Feb normally bring though...

you guys can keep that "really cold" stuff up north.. anything below 30 and I begin to weep like a baby...

 

[Smoqman]

lol.. Cant really complain about today's high of 46

not looking forward to the high 20's that jan and feb normally bring though...

You guys can keep that "really cold" stuff up north.. Anything below 30 and i begin to weep like a baby...

i'm weeping already!!!!!

 

[Stillinger]

I'm a fan of moderation. When I start to smoke too much, I just take a break for a week or two. It's a reward, and more power to those who enjoy it daily, but I like to limit it to once a week, maximum. Special occasions of course don't fit.

 

[ENV]

I love the cold but it does take away from the smoking experience. I am smoking 1-2 per week but I know when it gets to true winter months it will likely be less or more visits to lounge.

 

[Smoqman]

I'm a fan of moderation. When I start to smoke too much, I just take a break for a week or two. It's a reward, and more power to those who enjoy it daily, but I like to limit it to once a week, maximum. Special occasions of course don't fit.

^^ This

 

[sofc]

Have taken two months off from smoking for the past few years.

But I smoke a little more than once a week.

 

[Smoqman]

To the OP:

I too have had it happen to me that slightly different profile smokes end up tasting the same - to combat this, I've considered and implemented some of the following:

- make sure your mouth feels good before smoking. If you have any lingering taste, or cottonmouth, chewing on your cheek, etc... that can really prevent your palate from tasting the goodness in that particular smoke
- consider any changes you've made such as a new toothpaste you're trying, any medications (OTC or Prescrip) as these can inhibit what our olfactory senses are trying to tell us about the cigar
- sleep more (don't we all wish)
- stress: use the cigar experience as something relaxing or celebratory
- don't waste a cigar if you aren't really in the mood for one - I rarely get to taste a really good chocolate torte - so when the opportunity arises, I relish it - as I do a fine cigar
- switch to good lanceros (or something completely different from what you usually prefer) if you haven't done so in the past. Rupe explained to me how such stogies use more if the "best" part of the tobacco leaf, and coming from my preferred large ring-gauge, JDN type profile cigars to a Cain Lancero, was a real awakening for my palate.

Just some thoughts....

 

[gui_tarzan]

You know what's best for you. The only break I've taken in the last couple of years was for three weeks last winter when I was sick and a couple of days when I got sick again in November. But I'm not a 3-5 cigar a day kind of guy, I may have two or three full ones throughout a day off but normally I'll only go through one to maybe two a day otherwise. My biggest issue is I let them go out all the time, especially when I'm busy so I may not smoke one from start to finish unless I'm on a long drive or at a cigar shop.

 

[Donk]

Yeah I've been more like 2 cigars a day, sometimes 3. I have an hour and a 1.5 hr drive to and from work each day. so I smoke during my drive. Then of coarse a couple on the weekends. So all and all I'm smoking 12 + a week. So That's quite a few cigars and quite a bit of cost. Even though my favorite driving cigar is only like $6.00 it still adds up. So that is why I'm going for like 3 months. Let my taste buds get corrected, break my current driving/cigar habit and restock humidors. Wow that is a lot of cigar smoking. I never really did the math before!

 

[mdwest]

Yeah.. thats a pounding on the taste buds for sure.. (as well as the wallet).. When Im smoking "a lot".. its probably 6-8 a week... a light week is 3-4.. and it still gets time consuming and expensive (and can burn the taste buds out over time..

 

[UnBanded]

Involuntary break...typical Michigan-sinus issues have me sidelined since Thanksgiving.

 

[MUNKY]

A large glass of water with slice of lemon and 4 mint leaves works every time. Then again I only smoke 1 small light cigar and one dark a day lol!

 

[stukibuilt]

I'm definitely in the indulgence not compulsion crowd. I used to smoke cigarettes and don't enjoy feeling nicotine dependent. I smoke one or two a week on my own, and sometimes more if I'm hanging out with other brothers and grilling on the weekends. I still buy more than I will likely smoke, but that's part of the fun because then I can share with my buddies. It's not abnormal for me to go a week or two without a stick, but I've noticed since I started hitting CCs more regularly I don't feel my taste getting burnt as quickly, ie I can smoke a couple in a day and not have a lingering flavor distort the next. I know a lot of guys who smoke daily, but my schedule doesn't allow for it even if I wanted to. As far as the cold, I'm a 10th generation Floridian, so if it's 50 degrees it's cold to me... Hahaha