Why I smoke cigars
In case you might have missed my Instagram or Facebook posts, I must inform you that I am partial to a Cigar and I have been asked on more than one occasion “why cigars ?” so as I am a slave to the public demands I thought I might share a little insight with you.
Firstly having a Cigar is in no way as dangerous to your health as a cigarette, it isn’t completely safe but the fact you don’t or should not inhale a Cigar drastically cuts down the Cancer issue also whilst it is not unusual for people to have 20 cigarettes a day it is unusual for a person to have more than one cigar a day, I rarely have more than one a week, more on that later, another major point is that cigarettes are full of additives but a good cigar is basically tobacco leaves (filler) wrapped up in a larger leaf (cigar aficionados will be cursing my dumbing down of the process but…) with no or extremely few additives.
So that kind of covers the negative health aspects of Cigars (please note when I say Cigars I am referring to proper Cigars the kind that need to be stored in a humidity and temperature controlled environment not the kind you can buy at your local newsagent), so onto the positive health benefits, what ? I hear you say, yes there are positive health benefits, perhaps I should talk about my own Cigar enjoyment and maybe that might clarify things.
As I said before I might only smoke a Cigar once a week and the reason why is because I really enjoy Cigars, I enjoy the necessity of storing them correctly, I enjoy the fact you can, with care, age them and change their character, I enjoy the ritual of cutting and lighting them correctly and the need to have the correct tools for doing that, but most of all I enjoy the almost Zen like state the smoking of the Cigar gives me, you see unlike a cigarette which can be demolished in a couple of drags, a good Cigar with take a minimum of half an hour and possibly several hours depending on the Cigar type, so you have to take the time to enjoy it, it is almost like a celebration of the fact you have the time to smoke it and its very very rare in these times that we give ourselves or take for ourselves time ONLY for ourselves, this is an a rare event and one to be cherished, an hour of me time, encapsulated by the consumption and enjoyment of a Good Cigar, a completely selfish act with one outcome, me feeling better about me and the world.
I love sitting on a windswept Irish beach, lost in a Cigar, lost in my own thoughts, lost, for a little time in me, no worries, no deep thoughts, no financial worries, no business worries, just focussed on the gorgeous flavours and aromas that live within my Cigar of choice.
That is why I enjoy my Cigars so much and also that is why I don’t smoke them that often because they and the time that I enjoy them is a very important time for my emotional and mental health, it is a very basic but very effective form of Mindfulness with the added bonus that Cigars, good Cigars that is, are a delightful blend of rich and sophisticated flavours.
I urge you to find something that works for you, that you use just for you, it is vital we spend good quality time with ourselves, after all it is all about balance,
Whether is jogging or yoga or trainspotting or meditation, just find some ME TIME, you need it and you deserve it.
As always this is just an opinion and more importantly it is only my opinion.
Whilst you are here why don’t you check out some of my Coffees and Teas, I promise you will not be disappointed
Johnny