I quite fancy an antisocial new hobby.

Now, I'm not sure I can commit to smoking full time so I thought I'd have a go with a cigar, but don't know owt about them.

Where do I start?

Don't, unless you want to smell really badly and look a right punter

You could take up lawn bowls and start smoking a pipe. They are the perfect combination…

Don't, unless you want to smell really badly and look a right punter

I quite fancy an antisocial new hobby

Surely?

how about bmx or skateboarding.

My legs are in a right state from years of skating, so thats out.

Did think about a pipe, but don't think they are obnoxious enough.

noteeth, good point.

Find a good local tobbaconist and ask there, start with something mild and read up, lots of info and some decent forums out there, try to avoid the USA forums as they miss out on the whole Cuban cigar range, ait can get expensive, especially if you get into hunmidors and collecting a few for the future, not to anti social either, I save mine for special occasions

start small and mild. ignore all those cheap machine made panatellas. cuban and dominican are the best imho. don't buy unless you are going to smoke it soon after because keeping them fresh is awkward without a proper humidor and despite what people will tell you a plastic box with a bit of potato in it is not good enough! get the shop to cut it for you if you don't have a cutter of your own and don't use a zippo to light it with but use a long wooden match.
don't draw to hard as it will start to 'cone' it should burn evenly.
expect to pay between £7-£20 for something decent. any less and you aren't smoking a proper cigar.

i have a couple of humidors full of cubans finest but i hardly smoke them nowadays as they take up an hour and a half of your time so restricted to summer weddings and BBQ's.
like wine they get better with age and i have some 10 year old monte no2's that are wonderful with a glass of rum.

Thats kind of the advice I was after, ta.

Not sure if I can start mild, sounds like its a test of me hardness.

http://www.cgars.com sells 'beginner packs' etc and has a wealth of information on where to start.

Not sure if I can start mild, sounds like its a test of me hardness.

just more subtle flavours. i personally like monte's and partagus but not something i would recommend for your first smoke. an H Upman or ramon allones would be my choice, or if you don't fancy splashing the cash then a vegas robaina famoso would be ideal (famoso is the size like a thinner robusto)

Whereabouts are you? Plenty of good places in that London's famour London for big cigs.

Start mild. REALLY, trust us on this. If you bosh straight out on to a Monte AA, you'll be off your nuts and the colour of that green Mojo in the Stif ad up there!

Upmann are a great starter, and still one of my long term favourites.

Tubed cigars are a great option if you don't have a humidor.

Country Life (yes, I know…!) has an excellent cigar piece every week or so, well worth a read.