Obviously this is being written with cigar smokers in mind. Quite often, cigar advertisements are full of words like “premium; “grand”; “Corona”; “Churchill”; or “Presidente”; but “cheap” and “little” hardly seem to fit in alongside such illustrious descriptions. Which makes one wonder why the words “cheap little cigars” has become such an advertizing buzz phrase these days?
What Does It Mean?
As Against How Do People Comprehend The Phrase?
“Little” is a straight forward (even if undefined) word telling us that something is not big. Cheap comes from an Olde English word – “chep” – that meant “market” (this in turn derived from the Latin “caupo” for a tradesman). Although the word has been in use for about 900 years and, strictly speaking, should mean that something is being offered at a low price; negative connotations have crept in over the centuries. These bring in the implications that it is only inexpensive because of its inferior quality; or, that it is of little worth because of being achieved in a discreditable way that required little effort.
Even our American dictionaries give “miserly” as a meaning for “cheap”. This, along with popular sayings like – “cheap shot”; “cheapjack” or “cheapskate” – make one wonder what could possibly be good about cheap little cigars?
But Cheap Can Be Good
We all know the difference between a cigar and a cigarette. Compared to a cigarette; cigars are traditionally much larger and much more expensive (especially the original cigars which were rolled by hand). Cigarette smoke is intended to be inhaled to provide a “buzz” from the nicotine; cigar smoke should be enjoyed for its taste and aroma. Because of size and the use of whole leaf tobacco in cigars; they take considerably longer to smoke than cigarettes.
And Little Also Has Its Good Points
When it was fashionable for the ladies to leave the dining table at the end of a formal meal so that the gentlemen could enjoy their cigars; taking an hour to smoke one was quite acceptable. However, given today’s attitudes towards smoking in general; where someone wanting a smoke has to take them self away to a designated area; they might not want to stay there longer than five minutes or so. Ask any cigar smoker about the taste when a cigar has been lit once, extinguished and then relit; they do not appreciate such action. However, if they have a little cigar; then they can smoke it to the end within a few minutes.
Additionally, little cigars can be mass produced on machinery which makes their prices much lower. This explains why so many people now-a-days, like to Buy Cheap Little Cigars and these might be the only type of tobacco product that they choose to smoke.
