Cigar Tips & Facts
Here is a handy list of cigar tips for the aspiring cigar connoisseur. If there is a cigar tip that you think should be on the list, let us know by contacting us.Storage
Aging a cigar is a matter of personal taste. Some prefer fresh cigars, those rolled within the last six months – others will age their cigars a full five to six years before smoking them. Whatever you decide, be it 20 years or more, cigars should be kept in a controlled environment, between 70 to 72 degrees with 70 percent humidity.If different types of cigars are stored together in the same humidor, they may take on each others’ flavors. It can get expensive to purchase humidors for each of your favorite brands/types, so make sure your humidor has dividers.
If you find that you’ve purchased more cigars than your humidor can handle, store them in your freezer in a plastic bag or container with a lid. Two to three days before the planned smoke move them to your refrigerator’s crisper bin. An additional day in a humidor will be best.
A dry cigar will burn too hot and ruin its flavor. To re-moisturize, place your cigars in a humidor that hasn’t been charged in the last week for two or three days. Fill the humidification system half way and let them lay for a week before fully charging the humidity regulator; this will prevent them from getting too moist too quickly.
Smoking
Selecting a beverage to accompany fine cigars is a matter of personal taste, which will vary depending on the occasion. The tradition is a fine cognac or brandy; the clean, crisp flavor of these liquers perfectly compliment the smooth flavor of a premium hand-rolled cigar. Alternates include Port (its sweetness blends splendidly if you choose a full-bodied smoke), single-malt Scotch, Bourbon and Wine. If you prefer non-alcoholic beverages, try fruit juice or a favorite cola--both do quite well to cleanse the palate between puffs.Do not smoke a cigar as you would a cigarette. Take your time--savor the taste, the aroma; if you smoke too fast you’ll develop a burned taste in your cigar. One or two puffs per minute should be enough to keep it lit.
Do not inhale any smoke and never swallow the residue of any tobacco product; it will make you ill.
Etiquette
Never light another’s cigar; the smoker will most likely draw in too hard, which is bad for a cigar, so offer your lighter or matches to them.Label on, or off? That is a long standing debate that has no clear end in sight. Leaving it on allows people to see what you’re smoking (Oh! I see you smoke Don Collins, have you another ?). Removing the label takes a little practice. They are glued on, and you don’t want to tear the wrapper. You should smoke the cigar a bit to warm it up, then carefully remove the band.
Smelling a cigar is frowned upon in most cigar stores. It is better to test its quality by lightly grasping it – but take care to not hold it too tightly or else you’ll crack it.
Ashes. Don’t wait too long to knock them loose; you don’t want it to end up smudging your clothing, tablecloth or carpeting. Keep an eye out for a small crack in the ash, then tap into an ashtray.
You don’t have to grind out your cigar in an ashtray because it will go out on its own very quickly. If you do, you could wind up releasing even more odors into the air.
Be considerate of non-smokers. When you find yourself in a non-smoking area, put out the cigar or move to a designated smoking area if asked. If you’re dining or relaxing in an establishment that allows cigar smoking, it is your privilege to continue; should a patron question your right, let the management handle it.
Are you curious about the different types of cigars? We provide you with sound, practical, cigar related information and advice to help guide you through the satisfying world of cigars. From the beginner smoker just learning to appreciate the finer aspects, to the aficionado, we have something for everyone.
Restoring Dry Cigars
* If a cigar has become dry and the wrapper has not cracked and unraveled, then it can be restored.* If the wrapper has actually broken then the cigar should be discarded.
Although dry cigars could be brought back to an acceptable smoking condition, they will probably never be as good as they originally were.
Remove from any cellophane wrappers, cedar or aluminum tubes before any restoration process. If they are not excessively dry, the box with its lid open should be placed inside a large walk-in humidor or, if one is not available, in a cellar or similar dampish location, where they can be exposed slowly to dampness, as close to 70 percent humidity as possible.
After two or three days the top and bottom rows should be interchanged and should remain in that position for another two or three days.
If you do not have a walk-in humidor or cellar then you can probably undertake a similar process using two ziplock plastic bags. Firstly, puncture the smaller bag with many little holes and then insert the open box and close the bag. Place that bag, now containing the cigars, into a larger ziplock bag containing a wrung out slightly damp sponge. Seal the second bag. This method of using ziplock bags has been suggested by Lew Rothman, owner of JR Cigars of America, one of the world's largest retailers.
After four to six days the cigars should be removed from their box and exposed to the full humidity. Sometimes small water bubbles may appear under the wrapper, but there is nothing to fear as long as you give the cigars a 25 percent rotation every two or three, days.
At the end of the treatment the wrappers will again look and feel smooth with only the normal gentle crackling sound when the cigars are pressed between fingers. They can then be returned to their original box. If you use the ziplock bags, ensure the wrung-out sponge is just damp, not excessively wet.
When the cigars are not too dry they can sometimes be restored by simply wrapping the closed box in a damp (not wet) towel for about two weeks.
After treatment it is best to leave cigars for six to 12 months for the three components (filler, binder and wrapper) again to equilibrate before smoking. Just check on their condition every three months.
This is an extract from Rudman's Complete Pocket Guide To Cigars - 4th Edition
Refrigerating Cigars
If cigars are to be stored in a refrigerator, they must be put inside a sealed plastic ziplock bag, otherwise they will absorb adjacent food flavors.The average temperature ihn a normal household refrigerator is about 35°F - far too cold, inhibiting any maturing or development of the tobacco and resulting in a slow deterioration.
Wrapper Colors
Cigar wrappers come in various shades as follows:Candela
Green color that was first popularized in the United States in the 1800's and early 1900's.Claro
Pale to light brown. The Classic color of Connecticut shade grown tobacco wrapper. This color can also be referred to as naturalColorado Claro
Darker brown in color and similar to a Cameroon wrapper from West Africa.Colorado
Reddish brown wrapper most often seen in well aged and mature cigars.Colorado Maduro
Dark brown wrapper, usually seen on cigars produced in Honduras, Nicaragua and sometimes in Cuba.Double Claro
Greenish-brown wrapper that produces a somewhat light and bland taste.Maduro
Dark, almost coffee like color associated with full flavored and slightly sweet tasting cigars.Oscuro
Strong flavored wrapper tobacco produced in Mexico, Brazil and Nicaragua.
