When it comes to celebrating birthdays, most people serve cake. At a wedding, you’ll often receive a glass of champagne to toast the happy couple. But when it’s just the guys, out on the town for a bachelor party, it’s time to break out the cigars.
If you’re in charge of planning this big night out, be sure to include a sampler box of cigars. This allows you to offer a variety of smokes that hopefully meet everyone’s tastes. Just as the guys probably won’t all drink the same beverage, neither will they all want the same smoke.
Cigars can be categorized as mild, medium or full-bodied. This is the way to describe the cigar’s strength and flavor, just as you would describe the body of a particular wine.
Mild cigars are light and, as such, have a lighter flavor. Medium cigars offer more flavor than a mild cigar, but they are not overpowering the way some full-bodied smokes can be. (And remember that the term “overpowering” is not necessarily a bad thing. What is overpowering to some smokers will be a rich smoke for others.)
Full-bodied cigars have the maximum flavor and strength.
You’ll also want to consider the size of the cigars you’re offering in your sampler. Cigars are measured by their length in inches and their diameter by the ring gauge. The ring gauge is based on 64ths of an inch. This means a 32 ring gauge is a half-inch in diameter, a 48 ring gauge is three-quarters of an inch, and so on.
Some of your choice of sizes include the petite cigar, which is about 4 ½ inches long with a 40 to 42 ring gauge. The Churchill (named for the famous cigar-smoking Sir Winston Churchill) is 7 inches long with a 48 gauge. A Robusto is a short Churchill, only 5 inches to 5 ½ inches in length with a 50 ring gauge. At the top is a Double Coronoa, which measures 7 ½ inches and a 52 gauge.
Another way to ensure a good selection of cigars is to look for tobaccos grown around the world. Today’s smoker can find handmade and handrolled cigars made with tobacco grown in Africa, Mexico, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica and Dominican Republic. A good cigar will blend up to five tobaccos from fields around the globe in an effort to produce a world-class cigar.
Of course you can only judge a cigar by smoking it. And even then, your taste will differ from other smokers’. But if you want specific advice on your selections, go to the experts who offer cigar reviews based on the following five qualities:
Overall appearance. Is the color of the wrapper consistent? Is the shape uniform? Is the wrapper oily or does the leaf have a sheen?
Draw. This measures the ease or difficulty you’ll have drawing smoke through the cigar.
Burn rate. Not only does this judge the speed of the smoke, it also looks for an even burn. You do not want your fine cigars to go up in smoke before you have time to enjoy them.
Construction. The way a cigar is assembled can greatly affect the way it smokes. It should not be too loose or too tight. And the cigar should not come unwrapped while you’re smoking it.
Taste. A lot goes into judging the taste of a cigar. First there is the cigar’s actual taste: light, powerful, smooth, bitter, etc. But taste also takes into considering the point at which you experience the taste. Is it half way through the cigar? Or did you experience it throughout the smoke? Did the smoke start out pleasant, but turn bitter before you finished it?
Another way to assemble your sampler of cigars is to include several cigar makers. That way you can try the best of several different brands. The following list represents 11 cigars made by such cigar makers as Palsencia, Rocky Patel and others.
1.Aspira Corojo Robusto Natural (4¾ X 50, which means 4 ¾ inches long and a 50 ring gauge) 2.Don Tomas Special Edition #300 Natural (5 X 50) 3.Aspira Corojo Robusto Natural (4¾ x 50) 4.Don Tomas Special Edition #300 Natural (5 x 50) 5.Famous Nic. Corojo Robusto Natural (5 x 52) 6.Georges Reserve Robusto Natural (5 x 50) 7.Olor Rothschild Natural (4½ x 50) 8.Plasencia Reserva Robusto Natural (4¾ x 52) 9.RP American Market Robusto Natural (5½ x 50) 10.Rafael Gonzalez Robusto Natural (5½ x 50) 11.Rocky Patel Honduran Robusto Natural (5½ x 54)
After you’ve assembled your sampler, relax and enjoy the evening. Your guests may not agree on which cigar is the best, but with a good variety, you’re helping to make this a night they will long remember.
Richie Matthews is a freelance writer who writes about luxury items such cigars
While the one I smoked for this review was beautiful, these have been hit and miss recently. I’ve had some that look like absolute crap. They shouldn’t have even left the factory. Read more at www.cigarjack.net
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Starting up a new hobby can be intimidating. Going golfing for the first time with a bunch of guys who have been doing it for years can make a beginner feel self-conscious about his lack of prowess on the links. People just learning to play guitar will go for years refusing to play in front of others. Even someone learning to cook might be embarrassed to share a less than savory meal with his family.
Some people might not consider smoking cigars a hobby, but it certainly is a pastime and it has its own intricacies just like anything else. There are traditions and faux pas when it comes to smoking cigars that any old puffer at the country club will notice and call you out on in a heartbeat.
Good-natured as the ribbing may be, it can’t hurt to brush up on some cigar “do’s and don’ts” before you have a cigar among the aficionados. Included are some suggestions for classy cigars and accessories that will show off your sense of refinement and good taste.
1. It is not a race. Smoking a cigar should be a leisure activity. The best way to start is to smoke as if it is no big deal. Take your time and enjoy it.
The Ashton Magnum is a smooth and creamy cigar that is perfect for new smokers. The aroma and flavor is remarkably consistent so you won’t ever get a bad draw. Ashton Magnums are made from Dominican leaves and shade-grown Connecticut wrappers. It is truly a cigar to be savored.
2. Trim the end of your cigar with a cigar cutter. Don’t try to bite it off with your teeth. This may look cool in the movies but it will just leave you with an unsightly and decidedly uncouth mouthful of tobacco.
The Double Blade Stainless Round Cigar Cutter from Orleans is an inexpensive yet fully functional cigar cutter. In other words, it is perfect for beginners. It works with a dual-blade guillotine action, which ensures a shred-free cut. It is housed in a durable stainless steel case for a long lifespan.
3. Don’t grind out a cigar in an ashtray. Let it go out on its own. This is a handy technique for being able to re-light a cigar later on. It is also polite to not leave the smudged out remains of tobacco scattered around in an ashtray.
In your own home, it is also nice to have a relatively clean ashtray. The Flor De Gonzalez Ashtray is made of simple black porcelain with the company’s logo in the center. It is square with resting places for your cigar in all four corners.
4. If there is less than a quarter left, let it go out in an ashtray. When a cigar starts to get that short, it will begin to lose its flavor. Nothing gold can stay. When it gets to the ¼ mark, it is time to let it go.
Another practical and stylish ashtray is the Hexagon Crystal Cigar Ashtray from Orleans. It looks incredibly luxurious for its modest price. It has wide stirrups (that’s where the cigar rests) to accommodate bigger cigars and a deep bowl for plenty of ash.
5. Don’t show off. Nothing screams amateur more than someone who makes a big deal out of smoking a cigar. Cigar holders and fancy smoking techniques are the antithesis of the cool guy casually smoking a cigar. You are allowed to blow smoke rings though. That’s a cool trick that’s not overtly flashy.
The best way to look natural smoking a cigar is to find one that you enjoy. In the beginning, it is best to start with a milder cigar and work your way up to fuller flavors. The Montecristo #1 is a legendary Cuban-inspired cigar that is made in the Dominican Republic.
6. Don’t chew on it. You are not Peter Parker’s grizzled boss at the newspaper. You are not a grunt in World War II. Unless you are being shot at or trying to ruin Spider-Man’s good name, chewing on a cigar is just plain gross.
Fine cigars can be works of art and the Griffin’s Robusto Natural is not something that you chomp away at. It has a rich and mild taste that smokers of every level can enjoy.
7. Don’t ask for a light. Seriously, you are a cigar smoker now. You should be carrying your own lighter around. In the worst case scenario, ask the bartender for a pack of matches.
The refillable Xikar EX Windproof Flame Cigar Lighter is far more practical than it sounds. It looks good and is affordable without appearing cheap or flashy. It is a functional, fantastic lighter that gets your cigar lit. What else could you want?
8. Don’t be afraid to let it go out and re-light it later. If you have spent some money on a nice cigar, there is no need to smoke it all at once and no need to waste it. Just scrape the ash off and rotate it over a flame for a moment to catch it again.
The Davidoff Millienium Churchill is a full-bodied, hearty, Dominican cigar that you won’t want to let go to waste. These cigars are top-notch and have a complex blend of aromas and flavors. Don’t be afraid to let it go out and enjoy the rest later.
9. Take your time warming up the end before you light it. This prevents you from charring the tobacco.
The Vector Vulcan Triple Flame shoots out a powerful trident flame that will allow you to perfectly light your cigar without over-toasting it.
10. Don’t smoke one after another. You are not chain smoking cigarettes here. Cigars are meant to be savored. Take your time and enjoy it. When it’s done, it’s done. Get on with your life for a while before having another.
If you find yourself enjoying your new pastime of smoking cigars, you are going to want to eventually invest in a humidor to keep them fresh. The Capri Humidor is a lovely, affordable way to keep your cigars tasting fresh for a long time.
Smoking cigars isn’t like smoking cigarettes. It is a hobby, not a habit. It is the difference between enjoying a fine glass of wine and slamming whiskey before noon. Take to heart these tips and smoke in moderation and you will be on your way in no time.
William Patterson is a freelance writer who writes about luxury items such Cigars
At the mention of humidors, people usually believe of a crate where they hold cigars. But the phrase humidors actually refer to any cell or container that is kept at continuous humidity or temperature where cigars, cigarettes, and tobacco are kept safe. These crates are often made out of different types of wood to attain the ideal humidity and temperature.
There are abundant types of humidors that can be found, Room Humidors, Cabinet Humidors, Table Humidors, Personal Humidors, and Travel Humidors. The nature would be the figure of cigars it can store at any given time.
Humidors are not just bought for their storage capacity for cigars, but they are also appreciated for their arrangements that will definitely add to the aesthetic distinctive of any room. If you’re looking to find a humidor for your personal use, there are a lot of fabricators who offer humidors for sale.
When thinking of looking through humidors for sale, one should keep in mind the attributes that will make a good humidor. First off, it should abide up to its use of keeping cigars safe, with its ability to keep constant humidity that should always be below 75%. Why is humidity or constant temperature of 20oC important in keeping cigars safe? This would be due to the tobacco beetles that like to infest and lay their eggs in cigars or tobacco if humidity is not kept at a constant. Secondly, design should be considered depending on your personal preference, there are humidors that are designed to hold enough cigars for personal use and this would be more practical rather than getting the bigger humidors designed to hold hundreds of cigar, unless of course if you’re into selling or collecting more than a desktop humidor could hold.
For prices of humidors for sale, it would greatly vary depending on the arrangement that you will choose and the size of the humidor. Personal or desktop humidors can be found priced at less than $20, and some can also run up to $100, also depending on the number of cigars it can hold.
One really good type of humidor is the one made out of Spanish-cedar wood, apart from keeping temperatures at a changeless, it can also contribute its aroma to cigars kept in it over a period of time, and this type of wood actually repels tobacco beetles, an assured plus in a humidor.
Getting a humidor is a certain plus to the cigar encounter, and getting the right one that fits your needs and personal appetite will additionally enhance this.
Vincent owns a network of stores. The inspiration for this article came from a store branch called Humidors for Sale.
This is a cigar tasting of the Puros Indios Cuban Aliados 83rd Anniversary by Brandon Salomon at Cigar Masters. a unique blend created by Reyes Sr. to honor and celebrate the over one hundred year tradition of the brand name. Aliados, meaning allied, originated in Cuba in the Nineteenth Century. The new blend will also celebrate the 83rd birthday of Don Rolando. Grandson and Vice President Carlos Diez says, This unique blend is a culmination of my Grandfather’s many years of hard work, inspiration and cigar blending experience. Anniversary is a tribute to Rolando Reyes Sr. and adds to his prestige in the worldwide cigar community. Marketing Director Frank Santos adds, Don Rolando is still going strong after all these years. This blend is a testament to his lifelong passion for tobacco. The exclusive Anniversary is a proprietary blend and is available in two wrappers: Nicaragua Corojo and Ecuador Sumatra. All tobacco in the Anniversary cigar blend is aged for at least six years. Rolando Reyes Sr. has been called the world’s most talented cigar maker. Well into his seventh decade of cigar making, he continues to use the magic of his gifted hands to create the world’s most unique sizes and blends. For more information and the latest news, visit www.purosindioscigars.com and www.cigarmasters.com
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