THE ELEGANT SMOKER

The Composition of Cigars:

Cigars are composed of three types of tobacco leaves, whose variations determine smoking and flavor characteristics:

 

• Wrappers

 

A cigar's outermost leaves, or wrapper, come from the widest part of the plant. The wrapper determines much of the cigar's character and flavor, and as such its color is often used to describe the cigar as a whole. Over 100 wrapper shades are identified by manufacturers, but the seven most common classifications are as follows, from lightest to darkest:

 

• Double Clarovery - light, slightly greenish (also called Candela, American Market Selection or jade); achieved by picking leaves before maturity and drying quickly, the color coming from retained green chlorophyll; formerly popular, now rare.

• Clarovery - light tan or yellowish. Indicative of shade-grown tobacco.

• Colorado - Claromedium brown, includes Natural and English Market Selection

• Colorado Distinctive - reddish-brown (also called Rosado or Corojo)

• Colorado Maduro - darker brown; often associated with African wrapper from Cameroon, and Honduran or Nicaraguan grown wrapper from Cuban seed.

• Maduro - Very dark brown or black; primarily grown in Connecticut, Mexico, Nicaragua and Brazil.

• Oscuro - Very black, (also called Double Maduro), often oily in appearance; has become more popular in the 2000s; mainly grown in Cuba, Nicaragua, Brazil, Mexico, and Connecticut, USA.

 

Please note that some manufactuers use another designation:

• AMS - American Market Selection, synonymous with Double Claro

• EMS - English Market Selection, typically Colorado Claro, but can refer to any color stronger than Double Claro but milder than Maduro

• SMS - Spanish Market Selection, either of the two darkest colors, Maduro and Oscuro

 

• FILLERs

 

The majority of a cigar is made up of fillers, wrapped-up bunches of leaves inside the wrapper. Fillers of various strengths are usually blended to produce desired cigar flavors. In the cigar industry this is referred to as a "blend". Many cigar manufacturers pride themselves in constructing the perfect blend(s) that will give the smoker the most enjoyment. The more oils present in the tobacco leaf, the stronger (less dry) the filler. Types range from the minimally flavored Volado taken from the bottom of the plant, through the light-flavored Seco (dry) taken from the middle of the plant, to the strong Ligero from the upper leaves exposed to the most sunlight. Fatter cigars of larger gauge hold more filler, with greater potential to provide a full body and complex flavor. However, this effect can be diminished because of the generally poorer burn characteristics of thicker cigars (greater than 50 ring gauge), and the fact that these cigars burn cooler. This can prevent the full spectrum of flavors from being easily detectable. When used, Ligero is always folded into the middle of the filler because it burns slowly.

Fillers can be either long or short; long filler uses whole leaves and is of a better quality, while short filler, also called "mixed", uses chopped leaves, stems, and other bits. Recently some manufacturers have created what they term "medium filler" cigars. They use larger pieces of leaf than short filler without stems, and are of better quality than short filler cigars. Short filler cigars are easy to identify when smoked since they often burn hotter and tend to release bits of leaf into the smoker's mouth. Long filled cigars of high quality should burn evenly and consistently. Also available is a filler called "sandwich" (sometimes "Cuban sandwich") which is a cigar made by rolling short leaf inside long outer leaf. If a cigar is completely constructed (filler, binder and wrapper) of tobacco from only one country, it is referred to in the cigar industry as a "puro" which in Spanish means "pure."

 

• BINDERs

 

Binders are elastic leaves used to hold together the bunches of fillers. Essentially, binders are wrappers that are rejected because of holes, blemishes, discoloration, or excess veins. In general, they are thicker and heartier than their wrapper leaf counterparts.

 

 

FLAVORs:

Each brand and type of cigar tastes different. While the wrapper does not entirely determine the flavor of the cigar, darker wrappers tend to produce a sweetness, while lighter wrappers usually have a "drier" taste. Whether a cigar is mild, medium, or full bodied does not correlate with quality. Some words used to describe cigar flavor and texture include; spicy, peppery (red or black), sweet, harsh, burnt, green, earthy, woody, cocoa, chestnut, roasted, aged, nutty, creamy, cedar, oak, chewy, fruity, and leathery. Cigar smoke, which is not typically inhaled, tastes of tobacco with nuances of other tastes. Many different things affect the scent of cigar smoke: tobacco type, quality of the cigar, added flavors, age and humidity, production method (handmade vs. machine-made) and more. A fine cigar can taste completely different from inhaled cigarette smoke. When smoke is inhaled, as is usual with cigarettes, the tobacco flavor is less noticeable than the sensation from the smoke. Some cigar enthusiasts use a vocabulary similar to that of wine-tasters to describe the overtones and undertones observed while smoking a cigar. Journals are available for recording personal ratings, description of flavors observed, sizes, brands, etc. Cigar tasting is in such respects very similar to wine-tasting.

 

 

SIZE & SHAPEs:

Cigars are commonly categorized by the size and shape of the cigar, which together are known as the vitola.

The size of a cigar is measured by two dimensions: its ring gauge (its diameter in sixty-fourths of an inch) and its length (in inches).

 

• PAREJO

 

Parejo is the most common shape, sometimes called "coronas", which have traditionally been the benchmark against which all other cigar formats are measured. They have a cylindrical body, straight sides, one end open, and a round tobacco-leaf "cap" on the other end. This is the end which must be cut in order to smoke the cigar. This will be covered further a bit later. Parejos are designated by the following terms:

 

      Term                               Length (Metric)         Ring Gauge in 64ths (Metric)

 

• Rothschild                   4.5" (11 cm)               48 (19 mm)                 • named after the Rothschild family

• Robusto                        4.875" (12 cm)          50 (20 mm)

• Small Panatela           5" (13 cm)                  33 (13 mm)

• Petit Corona                5.125" (13 cm)          42  (17 mm)

• Carlota                          5.625" ( 14 cm)         35 (14 mm)

• Corona                          5.25" (14 cm)            42 (17 mm)

• Corona Gorda             5.625" (14cm)           46 (18 mm)

• Panatela                       6" (15 cm)                 38 (15 mm)

• Toro                               6" (15 cm)                 50 (20 mm)

• Corona Grande           6.125" (16 cm)         42 (17 mm)

• Lonsdale                      6.25" (17 cm)            42  (17 mm)                • named for Hugh Cecil Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale

• Churchill                      7" (18 cm)                  47-50 (19–20 mm)      • named for Sir Winston Churchill

• Double Corona           7.625" (19 cm)          49 (19 mm)

• Presidente                  8" (20 cm)                  50 (20 mm)

• Gran Corona               9.25" (23 cm)            47  (19 mm)

• Double Toro/Gordo   6" (15 cm)                 60  (24 mm)

 

These dimensions are, at best, idealized. Actual dimensions can vary considerably.

 

• FIGURADO

 

Irregularly shaped cigars are known as figurados, and are sometimes considered of higher quality as they are more difficult to make.

Historically, especially during the 19th century, figurados were the most popular shapes; however, by the 1930s they had fallen out of fashion and all but disappeared. They have, however, recently received a small resurgence in popularity, and there are currently many brands (manufacturers) that produce figurados alongside the simpler parejos. One Cuban cigar brand, Cuaba, only has figurados in their range. Figurados include the following:

 

       Term                                         Description

 

• Torpedo                                  Like a parejo except that the cap is pointed.

• Pyramid                                  Has a broad foot and evenly narrows to a pointed cap.

• Perfecto                                  Narrow at both ends and bulged in the middle.

• Presidente/Diadema           Shaped like a parejo, considered a figurado due to its enormous size & occasional closed foot akin to a perfecto.

• Culebras                                 Three long, pointed cigars braided together.

• Tuscan/Toscano/Cheroot   The typical Italian cigar, long, tough, slim cigar thicker in the middle and tapered at the ends.

• Chisel                                       Like the Torpedo, but instead of coming to a rounded point, comes to a flatter, broader edge, like an actual                                                                                             chisel. Patented and can only be found in the La Flor Dominicana brand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I found this while scouring the internet. It's a fantastic overview of everything you need to know about cigars. Credit to cigaraffection.com

 

 

CIGAR SMOKING HISTORICAL FIGURES:

• Sigmund Freud (founder of Psychoanalysis)

• Winston Churchill (United Kingdom Prime Minister, the Churchill shape named in his honour, invented dunking cigar in port wine or brandy)

• Fidel Castro (Cuban Revolutionist, Cohiba became his personal brand although he quit smoking in the 80's to promote a healthier Cuba)

• Che Guevara (Cuban Revolutionist)

• King Edward VII (King of England, his Mother Queen Victoria despised him smoking, has a cheap brand named after him)

• Ulysses S. Grant (United States President, only President to die of cancer)

• Mark Twain (American writer)

• Rush Limbaugh (American talk show host)

• Bill Crosby (American Comedian)

• Bill Clinton (United States President, enjoys cigars priced at over $1,000)

• Chad Ochocinco (Ex-American Football player)

• Michael Jordan (Ex-American Basketball/Baseball player)

 

 

Storing YOUR CIGARs:

Something that's massively important and quite often ignored is how a cigar is stored and handled after it's made. Proper cigar storage is crucial to keeping your sticks in a quality condition. If you do not store cigars properly, you could encounter some of the following problems:

 

• Uneven or too rapid of a burn

• Harsh or bitter taste

• Broken/Unraveled wrapper

• Difficulty lighting or keeping the cigar lit

• Mold

• Tiny holes in your cigars, a sign of tobacco bettle infestation, which is very bad

 

These problems are easily prevented by keeping your cigars in a humidor below the maximum temperature of 73°F (23°C) and between 68-74% humidity. Ideal conditions are roughly 70°F (21°C) and 70% humidity (the 70/70 rule), but this can be adjusted for warmer or colder temperatures. Cigars can be kept for decades if stored correctly. Cigars kept outside of a humidor may last 1-2 weeks depending on your climate, but make sure that you keep them in a sealed plastic bag.

 

• Humidors

 

A humidor is any kind of box or room with constant humidity that is used to store cigars, cigarettes, or pipe tobacco. The concept of a humidor is simple; mimic the natural tropical environment found in many cigar native countries, although humidors can be used to store other goods for which a certain level of humidity is desirable; the Colorado Rockies Major League Baseball team stores game balls in a large humidor at their home stadium, Coors Field, to counteract the effects of Denver's high altitude and generally low humidity. The outside of the humidor simply boils down to taste, as the design or color has nothing to do with the condition of your cigars.  Always keep in mind that a humidor doesn’t have to be a richly finished box that sets you back a handful of hard earned cash. Humidors appear in many different forms from jars, cooler-adors, rigged cigar boxes and plastic containers. As long as your cigars maintain the proper humidity and temperature, your cigars are safe. Just keep in mind the longer you want to age or store your cigars, the more sound the unit the better. Make sure you choose a humidor that is large enough for the quantity of cigars you wish to keep and that has good construction and a tight seal. Units that advertise SureSeal technology are always a safe bet. Look for units lined with kiln-dried Spanish cedar. This wood is great at expanding and contracting during fluctuations in humidity, as well as being naturally resistant to mold. If you overfill your humidor two things can happen. First, not all of your cigars will receive the proper amount of humidity due to the lack of circulation. This will result in some cigars receiving too much moisture, and others not enough. The second could be that your cigars may begin to dry out completely. As a general rule of thumb, only fill your humidor to about 3/4 capacity (a few more is ok) as this will allow for ample circulation and humidification.  For private use, small wooden or acrylic glass humidor boxes for a few dozen cigars are used, while cigar shops may have walk-in humidors. Humidors of all sizes use hygrometers to keep track of the humidity levels. Most humidors will include a hygrometer and humidifier, but you can also purchase these devices separately. 

 

Classification of Humidors             Description

 

• Walk-in humidor                   Most common in cigar bars or stores. One room is built as or converted to a humidor where all the cigars are stored

• Cabinet humidor                  Usually placed on the floor as a piece of furniture. Typically holds between 1000-5000 cigars

• Table humidor                       Often quite heavy, though portable in theory, it's usually kept in one location. Capacity ranges from three hundred to a          

                                                         few thousand cigars. It usually comes with a polished wood exterior, marble, leather or combination of exotic elements, and glass                                                          top.

• Personal humidor                 Semi-regular cigar smokers will sometimes keep a small humidor in their homes for personal storage, special events, or aesthetic                                                    characteristics of the humidor itself . Usually contains 20-75 cigars. This may also be known as a "Desktop Humidor"

• Travel humidor                      Portable and made for carrying cigars enough for the outing or event, usually 2 to 10 cigars.

 

 

Each humidor has to be seasoned after being bought or having been out of use for a while. The seasoning process brings the wood inside the humidor close to the relative humidity level that it will be operating at so that the wood itself will buffer moisture. This can be done using different techniques including placing a small container of distilled water inside the humidor and allowing the wood to absorb the evaporated moisture for 1 to 3 days. Another technique involves wiping down the entire inside wood with a lightly soaked cloth, although this method is not recommended because the wood may warp. After the wood has been wiped a small container of distilled water is stored inside or a lightly soaked surgical sponge on top of plastic is stored in the humidor until the wood is sufficiently humidified to 65-72% realtive humidity. An unseasoned humidor will absorb humidity from the closed environment, which in turn will reduce the humidity of the cigars to the point of drying them out. Do not keep your cigars in the refrigerator as it will suck out the moisture content of your sticks. Freezing your cigars is an extreme measure to be used only in case of bug infestation at the risk of damaging the cigars. It's best to check the humidity of your humidor with a hydrometer every 3 to 4 days.

 

 

• Humidifiers & hydrometers

A humidifer is a device that adds humidity to an enviroment. A hygrometer is a small guage that measures relative humidity.
It is best to use distilled water in your humidor and also maintain regular checks every 3-4 days.

 

To check if the hygrometer is reading correctly, use the salt method to test its calibration. Luckily, as nature would have it, when salt and water are in a saturated solution at equilibrium, the resultant humidity is 75%. This gives a fantastic reference point to calibrate your hygrometer. There is an easy way to determine if your hygrometer is accurate. Here's the procedure you should use:

 

You'll need a ziploc bag, a screw-on beer bottle cap (or other small container) a small amount of salt (regular 'ole table salt), and water.

• Place the salt in the bottle cap (or other small container).

• Dampen the salt with water. Do not put so much in that the salt gets "sloppy". You want a damp pile of salt in the bottle cap.

• Place both the hygrometer and the bottle cap full of damp salt in the ziploc bag and seal it well. (It is important not to let air on or out while the test is going on.)

• Keep it like this for over 8 hours.

• After 8 hours in the damp salt environment, the actual humidity inside the bag will be 75%. Compare it to your hygrometer, your hygrometer should also read 75%. If not, you will then know exactly how far off your hygrometer is. If it's off, note the amount and direction that it actually reads and be sure to add or subtract that amount when reading the hygrometer. If the hygrometer has a control to adjust it (either the needle or the display), you can set the hygrometer to 75% immediately after the test.You should salt test your hygrometer every 6 months or so to be sure of the accuracy.

 

 

CUTTING YOUR CIGAR:

Although some cigars are cut on both ends, or twirled at both ends, the vast majority come with one straight cut end and one end in a "cap". Most quality handmade cigars, regardless of shape, will have a cap which is one or more small pieces of a wrapper pasted onto one end of the cigar with either a natural tobacco paste or with a mixture of flour and water. The cap end of a cigar must be cut off for the cigar to be smoked properly. It is the rounded end without the tobacco exposed, and this is the end one should always cut. If the cap is cut jaggedly or without care, the end of the cigar will not burn evenly and smokeable tobacco will be lost. Some cigar manufacturers purposely place different types of tobacco from one end to the other to give the cigar smokers a variety of tastes, body and strength from start to finish. Smoking a cigar from the wrong end may result in a bad experience. There are three basic types of cigar cutters (along with a few other styles):

 

• Guillotine (Straight cut)

• Punch cut

• V-cut (a.k.a. Notch cut, Cat's Eye, Wedge cut, English cut)

 

 

LIGHTING YOUR CIGAR:

The "head" of the cigar is usually the end closest to the cigar band. The opposite end of the cigar is called the "foot". The band identifies the type, or brand, of the cigar and may be removed or left on. The smoker cuts the cap from the head of the cigar and ignites the foot of the cigar. The smoker draws smoke from the head of the cigar with the mouth and lips, usually not inhaling into the lungs.

 

When lighting, the cigar should be rotated to achieve an even burn and the air should be slowly drawn with gentle puffs. A flame that may impart its own flavor to the cigar should not be used (so no cigarette lighters! Use butane lighters or matches). The tip of the cigar should minimally touch the flame, the heat of the flame from a butane or torch lighter can burn the tobacco leafs. A match or cedar spill flame is a milder flame to be used.

Cigars can be lit with the use of butane-filled lighters. Butane is colorless, odorless and burns clean with very little, if any, flavor; but are quite hot as a flame source. It is not recommended to use (lighter) fluid-filled lighters and paper matches since they can influence the taste. A second option is wooden matches, but the smoker must ensure the chemical head of the match has burned away and only the burning wooden section is used to light the cigar. A third and most traditional way to light a cigar is to use a cedar spill. A spill is a splinter or a slender piece of wood or twisted paper, for lighting candles, lamps, campfires or fireplaces, etc. A cedar spill for lighting a cigar is a torn narrow strip of Spanish cedar (ideally) and lit using whatever flame source is handy. Cigars packaged in boxes or metal tubes may contain a thin wrapping of cedar that may be used to light a cigar, minimizing the problem of lighters or matches affecting the taste. Cedar spills, matches and lighters are all commercially available at places such as Cigars International, and Thompson Cigars for American readers.

 

 

 

 

 

Please note, this information is taken from various sources including Wikipedia, and some cigar books.