What do you do when your cigar stops burning like this…
And starts burning like this…?
photo courtesy stogiesontherocks.com
Few things throw off the cigar smoking experience like a canoed burn. There are a few ways to correct this issue that don’t involve throwing your cigar into the backyard in a rage. Here are a few suggestions, one of which you may not be familiar with, but first, a few “do nots” of touching up your cigar.
Do nots of touching-up a cigar:
1. If you are using a flame to touch-up the cigar, be careful not to burn the wrapper of the cigar with the flame. So much of the flavor comes from the wrapper that burning it prematurely will release the flavors oils on the wrapper, and therefore the flavor. Don’t let it happen!
2. Don’t clip your cigar just because you’ve had a burn that gets uneven. It is totally unnecessary.
A few ways to touch up our cigar:
1. Traditional flame approach: hold the cigar close enough to the match where the overhanging part of the wrapper slowly smokes and turns to ash, but do not let the cigar touch the flame. This will ensure that the wrapper doesn’t light on fire and prematurely burn.
Depending on how uneven the burn is, it is possible that the cigar has actually drifted from being completely lit, so it may be important to actually relight the cigar.
2. Using the purge to straighten the burn: One of the lesser known ways of straightening the burn is simply by pushing air outward through the cigar 2 or 3 times, then pulling in. Pushing air through the cigar not only purges the cigar and improves flavor, but it also pushes the ember in the cigar forward and out, catching the pieces of the binder and wrapper that weren’t burning before.
A tip here though: don’t purge too hard or you risk pushing the ash off of the cigar, which could complicate the burn even more. Pushing too hard could also overheat the ember and crack the binder/wrapper.
3. Using a torch lighter: The same principle as with a match. Aim the torch at the uneven wrapper/binder elements, and without lighting the whole cigar on fire, gently burn even the burn.
4. Turning the uneven portion so that it faces downward: I’ve always found this trick to touching-up my cigar to be pretty non-effective, but you’ll find cigar smokers on forums all over the place that swear by it as a method. Just don’t hold on to this method for too long. If it doesn’t work, try a purge, then pull out your lighter.
For cigar smokers, the question of the health risks of cigars is an often-debated topic. Beyond debate, however, is the sad fact that when you smoke irresponsibly, tragedy can be the result.
This was the case for Lyn Baumeister, who was killed after her husband’s discarded cigar caught fire in a trash can. The fire spread to the sofa, and the toxic fumes released by the combustion killed Mrs. Baumeister and her seven month old black lab.
“The chair had been set alight by a cigar discarded by her former partner George, with whom she still lived. He had stubbed it into an ashtray and then into a waste paper basket. He then left for work, unaware it was still smouldering…
She left three children and six grandchildren.”
This tragic story should remind every cigar smoker that when you are done with a cigar, DO NOT PUT IT IN A GARBAGE CAN. Simply set it down in your ash tray, ember towards the center, and let it go out to avoid risk of an ember catching. And if you are smoking inside, take the extra precaution and take your cigar outside.
It is really hard to hate a cigar lounge. From the beginning of the experience (saying hello and picking out a cigar) to the final puff and the stroll back outside, the experience is meant to help us relax and enjoy the art and elegance of the leaf. That doesn’t mean that this thoughtfully designed experience is always a sanctuary from stress. Most veteran cigar smokers have seen the experience soiled by loud and idiotic patrons, rude shop owners, and a whole slew of other distractions. So, what exactly is it that pisses us off?
In order to come up with the list below, I took to our social networks, particularly our Facebook page, and asked our audience what their biggest lounge pet peeves are. I also dropped by Twitter and the Reddit cigar community (r/cigars) and was given some great insight.
If you are a new cigar smoker heading to a lounge or just hoping to get through the cigar bar experience without alienating your boss and his heavy-hitting friends, this might be a helpful list of things NOT to do next time you are out at a lounge.
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13 Ways to Make Everyone at a Cigar Lounge Hate You
1. Lick the wrapper of your cigar before having it cut.
This tradition of licking the wrapper before lighting is really a vestige of a forgotten past when cigars were not humidified properly by importers and shops. 99% of the cigars you see, touch, and smoke in a shop are humidified perfectly, so go easy on the slobber – it really won’t make you look like an aficionado.
2. Criticize or belittle someone’s cigar choice.
Don’t do it. It doesn’t matter if their cigar costs $2 or $25. If it isn’t your flavor profile, don’t ruin it for someone else (yes, complaining about a cigar will taint their perception of it even if it’s a great stick).
3. Tell everyone how that Cuban you had the other day was better than every other cigarever.
This is the other side of the cigar criticism coin. No one gives a damn if you smoked a Cuban. You don’t sound cool by repeating that you did. And yet every 5 minutes someone on this planet has the urge to affirm themselves by touting their Cuban cigar experience.
Want to know the likely truth? That Cuban you had in Puerto Rico on your business trip was probably a fake. It was probably made of some generic Dominican tobaccos and given a fake Cohiba wrapper.
And even if it was a real Cuban, this is typically how the conversation goes, and this is how dumb you will likely sound:
Cigar smoker 1: “Dude yeah I love cigars. I was smoking this cuban the other day it was so good.”
Cigar smoker 2: “Yeah? What was it?”
Cigar smoker 1: “A Cuban, it was so good, so much better than anything here.”
Cigar smoker 2: “I heard you. I asked which Cuban.”
Cigar smoker 1: “Uh a churchill I think. It was so good.”
Be prepared to receive an annoyed expression.
4. Interject into another conversation and quickly begin talking about yourself and your opinions.
This really is common sense, but it deserves repeating because of the way that cigars tend to bring out the egos of those who only smoke to stroke their ego: stop talking about yourself so much. Chances are, you are much less interesting than you think you are, and you might just find that those around you are interesting themselves.
5. Start a heated debate on politics and religion.
As much as you might love talking about the importance of metaphysical realism to the development of Western rights theory, or your most hated politicians, etc., there are just some topics that, unless you really know the person you are speaking to (one on one), you should avoid.
Cigars draw all sorts of individuals together, and that means people with wildly varying political and religious sensibilities. So before you go bashing Obama as a Muslim socialist or talking about how dumb you think conservatives are, take a moment to check yourself, and perhaps instead ask your friends if they have any special plans for the season or what their favorite spirit to pair is.
6. Blow smoke in someone’s face.
I’ll admit, I’ve done this a few times back when I first started smoking. But the truth is, it really isn’t funny. Enjoy your own cigar and let your fellow cigar smokers enjoy theirs.
7. Light up a cigarette.
How would you like it if I poured some kool-aid into that nice $40 bottle of wine you are drinking? Oh, you wouldn’t? Then please don’t pollute everyone’s smoking experience by blowing cigarette smoke everywhere, because it is the same thing. Aroma makes up 80% of the taste for many cigar smokers (myself included), and I can smell cigarette smoke immediately, even across the room.
It will ruin everyone’s smoking experience, and you will not be making any friends.
8. Puff another person’s cigar.
Don’t do it. As Aguilar7 on r/cigars put it, “It’s like asking to kiss someone’s spouse, to see what it’s like; get your own.”
9. Mooch cigars off of other cigar smokers.
When you’re sitting down, relaxing with a nice cigar, the last thing you want to hear is someone all-too-politely beating around the bush about how much they want to try the cigar that you just bought five of. Even if you know that there is a particularly generous cigar smoker that might bless you with a free stick, don’t be a cigar bum. Save your own money, buy your own cigars.
If you really want to, ask another BOTL if he’ll trade some cigars with you so it is a fair deal.
10. Give yourself generous amounts of other people’s liquor without supplying any.
Cigar smokers are some of the most consistently generous people you will ever meet. But don’t take advantage of that fact. If someone brings a bottle to share and offers you some, accept it graciously. But if you didn’t bring any to share, be polite and forgo pouring yourself more glasses of their hard-earned money.
11. Walk away with someone else’s cutter or lighter.
I can’t even count the amount of torch lighters and cutters I’ve lost because I let some forgetful person borrow them only to have my tools vanish. It’s normal to borrow cutters or a lighter – just be sure you don’t walk off and enter a deep conversation while your friend is forced to now borrow another cutter or lighter.
12. Stamp out your cigar when you’re finished with it.
Cigars are not cigarettes – don’t treat them the same. It is considered bad manners to smash a cigar against an ash tray when you are done smoking.
13. Get drunk and smoke too many cigars – throw up everywhere.
Yeah, this happens. No, your boss won’t be impressed. But your friends will laugh – at you. Not only that, you’ll smell like cigar smoke and puke. And that’s disgusting.
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Head spinning from so many rules? Well, don’t be discouraged. The common thread running through all of these rules is common sense, civility, and thoughtfulness. Don’t show off – just show up prepared to relax and enjoy the company of others.
If you live in the New York City area, don’t forget to sign up for invitations to exclusive FineTobaccoNYC cigar and whiskey events. To sign up, click here.
I’m not sure whether there’s any kind of academic, peer-reviewed research to prove this, but everyone knows it anyway: there’s something about cigars that just fosters greatness. They deliver not only a pleasing aroma and an excellent taste, but a certain state of mind that oozes with panache and savoir-faire.
Whatever the reason, great men tend to smoke cigars. Here are some of the great things they’ve said while smoking them:
1. “I have made it a rule never to smoke more than one cigar at a time” – Mark Twain
2. “You should hurry up and acquire the cigar habit. It’s one of the major happinesses. And so much more lasting than love, so much less costly in emotional wear and tear.” – Aldous Huxley
3. “Lastly (and this is, perhaps, the golden rule), no woman should marry a man who does not smoke.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
4. “I drink a great deal. I sleep a little, and I smoke cigar after cigar. That is why I am in two-hundred-percent form.” -Winston Churchill
5. They had no good cigars there, my Lord; I left the place in disgust.” ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson, English poet, returning from Venice
Who has a favorite cigar quote? Leave it in the comments!
Every hobby has its myths, and new hobbyists tend to have to go through periods of believing some silly myths (i.e. all wine gets better with age, the Irish invented distilling, etc). So recently I took to Reddit (r/cigars), to try to isolate the top myths related to cigars.
So, without further ado, here are some of the top myths many still believe about cigars and cigar smoking. The list is ordered from the most silly myths, to ones that many veteran cigar smokers still believe today:
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Myth #1: “Cuban cigars are unequivocally the best in the world.” (submitted by venganza24)
This myth crops up time and again, mostly from the uneducated cigar smokers, but also from many wealthy cigar smokers who are “Cuban only.” Though it might be true that Cuban cigars are very good and even some of the best in the world, it is impossible to make the blanket statement that Cubans are the best for a few reasons.
First, tastes are relative. Some profiles are enjoyable to one cigar smoker and unenjoyable to others. If you love the kick of a spicy Nicaraguan puro, you might not have the same appreciation for most Cuban cigars, and vice-versa. Second, since the embargo, quality standards in terms of quality control, construction, and technology in countries like Nicaragua, the D.R., Honduras, etc., have increased one hundred fold, rivaling and on average besting Cuban cigars in quality (and I’ve had many Cuban cigars).
So why do people (including seasoned cigar smokers) continue to insist that Cubans are categorically better? For U.S. smokers, it is typically because Cubans are not available in the states, so people tend to elevate them by perception alone. For European smokers that love to boast about how amazing Cubans are, I’ve found that it is often, simply put, snobbery. Most importantly, however, is that Cuban cigars are seen as a status symbol of the sophisticated and well-off.
Myth #2: “All cigar smokers are snobs.”
Put a large number of people together to talk about a hobby, and there will be snobs. Hell, I’m willing to be that if you put 20 clay-mation animators in a room and had them watch Wallace & Gromit, at least one of them would look down his nose.
So why the wide-spread perception that cigar smokers are snobs? Well, we have Hollywood to thank for that, along with the already-snobbish who get into cigar smoking just so that they can be extra-snobby.
Myth #3: “Cigar smoking is for the wealthy.” (submitted by aguilar7)
If this myth were true, I certainly wouldn’t be smoking cigars, and neither would most of my friends. This myth is, like others, supported by Hollywood, who often portrays cigar smokers as wealthy, corrupt, or criminal. Of course, it is true that some cigars are expensive, and some idiotic companies even play this myth to their advantage.
The truth is, there are many world class cigars for under $5 a piece. If you are wise with your money and don’t overspend, even a poor college student can have good sticks on hand for special occasions or even a regular smoke with friends.
Myth #4: “The darker the wrapper, the stronger the cigar.” (submitted by MattyBlayze)
Many beginning cigar aficionados make the understandable mistake of assuming that if a cigar has a dark wrapper, it must be a strong cigar. The truth is, there are plenty of incredibly dark cigars that, though flavorful, are hardly what I would call powerhouse cigars (e.g. Macanudo Maduro 1997, Rocky Patel OWR, Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro, etc). Additionally, there are lots of cigars that, though lighter in complexion, pack a serious punch (some Savinelli cigars, Hispaniola Connecticut, etc).
Myth #5: “A cigar’s flavor comes from the wrapper.” (submitted by MattyBlayze)
This isn’t a myth you’ll hear a lot about from the uninformed. Although it comes from a generally true observation (the wrapper adds a lot of flavor to a cigar), many cigar smokers will emphasize the point a bit past what is true. A cigar’s flavor is determined by a lot more than the type of wrapper. The size/shape (vitola) has a lot to do with what you’ll taste in a cigar, and so too the binder/filler tobaccos have a lot to do with the taste as well.
Myth #6: “White ash means the tobacco is high quality.”
This myth has always struck me as a bit bizarre, but the reasons for it seem pretty clear. It seems like human nature to connect purity to quality. We do it all the time with wine, cigars, whiskey, fabrics, you name it. If the ash looks “clean” then the tobacco must be processed better, right?
Wrong. Cigars with very white ash tend to have higher amounts of of calcium and magnesium, which, though important for a good cigar, don’t make a good cigar. There are plenty of cigars with salt and pepper ash that smoke incredibly well, and I’ve had white-ash cigars that are incredibly bland. A good discussion on it here.
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What cigar myths are missing from this list? Let us know in the comments below. I can think of one more off of the top of my head, which I’ll have to credit to psi_chi from r/cigars:
“My favorite myth: you can keep money in your bank account once you start smoking cigars.”
Matthias recently sat down with Ronnie Parisella, CRA ambassador and FineTobaccoNYC contributing writer to chat about local and national cigar politics, with a focus on New York City. If you are a cigar smoker in New York City and want to know how you can help protect your rights, or get to know your CRA rep a bit more, then read on.
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Ronnie Parisella
When did you originally begin smoking cigars, and what brought you in?
I was working for Charles Schwab & Co, Inc. in Brooklyn as a help desk engineer in 1997. Cigars and the economy were booming, and the NYC cigar scene was very active. This was before Bloomberg stopped smoking in bars & restaurants. My first cigar was an Ashton Maduro that I purchased from Barclay Rex on Broad St. downtown. I loved talking cigars with shop reps and still do. I’ve never walked into a humidor and failed to learn something useful. I love listening to guys argue about cigars as well, as it is all about taste. Give 5 different smokers the same cigar, and you might get 5 different sets of tasting notes. it’s all about preference, and there are nearly unlimited options available.
What is the greatest smoking experience you’ve ever had? (cigar, location, atmosphere, occasion, etc)
How about a random one? About a month ago, I was walking down 6th Ave. in NYC, when I was stopped by a police officer. As he asked me about my cigar, I assumed I was going to get harassed for smoking on the sidewalk (which is apparently illegal in NYC now), but instead, the officer told me how much he loved cigars and began to rattle off about a dozen of his favorite brands and sizes. He was such a nice guy that after we chatted, (and I gave him a couple of old CA copies I had in my bag), he popped the trunk on his cruiser, pulled out a small bag of cigars and gave me a Cuban Cohiba #2. It was an interesting NYC experience, and one that I’m sure Mayor Bloomberg, would love to eliminate in the future.
What is it about Cigar Rights of America that you find so compelling that you volunteer your time?
A common misconception regarding the anti-smoking movement is that it is solely geared toward cigarettes. It targets all smoking products including cigars. All 50 states in the US have some form of a smoking ban or a tax on tobacco products. The primary goal of the anti-smoking movement is to eventually outlaw all tobacco products. Cigar Rights of America (CRA) was founded on the principle of fighting for the freedom to enjoy cigars. CRA is a Non-Profit Consumer Grassroots Organization that works with local, state and federal governments to protect the freedoms of cigar enthusiasts.
What do you find the most common reason behind the public’s willingness to support smoking bans and tax increases?
Cigarettes. Our biggest challenge in fighting for our freedom to enjoy premium hand rolled cigars, is separating the public’s perception of tobacco. The premium hand rolled cigar industry consists of centuries old techniques that respect the land, the crop and the tradition of the industry. Big Tobacco is completely the opposite, driven by corporate greed and shareholders. The cigar industry does not intentionally make their products addictive. No additional tar, nicotine, ammonia, etc. is added to premium hand rolled tobacco. To the contrary, many steps in the fermentation/curing process specifically remove impurities from the leaf. On a recent trip to Davidoff’s Camp Camacho in Jamastran, Honduras CA, General Manager Sandra L. Ochoa described that the process is what keeps cigar tobacco from going stale, even though it gets dry. Cigarette tobacco is much more processed and cannot be revived indefinitely, like premium hand rolled cigars.
In recent years there have been quite a few increases in the amount of tobacco taxes and regulations on cigar smokers around the country. What would you say is the primary battle ground for cigar rights advocates? Local, state, or federal?
While the federal anti-tobacco movement is geared at cigarette smoking, the premium hand rolled cigar industry is still unfairly lumped in with all tobacco use. I believe that we can raise awareness about the threat to our freedoms. Unite at your local Premium Cigar Shop, with enough support, we can fight this inclusion with facts and education.
Given CRA’s mission, they are clearly very aware of the proposed invasion of the cigar industry by the FDA. What are the proposed policies, and why are they so dangerous?
Overall, I applaud the FDA for intervening in the free market to prevent underage smokers. The main concern is while the FDA has stated their investigations and focus will remain on the cigarette and not cigar industries, they may choose to do so in the future. The policies aren’t the issue. The issue is that there is no clear definition that separates the premiums hand rolled cigar industry from mass-produced, intentionally-addictive cigarette and chewing tobacco industries. I am behind the Gov’t’s intention to make tobacco use less appealing to underage Americans. I am not happy that I can no longer by D’Jarum Cloves in NYC, but I get it, and am not too upset.
What are the basic principles behind the CRA’s strategy to protect our right to enjoy fine tobacco?
This is a basic “no taxation without representation” issue. If the premium hand rolled cigar manufacturers are to be taxed, they should be taxed at rates in line with non-addictive products. This is an industry, a product of camaraderie and of brotherhood. Our NYS tobacco tax rate of 75% is ridiculous compared to some other states (i.e. Kansas – 10%). The disparity is often tied to the the aggressiveness & tenacity of local officials. NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg has reportedly contributed $220M of his own to the Anti-Tobacco movement.
As a resident of New York City, what do you think lies behind Mayor Bloomberg’s massive increase in tobacco regulation? What do you think his end-game is?
The Mayor wants his city to be the nicest in the world.
What can the average cigar smoker in the U.S. do to help keep the culture alive?
What can a new cigar enthusiast do to learn more about the premium hand rolled cigar industry?
1. Become a certified tobacconist: http://www.tobacconistuniversity.org/
2. Visit your local cigar shops
3. Support the cigar industry on Twitter: @CigarRights, @FineTobaccoNYC, @IPCPR,
4. Follow Cigary Industry Blogs: finetobaccoclub.com/, etc.
Anyone that knows me, knows that I could (and do) talk at length about the amazing camaraderie and generosity of the cigar industry. I say it often, I’ve never met a jerk who was a cigar guy.
The first questions I am often asked by new or novice cigar enthusiasts in regards to humidors and cigar care are:
Will they stay fresh?
How long do cigars stay fresh/last?
What is the best way to keep cigars fresh?
I answer in a series of questions that will help me pick the right storage method for this particular person:
How often do you enjoy a cigar?
How many cigars do you anticipate storing at once?
Do you plan on storing boxes?
Do you plan on ordering cigars by mail?
A cigar humidor is a product that can be bought easily, but in order to get the best out of the cigars you plan to keep in it, you really should cater the humidor to the intended use. If a person is looking for a humidor for home and plans to enjoy a cigar about once per week, a small (25-75 cigar capacity) humidor will be perfect. That person won’t smoke frequently enough to need to keep a selection and supply on hand, so why by a humidor that is too large? Additionally, maintaining a humidor that is too large for your anticipated inventory is difficult and inconsistent.
Another person might be looking for a humidor for his/her office and likes to light up several times per week, and they share. I would recommend a medium sized humidor with a capacity between 100 and 200. This way, you could store 10 cigars in 20 different varieties if you like. More than enough room for someone who occasionally buys or is gifted boxes, and can handle adding a dozen sticks at a time or more.
If you do not currently own a humidor, that may be the best investment in your hobby. Humidors will last for decades if cared for. Small, quality desktop models with capacities starting at about 25 cigars could be had for as low as $50. Larger humidor capacities carry larger price tags. High end, premium humidors can cost $5K or more.
What to remember when buying a humidor: Choose function over style. Choose quality over size/capacity. A smaller humidor will be easier to maintain than a larger one. Most casual smokers will be served by a humidor with a capacity of 100 or less – Built-in hygrometers are rarely good. Do not get suckered in by a nice one. Choose the humidor for where it will be kept, match decor if possible
Why are they made of wood? All quality wood humidors are made using a specific type of wood. Spanish Cedar is universally recognized as the best wood to store, maintain and age cigars. Spanish Cedar’s natural properties have special significance to cigars; the wood retains a high amount of moisture, while releasing little to no aroma. Cigars absorb the aromas of their surroundings and can then impart that ingredient into the taste of the cigar.
How long will cigars last if kept in a maintained humidor? Indefinitely. On a recent trip to Camp Camacho in Jamastran, Honduras (Central America), I had the opportunity to speak (through an interpreter) with Sandra Ochoa, General Manager for Camacho Cigars and one of the most knowledgable women I have ever met in the industry. Sandra stated that through using the traditional (2+ centuries old) tobacco process, the majority of impurities are removed from the tobacco leaf. Impurities are what cause a tobacco leaf to become stale and lose it’s flavor/potency. Sandra stated that if a premium hand rolled cigar ever gets dry or becomes brittle, it can be revived to it’s former glory by keeping it in a humidor until it’s moisture & sponginess returns. Needless to say, it may take some time to revive a dry cigar, but it all starts with the right environment.
What is the ideal environment to store cigars? Almost generally, the 70/70 rule applies for storing and aging premium hand rolled tobacco. 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 70% relative humidity are ideal for tobacco. There is of course some preference to this rule, you can adjust the RH% up to 5% either way, same as the temperature, vor varying results.
Tobacco Aging? What are you talking about? Tobacco is a natural product that lives, breathes and ages. Cigars are loaded with natural sugars and oils that supply the cigar with flavor, strength, character and the foundation to improve with age. Freshly rolled cigars are not a delicacy, a 20yo cigar is. This is due to the marriage of ingredients that improve the taste and complexity of the smoke. An important item to understand about tobacco and tobacco care is that the leaf is naturally “hygroscopic” meaning it has the ability to readily draw in and release moisture from it’s environment. This traditionally has made cigars difficult to maintain.
OK, Big Ronnie, we get the broad strokes, but what do you rock? Big Ronnie’s “Babies”
Cigar Caddy – 5 Cigar (Portable) Cigar Caddy – 18 Cigar (Portable) Cigar Caddy – 40 Cigar (Portable)
Glass Top – 100 Cigar (Office) Boveda – 150 Cigar (Home)
Boveda – 150 Cigar (Home)I also have the 10 and 15 cigar sizes from Cigar Caddy somewhere, but I can’t find them. Ha.
My Portable Humidors I use my portable humidors whenever I travel, the 18ct fits nicely in my preferred carry-on bag, and the 5 stick I roll with on the daily. It fits nicely in my briefcase. The 40ct big boy is reserved for car trips when you want to bring enough to share.Typically, only the cigar obsessed will go the portable route, but once you have one, you’ll use it. You won’t feel bad about leaving the 5ct in your golf bag or glove compartment knowing that it’s humidified and your cigars inside are fine.
My Desktop Humidors I have had 3 desktop humidors since I began enjoying cigars. My first was a gift from a former business partner. I wound up over seasoning it, and it warped. Sad face. My 2 current humidors pictured below are a common glass-top humidor, and a premium desktop model made by Boveda.
Great, now I’ve a selected a humidor, but it’s dry. How do you season it and get it to the correct relative humidity (RH%)? There are at least a dozen reputable ways to keep humidors properly humidified. I have tried many over the years and despite the proliferation of propylene glycol beads, I still believe the best way to “manage” this process is with the products made by Boveda. They are small, liquid-filled packs that you simply place inside your humidor. Produced in different RH% levels of 65%, 69%, 72%, 75% and 84% (for seasoning). These packs will last at least 4-5 months in a properly seasoned humidor. They cost about $4/each and you will need between 2 and 5 for your humidor, based on capacity. You start with 1 pack for the humidor and add an additional pack for every 50 cigars your humidor holds. (i.e. 100 cigar humidor would use 3 packs). These packs are dry on the outside, and can be placed directly on your cigars, saving valuable real estate inside your humidor.
What is seasoning? The goal of your humidor isn’t only to keep your cigars fresh for smoking, but also to create an environment for aging, so you ensure that your investment in premium cigars gets even better with age. Again, there are many ways to season a humidor, but the method I prefer is also from Boveda. They make 85% RH seasoning packs specifically for preparing a humidor for cigars and humidification. The same metrics for humidification packs above apply here, except for seasoning, you need to leave the packs in your closed humidor for 2 weeks. Do not open it during this time. Once complete, load your favorite cigars and preferred RH humidification packs and you are all set.
Now I know how to buy a nice humidor, and which seasoning/humidification packs to pick, but what about cigars? That is completely up to you. The premium hand rolled cigar industry is filled with dozens of manufacturers who have wide ranges of cigars appealing to all taste palates. I would say, wander into your local cigar shop and ask anyone in there what they like. Most cigar lovers, especially ones in shops can’t wait to talk about cigars with anyone, especially women. You will be a rare commodity in a cigar shop, don’t let that stop you, guaranteed you will get personal attention.
Lame answer Ronnie, give me some recommendations! Fine fine fine, here are some of my favorite lines. I didn’t include any Cubans. Sizes are up to you.
Ashton Maduro
Camacho Liberty
Camacho Triple Maduro
Arturo Fuente Natural
Arturo Fuente Sun Grown
Padron 1926
Padron 1964
Nub Connecticut
Davidoff Colorado Claro
Drew Estate Kuba Deluxe
Drew Estate Acid Maduro
Nub Connecticut
Nub Habano
Room 101 San Andreas
OK, OK, OK, not bad (for a first article), but what’s next? In the next edition of Big Ronnie’s Cigar 101 we’ll be talking accessories! Cutters & lighters & cedar spills oh my! With BBQ season right around the corner, there will be many cigar-appropriate occasions.
I’ll be covering how to prepare and we’ll review some do’s and don’ts.
Please be sure to let me know if you have any specific questions. I’d be happy to help you pick something you or your man will like. Reach out at rparisella@gmail.com.
When people ask me, “what are you afraid of?” My response is usually, “Hm… uh… well I dunno… spiders maybe?” The fact is, there just haven’t been many things in my life that truly terrify me, although if I were honest I’d say that the idea of moving back to Oregon after I graduate this year scares me (if you have any leads on jobs open in New York City, please let me know!).
A few nights ago, however, I met what I now consider the most terrifying force for evil on all of God’s green earth: tobacco beetles.
The cigar above is a Romeo Y Julieta LE 2001 Robusto. A good friend of mine gave it to me after she returned from a class in Costa Rica. I noticed it was a little bit dried out, so I decided to try to re-humidify it. I left it in my cigar box for about a month, not knowing I was in for a bit of a surprise. Fast forward a few night, and now I’m reading articles online about an insect that I would never have in my worst dreams imagined existed: Lasioderma Serricorne, otherwise known as tobacco beetles. I saw a picture of a cigar with a few small, pin-sized holes – and realized with a sinking feeling of dread that the same Cuban sitting in my humidor had two of those holes. I read this at about 12:30am, and here was my mental reaction:
Oh. My. God. Those… things… killed…
OH MY GOD! They are in the humidor with the REST OF MY CIGARS!
Still, I wasn’t sure if they were the same, so I ran to my room, pulled the cigar out of the box, and tested it the way I had seen online: holding the end of the cigar over the sink, I tapped the foot with my finger. To my sleep-deprived astonishment, a flurry of little pieces of black beetle-excrement dropped into the sink. I sat there for the next half an hour trying to make sure I got all of the stuff out.
The beetles bored holes through the outer wrapper leaf of the cigars
From there, I wrapped the cigar in a plastic bag and threw it in the freezer, along with all of my other cigars (separately packaged). I wanted to kill any of those lingering bastards just in case they had crawled into any of my other sticks, which thankfully I’ve learned they didn’t. Two days later, I moved the cigars from the freezer to the refrigerator, and a day later moved them back to my humidor after I had cleaned it from edge to edge to make sure none of the tiny critters had stayed in the box.
Now, you may be asking yourself, “why did you put the destroyed cigar back in the humidor?” That’s a great question. Perhaps it’s because it was such a pretty cigar. Perhaps I thought maybe it was still smoke-able. And that last one is partially true – I didn’t know if it would still be smoke-able, but I decided to take one for the team just for your benefit.
Can you smoke a cigar that had tobacco beetles? Let’s find out…
Yesterday, I pulled the cigar out of the (at this point) separate box and cut it with all I had on hand – a single-edge blade. Needless to say, it didn’t cut very well, but it was good enough. I lit it and my smoking experience lasted maybe 5 or 10 minutes. It was obvious right off of the bat that smoking a destroyed cigar (even with just two pin-holes) was not something a cigar smoker should do.
The taste of what should have been a wonderful cigar made me want to cry. It was as if there was an epic battle going on between the burning of the tobacco that was still intact and the already-digested tobacco that still lined the inside of the cigar.
I realize that’s pretty visual, but bear with me a moment while I describe the taste of burning insect excrement:
There are few appropriate words I could use to describe the taste. The first that comes to mind is stale. The smoke seemed lifeless, completely dead – without the flavor and vibrance that I enjoy in every other smoke. The first time I lit the cigar, it just didn’t seem to want to light. The tobacco was red hot, but there was definitely problems with the structure of the inside of the cigar. Many of the inside layers of filler tobacco were completely chewed up by the beetles.
I decided to cut the cigar a few inches down and see if I could achieve a better draw. Unfortunately, it worked. There was heavy acidity. And perhaps the most disgusting part of the whole ordeal was that the smoke didn’t ever seem to leave my mouth. I found the taste and texture of the burning, rotted material sticking around in my mouth, even after I had put the cigar out and rinsed my mouth with water twice! I also started to feel a bit sick after about ten minutes. Gross.
Final verdict: Can you smoke a cigar-beetle infested cigar? Technically, yes. My advice, though, is if you get tempted to smoke a beetle-ravaged cigar that has the tell-tale signs of infestation, DO NOT DO IT. I know it is heartbreaking, especially when it is a cigar (or cigars) you cherish, but you have to toss them and then immediately ensure the safety of your other cigars. If you are still tempted after all of the above, though, then just imagine this: cutting the cigar, putting it into your mouth to light it, and feeling little, tiny legs crawling into your mouth. An extreme warning? Not at all.
Alright, so let’s get to some solutions, shall we?
How to get rid of tobacco beetles…
There are a few methods, but the most common is by using the freezer. I’ll be 100% honest with you: if you have a few cigars that seem to be affected, do not try to revive them: throw them away. The freezer method outlined below exists to save all of the other cigars in your humidor. To reiterate: throw away any cigars that already have pinholes in them or have what looks like dust falling from the foot when turned right side up.
Here’s the method to protect your cigars from tobacco beetles:
Place all of the cigars that you want to treat in a ziplock bag. Then double bag using another ziplock bag. Having a tight seal is critical to avoiding issues with freezer burn.
Place the bags in the freezer for at least 24 – 36 hours. This kills any remaining tobacco beetles and ruptures the eggs of any larvae.
After 24 – 36 hours, remove the bags and put them into the refrigerator. Let sit for three days. It is critical that you don’t put the cigars into the humidor straight away. The sudden increase in temperature will cause the outer wrapper leaf to expand too quickly and rupture, meaning all of your cigars will unravel.
Once the three days are up, move your cigars back to your humidor.
Of course, you also need to take care of your humidor during this time. So, while the cigars are in the freezer/refrigerator, you should:
Use a vacuum hose on the inside of the humidor including corners.
Use a clean, slightly damp towel to wipe down the inside of the humidor.
Let dry.
Repeat steps 1 – 3 depending on how paranoid you are.
Complete
In all seriousness, you shouldn’t need to clean your humidor multiple times, but damnit when your talking about losing hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of cigars, it pays to be a bit cautious.
