Cigar Blog

Happiness is a good cigar

Cigar Accessories

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The cigar smoking experience can be made more pleasurable by having the proper cigar accessories.   These accessories ensure that the quality and flavor of cigars are properly preserved and that they are used correctly without resulting to wastage and deterioration of physical condition,  Cigar smokers can readily find these accessories in cigar shops whether online or in brick-and-mortar stores.

One of the most basic accessories is the cigar cutter.  Cigar cutters come in many different sizes and styles since cigars do not come in uniform sizes either.  The use of the right cigar cutter will ensure an accurate and quick cut that will not result to the inconvenient unraveling of the cigar wrapper which can happen when some other crude methods of cutting such as biting is used.  It should be noted that a single premium cigar is more expensive than a cutter so it wouldn’t make sense to waste the cigar by not having an appropriate cigar cutter.

Another basic accessory required in cigar smoking is the cigar lighter.  A torch lighter is recommended over a typical soft flame lighter since cigars have thicker gauges than cigarette.  Wind-resistance is another advantage of the torch lighter especially when the cigar smoker likes to smoke outdoors.  A special note to cigar lighting is never to use any lighting implements that will cause the cigar to be infused by any aroma or taste such as a scented candle or a lighter that contains liquid naphtha.  The interaction of an outside scent and flavor can totally destroy the cigar smoking experience because of the resulting nasty flavor.

Cigars should be stored in humidors.  A humidor is a box provided with constant humidity to preserve the excellent condition of cigars.  The humidor’s interior is usually made of Spanish-cedar.  Humidors must be maintained in appropriate temperatures to prevent cigar rotting and even worm infestation.

 

The Flavors of Cigar

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Cigar smokers know that the flavor of cigar is not merely limited to one.  The varying flavors of cigar is one of the interesting aspects of cigar smoking.  Finding the preferred flavor is literally a journey of understanding the essence of cigar smoking.

The flavors of cigar can be generally classified as mild, medium, and full-bodied.  However, this is definitely not the end of flavor description in relation to cigars.  Describing the flavor of each cigar can be rather complex since it is rarely describable in a single word.

The parts of the cigar that are most responsible for the resulting flavor consists of the filler, binder, and the wrapper.  Most of the flavor comes from the filler which is usually made of up 2 to 5 different tobacco variants.  The binder which holds the cigar together is a piece of tobacco leaf which also has its own flavor.  The wrapper likewise adds to the character and flavor of cigars.  A sweeter, fuller taste is usually given by darker cigar wrappers while a milder taste is provided by lighter colored wrappers.

Many words have been used to describe cigar flavor and some may not be readily associated with cigars but rather with food flavor.  Some of the more common descriptive words used for cigar flavor include sweet, bitter, spicy, peppery, woody, earthy, burnt, creamy, fruity, leathery, harsh, roasted, aged, and chewy.  More specific descriptions include nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, apple, chocolate, nutty, chestnut, and cedar.  There are actually a lot more that it would be impossible to come up with a final complete list since many new flavors are developed as new combinations of tobacco leaves are discovered.

Tasting of cigars is often compared to wine, tea, or coffee tasting.  Cigar enthusiasts recommend a specific way of tasting the flavor which includes not only the sense of taste but also the sense of smell.  There is also much attention given to the aftertaste which in cigar smoking should not be less enjoyable.

 

Cigar-Producing Countries

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Many countries have made their name in the cigar-manufacturing industry.  One or two managed to actually make their country synonymous to a specific brand or quality of cigar.  These countries continue their long-established tradition of making excellent-quality cigars.

There is a general belief that Cuban cigars are the best in the world.  In fact, even with the ongoing trade embargo by the United States, it has still managed to come out on top by offering a wide variety of superior quality cigars.  Its toughest competition are Dominican and Nicaraguan cigars.  Cuba was where Columbus was supposed to have discovered tobacco which he took back to the Old World.  Cigar manufacturing was predominantly independent.  Many cigar producers fled the country when the government seized all private businesses and made them its property.

Dominican Republic is often referred to as the “cigar country”.  The land of the country is said to offer the perfect environment for producing the best quality cigars.  One of the favorites of cigar smokers is the Fuente Fuente Opus X.  Nicaragua for a time had the Joya de Nicaragua as the standard.  It is of special note that the best cigar makers of Nicaragua were originally from Cuba who went on exodus due to the Castro Revolution.  Although Nicaragua has been producing cigar for quite some time before this,  the entry of Cuban cigar makers and the use of the best seeds from Cuba paved the way for the faster growth of the cigar-manufacturing industry in the country.

Other countries who have made their mark in the industry include Indonesia, Mexico, and Brazil.