THE CIGAR SMOKER's FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Introduction: Welcome to the Cigar Smoker's FAQ - compiled from the newsgroup alt.smokers.cigars! As always, any and all corrections, additions, or suggestions are welcome. Please address any new submissions to Mark Blanton at: mblanton@HumidorStore.com. Table of Contents: 1.0 THE INTERNET AND CIGARS 1.1 Alt.smokers.cigars (Usenet newsgroup) 1.2 IRC (Internet Relay Chat) 1.3 Compuserve Cigar Forum 1.4 America OnLine Cigar Forum 1.5 Web sites, FTP, and more.... 1.6 Cigars and Computers 2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION 2.1 New Smokers' questions 2.1a Selecting the perfect single 2.2 Cutters and Lighting 2.2a Ashes, Ashtrays 2.3 Smoke Rings 2.4 Cigar Styles and Sizes 2.4a Cigar Shapes and Styles 2.4b Does Size make a difference? 2.5 Construction - The Parts of a Cigar 2.6 Wrapper Types 2.7 Body, strength, flavor, and blends 2.7a Descriptive terms 2.8 Tobacco Production 2.9 The Law and Cuban Cigars... 3.0 HEALTH ISSUES 3.1 Health FAQ 3.3 Air Cleaners 3.4 Insurance 4.0 STORAGE 4.1 Aging your Cigars 4.2 Humidors 4.3 Building Wood Humidors 4.3a Commercial sources of Spanish Cedar 4.4 Wood finishing 4.4a Sealing the interior 4.4b Oil Finishing 4.4c Staining and Urethane Finishes 4.5 Tupperdors, Igloodors 4.6 Converting Furniture into humidors 5.0 HUMIDIFICATION 5.1 Humidifying devices (Credos) 5.2 Using Propylene Glycol to regulate humidity 5.3 Other suitable Chemicals 5.4 Oasis materials 5.5 Suitable credo containers 6.0 HYGROMETERS 6.1 Checking your Hygrometer Calibration 6.2 Radio Shack #63-855 Calibration 6.3 Older Radio Shack units 6.4 The Airguide Digital Hygrometer 6.5 The Bionaire Digital Hygrometer 6.6 Analog Hygrometers 7.0 TROUBLE? 7.1 Bloom or Mold? 7.2 Soggy Stogies 7.3 My humidor isn't at 70% 7.4 Worms (lacioderma - the tobacco beetle) 8.0 REFERENCES 8.1 800 Numbers 8.2 Seconds (secundos) 8.3 Web Sites 8.4 Glossary 8.5 Reference books 8.6 Cuban Cigars references 8.6a Cuban Authenticity 8.6b Cuban Factory, brands, names 9.0 THE READERS SPEAK 9.1 Letterman, Burns, and Limbaugh ________________________________________________________________________ 1.0 THE INTERNET AND CIGARS Fine cigars are enjoying a dramatic revival in modern society. Their presence on the Internet is an indication of the new popularity of stogies. This section deals with where information, discussions, and camaraderie among cigar smokers can be found on the 'net. 1.1 Alt.smokers.cigars Welcome to the Usenet newsgroup alt.smokers.cigars! Here we discuss all aspects of cigar smoking - from favorite types, to storage, to techniques. All cigar-related discussions are welcome. There are ongoing discussions of humidors, cutters, smoke shops, the politics of cigars, current trends, and (of course) there's much talk of particular brands and our readers' recommendations. This is an international forum, so don't be surprised to see much talk about those fine smokes not even available in the US (such as Cubans). Are you traveling? Ask our readers about smoke shops near your destination. Trying a new brand? Tell our readers what you think - or ask them their opinions! Building a humidor? Get advice from both laymen and professionals! Whether you're a novice, or life-long smoker, alt.smokers.cigars is here for discussions of _all_ cigar-related issues. Who are we? A.s.c. represents a broad cross-section of cigar smokers on the Internet! Our regular contributors are doctors, lawyers, and other professionals. We're college students, construction workers, and computer geeks... Married and single, guys and gals, everybody fits into our group. We all have the love of cigars as a common bond. Recently, one of our readers (John Chunko (jchunko@catalogcorp.com)) took the trouble to survey our readers. You'll find full details of the a.s.c. reader survey at our survey site: http://www.pennekamp.com/bc/survey What shouldn't you post here??? Alt.smokers.cigars is a discussiongroup... In accordance with Usenet "netiquette", advertising is absolutely taboo. One time announcements of special events are ok, but don't get caught attempting to trick our readers! Also, please don't use a.s.c. to conduct illegal activities, such as buying or selling Cuban cigars in the U.S.. If you do these things, you can be sure that vigilant readers will contact your Internet provider and ask that your access be restricted. 1.2 IRC (Internet Relay Chat) This is an area of the Internet available for real-time, interactive conversations on cigars and other topics Cigar smokers have a permanent channel set up on an IRC system called the Undernet (Set the "server" option of your IRC software to "undernet.org"). Although users are welcome to check-in anytime, most of the channel "regulars" sign on around 10:00 - 11:00 pm est. Come join us! Instructions to join ... From a Unix shell account - Type "irc" to enter your local IRC server. type "/server undernet.org" (your IRC client will pick the best undernet server to use) and then "/join #cigarsmokers" (no quotes, of course) Using Netcom's Netcruiser Software - Click on the IRC button (the lips in the upper right) Click on Other IRC Host In the other server box type undernet.org Hit Connect. Once Connected at the bottom type /join #cigarsmokers Chatting from America on Line AOLers get together to talk cigars every Thursday evening, beginning at 10pm EST... Go to People Connection, then click on list rooms. Click on "Create Member Room", then type "The Humidor". You will either create the room, or join those already there. If you want to join the Internet chat group "#cigarsmokers", AOLers need to download the new IRC connection software from AOL. (From AOL's Internet Support group...) To use IRC on America Online, you will need three things: 1. The latest version of the America Online software for Windows. *NOTE: The Macintosh software is scheduled to support IRC in the next release, due for release in the forthcoming weeks. 2. AOL's WINSOCK DLL. 3. An IRC application. Both of these can be downloaded by using keyword WINSOCK. The WINSOCK.DLL can be downloaded by clicking on Download it Today. Once, the WINSOCK.DLL is downloaded you will need to install it into the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. Once, this has been finished you will be able to download and install an IRC program from Keyword WINSOCK. You can find the IRC application by clicking on the Software Library icon. Instructions for setting up the IRC program are included with the downloaded software. After you have set up your IRC program, all you need to do to run it is to sign on to America Online. Then, while signed on, run the IRC program. America Online will take care of communicating with the Internet, and you will be able to IRC from AOL. It should be noted that at this time, Compuserve and Prodigy users do not have direct access to IRC sessions... :-( 1.3 Compuserve Cigar Forum On the Compuserve network, Cigar information is in library 13 of the Wine forum (GO WINEFORUM) You'll find questions and answers discussed in the messages section, files available for download in the library section (Cigar files, including this FAQ are available in library 13), There are also occasional interactive conferences among the forum's members. 1.4 AOL's Cigar forum On America On-Line, you'll find cigar related materials in the CIGAR forum. 1) GoTo Keyword: Cigars 2) Close the pop-up called Today's Specials to get to the Food and Drink Network (FDN) Main Menu. 3) Click on the Cigar icon in the lower right corner of the screen. 4) Double-click on Cigar and Pipes Message Boards 5) Double-click on Cigar and Pipe Messages, Q&A, Reviews 6) You can now browse folders and choose which you want to read or, if you are current with your reading, you may choose to use the "Find New" button and bring up only those messages that are new since your last visit. They will be listed for all folders. This forum also hosts an on-line chat for cigar smokers every Tuesday. 1.5 Web Sites, FTP, and more Cigars are also making an appearance on the World Wide Web. There are commercial sites and private "home pages" containing a wealth of information. See "References" section for specific URL's (addresses) For those interested in downloading cigar-related files via anonymous FTP (File Transfer Protocol), The following sites offer this FAQ, an extensive cigar database, the Cigar / Health FAQ, and more.... ftp.iia.org in the directory /pub/users/curtisb. ftp.gate.net in the directory /pub/users/bc The Windows Online Cigar Guide (a great compilation of catalogs, updated monthly, and FREEWARE) is available from fujipub.com. Also, check out Smokin' Joe's electronic catalog, available via anonymous FTP at... ftp.charm.net:/pub/home/ibc/smokin. Not a simple catalog, this is a fine collection of all kinds of cigar information (and some mis-information!) :-) Finally, there is also a second newsgroup (not a discussion group, more of a periodical-style listing) with some smoking-related info. If your ISP carries the "Clari" newsgroups, check out "clarinet.news.smoking". 1.6 Cigars and Computers Can smoking cigars damage my computer? Although many will tell you that hard drives are sealed and therefore not susceptible to smoke, all Connor and Seagate drives (to name a few I'm sure of) actually do incorporate an air filtration system to equalize atmospheric pressure. The good news is these filters employ a 0.3 micron filter to maintain a clean environment, and cigar smoke contains particles larger than 1 micron. Floppy drives can be a little more touchy, as they're used less frequently than your hard drive and directly exposed to incoming dust and smoke (the smoke seems to bind the dust), Most computers actually "inhale" through their front panels and exhaust through the power supply in the back. I'd recommend using a floppy cleaning kit on a regular basis. Ashes in your keyboard? (a common problem for me {g}...) Well, most modern keyboards use a sealed membrane system for their contacts, so until your KB gets to the point where the ashes cause a mechanical problem, don't worry. At that point, disassembly and cleaning usually works, but even in worst-case situations, keyboards are cheap to replace (and don't involve loss of data). Then there's monitors, which IMHO are probably the most susceptible component. Monitors have large ventilation holes and lots of static electricity - internally, they're very effective electrostatic precipitators. Unfortunately, they attract dust and smoke and deposit these contaminants on their own circuit boards! The smoke combined with dust creates a sticky goo which defies most cleaning procedures, and conducts electricity (slightly). Here in South Florida, we get a double-whammy effect, as there's a great deal of salt in the dust, which makes this goo hydroscopic. On a humid day, it's not uncommon for monitors to misbehave because of the moisture making this dust-film more conductive. This of course results in their premature demise. :-( ________________________________________________________________________ 2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION 2.1 New Smokers' Questions How do the packaged cigars that I can buy form the drugstore or the magazine store compare to THE GOOD STUFF? Most packaged "drug store" cigars include non-tobacco ingredients such as paper, saltpeter (for even burning) and PG or Glycerin (to prevent them from drying out). Quality cigars contain only tobacco. Most quality cigars contain top-of-the-line leaves, and are made with long-filler (the leaves run from end to end. "Good" cigars are generally only available from tobacconists. Are Mail-Order cigars ok? Many cigar smokers use mail-order houses for their discounted prices. The problem with this is that there are very few mail-order suppliers who will let you purchase singles and who wants to spend $100 for a box just to try a new smoke? This is one of the best reasons why you might want to frequent your local tobacconist. There you can get good advice, buy singles, and see and smell the stogies you're purchasing. What about "old" cigars? Should I buy "fresh" ones? Tobacco used in premiums is aged 18 to 24 months before rolling. Some manufacturers age rolled cigars an additional year before even shipping them to the distributor. As long as they are stored properly, there's no such thing as an "old" cigar. Many people prefer "vintage" smokes. Refer to the FAQ section on aging cigars for more information. Cigars are never "fresh" in the proper definition of the word. All reputable tobacconists will store them properly, at approx. 70 deg, 70% humidity. Always have cigars shipped overnight or 2nd day to prevent their drying out in transit. If a cigar is properly stored in a humidor, how long will it last? Indefinitely. Many people still have pre-Castro Cubans (yum!) I've heard of pre-WW2 smokes which were GREAT! If a cigar dries out, is it possible to get the taste back? If you let a cigar dry out it'll ruin it. It can be recovered (somewhat) by s-l-o-w-l-y re-humidifying it in a proper humidor, but it'll never be quite the same... Besides being a suitable way to transport cigars, are those glass (or metal) storage-tubes ok to use? For how long? As long as the cigars were properly humidified before the tubes sealed, they should last for a long time. Open it up to smell the tobacco though, and you'll be letting in dry air (which will slowly dry them out). Tubes with cork stoppers also will slowly exchange moisture with the "outside" air. I really can't recommend these tubes for long-term (over a year) storage. What's the difference in taste of cigars from different countries? Each country's cigar production has it's own taste and character. Cigars are made all over the world, with tobacco grown in different soils, cured by different processes, and rolled with different techniques. Too many to discuss here (unfortunately), so let's stick with some general guidelines for some of the more popular Caribbean countries. These are not hard and fast rules, but you'll have something to go by when you're faced with a humidor full of cigars from which to choose. *Cigars from Jamaica are usually considered mild. *Cigars from the Dominican Republic are mild to medium in strength. *Cigars from Honduras and Nicaragua are stronger and heavier smokes. *And cigars from Cuba are considered to be some of the richest and creamiest in the world! Also remember that the larger the diameter (ring gauge) the richer and fuller the flavor, and the longer the cigar, the cooler the smoke. New smokers might want to start with any cigar made by Macanudo or Arturo Fuente. Just pick one that is a size you like and enjoy it. You might also try one with a "maduro" wrapper (which is dark and rich tasting). 2.1a Selecting the perfect single 1) Look for open boxes in your tobacconist's humidor that have been there for a while. Cigars are often shipped "wet" to retard drying, and should stabilize for a week or more in a proper environment before smoking. Grab them too soon, and they may have only stabilized on the exposed side, causing uneven burning. (You can compensate just as easily by putting your purchases in your own humidor for a week before smoking.) 2) Squeeze the cigar _gently_. It should "give" but not be too soft. Don't roll it in your fingers, as some suggest - this can damage the wrapper. Squeeze gently up and down the body to look for lumps or soft spots. A good cigar should have neither. Remember to be gently. Even if you don't buy that cigar somebody else might - don't damage it! 3) inspect the wrapper for "odd" discolorations, looseness, or cracks. The wrapper should be smooth and tight, and not damaged on either end. Smaller veins are good to watch for, as these often smoke smoother, but compare your single to other cigars with the same wrapper! Veins appear differently in different wrapper types. 4) Look at the tobacco in the exposed end. Some variation of color is normal, as most cigars are made from a blend of tobaccos. What you're watching for is extreme or abrupt color changes. This sometimes means an inferior leaf was used, or the leaves weren't laid together properly in the bunching process. Off tastes and uneven burns will often be the result. 2.2 Clippers, cutters, etc. From: Steven T. Saka (ProtekSys@aol.com) The first thing you should do is closely examine the "head" of the cigar this is the closed end that needs to be clipped. Almost all have what is called a "cap" a bit of tobacco leaf used to close of the end - you should be able to see how far down the length of the cigar the cap goes by inspection. Typically only a 1/4" - 3/8" or so; sometimes much less, and on figurado shapes sometimes quite longer. Anyhow wherever the cap stops is your cutting limit cut beneath the cap's line or even too close and your cigar will start to unwravel, and as you pointed out this is extremely unpleasant. Typically I cut the minimal possible while trying to open approx. 75%-85% of the cigar end's surface area. Sometimes this means a cut as little as 1/32" down, where other times almost 3/8" - it depends entirely on the individual cigar's roll and cap construction. The single bladed cheapie cutters that most newbies are given or buy for $3 typically do a very poor job of clipping the cap, and result in crushed, split, and tatterted cuts. One thing to keep in mind when using a guillotine cutter is to line up your cigar at eye level and to them clipped it quickly and decisively - I have found this method to give satisfactory results nearly 100% of the time. Many smokers swear by the .44 Magnum cutter which is a relatively inexpensive punch that is easy to use, makes a perfect round opening, and completely bypasses the problem of how much to clip. I personally don't use one because they do not work as well on figurado shapes, nor can I get as large an opening as I sometimes would prefer. Crestmark also makes a nice cigar punch that extracts the cut cap from itself. I own both types of punches and think they are excellent products and would recommend that you try one at your tobacconist, it may be ideal for you. V-Cut clippers are also available, and a few cigar smokers I know think this is the ONLY way to clip your cigar. You don't have to worry about the caps length using this type of cutter since you rest the cigar against it, and it "automatically" takes out a v-notched shaped bit of tobacco of the same size everytime. Personally I hate this type of cut, I find that it tends to build up tar on the edges and that some cigars tend to burn unevenly when cut this way. These cutters typically work better on some sizes than others, depends on the size of the v-notch blade. Cigar scissors are elegant, but they are difficult to use in my opinion. Plus they are damn near impossible to carry around. Some people use x-acto blades, swiss army pen knives, their teeth, and so on. How you clip your cigar is a matter of what works best for you. Just keep in mind where the cap ends and you should be fine. 2.2a Ashes, Ashtrays... (editor's thanks to Steve Herman (BIGGUY46@msn.com) ASHES Your cigar ashes are a tell-tale sign about some of the characteristics of your cigar. A cigar that is well rolled (packed), can burn slowly and create a stiff ash up to two to three inches in length without bending or breaking. It merely looks like the cigar itself, except it's grey. Should your ash break up quickly, or burn in a less than tightly contained manner, or expend, it is probably not packed well and its' smoking characteristics are probably below par. If the ash color begins to vary into the darker tones the leaf mix was not up to standard either. The quality of the smoke is not affected by the length of the ash. Hot or bitter smoking taste, or any other kinds of less tham smooth variations that occur WHILE smoking the cigar, are other indications of poorer quality, either in the leaf mix or the rolling . A great quality cigar can usually be smoked down to the nub (way past the Band). Sometimes, as you smoke a great or good one down, the taste will change from "lovely smooth", to beginning to be "bitter" or have a distinct "after taste". Most experts suggests tossing it, but I practice more patience. I simply put it down and let it burn itself gently in the "proper ashtray". A good cigar can maintain its slow burning qualities from 3 to 5 minutes without being puffed. Quite often it will burn itself past a "tar" spot easily and a resumption of your smoking it (without it going out) will confirm its' return to its original wonderful flavor. Give it a chance to re-prove itself. I find the last two inches really satisfying and "Hard to put down"! It's almost like a love affair, when it's that good! ASHTRAYS Critical to the fulfillment of the pleasures of smoking are an assortment of the the proper cigar ashtrays to match the size of your cigars AND your personal technique of how you physically handle your cigar while smoking, or how you hold it in your mouth (wet vs dry, etc). Antique ashtrays picked up in fleamarkets, are usually old enough to have been designed specifically for CIGAR smokers. I avoid the modern, lead crystal ones with the very long cigar rest. It gets very dirty quickly, and it is hard to handle the cigar (the, "I'm not looking", reach for it) as it smokes down. For me the proper ashtray has a "Rest" (landing ) for your cigar that has generous proportions, such as about 2 inches long and 7/8 to an inch wide, with at least a generous curve on its' sides so as to contain it EASILY, ie, prevent it from rolling to the side. The tray itself needs to be big enough to take, at least, the ashes from two big cigars, or else there is an annoying build up of a mountain of ash that constantly has to be played with (distracting to the purist), or else emptied frequently. Should a friend visit you you need an ashtray with two holders for cigars and an even larger size to hold the ashes without ash-buildup. Sometimes there is no room on your desk for an ashtray or in many cases, you are in a room where you need a "Ashtray on a Stand". Again I prefer antiques specially made for cigars, not cigarettes. These too, must have ample proportions, and of course a removeable tray that nests in a stand. In either the desk, or stand type, Heavy glass or Metal is preferrred. Decorated Ceramics stand alone ashtrays or inserts, are of course, acceptable, as long as they meet the above criteria, and do not clash with your smoking room DECOR. For me, there is always the bounce test, where I gently mishandle things and see if then can stand up to a fall to a carpeted floor. Good ones bounce slightly without breaking. Don't use fragile ones, especially if they're purchased specially for you as a gift by a dear family member. Above all, never put your cigar out by stubbing the end in the ashtry. Proper style calls for you to tip it into the ashtray and let it die out naturally. Pointing it down will end its life quickly. There will be less smell and residue. DISPOSAL The 21st Century man, that smokes at home and wants to preserve his marriage, and relationship with his children, must pay careful attention to the devastating effects that cigar smoke has, as well as the OVERNIGHT smell of a dead cigar remaining in the ASHTRAYS. Saftey and Sanity require you to be constantly running a BIONAIRE Air purifier in any room you are smoking in, within your house. These need to be permanently there, lest you forget. I run them all night just to be sure, and have two of them each in different rooms. Never, Never, leave a dead cigar in the ashtray overnight. Ashes are OK but Butts, never. They really create a stale stink that damages any "SMOKING FREEDOMS", granted to you by the QUEEN of the Household. I know too many violators of these simple "after smoking care" principles, who have been BANISHED to Balconys', Porches or other OUTDOOR barren Spaces, especially by the Princesses of the Castle, who protest about their ability to get their Beauty sleep. If you follow these guidelines I can guarantee that you and your cigars shold be tolerated for at least 10 or more years as long as you spend on your wife, as least twice what you spend on your cigar "HOBBY". Never let her see the Invoice for your favorite high quality box of cigars. That will cause you to stutter, and try to explain something that no practical person will ever understand. If you repeat this folly, guilt will overtake you and cost you a fortune. 2.2b How to light a Cigar [editor's thanks to proteksys@aol.com (Steve Saka)] Is there an etiquette for lighting a cigar? This is as delicate as that wrapper color question! Everyone seems to have their own opinion on this, so what I am going to do is pass on is IMHO only! I light my cigars this way is that it provides me an even burn from the start, prevents any bitter taste during the lighting process, and also because I do enjoy the quiet ceremony of being so deliberate. 1. If you use a match, wait till the sulphur burns off before using it to light you cigar. Also if you can find those fancy long cedar matches all the better. 2. If you use a lighter, use a butane one. The gasoline based ones impart a foul flavor to your smoke. Of course this statement irritates the hell out of the Zippo manufacturer, so in rebuttal they actually published a rather nice little book that explains that if you allow the flame to burn for a few seconds all of the disturbing odor will dissapate. Try and see for yourself is my advice. Personally I use a butane lighter. I have no experience with the new fancy flameless lighters, so to put it simply: ask someone else. 3. Some people claim that the only proper implement for lighting up is a cedar spill. A cedar spill is a long thin strip of spanish cedar which is lit first and then used in turn to light your cigar. You will typically see these in use at fancy cigar dinners, rather elegant way to light your stogie, but not all that practical in the car... 4. Here is where it gets messy, "how to actually light it" has been the key stumbling block to peace in many a nation. I have heard so many different methods, with such subtle differences it is perplexing. So what I am going to share, is how -I- light my cigars. Here we go: I preheat the foot (the open end) by slowly rolling the cigar above the flame at an angle allowing a tiny black ring forms all the way around the wrapper. I don't allow the flame to touch the cigar. Then I place the cigar in my mouth, and draw in as I repeat the process, slowly rolling the cigar at an angle above the flame, but never letting the lighter flame actually touch the cigar. I guess about a 1/2 inch or so away. What appears to happen is the flame seems to leap from lighter up onto the foot of the cigar, even though my stogie never comes in direct contact with the lighter's flame. Remember to slowly spin the cigar to establish an even burn. Once I think I have it lit, I pull it from my mouth and actually look at the glowing foot to see if I did my job properly. Now if the burn is really uneven, I will reapeat the previous step on the appropriate side to even the burn. If it is just a bit uneven (which in my case it typically is) I gently blow on the end in the appropriate place to intensify the heat there, and will then take a couple steady draws, but will then just wait a minute before continuing to puff. This short delay seems to allow the cigar a chance to stabilize and self correct the burn. Then I sit back and relax and smoke to my heart's content! 5. If I am outside, and it is windy, and shelter is not accessible, I then throw decorum out the window, and I flame-torch the end, and put up with the initial bitterness to ensure a fast even light. Hey you, yeah you, the cigar snob, stop that groaning! ;} 6. If my smoke happens to go out, I just knock off the ash, gently blow through the cigar to clear out the old smoke, then I jump right to the drawing while rolling part of my light up sequence. 2.3 Smoke Rings The biggest factor in blowing good smoke rings is practice. With that in mind, Try this technique. First, you need a cigar with _dense_ smoke, and a place with still air. Don't waste your time trying to blow smoke rings in a breeze! Draw a thick puff of smoke into your mouth. Hold it there and open your mouth slowly. Make an "O" with your mouth, (maybe more of a rounded "oh") definitely not a pucker like a kiss. Curl the tip of your tongue down, and pull your tongue all the way back. Now, when blowing a ring, you're actually not exhaling. You're just pushing out the smoke in your mouth with your tongue in short bursts like a piston, only in a relaxed way. It's actually a really gentle motion. Push forward with your tongue, with perhaps a slight recoil at the bottom. Keep at it - it's like riding a bicycle... Once you "get it" you'll wonder what the problem was! 2.4 Cigar Styles and Sizes 2.4a Sigar Shapes and Styles All cigars can be divided into two broad categories by their shape. Parejos, which have straight sides and Figurados, which include all "irregular" shapes. Parejos include 3 basic divisions, by the relative proportion of their dimensions. There's Coronas (a broad category including Coronas, Dbl. Coronas, Presidentes, Robustos, and Churchills). All Coronas are characterized by an open "foot" and a rounded "head". Next are the Panatelas. Longer than coronas, these are generally considerably thinner. The third division is Lonsdales thicker than Panatelas, but generally longer than Coronas. (confused yet? - good!) Figuardos, or "irregular" shaped Cigars are a little better defined. The smallest is the Belicoso a small tapered cigar with a rounded head (not pointed) and a larger foot. Next are the Pyramids, tapering from a large foot to a small head. A "true" pyramid always has a pointed head. Although many smokers call a large pyramid a torpedo, a "true" torpedo has a large foot, smaller, pointed head, and a slight bulge in the middle. The Perfecto is tapered on _both_ ends to a smaller size than it's straight middle section a classic "cigar shape". Finally, there's the Diademas, the giant of cigars. These are 8 inches or greater. (hmmmm - does that make the Aliados General a "Diademas-and-a-half"?) Cigar size names did originally specify the exact physical size and shape of cigars. After a dozen decades of manufacturers "individualizing" their cigars, these original standards are long gone. As far as I know, only Cuban manufacturer's have stayed with these original standard sizes. Whether Upman, Partagas, or Cohiba produces it, a Habana Corona is still Corona sized.... Here's a table of standard sizes, courtesy of Jim Denton at www.cigar.com: Cigar Sizes * BELICOSO (6.5" x 52) * CHURCHILL (7" x 47) * CORONA (5.5" x 42) * CORONA GORDA (6"-6.5" x 52) * CORONA GRANDE (6"-6.5" x 46-50) * CORONA LARGA (6.5" x 46-50) * CORONA MAJOR (6" x 44-46) * DEMITASSE (3.5"-5.25" x 26-50) * DOUBLE CORONA (7.5"-8.5" x 49-52) * GIGANTE (7"-7.5" x 54-60) * LONG PANATELA (6.75"-7.75" x 30-38) * LONSDALE (6.5" x 42) * LONSDALE GRANDE (6.5"-7" x 44) * PANATELA (5"-6.5" x 28-38) * PARODI (3.5" x 36) * PERFECTO (Tapered Head and Foot) * PETIT CORONA (5" x 40-42) * PRESIDENTE (7.5"-8" x 52) * PYRAMID (6" Tapered Head to Oversize Foot) * ROBUSTO (6" x 48-50) * ROBUSTO GRANDE (6.5" x 48-50) * ROTHSCHILD (4.5"-5.5" x 48-50) * THIN PANATELA (5"-6.5" x 24-26) * TOSCANI (7" x 36) The first dimension is the length of the cigar in inches. The second is the ring gauge of the cigar or the diameter of the cigar measured in 64ths of an inch. So a Churchill is about 7 inches long and 3/4 of an inch in diameter. 2.4b Does Size make a difference? From: Steven T. Saka (ProtekSys@aol.com) In the cigar world SIZE MATTERS! Even though cigars within the same line are typically based on the same recipe the actual blend ends up slightly different from size to size. For example in larger size cigars there is more room for more leaves than its smaller brother, and in turn the blend ends up with a little "more of this leaf, and a bit more of that leaf". The result is undeniable, larger ring gauge cigars tend to be more complex in flavor due to the extra space with which the buncher had to work with. Also factories tend to put their best tobacco in their larger size cigars and use their best rollers to make them. Since these cigars burn cooler and allow for the best blending it is typically the larger sizes that are considered their "benchmark cigars" - their best. Think about all of the cigars that are considered truly great - Cuban Hoyo DC, RyJ Churchill, Monte #2, LGC Torpedo & Churchill, Davidoff Double R, and so on. It is easy to think of great large cigars, but try to name Corona sized cigars that can go toe-to-toe with a Monte #2...not easy. Also keep in mind that larger ring gauge cigars generally smoke much cooler and reduce bitter flavors. In addition to ring gauge the overall length effects a cigars taste also. Longer cigars lend themselves to experiencing more flavor changes throught their length again adding complexity to the smoke. 2.5 Construction - The Parts of a Cigar Wrappers... The wrapper is the outside layer of tobacco on a cigar. It gives a cigar one of its primary flavor components. Wrappers are usually very high quality leaves, and are available in colors ranging from double claro, the lightest to Oscuro, the darkest. Wrappers are very important to the taste of a fine cigar, and described in detail in another section of the FAQ. Binders.... Binder leaves are the intermediate leaf used to hold the bunch of filler tobacco together. These vary considerably from one manufacturer to the next. Filler... Filler is the bunch of tobacco found at the center of the cigar. Generally the filler is responsible for determining how strong a cigar will smoke. There are two types of filler: long filler, which contains the whole leaf running from the head to the foot of the cigar, and short filler, comprised of scraps of tobacco (often the trimmed ends of long fillers). The blending of wrappers, fillers and binders determines the overall flavor of a cigar. There is an art to blending tobaccos and as you smoke different cigars, you will notice how the various tobaccos interplay with one another. Are there any differences between the blends of different size cigars in the same line? Manufacturers often use the same types of tobacco in different sizes, producing different tastes. Often the consumer will perceive this as the same "blend". There is a difference however it's in the proportions of each type of leaf used. An experienced roller may use different proportions of the tobaccos in different sizes to allow for that size differences. In a smaller ring cigar, the binder and wrapper have a greater influence on the taste, for instance. The blender will allow for this difference by re-proportioning the filler blend. It's just one of those details that requires years of training among master rollers. (and of course, one of the reasons smokers will prefer the taste of one size over another of the same blend.... What is ring gauge and how is it measured? Ring size is the cigar's diameter, measured in 64ths of an inch. Thus a 32 ring cigar will measure 1/2 inch in diameter. Although many catalogs list ring sizes, they may deviate from each by a couple of points on specific cigars. 2.6 Wrapper Types DOUBLE CLARO (also called Candela or American Market Select) green to greenish brown. The color is achieved by picking the leaf before it reaches maturity, and then drying it rapidly. Very mild, almost bland with very little oil. CLARO - light tan. Usually this is the color of shade grown tobacco. Connecticut Shade wrappers are said to be some of the finest in the world. Shade grown tobacco is grown unde large canopies to protect the tobacco from harsh sunlight. Neutral flavor and smooth smoking. NATURAL - (also called English Market Select) light brown to brown. These are most often sun grown, meaning they are not protected by canopies like shade grown leaves. Fuller bodied flavor than shade grown leaves, but still very smooth. COLORADO CLARO - mid-brown, tawny. (For example, brands such as Dominican Partagas or Fuentes, using Camaroon wrappers.) COLORADO - reddish dark brown, aromatic. A cigar with this wrapper tastes robust and rich. COLORADO MADURO - dark brown, medium strength, slightly more aromatic the maduro. Usually gives a rich flavor, as found in many of the best Honduran cigars. MADURO - dark brown to very dark brown. These usually have more texture and veining than the lighter wrappers. They are often described as oily looking, with stronger taste sweet to some palates with a unique aroma. OSCURO - very dark brown or almost black. They are the strongest tasting of all wrappers. These wrappers tend to be from Nicaragua, Brazil, Mexico, or Connecticut Broadleaf. The term EMS or English Market Selection is a broad one, which refers to brown cigars anything other double claro, (EMS) essentially. The darker the color, the sweeter and stronger the flavor is likely to be, and the greater the oil and sugar content of the wrapper. Darker wrappers will normally have spent longer on the tobacco plant. or come from higher altitudes: the extra exposure to sunlight produces both oil (as protection) and sugar (through photosynthesis). They will also have been fermented for longer. 2.7 Body, strength, flavor, and blends From: jebez@interport.net (Jerry Bezdikian) All too often, smokers confuse, or blur together, the concept of body, strength and flavor in a cigar. You had posited smoke volume as a possible component - interestingly enough, smoke volume does indeed relate to these factors as well - more on that in a moment. Most smokers define a cigar's character to two primary components: * BODY (or 'strength', and even 'intensity'), and * FLAVOR (the 'taste' that characterizes a particular cigar) A full bodied cigar would be perceived as 'strong', but not necessarily as 'flavorful' - naturally, the converse is also true. Incidentally, many veteran smokers favor cigars characterized by both full body, and full flavor. As an illustration... Many inexperienced smokers mistakenly assume that all Cuban cigars are 'full bodied' - in fact, a large number of the great Cuban cigars are prized for their 'delicate' (what some might regard as medium or even light) body. A classic case in point are the larger Cuban Hoyos (and many of the Cuban Montecristos) which are characterized by their unrivaled complexity of 'taste' (full flavor), and relatively mild (as compared to other Cuban cigars) body. Likewise, there are a few Cuban cigars that are found be to quite strong (full bodied), but not very flavorful (some of the Sancho Panza, and El Rey Del Mundo come to mind). While it is true that a smoker will select a type of cigar on the basis of body (full, medium or light) many assume (wrongly) that all smokers desire cigars that are full flavored. Just as some individuals are put off by 'full flavored' cuisine (Szechuan, or Cajun for example) some smokers desire cigars that are more 'gently' flavored (the Macanudos are a prime example). As you can clearly see, we're obviously not talking science here. In a discussion of cigar body and flavor, of paramount consideration is experience, and a frame of reference. As one embarks on a lifelong relationship with cigars, a DR Cohiba might be perceived as a wonderfully robust smoke however, after a year or two of smoking, that same cigar will cause the smoker to wonder if the manufacturer altered the blend of this 'once' great smoke. It's all a matter of ...taste. 2.7a Descriptive terms... It's amazing what terms some people will use to describe the flavors and subtle nuances of their favorite cigar! Paul B Harris {pbh@U.Arizona.EDU} has put the following list of discriptors together all actually used in a popular cigar magazine! _____________________________________________________ ---------------- General Descriptors ---------------- bitter dry full-bodied green harsh medium-bodied mild rich sharp smooth sour sweet tangy tart _____________________________________________________ ---------------- From The Spice Rack ---------------- cinnamon clove nutmeg pepper (peppery) black pepper hot pepper white pepper rosemary spice (spicy) aged spice dried spice sweet spice _____________________________________________________ ---------------- What's For Dessert? ---------------- burnt sugar butterscotch caramel toffee chocolate burnt chocolate dark chocolate milk-chocolate cocoa cocoa bean fruit dried fruit ripe fruit citrus (citrusy) burnt citrus dried citrus dried orange peel raisins licorice nut (nutty) roasted nut almond chestnut walnut toast (toasty) _____________________________________________________ -------------- Complimentary Beverages -------------- coffee dark coffee roasted coffee dark roasted coffee roasted coffee-bean cream (creamy) tea _____________________________________________________ ------------------ Back to Nature ------------------- earth (earthy) flint (flinty) flowers (floral, flowery) herbs (herbaceous) peat (peat-like) sand (sandy) straw dry straw vegetation (vegetal) grass (grassy) leaf (leafy) stems (stemmy) weeds (weedy) wood (woody) sweet wood dry wood cedar (cedary) aged cedar balsa wood dried balsa wood paper (papery) dry paper _____________________________________________________ --------------------- No Shit! ---------------------- tobacco smoke (smoky) that's a surprise, a cigar that tastes like tobacco and smoke ;-) _____________________________________________________ ------------------- Miscellaneous ------------------- chemical camphor leather (leathery) metal (metallic) 2.8 Tobacco Production Growing your own? I have recently purchased tobacco seeds and planted them. Now I have little plant that I hope will get much bigger. I am looking for any advice on growing conditions I've been involved in a similar project for the past month or more, and done a fair amount of research in that area of agriculture in preparation. What variety are you growing, and in what climate? I've got "crops" of Nicotiana Alta (flowering tobacco), and Nicotiana Glutinosa (a broadleaf variety) growing here in S. Florida. The flowering seeds were commercially available (Burpee's seeds, 1-800-888-1447), but I had a heck of a time getting seeds for a "smokable" (broadleaf) variety. Most tobacco plants should be grown them in partial shade for best results. Commercial shade-grown plants are actually grown in full bright sun, but under "cheesecloth" screens to diffuse the light. This produces more consistent leaf quality, top to bottom. Soil should be rich and drain well. (Ph of about 6.7). Fertilize soon after germination to encourage root growth, and very frequently as the plant grows. Lower leaves may be picked to cure when they reach suitable size (Fuente claims 5 X 14" for a good leaf). Curing (for cigar tobacco) should be done for 6 to 18 months in a relatively controlled, humid climate (Uh, perhaps your local tobacconist would allow you to hang them from the ceiling in the back of his walk-in humidor away from the lights?) Use large, paper bags if necessary to slow drying and keep light out. The trick to curing is to not let the leaves ever dry out. Your plants will mature in 12-15 weeks (depending on climate) Nipping off the buds of any flowers that form will extend the life of the plants and allow multiple harvests from the same plant. On Commercial Tobacco Production From: BobT12@aol.com The federal government recognizes various "types" of tobacco for regulatory purposes. One of these types is burley tobacco, which is primarily grown in Kentucky, Tennessee, and adjoining states. Burley is the form of tobacco that I grew up with, and have fond memories of. The burley tobacco season begins in late February, when the soil is prepared for the seed beds, which are planted in early March. Because the average temperature in Kentucky in early March is too cold for the seeds to germinate and grow, the seeds are sown broadcast in large rectangular beds, which are then covered by a thin protective cloth covering to create a greenhouse effect, holding the warmth from the sun in, and warming the soil. Traditionally the form of cloth used was a very thin gauzelike cotton; today, synthetic types of cloth which are lighter and stronger than natural cotton are used. A sheet of this cloth in the size and shape to cover one tobacco bed is still referred to as a "tobacco cotton," because of the old tradition. After the plants grow to a height of about a foot or foot and a half (when the weather warms up and as the plants grow, the covering is removed), they are transplanted from the small seedbeds into the large tobacco fields, or patches. This process is known as "setting" the tobacco, and commercial transplanters pulled by tractors used in other regions for transplanting tomato and other vegetable plants are universally known here as "tobacco setters." Burley tobacco is sun grown tobacco as opposed to some of the shade grown cigar leaf tobaccos. After the plants grow to a height of three to four feet, and leaf out fully, the buds that form at the top of the plants are removed, so that all of the plant's energies will be focused into the leaves, rather than into producing blooms and seeds. This is called "topping" the tobacco. Most tobacco is air cured; no artificial heat from fires or gas heaters is applied. The leaves of burley tobacco are air dried for six to eight weeks in the barns some cigar tobaccos are dried and cured for up to 10 years! And let me add from personal experience that there is no smell in the world more heavenly than that of a barn full of tobacco slowly curing. Baling tobacco is a new phenomenon; traditionally the leaves were tied together in "hands;" the baling makes large quantities of tobacco easier to handle and process, but in my opinion tends to reduce the quality of it, because individual leaves cannot be seen or inspected, and removes much of the farmers' incentive to grow good quality tobacco. The tobacco is sold in large warehouses by auction, though the prices tend to vary little from farmer to farmer in any particular year. The only role of the governmental association in the actual sale of the tobacco [other than regulating the amount which may be sold] is to purchase, with the funds raised through the membership fees, all tobacco grown by its members within their quotas, which is not purchased by commercial entities, at a low price. 2.9 The Law and Cuban cigars... There are lots of opinions posted on the 'net about the importing, sale, and possession of Cuban cigars in the US. I can't put these in the FAQ without reasonable assurances that the info is correct... :-( Many of these posts are based on urban legends and rumors. The following is quoted directly from a letter dated June 1, 1995, from the Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury to members of the Retail Tobacco Dealers of America, Inc. (Yes, I have a copy of the original letter for verification) This is as definitive as it gets! "Only persons returning directly from Cuba after a licensed visit there are permitted to bring Cuban cigars into the United States, provided the domestic value of such cigars does not exceed 100 U.S. dollars and the cigars are for that person's personal use and not for resale. Inasmuch as all other importations of Cuban cigars are illegal, you must assume that all offers to buy or sell such cigars in the United States involve cigars that are imported illegally. Contrary to what many people believe, it is illegal for travelers to bring into the United States Cuban cigars acquired in third countries (such as Canada, England, or Mexico)." "It is illegal for U.S. persons to buy, sell, trade, give away, or otherwise engage in (or offer to engage in) transactions involving illegally-imported Cuban cigars. The penalties for doing so include, in addition to confiscation of the cigars, civil fines of up to $50,000 per violation and, in appropriate cases, criminal prosecution which may result in imprisonment." "We recognise that the prohibitions that apply to Cuban cigars may deprive many consumers of a sought-after product. However, these prohibitions apply to all goods of Cuban origin and are an important element of the comprehensive program of economic sanctions against the Cuban government which have been in place since 1963.These sanctions have had the full support of the past seven Administrations and were further tightened by President Clinton in August 1994." Pretty strong stuff, and pretty clearly worded. :-( My personal interpretation of this (IANAL) is that it is only legal to possess Cuban cigars if they were obtained through legal channels (brought back for personal consumption from a licensed visit to Cuba seems to be the only way), and then you're only allowed $100 domestic value (luckily, without a market scale, Cuban's are considered to be valued at $1 each, regardless of purchase price). The second paragraph makes it painfully clear that just because you made it through customs, the very posession of those "special stogies" is against the law unless they were imported legally. :-( ________________________________________________________________________ 3.0 HEALTH ISSUES 3.1 Health FAQ This document is an accumulation of scientific reports and papers regarding the health affects of cigar smoking. It was compiled by Marc J. Schneiderman, M.D., a.k.a. CigarBaron@aol.com. I consider this to be the definitive word on the subject, a result of some very detailed research, hence the title Cigar/Health FAQ. Although I was tempted to include this wonderful collection of medical reports, it stands too well as a seperate FAQ. I urge all serious cigar smokers to read it through, and draw their own conclusions on the health affects of our chosen hobby. The Cigar/Health FAQ is available on the Web at: http://www.pennekamp.com/bc/health.htm http://www.netins.net/showcase/fujicig/bchealth.html or by anonymous FTP at: ftp.iia.org in the directory /pub/users/curtisb. and also ftp.gate.net in the directory /pub/users/bc (the Cigar / Health FAQ file is called cigarhealth.faq) The following summary was posted by that FAQ's author, cigarbaron@aol.com (CigarBaron), Paraphrasing Wynder and Mabuchi, 1972 (1) Heavy cigar and pipe smoking is associated with the development of lung cancer. (2) Cigar and pipe smokers have a lower risk of lung cancer than the cigarette smoker. We believe this finding to relate to differences in inhalation practices and to the age at which smoking began. (3) The lower risk of lung cancer for Jewish males does not apply for cigar and pipe smoking, indicating the lower overall risk of lung cancer for Jewish males to relate to the lesser usage of cigarettes rather than to constitutional factors. (4) The age of male lung cancer patients who have smoked only cigars and pipes is older than for cigarette smokers, possibly reflecting an older age at the start of smoking and longer life expectancy of cigar and pipe smokers as compared to cigarette smokers, or a lesser deposition of tobacco smoke in the respiratory tract of cigar and pipe smokers due to the fact that they are predominantly non-inhalers. It is also possible that this reflects the secular changes in smoking habits that has taken place in the general population. (5) While light cigars (one to two a day) or pipe smoking (one to four a day) does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, heavier cigar and pipe smokers need to realize that their risk for lung cancer as well as for other types of cancer and diseases is quite appreciable. Essentially all major articles had some procedural flaw. The conclusions however all reflect the above two statements, and continually be reconfirmed. My personal feeling is that 2-3 cigars per day, not inhaled, pose no significant health threat. There are no studies which implicate "light" cigar smoke with an increased health risk. However, cigars certainly are implicated in lung and other forms of cancer, and once you smoke 5+ a day, the risks become substantial. We cannot consider cigars benign. 3.3 Air Cleaners (Ouch! this section is still under construction!) 3.4 Insurance The following is a list of Insurance companies, both good and bad, and their attitude toward cigar smokers... No specific effort has been made to verify this information. Company Aetna Life Friendly (Cigar Aficionado, 1995) American General Friendly (Cigar Aficionado, 1995) Equitable Life Assurance Friendly (Cigar Aficionado, 1995) Farmer's Hostile (asc reader) First Colony Life Friendly (asc reader) Great West Life (Canada) Friendly (asc reader) Guardian Life Friendly (Cigar Aficionado, 1995) Illinois Mutual Friendly (asc reader) Manufacturers Life of Canada Friendly (Cigar Aficionado, 1995) Massachusetts Mutual Friendly (asc reader) Metropolitan Life Friendly (Cigar Aficionado, 1995) Mutual Life of New York Friendly (Cigar Aficionado, 1995) Northwestern Mutual Life Friendly (Cigar Aficionado, 1995) Ohio Life Insurance Co. Friendly (asc reader) Phoenix Home Life Friendly (asc reader) Principal Mutual Life Friendly (Cigar Aficionado, 1995) Prudential Friendly (Cigar Aficionado, 1995) State Farm Hostile (Various) Savings Bank Life Insurance Hostile (asc reader) US Life Insurance Hostile (company representative) ________________________________________________________________________ 4.0 STORAGE 4.1 Aging Cigars From: jebez@interport.net (Jerry Bezdikian) A cigar is constructed from tobacco leaves. While it is true comparatively speaking, that certain types of tobacco will 'age better' than others, the fact remains that all tobacco, by nature, is living matter and as such, will steadily alter over a period of time. Veteran smokers will for example select specific Habanas for long-term aging due to decades long experience with that particular blend; it is a simple fact certain blends of tobacco yield greater results from aging than others. Some cigars, it has been found, will mature over a period of time, then cease to offer any added advantage with increased aging. In those cases, it's not as if the cigars stop aging (remember, the compositional evolution is on-going), it's only that with certain cigars, no greater enhancement will be realized after a period of time. Yet, other blends continually improve with greater, and greater maturation. Key in this argument is the issue of 'proper' maintenance. Even with cigars that are known to 'age well', with long term storage (5, 10, 20 or more years), proper maintenance (humidity/temperature) is extremely critical. It's one thing to practice haphazard storage with a box of cigars that are to be consumed within a month or so after purchase it's an entirely different issue when one is considering the storage of cigars for even six months let alone 6 years. We should not confuse long term aging of cigars with short term maturation. These days, more often than not, cigars are brought to market in a 'green' state; to derive any measure of enjoyment from a 'fresh' cigar, requires a bare minimum of 3 to 4 weeks just to marry the tobaccos, smooth off the roughness in taste, and bring the cigars up to par. On the other hand, long term aging is a process that will mature a cigar to a highly refined state, that greatly alters a cigars character. In Europe (particularly in England), the aging (or laying down) of cigars is a time honored practice, that is just beginning to find popularity in North America. How long will it take to properly age my cigars? 3 weeks will stabilize the mechanical tensions and moisture of a cigar, making it smoke better. 3 months will allow the oils to begin to migrate and flavors of the blend to marry. 2-3 years (in a suitable environment) will allow some of the more complex chemical processes of true aging to take place, and create subtile flavor changes... and are there any special incidentals I need to know? The tobacco in most premium cigars is aged for 18 months to 2 years before rolling. In high-end premiums it's often 3 years, and some special blends use tobacco up to 15 years old! Regardless, many manufacturers will roll cigars from this aged tobacco, and then hold them (now rolled) for another 1-2 years before shipping. It's unfortunate that so many of the new "boutique" cigars becoming popular are in such demand that their manufacturers are shipping them directly off the roller's tables, without this necessary "post-rolling" aging. This leaves it to either the distributers or the end smokers to hold these "green" cigars until they stabilize, marry, or age whatever your pleasure. Should I remove the cello wrapper for proper aging? A good cigar will certainly age in the wrapper, just as a good wine will age in the bottle. Aging cigars, as wine involves very complex chemical processes. Oxidation, slow chemical changes, blending of essential oils are all involved. If you age a number of similar cigars, then removing the wrappers will allow different cigars to "marry", resulting in more consistence from one to another, but will not make the individual cigars any better or worse. When aging cigars in your "daily" humidor, you're better off leaving them in their wrappers for another reason. Frequent opening and closing (exchanging the air) will result in faster evaporation/dissipation of the essential oils which give a good cigar it's taste. Many people keep a broad assortment of cigars in their humidors. With an assortment of different types, you are best off leaving the wrappers on. You don't want the spiciness from those Jamaicans mixing with the muskiness of the Hondurans. The Dominicans are mild You don't want them to acquire any "power" from those Cubans! Keeping the cello on also slows down the transfer of humidity. Your stored cigars remain stable even with opening and closing the humidor frequently. You'll notice that the end of the cello is never sealed, it's just folded over. This allows the ambient humidity to slowly infiltrate the cigar. It also protects them from transfering problem like mold or bugs {shudder}. Now, if you're only keeping one or two similar brands in your humidor, you might consider unwrapping them just so the flavors "marry". This will produce better consistency from cigar to cigar. What's this about cigar's flavors "marrying"??? The phenomenon called "marrying" is a common, and well-known fact of tobacco production. It's what makes LGC's taste "green" until the 3 tobacco's in the blend mix sufficiently. Some of this transfer is by smell (airborne ethers), but much of it is caused by direct contact transfers of "essential oils" in the cigar's tobacco. These oils migrate through the cigar and can be transferred readily. Marrying can be good or bad. If your humidor is full of the same (or very similar) types of smokes, it will guaranty a consistent smoke. If you inter-mix mild or spicy blends with strong or earthy blends, the mixing is quite noticeable. This is why you should consider leaving the cello on when mixing a broad range of cigars in one humidor (or removing it if they're all the same). Some smokers go one step further, and leave their Cuban's in a completely different box from their others.... ;-) But will these "essential oils" travel through the cigar's wrapper? The wrapper is just another leaf. Vapors and oils migrate through this layer as quickly as they travel from any adjacent leaves (such as the 3 tobaccos in a LGC's blend). Wanna see how well it protects 'em? Put a drop of water on the wrapper after a minute, it'll soak right in to your stogie! The essential oils which give a cigar it's taste travel just this readily from layer to layer, cigar to cigar. Just as the humidity will stabilize in a closed box, the essential oils of the cigars will eventually migrate and stabilize. 4.2 Humidors Why use a humidor? The purpose of a humidor is to keep your cigars at their peak "smokability". The most crucial characteristic of a fine humidor is that it can provide a constant environment of about 68' to 70' F and 70-72% humidity. It doesn't really need to be fancy, but it _does_ need to be functional. What do I look for in buying a humidor? Starting from the inside of the box, look for details liked perfectly squared and fitted seams. Gaps provide an exit for moisture. Spanish cedar is the best wood for the interior of a humidor (see section on woods below) and it should be unfinished. There should be an "inner lip" protruding from the top of the side above in to the lid to help prevent the exchange of moisture. The lid should close sufficiently tight, and be a uniform fit (no sign of warping). The humidification device should be capable of maintaining a constant level of humidity within the box with as little maintenance as possible. What temperature is best for storage? 70 degrees. - although cooler storage temperatures are definitely not a problem for cigars (as long as you maintain a reasonable relative humidity). Why do we attempt to keep them at 70 deg. then? The key is in the subtle difference between stable storage and true aging. Your cigars will not age, mature, mellow, or develop the complex character of well cured smokes at lower temperatures. The blended tobaccos will not "marry", and if you're keeping them for a long time you won't get the subtle changes in flavor. There have been several long threads in a.s.c. on the need to age La Gloria Cubanas, for example. These will stay "green" much longer if aged at cooler temperatures. At higher temperatures, there are several insects to worry about. The microscopic eggs of the dreaded tobacco beetle, for instance, hatch at temperatures above 80 degrees. Must cigars be stored horizontally? Cigars are stored horizontally because in a completely still environment moist air is very slow to mix with drier air. It obviously does stabilize eventually, but with a humidor's frequent openings and closings, this "layering effect" may make your stogies burn irregularly. You can minimize the effect by storing cigars horizontally (and not opening your box too often). I'd recommend a tupperdor over a jar for this reason. Sliding cigars in and out of a cigar jar can often damage the ends of their delicate wrappers it's best to subject your cigars to as little handling as possible. A shoebox size tupperdor hardly costs more than a single good cigar, and you'll be able to store more cigars (and longer ones). Picture an 8" tall jar (big enough for larger 7 1/2" sizes) with a few 4 1/2" robustos mixed in. You'll have to dump them all out to get at the shorter ones! 4.3 Building Wood Humidors Building your own? Check out the detailed plans for a professional quality box published by Popular Mechanics! They're available on the web at: "http://homearts.com/pm/shoptalk/12humib1.htm" Building your own wood humidor (contributed by Bob Lesnick {gammarll@ix.netcom.com}) First you have to ask yourself the question: "Do I really want to build one"?. Do I have the tools, the time, the ability, the patience? If you answered NO to two or more...forget it. Spend 800.00 and enjoy it. But if you really want to do it start by laying out the size and design. Go to tobacco stores and examine the ones they have for sale. Cut out pictures from magazines. Lay it out with your cigars in mind. I mainly smoke Mac's Prince Phillip Maduros 49 x 7 1/2 so the main compartment holds fifty of them. A side compartment holds about 10 - 15 Robustos and the tray that covers the smaller compartment holds about 45 Mac Duke of Devon Maduros (coronas). These are the three primary cigars I smoke so I designed my humidor with this in mind. By now you should have taken measurements from the ones you examined at the tobacco stores and have a basic drawing of what you want to do. Next question is what kind of woods do I want to make the case out of. Remember that the humidor must be lined with Spanish Red Cedar about 3/8ths of an inch. There are some nice domestic woods like walnut and cherry that are good to work with. Exotics such as Padauk, Mahogonys, Babinga, Cocobolo, Rosewoods and others which have a beutiful grain and richness to them. They are a little bit more expensive but considering that you are going to spend quite a number of hours building the humidor you might as well make it nice. Try to buy the widest boards you can find so you don't have to get involved with jointing boards. Ask for or pick boards which are not warped and with a minimum of defects. Obviously you want boards with a nice grain. If you are fortunate enough to be able to visit the yard in person, look over the boards very carfully to make sure they are straight. Bring you measurements with you so you can make 'mental' cuts in choosing boards with the best grain. (Does that make sense??) You usually have to buy boards 13/16ths thick and 8-14 feet long. The best place to seek out sources for woods and hardware is the American Woodworker or Fine Woodworking magazine. They have dozens of companies advertising for your business and most of them offer free catalogs. Send for them all. Tools: A good workbench is a must. You should have a router, and preferably a router table. You need this for cutting a mortise for the lock, hinges and lid stop(s). Also if you want to inlay. And if you want to put a nice edge on the top. And probably for alot of other things I can't think of right now. Either a Table Saw or Radial Arm Saw for ripping and making fine cuts. I have a Craftsman Radial which also has attachments for a drill bit, 11" sanding disk, sanding drum and planer. It came in very handy in making my humidor. Band Saw or Sabre Saw, hand drill or drill press, belt sander (Optional) and a finishing sander plus a host of hand tools and accessories such as chisels, drill bits, router bits, saw blade MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE!!! First you want to take the lumber and cut it down to workable pieces. If you have purchased 8' or longer boards, measure out the top and bottom of the humidor, add two inches and rip the board. Next you have to make sure that the board is square. Use a table saw to cut a thin slice of each long side of the board. If you are using a circular saw, clamp a fence onto it to cut a straight line. Cut the ends straight and check the whole thing with a square. Make sure the boards are not warped or bowed. If they are then you will have to plane them a little. Once the board is square and flat, cut it in half. Prepare a board of Spanish Red Cedar in the same manner as described above. Glue the two pieces of cedar to the lumber. Make sure you glue it crossgrained and clamp it well. You can also drive your car up on it. Once dried you can cut both pieces to size and plane them down to proper thickness. I used a half inch piece of lumber to a 3/8th inch piece of cedar. MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE Next prepare the four sides as described above and cut to size. MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE You can now do some sanding with 150 paper to smooth out the surfaces. Use some finer paper on the cedar because you will be gluing the unit soon and its easier to sand the inside now. Choose what kind of joint you are going to use. You do not want the joint to show so consider some type of miter joint. I used a reversible combination rail and stile bit but also considered a lock miter joint. A good selection of bits can be had by contacting MLCS at 800 533 9298 for a catalog. Rout your joints and dry assemble the unit and check to make sure it is square. Once you are satisfied, glue the top, bottom and four sides together and clamp well with LOTS OF CLAMPS. If you consider doing any inlay, now is the time. Just rout out a little channel and glue in the inlay. When dry, do some fine sanding at this point of the entire unit. When the unit has dried overnight, measure off the top and neatly cut it off of the box. Measure off and rabbet down the inside of the top edge to leave a lip on the inside. Rout out a recess in the bottom to recieve the lip. (Look at any commercial humidor to see what I mean) Make any dividers and trays out of 1/8th or 3/16ths cedar. If you want to make movable dividers, glue some chamois or felt to the ends of the dividers so they fit snug in the humidor. Cut the mortise for the hinges, lock and lid stop. Mount all the hardware. Do the final sanding in stages up to 400 or 600 grit. Install the chest handles. I used about six to eight coats of Semi Gloss Tung Oil Finish using 0000 steel wool between coats. By the way, do not finish inside the humidor, use the finish of your choice on the outside only. I finished the humidor by applying several coats of a beeswax based furniture polish. It should finish like glass! I installed some peel and stick felt to the bottom of the humidor to protect the furniture Wipe own the inside with distilled water and install your Credo or other humidity unit and hygrometer. Let sit for a day while you check the humidity periodically. Once satisfied fill with your cigars. Board feet is actually a calculation of volume. Multiply the nominal thickness times the nominal width times the actual length in feet. This is then divided by 12. For example a one foot long 1 x 12 and a two foot long 1 x 6 would both be sold as one board foot. Wood Considerations (contributed by Viktor Nehring (VikTheK@ix.netcom.com) Is Closet lining the same as Spanish Cedar? The a.s.c resident expert on this topic seems to be humidor maker Daniel Morris DeRight. He responded to queries on a.s.c as well as on rec.woodworking. "Spanish Cedar and American Aromatic Red Cedar have little in common except their appearance. Spanish cedar (Cedrela odorata) is a very mild wood with good absorption characteristics and is used to line humidors. Aromatic cedar (juniperus virginiana) is a pungent wood with varying absorption rates and is quite brittle, though workable if carefully treated. "Spanish cedar also has little connection to Spain. Spanish cedar is grown in over a dozen countries world wide, much as English walnut is grown primarily in France and Turkey. Cuban, Brazilian, Topical American and others are all names for Spanish cedar. "Honduran mahogany is similar to cedar in appearance and absorption, but by no means the same wood. It is used for the better cigar boxes, but most boxes are made of luann and the like." Steve Yankovich has been a woodworker for 10+ yr. "...there is no question that Spanish cedar and aromatic cedar used for chests and closet are not the same. Spanish cedar doesn't have the same strong odor of the aromatic varieties. Also Spanish cedar is not your only choice for the lining, shelves, trays, etc... for your humidor. Many older, and many very fine and expensive humidors use Honduran Mahogany for this purpose (of course unfinished). It is not imperative to use the Spanish cedar for proper aging...2 of the 3 humidors I have have mahogany interiors and work great." OK.... Where do I buy Spanish cedar? Again, from humidor maker Daniel Morris DeRight "Most lumber yards do carry Spanish cedar, they just don't advertise it because they already have buyers. If you are building your own humidor, your best bet is to try and buy some from a local cabinetmaker. Better still, let them cut and plane it close to size, as cedar dust is rumored to be carcinogenic! I can't vouch for that, but I will tell you that the one time I planed cedar without my respirator on, I was coughing for several days." From the home built humidor man Chavete, "Hardwood or exotic wood suppliers should have Spanish cedar. If not, old cigar boxes will work just fine. I get mine locally in New Orleans, but some folks don't seem to have access to it. It's nice to have, but not a "must" when building a humidor. Some very expensive humidors have none at all. It probably enhances the flavor of cigars, but one fellow I know that owns a cigar shop doesn't like cigars overpowered with cedar flavorings." I ended up breaking up some cigar boxes I had on hand. I had more than enough for the bottom and sides, but the top will have to wait. WEAR YOUR RESPIRATOR when cutting this stuff: the dust gave me an instant headache. My Arturo Fuente Hemmingway box will make a perfect tray for the interior. I put on two coats of polyurethane. In between coats, I put on some old cigars bands that I had been saving for..... well, no reason, I had just been saving them OK? And my saving paid off. I put them in between the two coats of polyurethane. Some soaked up the juice and became soggy, some didn't want to stick, some soaked up only a little juice, leaving about 1/2 the band a different color. Humidor-wise, another coat should of poly-u should about do it I think. Any help on doing the cigar band thing would be appreciated. Cigar boxes, are any made of Spanish cedar? Yes, many are, and many home-builders use broken-up boxes as a source for Spanish cedar. I've used the thin divider pieces that come in many Fuente boxes to line several humidors. It's very thin, so makes a good laminate. [note: Take care when cutting or sanding Spanish Cedar. The dust is quite toxic when inhaled and can cause irritating respiratory ailments.] 4.3a Commercial sources of Spanish Cedar Maurice Condon Co, Inc 250 Ferris Ave. White Plains, NY (914) 946-4111. Gilmer Wood Co. 2211 N.W. Saint Helens Road Portland, Oregon 97210 (503) 274-1271 Handloggers Larkspur, CA (415) 461-1180 Eisenbrand, Inc 4100 Spencer St. Torrance, CA 90503 (800) 258-2587 4.4 Finishes 4.4a Sealing the interior Contributed by Daniel Morris DeRight: Well, I'm not much of a fan of water based poly's, but finishing the inside of the humidor before putting in the cedar is a good idea in most respects. Not only will it help to prevent swelling in the wood, but it will help to maintain the moisture balance inside. One caveat with poly's, though the water based ones are better in this regard, is smell. Be very sure you allow the inside of your humidor to cure completely with the lid open or off. If the poly doesn't cure fully, and you start using it, all those fumes will be trapped inside and absorbed by your smokes! Personally, I prefer to use a sealer coat, or as wood workers call it, a spit coat. Mine is made from 1 part 3lb cut super blonde shellac, mixed with 3 parts denatured alcohol. You can brush on a coat of this and it will dry in less than an hour, due to the high alcohol content. I put 4-6 coats of this on the inside of my humidors, before the cedar is installed. You can apply a fresh coat once an hour, and therefore finish the interior in an afternoon. You might want to scuff sand (ie very, very lightly) with some 600grit paper in between coats to knock off any raised grain. 4.4b Oil Finishing From: Paul B Harris (pbh@U.Arizona.EDU) Keep in mind, there are numerous ways to finish humidors -- I chose a natural oil finish because I like the way it brings out the rich colors and patterns of the wood without adding any colors of its own. I chose Danish Oil because I was told by a friend that it was one of the easiest to use for a beginner like myself. I am extremely happy with both choices. Supply List... 1) sanding block 2) 1-2 sheets 150 grit sandpaper (not necessary if box is already well sanded when you receive it) 3) 1-2 sheets 220 grit sandpaper 4) 1-2 sheets 320 grit wet/dry sandpaper 5) 1-2 sheets 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper 6) 1-2 sheets 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper 7) dust brush and tack-cloth (a sticky cloth for picking up dust that is available at most hardware stores) 8) "Watco" Danish Oil Finish (Natural) 9) soft cotton cloths (i.e., cheese cloth, old dish towels, etc.). I used cut-up cloth diapers. I usually keep a couple dozen cloth diapers around the house because they are excellent for this kind of work, for dusting, an for waxing the car. They also come in handy for dressing up as the New Year after drinking too much on New Year's Eve ;-) 10) a coffee can or similar sealed metal container fill with water (this is for disposing of oil soaked rags which are highly flammable and prone to spontaneously combustion). 11) rubber gloves (optional) 12) "Trewax" clear paste wax Instructions.... A. Getting Ready Remove the hinges from the humidor, noting which hinge is on the left and which is on the right (I know, it shouldn't make any difference, but if one of the hinges is even slightly bent, the lid will sit differently if the hinges are switched). Also remove the brass lid support, and the tray. B. Sanding Using a sanding block along with some "hand-held" sanding, I sanded all of the mahogany surfaces up to a 320 grit finish (i.e., start with 150, then 220, then 320 -- you can skip 150 if the box is already very smooth). Always sand with the grain and try to use even strokes across an entire plane rather than concentrating on a small area (concentrating your sanding will cause valleys or indentations in your finish). Be careful not to over-sand the inside walls of the lid or the outer Spanish cedar lip, because you may end up loosening the seal between the lid and the body of the box. When the box is smooth as "a baby's bottom," brush the dust off of everything (or blow it off with compressed air). Then, with a wet washcloth or sponge, wipe down all of the surfaces that you have sanded and let the box dry. The moistened wood gives you a nice preview of how the box will start to look when you finish it and also cleans out some of the sawdust, but the primary reason for wetting the box is to open the grain of the wood and bring up loose fibers. After it dries, you will notice that your "baby's bottom" sanding has suddenly developed some 5:00 stubble. Sand the box one more time with the 320 grit paper to remove this "stubble." C. Cleaning All sawdust should be thoroughly cleaned from the box before you apply your oil finish (if anything else has managed to get on your box, this should be cleaned or sanded off also). You can blow the dust out using compressed air, or brush off the box with a paint or shop brush and use a tack cloth to pick up the "hard to get" dust that has accumulated. D. Applying the Danish Oil Work in a well ventilated area, preferably on a table that gives you plenty of room to work. Oil finishes are not like paint, you don't have to wait for one side to dry before you can flip it over and do the other side. However, it's probably not the best idea to have an oiled surface sitting directly on your work table it will take longer to dry, may pick up dust, etc, from the top of the table, or may even stick to the table. I used old wooden cigar boxes, lids removed, to create platforms on which the humidor could rest. When I had finished applying oil to the base or lid of the box, I would flip it over so the open side was down and set it on two boxes. These boxes were sitting open side up, so only the tops of the thin wood sides of each cigar box came into contact with the humidor (see diagram below). _______________ _|_ _|_ cigar | | | bottom of | | | cigar box |_|_| humidor |_|_| box |_______________| Before you start, decide what you are going to finish. I finished every exposed mahogany surface on the box including the lid (inside and out), the four exterior sides, the upper ledge of the base, and the bottom (outside) of the box. The only Spanish cedar surface I finished was the outside of the lip, up to its top (I masked off the inside of the lip with masking tape so as not to slop oil onto the box interior). Danish Oil is a skin irritant to some people. I wore rubber surgical gloves while finis |