Cuban cigars originate from the Caribbean, which has a tropical climate very different to Europe. As a natural product, your Havana cigars need to be kept carefully. They are used to being in a warm climate with a relatively high humidity.

Therefore they will need to be protected from extremes of temperature and humidity (particularly low humidity). This is particularly difficult to achieve in air conditioned and centrally heated buildings, where the air tends to get de-humidified and cigars can dry out very quickly. Some cigars come in aluminum tubes which can help preserve them in dry climates, however they tend to mature at a much slower rate than ‘naked’ boxed cigars.



Maintain a temperature of 16 C to 20 C and a relative humidity of 65% – 70%.

In the UK you will need a humidor to maintain the humidity of your cigars at various times of the year:

Humidity

At the least, keep your cigars in a tight fitting cupboard, drawer or box, away from radiators and other sources of heat. Pick the coolest indoor spot in your house. Leave the cigars in their original boxes as this will help preserve them, stop them from being damaged, and prevent any cross-tainting of flavours between different varieties of cigars stored in the same area. If the humidity in your make-shift humidor is low, a damp sponge in a cup will serve as a basic provider of humidity.

When you purchase your cigars from Tomtom, they will be packed in an airtight zip-loc bag, which will maintain the humidity of your cigars while you transport them from the shop to your humidor. These bags are a very efficient short term humidor, however we would not recommend that you leave your cigars sealed in these bags for more than one month. Although humidity will be maintained, cigars also need to be exposed to some fresh air to allow them to ‘breathe’ and age correctly.

A variety of desk-top and travel humidors can be purchased (see ‘Accessories’) and are an essential item for the dedicated cigar smoker (more information below).

Temperature

The danger of excessive temperature (combined with too much humidity) is that the cigars can either go moldy or be damaged by weavil attack. If cigars go moldy, this is generally not a problem, as long as it is spotted reasonably soon and the mould (or bloom) only appears on the wrapper leaf. The mould can be removed with a soft brush (e.g. a badger shaving brush) and then the cigar can be returned to store in the correct conditions. If mould gets into the end of the cigar, we recommend that you do not smoke it. Weavil, or tobacco beetle, is a more serious problem. If you see any small holes in your cigar, you should take immediate action. Please call Tomtom for further advice. Never store cigars near direct sunlight or for long periods exposed to sea breezes (salt will not enhance your smoke). The lower the temperature, the higher the humidity required to compensate.

Desk-Top Humidors

There is a very wide selection of these humidors on the market. The basic design requirements are that they are sealable (and generally lockable!), but allow the cigars to breathe. This is normally achieved by leaving the base of the box unvarnished: and no portion of the inner cedar box should be laminated. The box contains a fitting, which provides the humidity: this is normally a pad containing a sponge or chalk, which can be dampened. The box may also contain a dial showing humidity and temperature.

As a rule of thumb, the smaller the box, the harder it is to maintain a steady level of humidity within its confines. These humidors do not regulate temperature. The price range starts from about 125 for a plexi glass humidor, which will hold approximately 50 cigars to 2000 and above. A comprehensive selection is shown on our accessory page. Fabulous humidors can also be created out of antique boxes which many families have inherited as writing slopes or medal cases and which have since become redundant. This is a very cost-effective way of storing your cigars in a unique and personal humidor.

Travel Humidors

Ranging in price from 100 upwards. These are not suitable for long-term storage of cigars, however they are essential if you are moving about: the wrapper leaf on a handmade cigar is very thin and delicate and will easily damage. The safest way to prevent this is to keep the cigars in their original box, in tubes or in a purpose-built travel humidor.

Cigar Cases

Generally these do not offer humidification systems built in, but will protect your cigars if you take them in your pocket for the day. There are some metal tubes with hermetically sealed screw tops that will act in the same way as a cigar tube and seal in moisture. The majority are made from leather and offer protection from damage as well as limited protection from fluctuations in humidity and temperature.

Reviving Dried-Out Cigars

This is not an exact science and not always successful. Dry cigars need to be rehumidified very slowly and with care. We suggest you speak to us

Footnote

We do NOT recommend that cigars are kept in a refrigerator for storage. It is likely that the cigars will be dried out by this process and irretrievably damaged.

About the Author:

Mike Keesling is a freelance writer and cigar afficiando. His favorite cigar emporium is Ceniza Lounge in Pasadena, California.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – How To Store Cigars

Newton’s third law puts it this way: For every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction. But the old ’70s soul song says it all much more colorfully: You always have to pay for the fun you’ve had.

No matter what your hobby or pet pastime, there’s always some undesirable aspect that has to be dealt with. If you’re an athlete, you may have to spend the occasional Monday morning icing a pulled muscle. Sports spectators have to deal with hard bleacher seats, cold weather, and possibly obnoxious bellowing from the guy in the next row-unless you catch the game on TV, where you just have to put up with odd camera angles. Or let’s say you like reading: Obsessive readers may end up with slight vision problems-in fact, graduate students in literature are often advised that they should expect (and be checked for) increased nearsightedness with each year of study. Too much TV can induce apathy and is positively correlated with depression and obesity (and with infomercials, a far worse fate). And most everybody enjoys video games, but if you enjoy them too much, you may-there are documented cases of this-incur a repetitive stress injury to your thumb. As for pet owners, well, let’s not even talk about all the poop-scooping that becomes part of your life.

And cigar smokers have their own result of fun to consider. Specifically, the aromatic scent of their favorite cigar may attach to unwelcome places such as clothes. In fact, back when cigar smoking was the universal habit of Victorian gentleman, many of these smokers would maintain a separate outfit to wear when smoking, which would absorb the fumes. (Thus the terms “smoking jacket” and “smoking cap,” which we still use.)

But it’s the effect of a cigar scent settling on breath that some cigar smokers may find troublesome. The considerate cigar smoker is aware of this and plans accordingly. Here are some suggestions to help you pay for the enjoyment you’ve had-without paying too much!

1) Choose good cigars. This may seem like an obvious point, but the better-made the cigar, the less chemical the odor. Buy well-made, hand-rolled, long-filler cigars from a quality cigar outlet or online store.

2) For while you’re smoking: Drink tea, or eat. (Mild-flavored teas are most recommended; as for foodstuffs, consider dark chocolates or other simple, strong-but-not-too-strong tastes.) “Cutting” your cigar with food or drink can help absorb both the aftertaste and the effects on breath.

3) Keep some fresh parsley on hand-or even a parsley plant in your kitchen or living room, or whatever room is nearest to the place where you smoke. This herb has traditionally come recommended for its odor-killing powers.

4) Chew gum. Mint-flavored gums are recommended, the stronger the better.

5) On that note, try chewing raw mint. As with parsley, you can keep it around in its herbal form and chew it undiluted after a cigar. You can also keep strong breath mints on hand.

6) Mouth sprays, as well as mouthwashes specifically intended for cigar smokers, are available commercially, and can be purchased from cigar stores or online cigar retailers. These are highly recommended. They’re made by people who understand. Some of the anti-cigar-breath mouthwashes have the side benefit of clearing away the tar that might otherwise stain your teeth. If these mouthwashes aren’t available, a typical mouthwash and a good tooth-brushing will be a lot better than nothing.

7) To avoid breath problems the next morning after a smoke: After a smoke, never go to bed without eating something. Even if it’s just a tiny, simple snack, it “cuts” the cigar and reduces breath problems while seeming to absorb and clear away the odors in your mouth.

So, to recap: enjoy good cigars. Drink tea or eat while you smoke, or after you smoke. Brush your teeth like Mom said, and use a good mouthwash-perhaps especially a mouthwash intended for cigar smokers. And mint and thyme help too, especially for those days when you have to rush from your smoke to a work meeting or a date.

About the Author:
CigarFox provides you the opportunity to build your own sampler of the finest cigars that include cigar brands like Montecristo, Romeo & Julieta, H Upmann, Macanudo, Cohiba, Partagas, Gurkha and many more. Choose from more than 1200 different cigars! Other cigar products include cigar humidors, cigar boxes, and cigar accessories like Zippo Lighters.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Ways to Prevent and Eliminate Cigar Breath

For the young Cigar Entrepreneur, choosing the right smoke can be the most difficult of matters. One has to know what one is looking for, as well as looking at. There is such a wide variety of high-profile cigars on the market today, that one just about has to have some instruction prior to that first purchase.

First, we will cover the subject of flavor. The layman would assume that all cigars are made from the same tobacco, as well as have the same flavor. The truth is, there is a massive variety of tobacco flavors available, each particular flavor having its own level of intensity. Your own personal favorite could very well be one that everyone else despises. Everyone has a different pallet for a cigar. Regardless, the actual mix of tobacco, the time elapsed since the making of the cigar, the condition it is in (storage, humidor, etc) and what you have drank or ate before or during the smoking of the cigar all have a bearing on the actual taste.

As far as only being one flavor of tobacco initially grown, this also is a fallacy. Tobaccos will attain different flavors depending upon the soil in which that particular plant is grown. In addition, different parts of the actual tobacco plant are utilized to define a particular flavor. All of these factors are blended together by cigar gurus who know what will go well with what to produce an original and excellent cigar.

With all this in mind, we can assume that picking that right cigar is going to be difficult at best. It takes more than just a random pick or a glance. It takes knowledge.

First, always refer to a smoker. If you know someone within your circle that enjoys a good high-quality cigar, ask him or her about what they like. Tell them your favorite flavors of food and fruit. This will give them a good idea as to what will lay best on your pallet. If you don’t know a connoisseur of fine cigars, ask the individual that runs your cigar shop. He/She may not smoke, but you can be certain that they know what cigar smokers come back for over and over.

Once you have chosen a cigar for consideration begin your inspection. Before we go too deeply into this, however, let’s discuss the occasional white powdery substance that you may come across on a cigar. Do not let this turn you away, as this is what is called “Bloom.” Bloom is simply the result of ageing on a cigar and is in no way a bad thing. Actually, it may very well be considered a positive aspect. This enhances the flavor. Mold, on the other hand, should be avoided. If a cigar is kept at extreme levels of humidity, it will form a blue-green tint on the packaging. Avoid it at all costs.

Ask yourself if you would prefer a mild cigar, or a more full-flavored smoke. If you would lean more towards the full-flavor option, then choose a cigar with a larger ring. The ring is the actual diameter of the cigar. The larger the diameter, the more intense, and multiple blends you will experience.

Another way to get a feel for the taste of a cigar is the smell. Take a good whiff of it. If the smell is overwhelming, then it will likely be very strong. Take notice that we use the word “likely” in that reference. This is not always the case. Some smokes smell a level or two more intense than they actually taste.

Next, how long do you want to smoke a cigar? Common sense tells us that the longer the cigar, the longer the smoke-time. However, another way to tell is to gently squeeze the cigar ¾ of the way up. If it seems very tight, it will have a more difficult draw and take longer to smoke. If it is loose, the smoke will proceed at a faster rate.

Moving on, we have the construction of the cigar. Does it appear lumpy or feel loose at spots here and there? If so, you probably do not want it. You see, the creation of a good hand-rolled cigar is actually considered a work of art in some circles. The way a cigar looks is at least 40 % of the selling value. If it does not look good, it is far more difficult to move, commercially speaking.

In choosing the right cigar for you, the one and only true manner is to just shop around. Research reviews online. There are a number of very effective and consistently updated review sites, such as Cigar Inspector. These sites will give you individual reviews by people who have tried the cigar. Then, once you pick out one to try, do not go in with the attitude that if you don’t like this one, you will never try another. Expect to invest a little time in finding your perfect cigar. Even then, when you find that perfect Robusto or Maduro, keep shopping. Variety is truly the spice of life.

About the Author:

Denis is the author and webmaster for CigarInspector.com, your source for cigar reviews and cigar ratings.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – How to Choose a Cigar?

Lighting a cigar correctly is vital to ensuring the best smoking experience. There are numerous steps involved in doing so and, oftentimes, smokers have as much of a preference in regards to lighting their cigar as they do toward which types of cigars they prefer. Cedar strips are one of the less-common ways that smokers light-up and they offer an interesting twist on enjoying one’s smoke.

The process starts, of course, with the cigar cutter. Remember to trim the cigar properly to ensure the best draw. How the cedar is lit is up to the smoker. Some smokers prefer to light the strip with a regular lighter while others prefer to keep the process as back-to-basics as possible and to use a match to set the strip aflame.

Cedar burns quickly and hot and provides a vibrant flame for lighting the actual cigar. Some smokers, depending on their sensitivity to taste, claim to be able to taste the cedar a bit while others say there is no taste at all. Either way, no one seems to find the experience unpleasant in any regard. The cedar is used to light the cigar as would be any other implement, the cigar is rotated, the smoker puffs until an even and hot cherry is generated.

If a smoker who objects to any chemicals contacting their tobacco is not at home, the natural choice is a butane torch lighter which, like a cedar strip, imparts no taste to the tobacco owing to the high efficiency of its burning. This is, of course, also enormously more convenient in that the smoker need not light two separate devices to get their cigar smoking.

Cedar strips offer something different for one’s cigar-smoking experience. The smell of burning cedar being immediately followed by the smell of high-quality, burning tobacco is really quite pleasant. If one is truly looking for a gourmet experience, cedar strips can be a nice addition to the smoking ritual.

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Cedar Strips

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

There will be an ash at the foot of the cigar. There are two ways to deal with this. One may simply knock the ash off and relight the cigar where it stopped burning or they may trim the cigar back to the point where fresh tobacco is exposed. Generally, trimming the cigar back a little will make it taste a bit smoother. The change in taste results from the buildup of tar in the tobacco as it is smoked so there is some change that is unavoidable no matter how far one trims back the wrapper before relighting the cigar.

Some butane torch lighters come with a cutting attachment. Snipping off the ash and exposing the wrapper allows one to relight the cigar just as they would light a fresh cigar. If one wishes to preserve the maximum amount of tobacco, one can simply knock off what ash remains at the foot of the cigar and relight at that spot. This may result in a somewhat harsher taste, especially on the first few draws.

If the cigar is trimmed back, there will likely be some darkening of the tobacco, particularly in the center of the cigar where the smoke tends to be drawn through the most. This is nothing to worry about and the tobacco will still taste good. In fact, some smokers actually prefer this taste as it has a bit more “bite” to it and offers a different smoking experience.

Good cigars can be expensive and, given that they’re large, many smokers actually prefer to smoke them in stages. Generally, the more times a cigar is relit the harsher it will become so most smokers prefer to limit this to one relight per cigar. With a very good cigar, however, the quality of the smoke may well make multiple relights completely acceptable.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cigar is usually seen to become a part of individual’s lifestyle and determinant of one’s status in the society. It gained world wide popularity, made its own way through special occasions and valued by veterans, rich and famous personalities.

Cigar has three countries of origin and several kinds of cigars sold in cigar shop or store. It’s really difficult to find the best cigar that satisfies the cravings of a man to smoke.

Here are basic tips when you want to buy a cigar, be it online or at a cigar shop. Fresh cigar when pinched displays a tender wrapper and binder. While inspecting a box of cigar, discoloration of each piece should not be present as it might be a sign of a bad cigar. When talking about the size of a cigar try to consider its length and ring. A cigar with a seven inch in length with a bigger diameter will take hours to finish. While a five inch cigar and smaller in diameter is the best shot for a quick smoke after lunch. For the ring, the bigger the ring size the cooler the cigar smokes will be. The next will be the rating based on quality, appearance, construction and way it is smoked. Aroma or flavors should be in balance to give the cigar its overall taste.

A cigar with a rating of below seventy is not worth your money while those have a rating that ranges from 70-100 varies from having a good commercial property to classics which qualify for extra bucks from your pocket. When buying a cigar for a special occasion, be sure to purchase a good one. You can ask cigar shops for a best cigar they have or check on online cigar shop for recommendations. Don’t fall for the boxes with pretty colors for its contents might be disappointing. A $10 cigar box with flashing color might be as same quality to a box next to it that only costs $4. The best cigar will have the simplest box and simplest band.

A cigar with a maduro or natural wrapper tends to be sweeter tasting than wrappers that haven’t aged as long. You can buy cigars online to determine what taste of cigar suits you before buying a box. Inexperienced or novice smokers should start with smaller size cigars to build up the smoking skills before having the huge havanas which take an hour to smoke. For pro or experienced smokers a variety of cigar can be found in online cigar shop.

When you want to buy cigar online, determine the type of cigar you want before shopping. Explore for particular clues such as the type of cigar, the country where the cigars had grown or made, and the price that you’re willing to pay. Buy cigar samplers before buying a complete set for this enables you to try of cigar brands or styles of cigar. Samplers are mostly from different parts of the world that has been aged in various ways it is very helpful if you’re a novice. Buying of cigar is too costly; in determining your favorite cigars you could save some of your cash.

About the Author:

Shop and buy cigars online at SautterCigars.com online cigarstore. We have the best selection of authentic Cuban Cigars and cigar accessories in London.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – How To Find And Buy Quality Cigars

Far be it for us to instruct anyone how to smoke their cigars, but here goes anyway:

Four out of five of your senses have an important role to play in assessing the cigar. Sight, touch, smell and taste. Rolling a cigar next to your ear does not achieve anything useful – you can leave your ears at home.

There are two elements to the process of smoking your cigar. The first is the physical practicality of cutting, lighting and smoking. The second is the effect a cigar has on your senses while you carry out these various functions.

The Physical Practicalities:

Cutting
Once you have selected your cigar (see below – ‘Cigar Sensations’), you will need to cut the closed end. All handmade cigars have a cap (Havanas have a double cap) over the head end – this end goes in your mouth. If you attempt to smoke a cigar the other way around, you will find that half way through it will unravel and take on the appearance of an exploded stick. There are a number of ways of cutting the cap, ranging from the use of a thumb-nail, to portable guillotine cutters (both single and double bladed – see ‘Accessories’ on navigation bar), from cheap to expensive, to the more exotic cigar scissors and table-top cutters.

The cut should be clean and level, or there will be difficulties with the draw and a risk of damaging the wrapper. Cut the cigar so that an eighth of an inch of the cap is left around the cigar wrapper. It is not recommended that you pierce the cap with a pin, as this will interfere with the passage of smoke, make the cigar overheat and lead to unpleasant flavours from residues condensing at the point the cap was pierced. Cap hole-punching devices do work well as long as the diameter of the punch is at least a quarter of an inch. Wedge-shaped cutters are also not recommended, as these have a tendency to cut through all of the band on either side and the cigar wrapper can then unravel.

Whatever you use, make sure it is sharp, and that you expose enough of the filler leaves under the cap to allow the smoke uninterrupted passage.

Lighting Up
When you light a cigar, use either a butane lighter (not one filled with gasoline) or a match. Anything else, such as using a candle, will tend to taint the flavour of the cigar, and will ultimately impede the passage of smoke through the cigar with particles from the flame. Avoid matches with high sulphur or wax contact (don’t use paper matches). Take time and care to light the cigar.

First, hold the cigar horizontally in direct contact with the flame, and slowly revolve it until the end is charred evenly over its entire surface.

Put the cigar between your lips, hold the flame about half an inch away from the end, and draw slowly while rotating the cigar. Its end should now ignite. Ensure an even burn has taken hold.

Gently blow on the burning end to make sure the cigar is fully lit.

Smoking
After five minutes the cigar will have warned up and you will have reached cruising altitude.

Unlike cigarettes, cigars will naturally go out if left unattended. If your cigar goes out, don’t worry. Remove any ash clinging to the previously lit end by tapping the cigar. Blow through the cigar to clear away stale smoke. Re-light as previously described above. As long as the cigar has not been out for too long, the flavour will not be unduly affected. Continuous re-lighting of cigars will affect the flavour, and if a cigar is allowed to cool, then on re-lighting the tastes can become tainted and unpleasant (due to condensation of the smoke in the remaining part of the cigar).

Havanas are made from long filler tobacco leaves (another difference to cigarettes and machine made cigars). This means that the ash on the cigar, if it is a good one, should not fall off the moment it appears. There is no particular merit in keeping a long ash on a cigar, but neither is there any need to continually tap it to remove any excess ash. In assessing the quality of construction of your cigar, a long solid cylinder of ash is a good sign.

There is no need to warm the length of the cigar before smoking it. This was done in the nineteenth century to burn off the rather unpleasant gum used on some cigars made in Seville. Today’s handmade Cuban cigars use a small drop of flavourless, odorless vegetable gum at the cap end of the wrapper leaf.

The “End”
The final third of your cigar will be when the smoke is at its strongest. This is the time to part company before flavours become bitter and the effect of the cigar on your well-being may become detrimental. There is absolutely no need to stub or grind a cigar out to extinguish it. Left in the ashtray it will go out by itself: if you stub it out, it will release foul odours into the room. Once the cigar has self-extinguished remove any butts and ash from the room before they start to give out unpleasant smells (i.e. before going to bed!).

About the Author:

Mike Keesling is a freelance seo consultant and cigar afficiando. His favorite cigar shop in Los Angeles is the Ceniza Lounge in Pasadena.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – How to Smoke a Cigar