There is a lot of talk of whether you need to find a popular label to get a good smoke. Well, here is my take…

Large cigar makers have the most consistent tobacco. They often have first rights to thousands of acres of tobacco. So, if you are looking for a consistent good smoke, the better-known labels may be your best bet.

With that said however, there are plenty of specialty brands that are usually good due to their connections. Brands such as Rocky, Avo, or Butera (to name a few) often have consistently good smokes.

Don’t be afraid to try a non-name brand, just try one single stick as oppose to committing to a box.

Get ready to pay a bit more for your favorite smoke. On February 4th, 2009 President Obama signed into law the expansion of the State Children’s Insurance Health Program (SCHIP).  This program provides health and dental insurance to children and pregnant mothers who do not qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford health insurance.

The SCHIP program will be funded largely by increasing Federal taxes on all tobacco products. Cigars will be hit by as much as a 700% increase.  

The program goes into effect April 1st, 2009. The increase will be from 4.9 cents per cigar to 40 cents per cigar.  The rumor is that this tax is levied and paid at the time of importation, this will cause all cigar prices to increase anywhere from 40 cents to $1 per cigar by the time the tax reaches the final consumers.

Did you know you can easily create your own flavored cigars? Just take a few mild smokes (no maduro’s) and put them in a tight sealing container (no need for a humidor for this one). A tupperware bin works great.

It needs to be large enough to hold the cigars and a shot of your favorite alchohol (brandy and cognac work very well). 

Put the shot glass in the container (DON’T pour it on the cigars) you just want the liqueur to evaporate. 

That is it. Seal the container and put it in a dark place (the back of the closet it good). It should only take a couple weeks for the liqueur to evaporate. You are ready to smoke! Enjoy!

Sit back, light up your favorite smoke and consider, perhaps for the first time, the lowly band that encircles your cigar. A simple paper ring of no consequence to you… something to be discarded without thought. Yet for some it is an object of great debate, its origin shrouded in mystery and romance.

Cubans approach the history of cigars with the intensity that New Yorkers reserve for following baseball or the stock market. At a recent conference in Havana, four speakers argued fine points of the history of bands, labels and marketing. One, Orlando Arteaga, president of the Havana Vitofilic (cigar band) Society regaled the crowd with the most popular of these conflicting legends. 

It’s not just the stuff of legends that occupies cigar smokers. Many are avid collectors of cigar bands; some search out the historical, and others even hoard the bands of the cigars they smoke daily. Finally, there are few debates over etiquette that can evoke more vehement opinions than whether or not the band should remain on the cigar while it’s being smoked. But each element of debate or discussion only fuels more conversation and are all part of the romance of the cigar.

The Chain-Smoking Russian Queen

Once upon a time–in Russia 200 years ago–lived a rather bossy queen who was known as Catherine the Great. It’s said she ordered her cigars wrapped in silk to protect her royal fingers from tobacco stains. Thereafter, silken cigar rings were adopted by all in imitation of the queen. And so, the tale goes, the cigar band was born.

“Un cuento de hadas por ninos,” [a fairy tale for children] says Angel Pereira Reyes, one of Cuba’s prominent collector-historians, who finds no evidence that Catherine smoked Cuban or any other cigars. Yet maybe a fanatical Catherine was worried over nicotine stains (implying a rather large consumption) and maybe she did order her cigars to be wrapped in silk. But that order would have been carried out by someone in her court–not someone in Havana. Her majesty’s idiosyncrasies would have had little influence on the manufacturing processes of the tiny Cuban-cigar industry 5,000 miles away.

Maybe Catherine worried over stained fingers, but it’s unlikely in light of a well-documented disregard for cleanliness of body, hair and clothing among eighteenth-century royalty notorious for bathing monthly. The late nineteenth-century originator of this story apparently mistook bands for the color-coded silk ribbons used to bundle cigars into wheels, added one queen and devised a romantic but unlikely legend that credits the Russians with inventing the cigar band.

The Case of the Dirty White Gloves

England’s claim to the cigar band is based on fastidious nineteenth-century dandies’ horror at soiled white gloves. The idea of a proud Cuban don saying “let’s spend an extra $5 per crate to put paper rings on our product so some simpering English snuff taker can keep his gloves clean” just doesn’t ring true, say Cuban historians, since that would imply that Cuban cigars were leaky, dirty or chemically doctored.

In fairness, it should be pointed out that Zino Davidoff wrote in The Connoisseur’s Book of the Cigar (McGraw-Hill, 1969, 92 pages, $25) that nineteenth-century Spanish cigars had wrappers colored with a chicory-shaded gum, which could possibly stain the fingers of the unwary. Since Davidoff seems to be the only source of this informational tidbit, it is doubtful that the practice was widespread. Moreover, wrapper fashions changed every generation, and by the mid-nineteenth century, dark wrappers were no longer fashionable.

Abdon Gonzales, the current director of the Instituto Investigaciones del Tabaco in Havana calls this a cuento de viejas [old wives' tale], and says that properly rolled and smoked cigars don’t stain fingers. He emphasizes that his ancestors wouldn’t have cared what a handful of upper-class fops on the other side of the world thought, especially since the English smoked few cigars in comparison with their prodigious intake of pipe tobacco and snuff, both more likely to stain their white gloves.

Approach the white-gloves theory from your own experience. How many smokers have you seen actually holding a cigar by the band? Compare your answer to the evidence in the world’s largest archive of photos, paintings and engravings related to cigars from the 1700s to the present: hundreds of depictions of cigar smokers but nary a one with fingers wrapped around the band. Note, too, that portraits of smokers usually depict them with their gloves off while indulging in the sacred weed.

The sum and total of cigar knowledge, lore, etiquette and practical advice could fill dozens and dozens of books.  True cigar aficionados aren’t born; they’re bred with a body of knowledge that is the product of their experience.

But if you had to extract the essentials, it would look something like this:

DO…

• Neatly trim the end of your cigar with an appropriate device.

• Hold your cigar between the thumb and index finger.

• Take time to warm the foot of the cigar slightly prior to lighting it 

• Rotate the flame around the edge of the foot until it starts to burn, then puff lightly. 

• Cigar smoking is a LEISURE activity, not a race — a puff a minute is about right. 

• Let a cigar go out on its own, without excessive grinding in an ashtray

• Let it go out if there’s less than one quarter of its leaf remaining

• Re-light a viable cigar by scraping the ash and turning it in the flame for a moment or two until it catches again

Dispose of the dead cigar discreetly and quickly. 

DON’T …

• Use a penknife to cut, a lance to pierce, or your teeth to chew off the end of the cigar

• Touch the flame directly to the foot of the cigar: 

• Ask someone else for a light 

• Be a show off – no one wants to see a narcissistic cigar-smoker calling attention to himself/herself with an elaborate display of cigar smoking technique or accoutrements like cigar holders.  

• Put a dead cigar into your mouth and puff furiously while lighting to re-ignite it

• Don’t chew on your cigar, slobber on it, gesture with it or clench it between your teeth (unless you’re a 1930’s homicide detective)

Chain smoke.  Cigars are to be savored.

OPTIONAL

• Remove the band carefully after lighting the cigar

• Share

Most times when I am in a cigar store I hear people complaining about Opus X and I have to educate them on it.

I hear the biggest complaint is that they light them and light them and they keep going out. I explain to them that 32 elite rollers roll this cigar in Chateau Fuentes which they pump out a minimum of 300,000 cigars a year.

I then explain it rolled into a binder and then a wrapper is added as an extra binder and then topped of with the final chateau Rosado Opus X wrapper.

The proper way to smoke an Opus X is to properly light the cigar and smoke away but the trick is to keep the ash on the cigar and let it fall off, this keeps the heat in the cigar. Most complainers about Opus X keep butting the ash of the cigar –  ”Hello People” this is the reason why this slow burning double wrapped cigar will go out.

Another thing about Opus X is that Anejo Viejo was made by accident; I believe it was 1999 or 2000 a hurricane came through the D.R and destroyed the wrapper for the Opus X. So Carlito the master he is decided to put a 5 year old maduro Connecticut wrapper aged in a cognac barrel.  

Although the economy is at a stand still and challenges loom for the next president, raising of the cigar tax was not the big news coming out of Vegas.

The news this year was the Oliva family (one of the worlds biggest if not the biggest supplier of tobacco) was going to have to start working overtime for the next 4 to 5 months to keep up. 

In short terms, the supply and demand of tobacco has even passed Oliva as they cannot keep up with all the orders. A little bee has told me that Rocky Patel has put a order in for the next 3 years worth of tobacco and even the Oliva`s are wonder how long Rocky can put out his New World line which scored a 95 rating. The reason being is that the Oliva`s do not have the leaf for the wrapper so expect a change from this cigar or it will become very rare. 

For those of you that don’t know, the Oliva family owns eight-hundred-fifty acres of farmland spread throughout Honduras, Ecuador, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and the Connecticut River Valley; and more than 3,000 employees currently rely on Oliva Tobacco Company for their livelihood. 

Everybody from the Arturo Fuente, Punch, La Gloria Cubana,El Rey del Mundo, and Rock Patel to name a few get tobacco from Oliva. 

So the next couple of years should be interesting to watch and see if supply and demand out weights quality. 

*Other big news this year was the scrambling for Fuente Fuente Opus X due to massive flooding last year from hurricanes there wont be much Opus this year so grab it while you can.

Take a deep breath (not just to relax…you’ll enjoy the smell!) and remind yourself that buying a cigar isn’t rocket science, it isn’t even weird science, it’s just an interesting and enjoyable way to spend your money.  Don’t spend ALL your money on cigars that don’t suit your fancy, you can start small and instead of buying a box, buy a single.  The reward will be well worth the risk!

People who work in tobacco stores are fountains of information.  If you need some advice, feel free to ask.  And don’t worry that your merchant will be offended if you don’t follow that advice.  Cigar smoking is a completely subjective experience.  Let the advice be your guide, not your jailer!

Ask for What YOU Want

You can ask your tobacconist for a recommendation, and what your merchant will suggest is a cigar that appeals to his/her palate.  Instead, why not describe the kinds of flavors YOU like – spicy, smoky, deep, layered.  That way, the professional can steer you in the right direction.  

 Just Who Are “They” Anyway?

Cigars get rating numbers intended to convey information about quality and characteristics.  Although they may be helpful, you are much better off consulting reviews (rather than ratings) since they’ll give expanded information on things like flavor, finish, draw, etc.   Using reviews, you can develop your own ratings, giving extra weight to the characteristics to the things that matter most to you.  

Humble Beginnings

Tobacco derives much of its flavor from the soil and climate in which it’s grown.  If you’re doing some comparison-shopping, you might want to pick up a smoke from Jamaica, Hondouras and Cuba to compare and contrast.  This will give you a sense of regional differences in cigars.  

Once you’ve enjoyed a cigar from the Caribbean (for example), you can generally expect to like other selections from that area.  And in the future, if you’re confronted with a choice between an unfamiliar cigar from a country you know and a smoke from an unfamiliar region, you can be confident when you say, “I think I’d prefer the Jamaican.”

Cooler, Cleaner, Better

If you want a cool, clean smoke, think like McDonalds and ‘Super-size.”  A long cigar with a high ring gauge (circumference) is something of a self-filtering device.  The tobacco filters itself as you draw, delivering the flavor of the tobacco without the heat.  

Size Matters

How a cigar feels in your hand is important, too.  If you’re uncomfortable with a big, cumbersome 9-inch Figuardo, try a 5-inch Belicosa in the same variety.

Wrapper Up

The wrapper should be smooth and tight, and damage-free on both ends. Big veins should be rejected, but keep an eye out for small veins.  They’re a GOOD thing and a cigar with a thin-veined wrapper often provides a nice, smooth smoke.

Tobacco Expose

Give some attention to the tobacco you see on the exposed end of your cigar.  A subtle variation in color will let you know that a blend of tobaccos was used.   If the variation is too dramatic, extreme or abrupt, however, it may be a sign that inferior leaves were used, or that the leaves were incorrectly assembled during the bunching stage.  Avoid these color extremes as they may result in an off-taste experience and a bad burn.  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

Daring?  

You should let yourself go and experiment with different cigars.  Sampling and evaluating the differences is one of the great romances people have with cigar smoking.  Here’s a tip, though:  if you’re feeling adventurous, but are not on a big budget, you should sample brands that are familiar to you and leave the “off-brands,’ ‘no-names’ and ‘generics’ for someone else.  

Off-brand cigars frequently have problems with their consistency, both within the cigars (uneven burning, hot spots) and also from cigar to cigar (no reliable flavor).  So even if you love the no-name cigar you buy today, the chances of being able to duplicate its quality tomorrow are slim.  

Feel ‘Em Up (and Down)

The way a cigar feels will tell you volumes about its quality.  Squeeze the cigar gently. It should have some “give” without feeling mushy or loose. Then run your fingers up and down the body to look for lumps or other irregularities. 

CIGAR STORE ETIQUETTE:  Don’t roll a cigar in your fingers, as some suggest.  This can cause damage to the wrapper and the construction and leave the tobacconist with a cigar that you don’t want…and no one else will either.

Many of the younger cigar smokers won`t remember this but back in 90`s it was called the “Cigar Boom.” At the time, there was a certain cigar based out of Connecticut; it was called Astral and it was $18.00-$28.00 (expensive by today’s standards).

It had a Connecticut broad leaf wrapper and was a Dominican binder rolled in the Dominic Republic similar to the Diamond Crown.

During the boom the company stock-piled tobacco and later went belly up because it marketed the cigar to be sold only through the wine wholesalers.

Well that tobacco sat there for years until Rocky Patel came across it and bought it all. That same tobacco turned into the 1990 vintage and 1992 vintage we have today. The rest is history and put Rocky Patel on the map.

And what happened to Astral? Well, its name was bought by General Cigar and released as a $4.00 to $8.00 cigar. Like all the other “money” names General marketed, it killed Astral once again.
  

Rumor is…Zino Davidoff was best friends with Rothschild family, they both traded wine for cigars every year. Zino named his cigars after the 5 best first growth wines and later named a cigar after Dom Perignon champagne. Davidoff was allowed to raid Rothschilds personnel cellar for cigars, which after 1992 were never made in Cuban again.

The Cuban Davidoff is the most sought after Cuban(the holy grail) and most expensive cigar. As they say the cigars were made from 1969-1992 and Zino`s blend was never duplicated.