Cigar Thread

[guids]

Im not super super knowledgeable abotu cigars, but Ive read a few books, and tried and logged a bunch over the last couple of years so here is my contribution, if I miss something add it up.


Storage-

Im not going to get into the more "creative" (tupperware + element etc) ways of storage, as I just dont think its worth it. If you you really want to get into cigars, even before you go purchase any, buy yourself a good humidor, one that holds 50, they are reasonably priced, not too large, and they look nice. I have this one:

http://www.humidorvault.com/Junior-E...-12-8117mg.htm


First thing is to throw out the hygrometer that it comes with, and buy a nice digital one, along with an element. You can find all these things at any cigar shop, or the net. I went to homedepot, and got a set of magnets, glued them to the element, hygrometer, and 2 to the lid of the humidor, so you can pull them off easily etc.

Before you store anything in teh humidor, you need to cure it, and this is a little tricky, most come with instructions, but the gist is to get a brand new DRY sponge (some sponges come moist), a plastic bag, and either a jug of distilled water, or cigar solution. Personally I like the solution better, this is what I use:




Wet down your element (follow instructions), and instal your hygrometer, soak the sponge in teh solution, wet down the inside of the humidor with the sponge. Put the plastic bag on the bottom of the humidor, and the sponge on top of the bag, do not let any direct contact between the wood and the sponge. Close the lid for 12 to 24 hours. It should be cured after that. After a day or so, take out the sponge and bag, and let sit for another day w/ nothing in it, check your hygrometer to see if the humidity is holding steady at between 68% and 72%. If you are having trouble, and have a local cigar shop, bring the humidor in to them, usualyl if the owner is cool, he will help you/do it for you.


Stale/dry cigars:

a premium cigar investment is not lost if the cigars become dry due to poor storage. Using a properly cured humidor, you can revive your dry cigars, however, it will take considerably longer to revive them than it took to for them to dry.
Dry cigars should be revived slowly. First, place you cigars inside an open plastic bag on the bottom level or drawer of your fully charged and running humidor for four days. Next, remove the cigars from the plastic bag, keeping them at the bottom of your humidor for another two days. Finally, move the cigars up from the bottom to the top level (or drawer) of you humidor.
It will take approximately three to five weeks to revive your premium cigars to proper smoking conditions.


Onto the good stuff:

Cigars sizes, from some website:

Churchill: Traditionally, the churchill is held to be a larger cigar made popular by Winston Churchill. Normally it is 7 1/2 inches long with a 50 ring gauge.

Cigarillo: A small cigar around the size of a cigarette.

Corona: Traditionally this cigar is 6 inches with a 44 ring gauge.

Culebra: Three cigars of any size braided together form this shape. Yes you pull them apart before smoking!

Double Corona: A larger, but not quite double, corona cigar that is 7 inches long with a 50 or more ring gauge.

Esplendido: Made popular by the Cohiba, this size is about 7 1/2 inches with a 50 ring gauge.

Figurado: Any shaped cigar such as a torpedo or perfecto.

Giant or Gigante: A huge cigar 8 or more inches long with a 52 (or more) ring gauge.

Longsdale: A longer thinner cigar that is 6 inches by 42 ring gauge.

Panatela: A long thin cigar that is 6 1/2 inches by 28 ring gauge.

Perfecto: A classic shape that has a 48 ring in the middle and tapers on both ends.

Presidente: A larger cigar that is 8 1/2 inches long and a 52 ring gauge.

Pyramid: A cigar with a larger ring gauge end that uniformly tapers to a small ring gauge end.

Robusto: A short fat cigar about 5 inches long and with a 50 ring gauge.

Rothschilde: A short version of a robusto, usually 4-4 1/2 inches with a 50 ring gauge.

Torbusto: A new shape that combines the torpedo, toro, and robusto shapes. Made to date only by Altadis.

Toro: A new shape that is 6 inches long with a 50 ring gauge.

Torpedo: The bulk of the barrel is a larger ring (often 50+) that after 3/4 of the cigar tapers to a point.



Obv the larger the cigar, the longer it takes to smoke, a chuchill takes about 45 minutes, a Corona abotu 30 minutes, and Presidente abotu an hour.


Hand wrapped cigars are usually much better tasting than machine wrapped, but hand wrapping is usually less consistent, you can tell a machine wrapped cigar if there is a hole in it (negatting the need to cut it), or check the labeling.

Cutting:

Personally, I like the hole punches, as I can carry it everywhere w/o losing it, and you dont run the risk of drunkenly cutting your cigar too bad:



But some cigars dont work too well with them and a traditional cutter is needed:




Actual cigars:

This really depends on your taste, what I did was buy about 50 individual cigars at the shop, ran me a pretty penny, but I logged each one that I smoked in a little notebook for future reference.


My Fav:

H Upmann Vintage Cameroon, any size. These things are great.


I cant find my logbook right now, but when I do, Ill post some entries.