A Cigar Primer
The information below is not intended to provide a comprehensive education on all aspects of cigars. We would like to thank Mr. Richard Carleton Hacker for allowing us to extract excerpts from his book, The Ultimate Cigar Book. We strongly recommend the Ultimate Cigar Book by Richard Carleton Hacker to every cigar smoker. His book is the definitive volume on cigars and can be found on Amazon.com.
A Brief History
One of the more fascinating things about cigar making is that its basic art of construction has not changed in well over one hundred years. That is why a hand-rolled cigar is the perfect complement for those of us who appreciate the artistry of hand craftsmanship. Each geographic area in which tobacco seeds are planted and grown will give the resulting leaf a very unique and distinct characteristic. Very few areas in the world have the perfect combination of soil, temperature and rainfall to produce a tobacco crop worthy of making a high-grade cigar. Most of the prime growing regions are located in the Caribbean or in the nearly identical latitudinal regions of Mexico and Central America. In the Dominican Republic, which produces the majority of the world’s premium cigars today, there are just two fertile valleys for tobacco, the Real, which was named by Columbus and means “Royal” in Spanish and the Cibao. These valleys, which posses a variety of soil textures, yield two of the most luxurious, long leaf filler tobaccos ever rolled into a cigar. Specifically, they are Olor Dominicano (a native Dominican seed), and Piloto Cubano, a strain that originated with precious Cuban seed that was transported to the DR by cigar makers fleeing Castro. Thus, when you hear about “Dominican-grown Cuban seed,” or “Cuban seed Dominican tobaccos,” they are referring to Piloto Cubano.
Components of a cigar
- Filler - This is the “heart” of the cigar. Filler can be made of either long leaf, that is, strips of tobacco that travel the length of the cigar in one piece, or short filler, smaller cut up pieces that are usually machine made.
- Binder – This is the “blanket” that holds the filler in place. It is a specialized leaf, for it must be strong enough to do the job, yet it has to impart a complimentary flavor to the filler and wrapper.
- Wrapper – In many ways, the wrapper is the most important part of a cigar, not just because it provides 30% to 60% of the flavor, but also because it is the embodiment of the cigar’s total character. A few of the most popular wrappers include: Maduro, Cameroon, Sumatra and Connecticut.
Cigar sizes
Cigar sizes can be confusing if you only think of the name and don’t equate it to ring size and length, as the shape, names can change from brand to brand. In America, all cigars are measured in inches for the length, and by a unit of measurement called a ring for the diameter of the cigar. One ring is 1/64 of an inch. Therefore, a cigar that is a 5 x 34 would be five inches long by 34/64 of an inch. Ring size and length definitely have an influence on how a cigar will taste. Assuming you are smoking a cigar with the exact same filler-binder-wrapper tobaccos, the bigger the ring gauge, the fuller the taste. The longer the length, the cooler the smoke.
Cutting a cigar
The two fundamental parts of a cigar are the cap and the foot. Simply put, the cap is the end that is cut in order to smoke a cigar; the foot is the end that is lit. There are four distinct types of cuts that are used to cut a cigar:
- 1) The Guillotine cut, in which a straight across slice is taken off of the head.
- 2) The Punch cut, in which a round sharpened metal tube is rotated into the head and a plug of tobacco is plucked out.
- 3) The “V” cut, wherein a “v” shaped wedge is cut into the head.
- 4) The Pierce, where a hole is punched through the center of the head.
One of the most popular methods, and certainly the most practical for virtually all of today’s cigars is the guillotine cut, which like the V, exposes an ample surface for easy draw and full flavor. It is also a much easier cut to execute, assuming the blade is sharp. When making a guillotine cut, do not cut too much off the top of the head or you could risk turning your Churchill into a Rothschild. The best guideline is to make the cut slightly above the horizontal line where the cap connects with the wrapper. That way, enough of the cap is left on the cigar to keep it from unraveling.
Lighting the cigar
Only a wooden match or butane lighter should be used when properly lighting a cigar. A cardboard match is impregnated with chemicals, and the flame from a lighter fluid soaked wick leaves a residue; both of these devices will taint the taste of the tobacco. To properly light a cigar, the foot should never be allowed to touch the flame. Instead, it should be held at a 45-degree angle directly over the tip of the flame, which is the hottest part. Then, slowly rotate the cigar, gently toasting the tuck and drying out the filler so that it will be more receptive to the flame. Next, with the foot of the cigar warm and perhaps just starting to give forth with a few wisps of smoke, place the cigar to your lips and hold it directly above the tip of the flame. As you gently puff, rotate the cigar, gradually lighting the entire circumference of the foot.
Storing the cigar
The best way to store cigars is in a humidor. Always use distilled water in your humidifying agent. Tap water tends to cause mold and has additives that can destroy the effectiveness of some humidifiers over a period of time and can even alter the flavor of your cigars. Cigars should always be stored at 65% to 70% humidity and at a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
|
