Remedial Cigars 101 (aka no question to goofy)

[jeff]

:bandit:Smoke 'em if ya got 'em:bandit:

[smokinjoe]

Yessir! I'll be ringing in 2010 with an AF Hemingway tonight! Looking forward to it!

Cheers!

[foxflyer5]

im in the market for a small humidor, something holding less than 25 cigars would be fine. priced at less than $50 would be ideal. can you find something decent in the range? if so, does anyone have a brand or retailer they recommend?

[ggilbertva]

im in the market for a small humidor, something holding less than 25 cigars would be fine. priced at less than $50 would be ideal. can you find something decent in the range? if so, does anyone have a brand or retailer they recommend?

If you're looking online, check out JR Cigars or Cigars International.

[foxflyer5]

thanks, ive been doing some research online, but im heading to NC in a couple weeks, so i hope to make a stop at one of the JR Cigars outlets.

[ratcheer]

thanks, ive been doing some research online, but im heading to NC in a couple weeks, so i hope to make a stop at one of the JR Cigars outlets.

[fricky]

I have been to the one in Burlington, NC and in addition to a great selection of cigars, they have a great lounge where you can smoke cigars, drink excellent complimentary coffee, and meet interesting like-minded people.

[Doggerlander]

3) Is there an alternative to a humidor for someone who may only want to have 3-4 cigars around, but doesnt smoke often enough to use them quickly/doesnt have a good smoke shop locally??

Ziploc bags work. Be careful not to get any water on the cigars. You might be tempted to sprinkle some water in the bag to keep the cigars moist if they are in cellophane, but that risks mold.

4) Are all the sizes of a line (e.g. The Punch Gran Puro Line) the same (like as in makeup) except for the size?

Some lines have a mixed-filler cheap cigar where they make use of leftover cuttings. They are usually a lot cheaper, but use the same tobacco as the long-filler cigars. Mixed-filler probably smokes faster than long.

6) Can you suggest any good online cigar retailers, as I am in a bit of a bind, being there are no good smoke shopes within 40 miles (I have searches)??

I've used JR Cigar for over 25 years, maybe 30 (mail order before the Internet). When they don't have it, I go to Famous Smoke Shop. JR's catalog write-ups are funny and educational. I've had pretty good luck with their bundles and their store brands or exclusive packages, but sometimes I've been disappointed (e.g., Flor de Baloney). JR Dutch Auctions are also addictive and I have run out of storage space for cigars as well as bourbon.

[MissinER101]

Just a few random thoughts on the conversation from a 40 year cigar smoker…..

Cutters….When using one of the “slide box” guillotines place cutter on a hard surface to limit how much of the cap is cut. An alternative cutter is the “V” cut, very much like the sliding guillotine cutter but it incorporates a closed bottom limiting how far you can insert the cigar and a blade that is raised in the middle so it V shape slit in the cap, probably my favorite cutter.

Torpedo shape…As previously said cut just a small portion off the pointed end, a quality cigar will still draw nicely and it concentrates the smoke, as tar accumulates and restricts the draw, snip off a tad more. I find I enjoy a torpedo more than a “standard” shape, that tapered end just seems to give a better tasting smoke.

When I worked at a university we had a cigar club which brought in several speakers including a couple master rollers. The more a cigar deviates from the straight sided style the more skilled the roller has to be, they recommended if a torpedo or perfecto were offered in a manufacturer’s line always go for the shaped cigar as the roller had to be more skilled and you will encounter fewer problem smokes.

Lighting….You can ruin a good smoke from a poor light. I too use a torch, get a good even toast, particularly around the edges before drawing on it, and keep rolling the cigar while drawing so you don’t develop a hot spot that burns faster than the rest and starts tunneling.

Maduro wrapper….The leaf usually is darker and a real good one has a bit of an oily finish which is accomplished by bundling and stacking the leaf tighter, restricting air flow and allowing the leaf to ferment. A lot of taste with a maduro is from mouth/tongue contact with the wrapper, a good maduro leaves a lingering sweet taste I compare to a real good yeast roll that can go on for hours; I LOVE A MADURO CIGAR!!

Machine rolled…This is jargon for cut (chopped) filler, even if using the same tobacco they just don’t seem to taste the same and too often incorporate “non tobacco filler”, code for adding paper to lower cost.

Whiskey….There is nothing finer than sipping a fine bourbon along with a maduro cigar, the tastes combine in a way that can’t be described, possibly nothing finer this side of heaven.

[bourboNcigars]

I always go to cigar.com , cigarsinternational.com , and cigarbid.com

[Clavius]

So I purchased a new humidor that will be here in a few days (my old one was garbage). I plan on seasoning it with two Boveda 84% packets (which takes 14 days).

Problem is, I also just purchased a box of Oliva Serie V thanks to a deal that was too good to pass up. I take it that this box of cigars will be sealed in plastic somehow. If so, how long will the sticks inside be OK?

Thanks.

[Paddy]

You should be fine for a couple of weeks. If you get nervous, you can always seal them in Tupperware.

Tupperware can be as effective as any humidor, as long as you are able to check the humidity level. I know several people who only have ditched their humi's in favor or Tupperware containers, while maintaining the humidity level with cat litter.

The same applies to Ziplock storage bags, but obviously they do offer less protection for the sticks you are storing when transporting.

[Clavius]

You should be fine for a couple of weeks. If you get nervous, you can always seal them in Tupperware.

Tupperware can be as effective as any humidor, as long as you are able to check the humidity level. I know several people who only have ditched their humi's in favor or Tupperware containers, while maintaining the humidity level with cat litter.

The same applies to Ziplock storage bags, but obviously they do offer less protection for the sticks you are storing when transporting.

Paddy, many thanks!

[Harry in WashDC]

FWIW, I'm an Igloodor fan. Those Igloo coolers that hold a 6-pack or a 12-pack of beer work fine. I invested in a pint of propylene glycol (about $7-8 from my CVS Pharmacy) which is probably more than I'd use in 20 years, a soap dish like we used at camp (plastic hinged lid), and a block of oasis (the green flower stuff you stick flower stems in) stolen from my wife's flower stuff. Cut the oasis to fit the soap dish, soak it with PG, add a teeny bit of water (like maybe a dozen drops), and close everything. I crack the lid maybe once a month for a few minutes to let extra moisture out. In 30 years, I've only had a problem when I quit smoking for six months (several times, one being right now), and forgot to burp the box. They got a little dry - not too much but some.

They are square, easy to clean, stack, and move. And hide. I also keep those extra Spanish cedar sheets found in, say, Buteras or AVOs (AVO 2s being my huckleberry), and stick them in the coolers. Don't know that they help much but they don't hurt.