Cigar basics, Part 2

Lesson Two - Cigars

Ah, the cigars, the symbol of power that America has come to adopt as its own. Can't really blame us, as a Cigar smoker myself, I like the feeling you get when you have had that perfect amount of tobacco, You feel like your are on top of the world and nothing can bring you down. But what makes a good cigar? Is it just the wrapper? Is it the tobacco that you use for the filler? or is it the shape? or the Ash? No one really has a straight answer, which is why no one says they have the 'Best' cigar. Cigars can have many appealing factors, many are what I just asked questions about. And to be completely honest, everyone will have a different definition of a good cigar, For some its just a brand name, for others its something else. This is why I use a number system when I evaluate and review cigars. Its not because something is bad or good, its just where it lands on the scale. So I am going to break this up into several different pieces to go into detail on what's what of a cigar (and what to do with it!).

First ~ Shape

There are as many shapes for cigars as there are clouds in the sky, some shapes take, some don't and are never seen again, this is why people collect cigars the same way they collect coins and baseball cards. Because once something is gone, it more than likely will be worth a lot more. Ring gauge is how big around a cigar is, standard size is 50-55, 60 is considered ginormous, most people don't smoke a 60 because its just a massive smoke. Some of the most popular shapes seem to be:

Lancero: This is a really long thin cigar, and seems to have recently become popular, It is usually longer than most Churchill cigars by about two inches, and is about 1/3 smaller around, so I would say these are usually a 40-46 ring gauge.

Robusto: This is the standard tasters smoke, it is about five inches long and is about a 50-55 ring gauge.

Churchill: Best for golfing or enjoying the outdoors, usually 50-55 ring gauge, and about seven to nine inches long.

Torpedo: Another standard tasters smoke, this is roughly six to seven inches long and 50-55 Ring gauge. Best defined by a point on the end.

(Now realize, these are just a handful of the shapes that cigars come in, and if your not sure, don't feel ashamed to ask your tobacconist what the hell that thing is that looks like a leg off of a pair of bell bottoms(I'm talking about a Salomon, this is a monster of a long smoke, but still). Either Way, if your not sure, Most tobacconists have no problem helping you find what your looking for in a cigar!)

Second ~ Smell

You've seen it, I've seen it, Almost every one has. You hand a cigar smoker a cigar, and the first thing he does is stick it up to his nose and take a big long snort to see what it smells like. Disgusting? Mostly, but it serves a purpose. All cigars have a different smell, Its like a finger print. Its what makes most aficionados what they are. They can tell you the blend and lot number and where the tobacco came from just by the smell. Sadly there is no trick to this, only experience and a talented nose can teach you these things. There are a few different things you can do though, Make sure your nasal passages are clear, that way you can breath without smelling morning breath bacteria(yeah, that stuff lives in your nose too). Next is to learn your wrappers. The really dark wrappers are called 'Maduro' (Or bull scrotum's, as one of my cigar buddy's calls them due to their toughness.) and usually have a whole hell of alot of smell, I would say they come the closest to smelling like caramel and having a really oily wrapper. If your wanting to achieve plume (crystallized tobacco oils, not to be mistaken with mold, your enemy. plume is usually highly sought after) on your cigar, these are usually a good short cut. The lightest wrappers that I've seen come from good old Connecticut. These are usually a really really light tan to blond color and are actually grown in the shade under sheets of cloth. These usually carry the scent of flowers due to their being so thin but still porous, so they absorb the scent of the tobacco flower. There are several different kinds, but these are the two big ones. Connecticut wrappers are usually best in the winter for smoking, due to their extreme Delicacy. Maduros are usually smoked in the summer since you can chew on the cigar while you smoke and not damage it too badly, so you can have both hands free while your outside(And these are just from my personal observations, if someone has a better reason then feel free to leave a comment, I have no problem admitting when I'm wrong.).

You will develop your own taste in cigars, even if its just the smell that you like, It just takes time.