Cuban Cigar Information
Cuban Cigar Information, Cuban Cigars Prices 2014, How much do Cuban Cigars Cost in Cuba? Cigar pricing, Cuba, Havana, Veradero, Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo, Cayo Santa Maria, Santiago de Cuba, Cayo Guillermo
"What`s the difference between a cigar and a cigarette?" "You're still smoking tobacco!" You ever hear those comments? While true, you are still smoking tobacco, and yes, smoking is bad for you, cigars are really tobacco in it most purist form. Cigarettes are subjected to so much processing and harmful chemicals, that you are not even smoking tobacco anymore. Also, one does not inhale when smoking a cigar. You merely take the smoke into your mouth, savour it for a time and then let it out to then relish the aroma of the blend of tobacco leaves that make up the cigar. I can only help others understand by this explanation; think of that meal you had the other night that made your mouth water with every breath you took and every mouthful you swallowed. That pure satisfaction it gave you is also what you get from a good cigar. 'That' is why most cigar smokers enjoy cigars.Cigars are made up of different leaves which are picked from different sections of the tobacco plant. The way they're grown and aged lend to the flavour a cigar will have. A cigar is not simply wrap a few leaves together and smoke it. They are works of art formed by time honoured recipes. The filler is comprised of 3 different leaves. The "Valado" leaf is light flavoured and valued for it's combustable properties, The "Seco" leaf is for medium flavour and important for aroma, and the "Ligero" leaf which is slow burning and used to add strength.
STRENGTH AND BODY OF A CIGAR
Below is a generalized grouping of the cigar brands and their considered intensity of body. Do keep in mind that when comparing cigars in one brand, you will find strength and body varying. I strongly recommend visiting a reputable cigar store and trying the different brands to judge for yourself and get an idea what pleases your palate. If you are lucky enough to be vacationing in Cuba, take full advantage and try as many as possible. The cigar store clerk should be able to recommend different cigars based on a few questions they will ask you. This video from Cigar Aficionado is informative on choosing a cigar.
MILD
MILD-MEDIUM
MEDIUM
MEDIUM-STRONG
STRONG
Guantanamera
Fonseca
Hoyo de Monterrey
Quai d'Orsay
Rafael Gonzalez
El Ray del Mundo
H Upmann
Por Larrañaga
San Cristobal
Flor de Cano
La Gloria
Cubana
Punch
Quintero
Romeo y Julieta
Sancho Panza
Trinidad
Cohiba
Cuaba
Diplomaticos
Jose L Piedra
Juan Lopez
Montecristo
Vegas Robaina
Bolivar
Partagas
Ramon Allones
Saint Luis Rey
RING GAUGE
Cigar sizes are quoted in ring size and length. Ring size is the diameter of the cigar and the number is read as a whole number but in fact it is a fraction with the common denominator of 64. For instance; a typical Robusto is said to have a ring gauge of 50. The fraction associated with this is 50/64's. If a cigar was to have a 64 ring gauge, it would be a full inch in diameter. A ring gauge of an odd shape cigar such as a perfecto is sized at its widest diameter. Length on the other hand may be quoted in inches or millimetres.
STORAGE
Long term storage of cigars should be in a good quality humidor. Never stored in a refrigerator or freezer. Storing in a refrigerator/freezer will dry out the tobacco oils which add to the cigars' flavour. Many proper humidors are made of Spanish cedar. If not completely made of cedar many will be lined with cedar. The cedar will help balance the humidity within the humidor. A humidor can be as simple as a box or container that holds a few cigar to a floor cabinet and even as big as a hole room called a walk-in. The recommended relative humidity % for Cuban cigars is 65%-68%.
For those of you who are fairly new to cigars and may only have a few cigars to store, you don't necessarily have to go to the expense of a desktop humidor. You can make yourself a simple and inexpensive storage by using a plastic container with a lid. This is referred to by many as a "tupperdor" since many would use Tupperware®. Quite simply, a "tupperdor" is any plastic container (try the dollar store) with a device to regulate the relative humidity inside. These are not recommended for long term storage, but a temporary system until you find yourself a humidor. For the humidification device you can purchase yourself some "wet" florist Oasis ®. I was told there is a difference, so be sure ask for the "wet" type.
Regardless of what type of humidor and humidification device you have you'll also need to add a solution to it. This solution is a mixture of 50% distilled water and 50% propylene glycol. This solution is what regulates your relative humidity. The bottle pictured below is one that you can purchase from many cigar websites and comes premixed, but you can also get a bottle of generic propylene glycol at your pharmacy and mix it with distilled water yourself. It's used to cut some products when making ointments. Just ask your Pharmacist for it. One other item you'll need is an hygrometer. This device comes in varying styles and sizes, from a simple dial type, to a sophisticated digital type.
CIGAR ACCESSORIES
A couple of other items that would be good to purchase is a good quality butane torch lighter and a good quality cigar cutter or cigar punch. Regular lighters that are filled with simple lighter fluid will distribute unwanted fumes into the cigar and taint the taste and aroma. A good quality cutter/punch will not destroy the cigar end like a cheap one could. Many cigar smokers will purchase items from a company named, XIKAR but there are so many more on the market. Some lighters even have a cigar punch on the bottom of it. While getting the lighter be sure to ask for "triple filtered" butane. The triple filtered contains fewer impurities that could plug up the orifices of the lighter. For a good video on lighters, check out this one presented by Cigar Aficionado. Also, check out this video on Cigar Aficionado about proper lighting techniques.
When it comes to cutters, it becomes a personal preference game. Many swear by the traditional "guillotine", others prefer a scissor cutter or even a punch. One other type you don`t see much of is the "V"-cutter. You`ll have to try them for yourself and see what's right for you. Check out this video presented by Cigar Aficionado about cigar cutters. For cutting techniques, check out this video on Cigar Aficionado.
RESOURCES
There are many resources available to learn more about cigars. One good book for the novice cigar smoker is called; "Cultivating a tradition of perfection" by Mark Brutton and was distributed through Habanos back in 2001, and reprinted in 2002. While not cheap, it can be found on Amazon. One other amazing book suited more for the serious cigar smoker and is considered the authority on Cuban cigars is called; "An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars" by Min Ron Nee. I personally own a first printing of this book and it is amazing. The book is hard to find as it is out-of-print, so if you find one, grab it. As of the time of writting this, you can find copies on Amazon, and MonsterMarketplace. The one on MonsterMarketplace is a second printing and substantially less than a first printing. Last but far from least, is the valuable resource of "Tobacconist University". This online "school" is filled with information for any level of cigar smoker.
© 2014 by Cuban Cigar Information
