What is the best way to store your cigars?

There’s two schools of thought: wood and plastic. The article below favors a wood humidor (as do most places that sell such items).

From How to Store a Cigar:

Cigars must live in an environment, (warm and very humid); similar to where they were born and the best way to simulate that environment is with a humidor. A humidor will vary sizes from the small wooden boxes to the large wooden cabinets. Before purchasing a wooden humidor perform the “whoosh test” by lifting the lid about three inches, let it drop and listen for a “whoosh” of air escaping which prevents the lid from slamming. A “whoosh” means the humidor is crafted well enough to create a tight seal.

Another option, if for some reason you don’t want to purchase a nice wooden humidor, is to use a plastic container (Rubbermaid or Tupperware); however, plastic containers don’t allow your cigars to “breathe” and a modest amount of air flow is needed to help prevent mold and keeping your stogies fresh. Open the plastic container once a month to check for the proper moisture.

Cigars kept in a Ziploc bag are only good for a couple of weeks before they experience any ill effects. If you are looking for something similar with a greater lifespan, try our Fuente Humidor Bags for not only that freshness seal but also a scientifically engineered humidification packet.

Having a humidifier is also a good idea.

What about plastic?

In a book by the doctor who was the head of the Cuban cigar industry (it’s a small book and I couldn’t find it in my library), a plastic Tupperware container is touted. The doctor says that a air-tight plastic box was “the best way I’ve found to store cigars”.

Now that Cigar Bistro is up and running, I’ll have to run that book. It was small, but full of useful tips, pictures and personal cigar anecdotes.

Hope this information has been helpful.

image: http://www.adorini.com

Hours of smoking pleasure
House of Cigars
Wheeling, WV
Nov 16 2009

Rows of bundles of tasty cigars…
House of Cigars
Wheeling, WV
Nov 16 2009

Okay, this is more a “Beginner’s Guide to How to Light and Smoke a Cigar”.

BUT, you have to start somewhere, I suppose.

From Tips For Novices On How To Smoke Cigars:

Many novice smokers have embarrassed themselves trying to smoke a cigar with the same frantic, huff-and-puff energy that goes into cigarette smoking. But cigars aren’t cigarettes, any more than cheap beer is fine wine, and just as you’d never guzzle a fine Cabernet Sauvignon, you shouldn’t just inhale a cigar.

The site from which the article is quoted is named, oddly enough, “You Stop Smoking”?!?

Be that as it may, what follows are a few of the tips the article offers

ON LIGHTING A CIGAR

How to light? Steer clear of paper matches, which will only stay live long enough to light a small portion of the cigar. You need a full flame that will cover the entire head of the cigar. Wooden matches may work, though it’s recommended that you let the sulphur burn off the tip of the match before lighting.

Butane lighters are free of odor and taste and are the favorite method for many smokers, as are “torch” lighters. Whatever you prefer, make sure you turn the cigar as you light it (”turn and burn,” experienced smokers say), so that the entire cigar is lit. Some aficiandos believe it’s a bad idea to let the flame touch the cigar and prefer to use a lit cedar strip, but many American smokers argue that this is just a bit of unnecessary European pretension.

HOW TO SMOKE THE CIGAR

More from You Stop Smoking:

Inhaling the smoke is unnecessary and dangerous. Once again, cigars are not cigarettes. You pull the smoke into your mouth and, like a wine taster, allow its flavor to saturate your palate, without allowing the smoke into your lungs. For this reason, cigar smoking is more taste-oriented and less harmful to your health than cigarette-smoking.

The taste of the smoke varies depending on the tobacco type and the sorts of flavors added by the makers, as well as the age of the cigar, the conditions in which it’s been stored, and many other factors. Regardless, the taste is richer, fuller and subtler than that of cigarettes, and many people who don’t enjoy cigarette-smoking have found that they like the taste or odor of cigars.

More at the link above.

NOTE: Definitely agree with the “turn and burn” approach to lighting a cigar. If you take a few extra seconds to ensure the entire end of the cigar is burning, it saves a lot of grief later.

Two useful bits of information here though: how to light and smoke a cigar.

We always boiled it down to a few simple rules.
1-Make sure you have a cigar.
2-Make sure you have (or have the ability to bum) a lighter or match.
3-Fire it up!

Enjoy!

by Mondo Frazier
images:
* www.citizenofthemonth.com
* http://www.citycigarcompany.com
* womensmokingcigars.wordpress.com

DBKP’s Cigar Bistro is our corner where we will post about cigar care, maintenance, history, art, reviews, stories of interest, news and new products.

Give us a couple days and we’ll be up and running!