Don Conti Hand Made Cigars

Among the best places to smoke handmade cigars are the tobacconists. Their smoking lounges will vary widely, but many are very luxurious. Most are open only to customers who have purchased the cigar being smoked from the shop, but there is no other type of fee charged. A lot offer free coffee (usually not gourmet, but at least hot) and have canned and bottled soft drinks available from a self-serve cooler. These are really good places to smoke hand rolled cigars that you want to try before you buy a box, or just to sample something different.

Sports bars differ in their smoking policies, but a large number of them have established cigar rooms. There, patrons can have a drink, a snack, and a smoke while watching the game on television. These cigar rooms may or may not be well-ventilated; some are a bit thick with smoke while others are amazingly clear and fresh. Some also allow cigarette smokers in the same room.

Perhaps the best choice of all the places to smoke  cigars is still home. If you live with other people, they may object, but this does not mean that you cannot create a cozy, comfortable smoking area of your own. Porches, patios, balconies, and garages are all possible locations. Spend the time to make it your personal retreat, where you can enjoy a fine smoke in comfort. If you are a music lover, add a portable radio or disc player next to an oversized recliner. Creating your own cigar room can be the most relaxing way of dealing with a stressful problem—finding places to smoke a cigar.

A nice coffee flavored cigar is the Tabak Especial Colada Negra. These straight, 4” cigars have a ring gauge of 38 and are medium bodied. A five pack of these Nicaragua cigars will run about $20.

Another medium bodied Nicaragua product is the Acid Blondie. One of the best affordable cigars currently offered for sale, these are very reasonably priced at less than $20 per 5 pack and have a natural wrapper.

The Revolucion Cameroon Torpedo is often rated as one of the best affordable cigars. These 6” cigars (with a 54 ring gauge) are a product of Nicaragua, and a five pack will run less than $25.

For a medium bodied, straight shaped shorter (4.5”) smoke, the Arturo Fuente Chateau Natural is an excellent choice. Imported from the Dominican Republic, these are priced around $25 for five.

If you prefer a figurado, one of the best affordable hand rolled cigars of this type is the La Gloria Cubana Reserva Figurado Regalias Perfecto. With a true perfecto shape, this cigar has a ring gauge of 57 and is 6-1/4” long. At a price of under $30 for a three pack, this medium strength cigar is a pleasant treat for all perfecto aficionados.
Regardless of whether you are seeking a mild or robust strength cigar, a torpedo or a Churchill, there are a number of excellent choices available. Finding the best affordable cigars is just a matter of looking around a little.

Torpedoes are more difficult to roll—and therefore normally more expensive—better quality tobacco is usually incorporated in their manufacture. (As a side note, hand-rolled cigars generally contain better ingredients throughout. Many machine rolled brands use a homogenized mix for filler and, on occasion, for the wrapper as well.)

A quality cigar can be identified by certain characteristics, and torpedo cigars is no exception. When viewing a box, the buyer should look for a consistency in size and color among the layer, although certain differences may be noted between boxes. The spiral wrapper should be even and smooth, and wound to the proper tautness. The protective wrap should be intact, and the cigar should not feel dry or brittle to the touch, nor crackle excessively when rolled lightly between the fingers.

Refillable lighters should not be used to light a cigar, since the lighter fluid can impart a taste that diminishes the flavor of the smoke. Disposable butane lighters do not have the same problem.

And finally,  torpedo cigars should be stored just like any fine cigar. A humidor is preferred, unless the cigar is going to be smoked very soon.

Torpedo cigar are simply one that has a specific shape. Traditional handmade cigars, referred to as parejos (or sometimes coronas) are roughly the same size from one end to the other. These are typical of the hand rolled cigars seen in photographs of Winston Churchill or George Burns. Many cigar smokers, however, do not like the fat tip on a parejo. The size may cause discomfort in the mouth, and, many feel, the flavor is also affected.

Cigar manufacturers in the mid 1800’s began making products that have a pointed tip. A torpedo cigar is one of the types classified as figurados. Originally, torpedo cigars was one which was pointed at both ends and bulged slightly in the middle. Although some manufacturers still maintain these qualities, it is more common to find a torpedo that lacks the bulge, tapers to a relatively sharp point, and has a broad foot.

Even among experienced cigar smokers, the terms “torpedo” and “pyramid” are often used interchangeably. However, a true pyramid has a larger tip and a broader foot than a torpedo. A pyramid tapers along its entire length, while a torpedo cigar tapers during the last inch or two. Pyramid cigars are generally about 7” in length, while most torpedoes are closer to 6-1/2” long. And while the ring gauge of a pyramid can vary, it is usually larger than a torpedo cigar’s 52.

A torpedo cigar is a term that merely defines the shape. It does not impart any information on the quality of the fill leaf, the wrapper, or the manufacturing process used. They can be hand-rolled or machine made, the filler can be high quality or low, and the wrapper can also vary. The quality of the tobacco used for fill and leaf plays an important part in the smoothness of the smoke, as well as how pleasant (or unpleasant) the aroma is to others.