Archive for the ‘Cigar Knowledge’ Category

South American Cigars, Part 2

Monday, May 10th, 2010

1157703_cigar_smoking_man_in_trinidadThe filler of the cigar are made of the smaller leaves of the tobacco plant and this gives the cigar flavor, aroma and a sharp or subtle taste depending on where the cigar plant is grown. The density with which they roll the filler into the wrapper determines the ease of draw and the strength of the flavor. If the cigar draws too quickly, the filler and wrapper will get too hot and the tobacco will have an arid, burnt taste.

The binders of the cigar usually consist of the same leaves as the wrapper but small holes are punched into them to aid in the feeding of oxygen to keep the cigar alight. The cigar binders are what holds the whole cigar together and prevents the cigar from unraveling itself.

To this day, there are a few age old cigar shops which can be found in South America. When you visit these shops, you can experience a person from Cuban decent rolling a cigar behind an ancient wood and glass counter. It is said that you have not tasted the perfect cigar until you have lit up a full bodied, perfectly blended cigar which is hand rolled by an expert Cuban cigar roller. The aroma of the smoke will fill these shops with rich, enticing flavors that will transport you to another, ancient time.

Whatever your favorite cigar is, you could probably find, freshly rolled ones of good quality anywhere in South America. Everyone should smoke a South American cigar at least once in their lives, so add it to your “bucket list”.

South American Cigars

Monday, May 10th, 2010

1207518_antique_world_mapThe word “Cigarro” as cigars are known as in Spain comes from the Mayan word “sik” meaning tobacco. Smoking cigars has been a sign of success, achievement and celebration since the early 1800s. Fathers light up a cigar when their children are born, business men often seal a deal by enjoying the rich aroma and many successful men like Winston Churchill were hardly ever seen without one close by.

Many expert cigar makers immigrated to South America in the 1800s to plough their trade and search for the well know American dream. South America has since become known as the Cigar capital of America where the tradition of making cigars has been passed down from generation to generation. Many countries are slowly climbing their way up in the cigar trade. Brazil is one such nation which has seen increased cigar production in last few years.

A cigar is traditionally made up of three parts, the wrapper, the filler and the binder. The wrapper of the cigar is made up of the large leaves usually found at the bottom of the tobacco plants and because of their size they make a perfect wrapping for the filling. Connecticut The Double Claro leaves which are picked just before maturity and have a light green color. Oscuro or “Double Manduro” is black in color and has an oily sheen to it; this wrapper is known to grow in Brazil, Mexico, Cuba and Nicaragua.

Medium Bodied Cigar Pairings

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

1166937_cuban_cigarMedium bodied cigars like Colorado cigars seafood dishes can work exceptionally well. Medium bodied cigars are ones that will have accents that a better for one’s needs. Oysters are generally the best seafood items that can work but lobster dishes can work too.

Medium cigars are also perfect for different types of hard liquor. These include such options as whiskey and bourbon. When enjoying lighter types of alcoholic drinks like white wine a lighter type of cigar will be better with these drinks.

The only type of food that any type of cigar can truly go well with is rum. This is a popular Caribbean drink that has been made with all types of cigars in mind. Be sure though that the rum is made properly because of how weak rum can wreck any good cigar no matter what type of cigar it is.

Be sure to use these considerations when figuring out what types of cigars pair well with all sorts of different types of foods. There are many factors to see with regards to a cigar and the food that is being used. This is especially the case with regards to the intensity of the cigar.

Cigar Food Pairing

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

foodA great thing about cigars is that they can work with all sorts of types of foods. However it is best to think about how some cigars are ones that are going to match up better with different types of foods. Here are a few examples to consider when it comes to getting the best type of cigar for one’s needs.

No matter what you are looking into you should be sure that you are having a cigar that is close in intensity to the food that you are enjoying. If you are using a cigar that is too intense for a type of food then you will end up having a hard time enjoying the food because the taste of the cigar could easily cloud the food or vice versa.

When eating a meal that features light flavors that are not too intense a lighter cigar should be enjoyed. For instance, a Caesar salad can go well with a Claro cigar. In fact if the salad is paired with the proper seasonings including some spices like oregano and garlic the cigar can work even better with the salad.

The main course of a meal will be one that works especially well with a larger type of cigar. A larger cigar that is about half and inch or longer in width will work best for a main entrée like a steak or other piece of food. This comes from how that cigar will be one that is capable of lasting longer and providing flavors at a greater level that suits the needs of a larger dish.

Tips on Running a Cigar Business

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

checklist· Know who’s walking in your store, if it’s a cigar aficionado or a young adult who just reached the legal smoking age in your area. You don’t want to baby talk the cigar aficionado, and you don’t want to overwhelm the newbie. It’s basic customer support, but a cigar store is a high class environment and you have to treat people properly.

· Order and stock a general supply of cigars, several brands that you always have in medium to large amounts. These will be where you get most of your profit. Read the cigar magazines and visit the cigar social forums on the internet to know what’s popular and affordable. Never run out of these. Along with those, you want to have a select number of specialty cigars that are higher priced or harder to come by. These will be sold to your VIP customers, the ones who are experts themselves and choose to visit your business out of respect instead of need. You can even provide them with the occasional delivery – trust me, an aficionado will very much enjoy receiving in his busy office a delivery of cigars from his personal cigar broker.

· Creature comforts. Make the store look really nice and enjoyable to shop in, don’t crowd your space with unnecessary clutter, provide a few comfortable chairs and a small table for casual sit downs, and maybe even offer really good coffee for your favorite customers.

Starting a Cigar Business

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

storefront2Owning and operating your own business can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling accomplishments anyone can experience. However, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication, not to mention sweating and bleeding. For this article, we’re going to explore what you need to know when starting your own cigar business. Unlike others, a cigar business is a particular and peculiar beast and starting your own cigar business will need unique guidance.

We’ll begin with things you should know when starting any sort of business. The first thing is money or capital: yes need it, dummy. You need money in your pocket. And not just enough to get started, I mean you need a surplus of it. If at all possible, you should fish for investors to join your project; if you’re unable to find many, at least find a singular partner who shares your interest and passion in starting your own cigar business.

Another thing any new business owner needs to have is knowledge of their product – and I mean knowing it from back to front and all sides imaginable. A lot of people are going to come to you with questions and they expect a small business owner to be more of an expert than the larger and impersonal “big box” stores. That is in fact your specialty – although you can’t fill a stadium sized warehouse with billions of products, you can offer expertise and a friendly face. You need to know every single item in your store, you need to know where it comes from and how you got it, and you need to know the best way of using it. You want to be starting your own cigar business? Well, it would help if you’re a cigar smoker too (true story: I used to frequent a pub whose bartender and owner never, ever touched a drop of alcohol for personal reasons – it made me uncomfortable to sit at the bar and drink in front of him).

Another important thing to keep in mind is your location and your desired clientele. To exaggerate the concept, a cigar salesman may not do especially well between a maternity dress shop and a health clinic. Not only will you attract the wrong window shoppers and foot traffic, your business neighbors will also not approve of you and you will not have friendly relations. It would be best to be on everyone’s good side for awhile, capice? Good. So choose a location that suits your desired clients and not your own. For a small specialty store, a traditional downtown location is always a good choice. But so can malls or commercial districts and, hell, right next to the barbershop or the football stadium. If it was me, I’d be starting my own cigar business down the street from Governor Schwarzenegger’s office. You’d be set up for life for sure.

Finally, and this is the most important general tip of all, you absolutely must have a brilliant understanding of finances and economics. It’s not enough to be a cigar expert if you don’t know how to stay out of the red. You need to know the right time to invest in upgrading or up keeping your storefront, you need to know how much product to order for to meet your sales quota (and not go over) and you need to work a cash register.

Care for Flavored Cigars

Friday, January 29th, 2010

1006185_cigarStoring flavored cigars for a long time can cause them to lose their flavor. Remember that properly storing flavored cigars is not to make them age, but rather to conserve the flavor till the time you use them.

The best way to use flavored handmade cigars is to not buy in bulk. Buying in bulk will create problems in regards to storage and whether you will be able to use them all up before the flavor is lost. On the other hand, if you buy just the right amount that you will smoke in the next couple of days, then you can even forego the need for a humidor to store them. But if you are planning to buy in bulk, then it is absolutely necessary that you buy a separate humidor to store your flavored hand made cigars and not keep them along with your regular cigars.

Flavored cigars take sometime getting used to, and are better used as an occasional indulgence by regular cigar smokers. Having said that, and if you have tried the normal cigars and haven’t liked the experience, then you can try a flavored cigar before writing of smoking cigars once and forever.

The choice of flavor is strictly personal and essentially if you like the flavor in other contexts such as perfumes or tea, then you can safely try them. If you are trying a new flavor for the first time, smoke one or two cigars to see if you enjoy the flavor before deciding to buy in bulk.

How to Start a Cigar Label Collection

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

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If you are a frequent cigar smoker, chances are you have noted the many types of labels the handmade cigars come with. Collecting cigar labels is actually a popular pastime and can be done easily and by everybody. Some people collect labels as a reminder of the cigars they have tried, while others like the labels themselves and collect them for fun. No matter the reason, here are three things to keep in mind when starting a cigar label collection.

1. Choose a theme or era to collect. While this is not obligatory, having something in mind will help you narrow your search and give you a better understanding of the collection itself. Popular collection areas are pre-1920s labels, Cuban cigar labels and themed collections, such as historical figures, animals or specific images such as pirates or soldiers.

2. Look for labels everywhere. You can find them in eBay and other auction venues, as well as in antique shops and cigar shops. Labels can also be exchanged through groups of collectors online or off. If labels alone seem too expensive, consider shopping for cigars at garage sales, factory outlets and even discount stores. That way you get both the cigar (which you can smoke if still in good condition) and the label itself.

3. Have a place designated to store the labels. Photo albums, similar to the ones used for stamp collections, can be a good option. Or you can wait until you have a few and then frame them for display.

Starting a Cigar Lounge

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

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A cigar lounge is a private space in where cigar lovers congregate to smoke, have a drink, and share their love of smoking. Lounges can be private (requiring a membership) or can be open to the public, just like a store would. In fact, some cigar stores have their own lounge, open to customers. While opening a public lounge requires permits, just as any other business would, you can start a private lounge in just a few easy steps.

If you are starting a private “club” for cigar lovers, your first step is locating a space for the meetings. This can be done in somebody’s basement or you can rotate and meet in different homes each time (a condition of the membership can be that you’re willing to host in a rotating basis). If no space is available in the members’ homes, you can all pitch in and rent a space. Many clubs, bars or even shops will rent you a room or a section of their place for a one-time fee.

Decide on the rules and goals of the lounge. Will the meetings be an informal gathering to talk about anything or would you work on trying new handmade cigars or cigar-related products? Will there be drinks? If so, is there a specific menu (for example, brandy and whiskey) or will the members bring their own alcohol?

Finally, you need to start looking for members. You can advertise locally, in newspapers and websites such as Craigslist. If there is a cigar shop in town, ask if you can post a flyer advertising the lounge. Talk to friends and associates that may be interested as well. Even if they decide not to attend, they may know somebody who will.

How to Buy Cigars that Fit You

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

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With all the options out there, it can get overwhelming to choose cigars to try. Even if you have never smoked one before, though, there are some simple rules that can help you choose the best one (for you).

- Choose mild handmade cigars if you smoke early in the day and a stronger one for the evening. If you’ve never smoked before, milder cigars are better no matter the time, as it can take some time to get used to the taste and strength of a cigar.

- Ask for a recommendation. A cigar shop assistant can help you decide what to try based on your likes and dislikes and whether you’re a beginner or have smoked before.

- The biggest cigars are not necessarily the best ones. In fact, it’s best to try several cigars to see which size (both length and width) feel better in your hand. Since handmade cigars are all about luxury, it makes no sense to smoke something that doesn’t “feel right.”

- Keep your budget in mind. It makes little sense to blow all your money in a single cigar unless you’re sure you’re going to like its flavor and texture. Instead, spread the money out and try a few, including a mild and a strong one, as well as several brands or from areas such as cuba or dominican cigars.