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The Cigar Adviser
Published in: June 1, 1993
Published Summer 1993
The Cigar AdviserQ: I recently bought my first cigar but it didn't seem to be the right ring gauge for me. I'm 5'8" and about 140 pounds; should I buy a particular ring gauge?
Robert Sherman
Ceder Rapids, Iowa
A: The correct ring gauge is the one that fits comfortably in your mouth. Forget the books that list a cigar size based on your height and weight.
Q: How far down should you smoke a cigar?
J. Paul Tucker
Louisville, Kentucky
A: It's a matter of personal taste. A cigar builds up tars and nicotines as you smoke it. Therefore, the taste usually becomes stronger or harsher toward the end. I usually stop smoking a cigar when it has burned down to a short three inches in length. I don't appreciate the harsher flavors or bitter aftertaste that lingers toward the end of a smoke.
Q: In your tastings, I find little correlation between the price of individual cigars and the ratings they receive in reviews, with the exception of the Cuban brands. Where does the quality of labor and materials end and the cachet and marketing begin in a cigar?
Andrew Kohn
New York, New York
A: Good question. Of course, when we conduct our blind taste tests, the panelists have no idea which cigar they are smoking nor what the price is. Like many upscale agricultural products--wine is another good example--there is always an element of artistry in creating it. Large manufacturers with vast resources can stack the deck in their favor by buying and storing the best tobacco leaves, thus making it possible to construct essentially the same cigar over a long period of time.
Smaller producers however, can concentrate on the craft of making cigars, overcoming limited resources with tight quality control.
Q: One of the persistent dilemmas I face concerns the cigar ash's relationship with the filler, binder and wrapper. I find that to keep a good cigar burning well, the ash should just fall off. But in trying to anticipate that perfect moment to flick the ash, I often do it too soon. Then the filler and binder burn too quickly, and a hole gets bored in the cigar. To counter this problem, I relight the cigar after every ash flick, trying to sear the wrapper. Is this okay?
N. Heller
Miami, Florida
A: Whoa, Mr. Heller. You're creating a worse problem than the one you're solving. Yes, a cigar will burn better if there is a perfect harmony between the wrapper, binder and filler. But a well-made hand-rolled cigar should provide an even burn anyway. Faulty construction is the reason for tunneling, and lighting it more often won't change that. By relighting the end every time you flick the ash, you are carbonizing the remaining tobacco, "burning" it at a higher temperature than its normal burn rate. This will make the cigar taste hot and eventually more bitter. I suggest you content yourself with the ash the way it burns. You should watch for a small crack to develop in the ash indicating it's ready to drop; a gentle tap on the ashtray and, voilà.
Q: Should you leave a cigar band on or take it off?
Jim Philips
Orlando, Florida
A: This is a matter of personal preference. I leave mine on. Would you strip the label off of a Château Margaux at your restaurant table, black out all the Mercedes logos on your car or ask for a watch with no name on it? There is an honest debate over which is correct, and proponents of either side are equally adamant that their way is the only way.
As an aside, when I see someone smoking I usually try to notice his brand of choice. If he removes his band, I'm left in the dark.
Q: I live in New York City, and I need a properly humidified room to store a number of boxes of "difficult to obtain" cigars. Is there any such place?
Wilson Lam
New York, New York
A: Send me a list of those "difficult to obtain" cigars you have, and maybe we can work out a deal so you can use my humidor.
Q: I recently bought a box of Cohiba Lanceros in Toronto while on business. I bought them off a typical newsstand shelf at Sheffields. They were harsh at the outset, turned smooth in the middle but then harsh again. I was disappointed. Could this be because of the way they were stored?
Jorge Turcios
Laurel, Maryland
A: Yes, definitely. A cigar can dry out within an hour or two if it is not humidified. If the box was sitting on a newsstand shelf for a week or a month, you can imagine what happened to it. Even a supposedly sealed box isn't a guarantee because the moisture in the cigar will leech out into the dry air. The harshness of the smoke could very easily come from improper storage,. Look for humidificaition in counter or wall cases, and check to see if there is a humidty gauge tucked in a corner of the display. If you don't see evidence of humidification, ask to examine the cigars; if they won't comply, don't buy.
Q: My father always used his penknife to cut a wedge in the top of his cigar. He swore that was the best way. I can't do it right. Is there a proper technique?
Bill Rivas
New York, New York
A: If you must use a penknife, make sure it's sharp, or else you'll never make a clean cut. Make the cut a broad one, not too deep into the body of the cigar. This should provide sufficient draw and prevent tar buildup by the end of your smoke.
Q: What's the story with wood matches? Why all the fuss? Can't I just take out my lighter and fire up?
Jack Williams
Hartford, Connecticut
A: Of course, you can just fire up, but what's the rush? Most people like to relax and enjoy their cigars--so they don't mind beginning with the slower method of first warming, then lighting their stogies with a long match. The result is an even light that avoids overheating the cigar. By the way, you can achieve the same result by carefully using a butane lighter. If you like using a match, be sure to use sulfur-free matches.
Q: After reading the Humidor article in Vol. 1, No. 2, the winter issue, I wonder if my ten-year-old Dunhill 25 cigar humidor that uses two small glass bottles filled with water is out of date. I fill the bottles three or four times a year, and my cigars are rarely dry.
Robert Limacher
San Rafael, California
A: Sounds to me like your humidor works just fine, While there are more sophisticated devices out on the market today, it would be hard to replace your bottles without reducing the storage space of your humidor (I am assuming the bottles fit into two holes). I might recommend that you pay close attention to the bottles to be sure the water level doesn't get too low. You don't want your cigars to ever reach a noticeable point of dryness. But if you're only filling them up three to four times a year, don't worry; the humidor is working. One piece of advice: The next time you fill up the bottles, clean the opening at the top of the bottle; over time it can get clogged.
Q: I recently bought a box of Montecristo No. 2 Pyramids. What does the tapering do to the smokability of this type of cigar? I generally cut off the first 1/4 inch of taper and find they draw well. If I leave more of the tip on, the cigar draws hard.
Robert Limacher
San Rafael, California
A: The answer to the first part of your question is relatively simple; the taper helps concentrate the smoke and consequently the flavors. Some people simply find it easier to handle in their mouth; they get the advantage of a big cigar's taste with the feel of a small cigar. As per your cutting question, the amount you cut off is just about right. If you go too far down you risk opening up the wrapper tobacco, and the cigar will unravel.
Q: Why do Connecticut wrappers supposedly taste so good and lend so much value to a cigar?
Michael Patton
Irvine, California
A: Connecticut wrappers are prized for their consistency of color, texture, taste and aroma. While the Connecticut leaf doesn't impart overpowering flavor to a cigar, it often has a smooth, creamy taste that smokers love. These traits have made Connecticut wrapper the choice of many premium cigar makers outside of Cuba.
Q: Anybody who stores cigars before smoking them is going to have trouble with cigar beetles. Why does it happen? How can one combat this problem?
Thomas Lemann
New Orleans, Louisiana
A: Beetle infestations are a constant problem for cigar manufacturers. But well-maintained tobacco warehouses are fumigated regularly, and if a single beetle turns up in an insect trap, the whole building is fumigated immediately. An infestation can wipe out an entire warehouse in less than a week. But for most consumers, this is an even rarer problem than bad wine. But it can happen, especially if you live in the South because it's generally warmer there.
There are several ways to avoid it. Beetle larvae won't hatch below 70°F; keep your humidor below 70° and you won't have a problem. If you inadvertently get a live beetle in your humidor through an infected cigar, it will eat quickly through the box. Once you find a hole or evidence of the beetle, throw away all the damaged cigars; hopefully the beetle will go with them. Their life span is only a couple of days, but they are voracious. Once you've thrown away the damaged cigars, wipe down your humidor to get rid of any dust and possible beetle eggs.
Q: Some cigars have rolled tobacco filler and others have bits and pieces. What's more common, good or bad, and what's considered the best?
Mark Seifried
Minneapolis, Minnesota
A: Premium hand-rolled cigars have long filler, or full-length tobacco leaves. Those leaves are pressed together into a bunch that is held together with a binder leaf; that entire bunch is "pressed" to give it form, then rolled with a wrapper leaf. A short-filler cigar is usually machine made with chopped up bits and pieces of tobacco, often wrapped with a reconstituted tobacco product. There are far more machine-made cigars than hand-rolled cigars made in the world today. While some people enjoy a short-filler smoke, it is invariably hotter and usually has a lower grade of tobacco in it. The best? Hand-rolled cigars are the preference of anyone who knows about cigars.
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