Posts Categorized: Cigar Tips

Hygrometer Calibration: know where you stand!

Cigar conditioning is paramount for getting the most flavor from our cigars.  Even just a few percent difference in humidity can drastically influence how a cigar will burn and taste.  In order to truly know exactly  how much moisture is hitting our cigars, we need to periodically calibrate our hygrometers.  In the past, I have… Read More

How To Cut A Chisel.

During a recent visit to a local cigar lounge, I noticed a wall poster that piqued my interest.  It was a La Flor Dominicana poster depicting “How To Cut A Chisel”.  I’ve been smoking Chisels since their first incarnation and they are some of my favorite cigars.  All the Chisel variations have tremendous flavor and… Read More

Teeth cleaning for tobacco tokers.

Want to have a brighter smile and still enjoy your cigars?  Here’s an easy way to keep your pearly whites from turning beaver brown.  And the best part is it’s super easy and super cheap… The secret is hydrogen peroxide.  Yes, the very stuff our parents used to put on our boo-boos as children.  By… Read More

Perelman’s Pocket Cyclopedia of Cigars

If you are a serious cigar smoker or collector, one book you must have is Perelman’s Pocket Cyclopedia of Cigars.  It is updated annually and contains great information on just about every cigar ever made.  Each entry lists all its sizes, tobaccos, and a brief description of the brands history. But the best version of this book is its… Read More

Making the cut…

Cutting a cigar cap can be tricky.  We need to cut just enough cigar to open its end, but not so deep as to cause the wrapper to unravel.  This is particularly true with a torpedo type vitola.  These pointy-end cigars are some of the hardest to roll because the head is elongated, making it’s construction more challenging than a parejo… Read More

The nose knows…

Did you know that most of the flavors we pick up in food and cigars is through our noses?  Our sense of smell is thought to produce up to 70% of what we perceive as flavor.  That’s why when we have a cold, we can’t taste anything.  Blowing some cigar smoke through our noses can… Read More

Blowin’ Smoke…don’t forget to purge!

In the most literal sense, the cigar is a tube.  With each puff, we draw smoke into this tube where it remains until it is replaced by the next puff.  This means the cigar is always filled with the smoke of our previous draw.  This is usually not a problem becuase the smoke doesn’t reside… Read More

Returning cigars…don’t be shy.

Readers have often asked how to unplug a clogged cigar.  I know from experience that no amount of poking, squeezing, or picking will make a plugged cigar fun to smoke.  My advice has always been to simply exchange the stick for another.  It’s rare that an entire line of cigars will be plugged and it’s… Read More

Dry Boxing: Best Cigar Smoking Tip Ever!

There is nothing like a moist, fragrant cigar.  The wonderful aroma we sense upon opening our cigar humidors is mouth-watering to a cigar lover.  But sometimes that aroma can indicate we are getting too much of a good thing. Long term cigar storage needs to be in the 68% to 72% RH range (at a… Read More

Is that a lighter in your pocket or…

It’s easy to forget to keep our lighters warm while smoking in the cold winter weather.  (see Keeping the Flame Alive for more info about this).  I was recently reminded of this when the flame of my lighter pooped out while smoking in the cold backyard.  After a brief time in my jeans pocket, the… Read More