Storing and Smoking Cigars
Storing Cigars
Most Cigars smoked in the United States must be humidified and stored at a mild temperature. There seems to be a common approach to these two factors. Cigars should be stored at 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 percent humidity. Temperature and Humidity can be looked upon as inverses, that is if your Temperature is 72 F your humidity should be 68%. Try and keep these figures within 3 or 4 points on either side. Keep your cigars in a place that does not get any sun, the heat from a couple of hours of sun can do some strange things to your smokes. The most important factor is to keep things consistent.
Restoring Cigars
When restoring cigars that have been improperly stored time is your friend. Place your cigars in a zip lock bag and store them in a cool place for about one week. Take your cigars out of the zip lock bag and place them in your humidor for another week or maybe two. Check them periodically and rotate them every 3 days. The wrapper on your cigars should start to feel a bit softer and moist. Compare them with cigars that have been stored properly for texture and feel. Cigars that have been improperly stored for long periods require about three times the effort above. Remember that many of these restored cigars will not be back to full strength no matter how careful you are or how long you take to bring them back. Good Luck!
Cutting and Lighting
There seem to be many opinions on how to begin your smoking experience, we will share ours. Start by inspecting the cigar for any defects or oddities. Upon your satisfactory inspection begin preparing the cigar by slightly, slightly moistening the UNCUT end in your mouth. Moistening the end slightly prior to cutting insures that the wrapper will not tear and create a fragmented head. When cutting the head, be sure to remain below the cap and use a firm smooth motion. When you are ready light your cigar, use a long match and hold the fire under the foot by a 1/4 inch and begin to smoke. Your cigar should start to come to life, turn until completely glowing. Enjoy.
Smoking
Everybody does it differently and nobody is wrong. You tend to develop your own pattern. Some smoke too fast some too slow. I know some smokers who are always finished well before the rest of the crowd and those who never finish. Two things to remember when honing your abilities. A hot glowing cigar will produce a tar like taste when you get close to the end and sometimes earlier than that. A slow smoked cigar that requires relit after relit will begin to taste like an ashtray and may begin to have a tar taste do to the large number of puffs required for relighting. We also do not suggest saving a half smoked cigar for the next day. Some folks say that there is not a problem but why take a chance, make enough time for a great experience.
Standard Sizes
We have listed some of the most common cigar sizes in the market. As you might have noticed there are many new specialty names in the industry. We have only listed those names that are common among most manufacturers.
Cigar ring gauges are in multiples of 1/64th of an inch, i.e. a cigar with a 48 ring is 3/4" in diameter.
| Name |
Length |
Ring |
 |
|
|
| Grand Corona |
9 1/4 |
47 |
| Double Corona |
7 1/2 - 8 |
47 - 52 |
| Churchill |
7 |
46 - 50 |
| Pyramides/Torpedo |
6 - 9 |
50 - 58 |
| Belicosos |
5 - 6 |
49 - 54 |
| Robusto |
4 1/2 - 5 |
48 - 52 |
| Especial |
7 1/2 |
38 |
| Long Panetela |
7 |
35 - 39 |
| Lonsdale |
6 1/2 |
42 |
| Corona Grande |
6 |
42 |
| Corona Gorda |
5 1/2 - 6 |
46 - 48 |
| Hermoso |
5 |
48 |
| Corona |
5 - 5 3/4 |
42 |
| Petit Corona |
5 |
40 - 43 |
| Perla |
4 |
40 |
| Panetela |
4 1/2 |
26 - 33 |
| Tres Petit Corona |
4 1/2 |
40 |
| Culebras |
5 3/4 |
39 |
| Demi Tasse |
4 |
30 - 39 |
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