Cigars. Advices and recommendations. Part 1

May 24, 2010

What should you bring to notice when choosing cigar?

Actually good cigars are seen at once - with thin leaf texture, smooth to the touch, color of cigars in one box varies just lightly (of course, here and further the issue is about high-quality cigars of manual rolling). Natural covering leaf (light-brown) means classical cigar aroma. Covering leaf "maduro" is darker, sometimes black - the taste of such cigars is stronger, sweeter and richer. If cigars from one box differ a little in taste, it doesn’t mean obligatory mean that cigars are of bad quality. It is necessary to know that cigar can be perceived in different ways, depending on when and where it was smoked - morning or evening, before, after or during the meal, coffee, and cognac, in premises or on the street.

If having enough experience a lot can be said about cigar according to how it is to the touch. For checking cigar can be squeezed slightly at the middle - it must be elastic, a little "spongy" to the touch. Not fresh cigar will be too hard and even fragile. Although, if placing it in humidor for some time there is chance to "revive" such cigar.

Insufficient elasticity indicates that cigar is under-filled and draught will be too lighter. From one hand, it is good, as it needs fewer efforts to smoke such cigar. But, from other hand, in under-filled cigar are too many "air pockets", empties, as result of which it burns quickly but smoke is too hot and harsh.

If cigar is overfilled, it is very hard and sometimes practically impossible to smoke, "plug" can appear, when smoke doesn't go through cigar. As result - smoker inhales too little smoke, almost not feeling tobacco taste and aroma. You can use the nest and the most expensive tobaccos in the world mixture of which is prepared by the best mixture-men, but if cigar is rolled not in best way, all these tobacco qualities will get lost in vain.

About quality of other cigars in box can be judge by how the first cigar is. If cigar is lighted up right it must burn evenly. If burning is not even it indicates on incorrect roll up. Ashes should be relatively hard, and its layer one inch long should remain on cigar without difficulties. Flaky, friable and leaky ashes indicate that cigar was badly rolled up.