Cigars. Advices and recommendations. Part 3

June 7, 2010

How to store cigars correctly?

You have to buy good humidor, store cigars at room temperature, to recharge regularly moistening element in humidor and you will not have problems. Over dried cigars are less aromatic, they have more strong flavor, they crumble in the mouth. Dryness is the main reason of covering leaf unrolling. It is necessary to know that manufacturer ages cigars after rolling up at room temperature and approximately 72% relative humidity. But at relative humidity 73% cigars remain in wonderful condition for good.

If temperature lowers, you should increase humidity. You must never allow temperature to increase. High temperature and high humidity create atmosphere of an incubator and before you find out about it round your acquisition will start multiply and replenish small bugs or will appear white mold or both.

It is better to begin cigar smoking immediately after it is taken out of humidor. On the market are personal humidors of any sizes, including traveling. In an extreme case you can place fresh cigar in a small case on zipper that in its turn place inside another small case on zipper together with humid paper towel. For a short time it will help to keep cigar.

How to prepare cigar for smoking?

Cigar bow ("label") can be either remove or leave it. It is matter of personal choice. If you wish to remove it, it is better to do it after lighting up cigar as the heat will soften cigar and there is less possibility that bow removal will damage covering leaf. You may also leave the bow but if you are going to smoke cigar completely, than anyway sooner or later you will have to remove the bow, if, of course, you are not going to smoke it as well!

If closed cigar end is not preliminarily cut, use special knife - guillotine, V-shaped knife or cigar scissors. Cut sealed cigar end almost on full width, but be careful, leave part of the "head" on "shoulders" in order that cigar covering leaf wouldn't unroll. If the orifice is made to small, smoking is impossible; if it is too big - smoke will be too hot but inside the mouth will be a lot of tobacco. Don't pierce cigar end with match as it leads to gaskets formation round which can lodge tar and gudron.