Ever wonder where cigars were originally created?
There are many who say Spain. Well, let me tell you
that is incorrect! Tobacco actually came from America
where it has been grown for hundreds of years….

You know the Maya of Yucatan peninsula in Mexico?
Well, it is believed they cultivated tobacco and
smoked it, then spread it to other tribes along the
Mississippi. Christopher Columbus is believed to be the
first distrubutor to the world.

Columbus did not like tobacco at all. Nor did he like
the use of it by the local people. The sailors, however
grew fond of the plant and smoke-ability. Soon, it caught
on rapidly in both Spain and Portugal.

France quickly picked up on it and the French ambassador,
Jean Nicot lent his name for the scientific name of tobacco.
Nicotiana tabacum was born.

Noone is sure where the word tobacco actually came from. It
could be from the word Tobago, which is in the Caribbean, or
it could be from the Tobasco in Mexico. These would be distorted
words in either case.

Did you know that the first tobacco plantation was in the United
States? It was established in Virginia in 1612! Plantations began
popping up all over. Maryland was next.

Tobacco became very popular, however, it was only smoked in pipes.
Cigars were not introduced to the United States until the late
18tn Century. Israel Putnam has been credited with introducing
the first cigar to the United States.

In the early 19th century, the cigar became a status symbol. Only
people with money had and smoked them Let’s fast forward to 2007!

Cigar purchases have been at a dramatic increase in the new millenium.
It is no longer a status symbol since more and more people are
simply enjoying their puro’s! The seductive, relaxing power of a GOOD
smoke has begun to permeate the populous. (That is MHO not fact!)

Why did this happen? If I find out, I will let you know in a future
post on the subject.

Please let me know your thoughts on this.

GB
Walter Gavurnik

I appologize since it has been a while since my last post. I said I would attempt to explain the difference between cigars. IE: domestic, premium, and super premium. Allow me to tell you now………….

Domestic cigars are termed as such…..well…..because they are domestic! Sort of like buying a Budweiser instead of a Heineken. White Owl, Dutch Masters, El Producto, these are all considered “Domestic” cigars because of the tobacco used to make them. This does not make them bad cigars, it just makes them um…………….Domestic cigars.

I grew up next door to a person who loved Dutch Masters. He bought them by the case and saved every empty box, I believe to hold his cash!

Anyway, I asked Mr. Tiger why he liked them so much. The answer was simple, the flavor. He said he could buy any cigar he wanted, but these where the ones he ENJOYED! Domestic is not bad if that is what you ENJOY.

Premium cigars are simply higher quality tobacco. You have heard about Cubans being the “BEST” cigar available, but not in the US due to the embargo. While the Cubans are a wonderful cigar, Domicans are as good if you ask me. What is done is to use the Cuban tobacco seed in other places such as the Dominican, Equador, and many other places. The attempt is to create the same product in different environments. Well, that kind of works.

Premium cigars are created with a seed which has grown a fine tobbacco. It’s not just the tobbacco which makes a premium although it is a required need. The next thing is how they are created. Machine made cigars, such as the domestic type, are inconsistant on how they draw, light, and smoke. Premiums are HAND ROLLED and, although not perfect, they pretty much are the same. They light, smoke, draw, burn, evenly with a wonderful flavor until your last draw!

My opinion, this is what puts PREMIUMS way above the domestic type. I want to ENJOY my smoke ALL THE WAY!

Super Premiums? They are like a FINE WINE. Well aged. Some companies make as few as a couple thousand cigars per year. Just like wine, this does not make them better, it makes them more desirable to afficiandos which drives up the price. Scarcity creates the price, not neccessarily the quality.

This is how I purchase cigars. Find something you like be it domestic or Premium. Purchase in boxes of 20 or so depending on availabilty. Store them correctly in a humidor and smoke them as you wish.

Hey, I love cigars! I purchase by box only and store them correctly. As I have said earlier, some of my cigars have been in my humidor for 4 or more years and they smoke as good or better than when I received them.

The bottom line is WHAT DO YOU LIKE! Smoking a 12 dollar premo does not make you a better person. If your friends do not like your White Owl, tell them you do not like their Cohiba, or whatever. You are smoking it and not them!

I hope this has given you a little insight on the differences with cigars.
Please feel free to add your comments.

GB
Walter Gavurnik

One of the biggest myths on cigar selection is price. “Should I only buy High Priced Cigars?”, “Only Super Premiums are good?”, “How do I select my cigars?”. Great questions, ALL!

Allow me to dispell a myth for you. Cigar selection is NEVER by price, super premium, or any ot that. Cigar selection is simply by….your ready…..what you like! Simple as that! Here is what I mean, if you play golf do you use the Nike or Pro V because it is the most expensive?

I think not. You would use the ball you use since you like the way it feels when you strike it, the way it reacts when you putt, how it checks on the green, etc. These are ALL personal choices. How YOU feel about the ball, not what every other person using them tell you. (Although that will influence you to try them.)

It is the same with cigar selection. You have to try them to know. Do you like the flavor, texture, how it burns, aroma, tastes the same at the end as when you lit it, all of these are your choice. You may be a person which is happy with a 5 dollar pack of cigars as apposed to a person who only likes a $15,000.00 box of Ghurka His Majesty Reserves!

One suggestion I have is to at least try a Premium cigar. You are able to find a nice premium for less than 2 bucks. The diffence in flavor and smokability from a domestic is incredible. Give one a try. If you don’t like it, try a different one.

Yes, they can and do cost that much, and more! The point is, find the cigar YOU ENJOY, store it correctly, and enjoy it whenever you want.

In my next post, I intend to explain the differences between DOMESETIC, PREMIUM, and SUPER PREMIUM, cigars.

Please remember, if you have a certain question about cigars, just ask and I will respond as fast as possible to answer your question.

GB
Walt

By now, you may want to know how to choose your cigar. This is where some confusion takes place.

You see, there is no real “size” deffinition with cigars. That is to say, no common catagorization of sizes. The only universal measurement system is length and width. This would be length in inches and width in rings. 1 ring is equal to 1/64th of an inch.

Each manufacturer has a different idea of what the cigar should be called. CHURCHILL, LONSDALE, CORONA, ROBUSTO, TORO! This gets confusing, especially for a new cigar smoker. So what do you do when choosing a cigar? This article should help you. Remember, rings=64ths of an inch.

• Belicoso 5.5″ and 52 rings
• Churchill 7″ and 47 rings
• Corona 5.5″ and 45 rings
• Corona Gorda 5.25″ and 46 rings
• Culberas 5.75″ and 39 rings
• Demi Tasse 4″ and 30 rings
• Double Corona 7.5″ and 49 rings
• Especial 7.5″ and 38 rings
• Gran Corona 9.25″ and 47 rings
• Hermoso 5″ and 48 rings
• Long Panetela 7″ and 36 rings
• Lonsdale 6.5″ and 42 rings
• Panetala 4.5″ and 26 rings
• Perla 4″ and 40 rings
• Presidente 8.5″ and 52 rings
• Petit Corona 5″ and 42 rings
• Pyramid/Torpedo 6.5″ and 52 rings
• Robusto 5″ and 50 rings
• Rothschild 5″ and 50 rings
• Toro 6″ and 50 rings
• Tres Petit Corona 4.5″ and 40 rings

For instance;
Romeo y Julieta (my favorites) list theirs as:

• Churchill 7″ and 50 rings
• Lonsdale 6.625″ and 44 rings
• Robusto 5″ and 52 rings
• Toro 6″ and 54 rings

While Cohiba has a listing as such:

• Corona 5.5″ and 42 rings
• Churchill 7″ and 49 rings

As you can see, there is no unification of size. In fact, some companys create their own names for their cigar sizes just to be different. The one common factor remains, they all give you the length and ring size so you know what you are purchasing.

Enjoy your smoke and be sure to add any questions or comments you may have.

GB
Walt

Cigars? Cigarettes? Which Is Worse?

Everyone knows the risks of cigarette smoking. But what about cigars? Most people don’t inhale cigar smoke so it can’t be as bad for you!

Truth is, according to the National Cancer Intitute, smoking cigars on a regular basis can create major health problems. These include cancer of the larynx, lungs, oral cavity, esophagus, and now, according to new research, the pancreas! It has also been shown that regularly inhaling cigar smoke puts you at a greater risk of lung and heart disease.

Smoking cigars on a regular basis appears to increase your risks as opposed to occasional smoking. Inhaling cigar smoke increases your risks whether you are an occasional cigar smoker or not. So, smoking three to four cigars per day will increase your risks of some form of oral cancer eight fold as apposed to a nonsmoker. While there are no statistics available of the risks to the occasional cigar smoker, it does seem clear that smoking cigars on a daily basis dramtically increases serious health risks.

What about addiction? Cigar smokers do not become addicted as readily as cigarette smokers do to the simple fact of usage. Cigarettes packs of 20 are easy to carry with you and thereby easier to smoke more. Combining that with the fact that most cigarette smokers inhale deeply taking the nicotine directly into the body, addiction becomes easier and faster. Another thing is the time it takes to smoke a cigar compared to a cigarette. Cigarettes take about 5 minutes compared to a cigar which takes 1 hour or more, depending on size. That is not to say you will not become addicted to cigar smoking. Just ask anyone who uses smokeless tobacco. They never light or inhale the smoke. The nicotine in the tobacco is absorbed directly into the body making addiction about the same as cigarette smoking.

I know you are wondering why cigar smokers don’t smoke more often. One possible answer is that cigar smokers do not absorb as much nicotine as other tobacco users. This depends on the smoker and how often they smoke cigars. Cigars have long been considered a luxury and therefore not as readily available. Another thought is ability to smoke them. Since a cigar takes so long to smoke, and you are unable to smoke them in most public places, this cuts back on a cigar smokers ability to have them. Personally I will not smoke my cigars in the house since cigar smoke is offensive to some people. My preference is to smoke outside when time permits or while I am on the golf coarse.

One thing is clear about any tobacco product, your risk of health damage increases proportionately with use. If you smoke several cigars per day, your risk of damage to your health as well as the possibility of addiction to nicotine also increases.

GB
Walt

What is Spanish Cedar and why use it?

Spanish cedar is really not from Spain and is not cedar! I found that to be kind of funny. Spanish cedar is of the Cedrela Fissilis family and grows in Central and South America. This family consists of about 7 varieties. The one thing you should look out for when purchasing a humidor is the Spanish cedar is the non-weeping kind.

The reason Spanish cedar is used in a humidor is:

1. It is very aromatic which creates a desirable flavor in fine puros. As mentioned before, some are even wrapped in Spanish cedar to help impart its flavor.
2. Spanish cedar holds more moisture than most woods which helps to keep your humidor at a constant humidity.
3. This fine wood has the ability to repel tobacco beetles much like cedar lining in a closet repels moths. Tobacco beetles are pin-head sized beetles capable of ruining an entire stock of cigars. They eat the tobacco and lay eggs, causing further infestation. These little guys can also be pevented by not allowing your humidor to go above 75 degrees and 75 humidity.

Now you know about Spanish cedar and why it is used in humidors. Let’s do a quick recap on humidors.

Purchase a humidor which is about the size you will need. If you are only going to store 25 puros, purchase a humidor which will hold slightly more than 25 cigars. This allows air circulation as well as making it easier to maintain the humidity. So, if you are going to have 100 premium cigars on hand at all times, do not purchase a humidor which will hold 250 cigars. Not only is it a waste of space, you WILL have problems maintaining the “perfect” environment and your cigars quality will diminish.

Season your humidor before putting your puros inside. Be diligent in this. Season your humidor first, purchase your premium cigars second. Trust me, you will be glad you did. It’s much better to do ths now than to have to recondition your cigars later!

Remember, you will not want to store El Productos with your premiums. They are not considered a premium cigar by any means. You will not want them to marry with your Dominicans or Cubans!

More tips coming soon!

GB
Walt

So what is cigar marriage any way?

The easiest way to describe it is like putting a cut onion in the same bag with celery. After a short time, the celery tastes and smells like onion. Well that is exactly what happens in a humidor, but to a lesser extent.

Your cigars are all made with different tobacco. Some are Dominican, some Honduran, and others may be Cuban. The point is that you do not want to let the flavor and aroma blend together. ( Ok, I have to admit that sometimes it creates a unique blend! ) So, what you do is leave your precious puros in their packaging. This could be a tube or cellophane. This way you are able to store your cigars in the same humidor without the flavors blending or flavor marriage.

An alternative method is to use dividers, although not as effective. If you insist on unwrapping your cigars, make sure you use dividers between the different cigar types. If not, you may create an unexepected flavor, albeit desirable (maybe) one.

One more thing on cigar marriage. If you use an automatic humidifier as I do, you will deffinately not want to unwrap them. Unless of course you only have one type of cigar in your humidor. Why you may ask? An automatic humidifier has a fan to circulate the air inside your humidor. This helps to keep an even environment within your humidor.

Personally, I use Cigar Oasis. This is an automatic humidifier which also has an electronic hygrometer. Cigar Oasis refills with distilled water and can operate from a/c or battery. A fantatic solution to keeping your humidor’s environment correct for your fine cigars!

Click on the image for more information.

Hope that helped to understand cigar marriage. Please be sure to post your comments.

GB
Walt

Silly me! I told you everything you should do yesterday with your new humidor. Being the idiot I can sometimes be, I assumed you already purchased your new storage box.

Let me explain a few things for you. When you purchase a humidor, make sure it is lined with Spanish Cedar. Contrary to the name, it is not Spanish. Among the desirable properties of Spanish Cedar are the ability to hold moisture and not decay, it repells tobacco beatles, and it melds with the cigar to add flavor. Some cigars are even wrapped in Spanish Cedar when they are packaged.

As you can see in this picture of my humidor, there are cigars wrapped in Spanish Cedar. You will also notice I prefer Romeo Y Julieta. Anyway, the wrapped cigars are the deluxe no. 1 by Romeo Y Julieta. Yup, I also have Punch, Onyx, Macanudo, MonteCristo, and Partagas. Great puros ALL!

The other thing which will stand out is the fact that they have all been left in the cellophane or tube. This prevents “marriaging”. Cigar marriage is the blending of flavors from different cigars. Rather than going into that now, I will save it for a future post.

Ok, If you have not yet purchased a humidor, here are a couple of inexpensive recommendations. For a starter, this holds about 50 of your finest, try this one;

Planning a larger purchase? Try this one;

Please remember to buy what you need and not too much. A half empty humidor is much harder to control the humidity than an almost full one. Keep your puros in mind when purchasing.

More on the way!
GB
Walter Gavurnik

Welcome back! By now you have most likely purchased your humidor and want to know what to do next. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT purchase any cigars yet!

Properly seasoning your humidor for cigar storage takes a little time. Please do not rush it! The idea of a humidor is to protect and preserve your precious puros. Take the time to season your humidor correctly.

With that said, here are the steps to season your humidor so you can store your new perfectos for as long as you want.

1. The first thing you must do is prepare your humidor. You do this by wiping the inside with a clean white cloth dampened with distilled water. Using distilled water and a white cloth is recommended since they contain no contaminants. Wiping the entire inside of your new humidor takes out all the dust which may have collected before you received it as well as helping to moisten the interior. Please be sure to wipe ALL of the wood surfaces, including the inside of the top and the complete insert(s) if any are included.
2. Now you want to place a glass or dish of distilled water into your new humidor and let it sit inside the closed humidor for about 3 days. You can speed this process a little by heating the water in a micro wave oven first. This will cut down your waiting time to about 1 day!
3. Now that you have the hard part out of the way, (Yea, I know, it’s kind of like waiting for your favorite dinner to go into the oven! ), it’s time to calibrate your hygrometer.
   • If you purchased a digital hygrometer you should skip this step.
   • Check the back of your analogue hygrometer to see if there is an adjustment screw. If not, you are up the proverbial creek. It’s recommended you purchase a higher quality hygrometer. If you have an adjustment screw, continue on.
   • The most accurate way to calibrate your hygrometer is with a salt solution. This is how you do it. Take a large spoon or a small cup filled with salt. Add a few drops of water, do not disolve the salt, rather moisten it well. Now you want to put your hygrometer and the spoon into a small enclosed space. You can use a zip lock bag for this. After about 8 hours, the inside of the bag should be at 75% humidity. Adjust your hygrometer to read 75%.
   • An alternative, but not as accurate, is to wrap your hygrometer in a warm damp cloth. After 1 hour, adjust your hygrometer to 95%.
4. OK! While you are doing all of that, you should soak your humidifier(s) in either distilled water or propylene glycol. Propylene glycol is really only needed about once every 2 months. Distilled water will suffice. Let your humidifier(s) soak for about an hour then remove, shake, and pat the surfaces dry.
5. I know you want to smack the heck out of me right now, but there is one last thing you should do. You have been diligent in seasoning your humidor, you have calibrated your hygrometer, your humidifiers are all set! What ELSE do I need to do? Moderate your humidors environment! Idealy you want to make sure it will maintain a 70% humidity at 70 degrees. Place your humidifiers into your humidor along with your hygrometer and let it sit for a day. Check it to see what the humidity is. If it is high, open the lid of your humidor for 30 minutes, shut the lid and check in 30 minutes. Do this until it maintains 70% humidity.

Once you have completed the above steps, go ahead and place your puros into the humidor. You will need to check the humidity daily since your cigars will absorb the humidity. You want it to stay at 70%! This is a rule-of-thumb. 65% to 75% is what cigar manufacturers say. My personal pleasure is 70% and 70 degrees.

What you should do. Raise and lower the humidity in your humidor until the smoking pleasure is what you like. The higher the humidity, the harder the draw. 70% humidity has given me the cleanest burn as well as a fluid draw. Since not all cigars are rolled alike, the filler will change how your cigar smokes. Please be aware of that.

That’s it for today! More on the way!
GB
Walter Gavurnik

You have been smoking your Dutch Master or White Owl cigars when a friend turns you on to a GREAT TASTING puro during a golf outing.

You have decided to buy some since you enjoyed it so much. The question is, how much do they cost and how do I store them? Let’s answer your questions about storing cigars right now since buying is a personal thing.

The first thing you need to do is purchase a humidor. You can get one HERE at a GREAT price.

Next, you MUST ’season’ your new humidor. Seasoning creates the optimum environment for your new cigars and allows you to store them virtually forever. To learn how to season your new humidor, you can sign up below or just stay tuned to this blog. The difference? You learn faster through my cigar news email program.

In my Cigar News, you will learn everything you need to know about cigar care as well as special promotions. Special promotions will only be added to my Cigar News newletter. Please sign up so you do not miss out.

During the coming days, I will be telling you all about seasoning your humidor. You will learn why it needs to be done as well as the perfect humidity to store your cigars. How to test and calibrate your hygrometer and what happens if your humidity is too high or too low.

Talk to you soon!