Cigar Blog

Happiness is a good cigar

Humidors As Gifts

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A friend’s birthday is coming up very soon – this weekend – and I am in a bind as to what gift to get him. He has most everything he needs and I am unsure as to what would please him. Since he loves cigars, I was thinking of getting him a cigar sampler. Then again, I thought, why not a humidor? You can never have enough of them, right?

As I was looking for a good humidor to get my friend, I realized that it would be nice to have some rules or tips on how to choose one. After all, not everyone picks out a humidor every day! So here are some tips on what to look for when you buy a humidor – whether for yourself or for a friend.

Make sure that the humidor has three essential features. These are:

-high quality cedar
-a humidification unit
-a hydrometer.

The highest quality cedar, many experts would tell you, is Spanish cedar. If you can afford it, make sure that the humidor is made from this wood. Also make sure that the other two elements are present – these spell the difference between a humidor and a plain old cigar box, after all.

You should also take into consideration the size of the humidor. How many cigars do you (or your friend) need to keep in the humidor? If you do not plan on keeping too many cigars, then there is no need to spend too much money on large humidors. You would be better off paying more for a smaller but higher quality humidor than a bigger one.

Originally posted on November 29, 2010 @ 8:00 pm

Montecristo White Especial No. 1

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1If you are looking for a high quality mild cigar, I have the perfect suggestion for you. Why don’t you try out the Montecristo White Especial No. 1 cigar? The length of this cigar is 6 5/8 inches – just right for a long leisurely smoke. The ring gauge is 44 and it has an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper. That is, the wrapper has a pale creamy tan color, which gives you an idea of just how mild the flavor is. The binder is Nicaraguan while the filler is a mixture of Nicaraguan and Dominican.

Naturally, being a Montecristo, you already have an inkling of the high quality of the cigar. On the outside, the White Especial No. 1 is firm to the touch, without a doubt packaged excellently. But what about the flavor and the smoking experience itself?

The initial draw will give you a very light tobacco flavor. That’s about it, really. You do not get any hint of woodsy flavors or anything else. It’s pure tobacco, albeit very mild. As you continue smoking the cigar, you might find yourself expecting the flavor to develop or perhaps intensify. To be honest, though, the mild tobacco flavor stays consistent down to the last draw. Now this is not a bad thing if that is what you are looking for. However, if you want something stronger, then you might not be satisfied with this cigar. On the upside, the cigar burns very well all throughout.

There are also other variations of the white cigar at Altadis USA. Check them out and tell me what you think.

Originally posted on December 3, 2010 @ 8:05 am

A Perfect Combination of Cigar and Coffee

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aAlthough there is no clear explanation for it, cigar and coffee are known to be a good combination on any given day. Relaxing and soothing, combining both at your favorite coffee hangout seems to be the common way of enjoying finely made tobacco leaves today.

Cigars would come in different flavors such as natural and chocolate flavors. While no one would really understand what the bearing of flavored tobacco would be, the cigar experts would be the best people to ask why. All they get is smoke, but aside from the relaxation, this has become normal for people who have made it a habit to combine both.

Cigar brands such as Tabaqueria de Filipinas, Blue Label, Don Mateo and Don Diego would depend on the avid cigar smoker. With many brands to choose from, everything would seem to be the same. But don’t tell that to the cigar experts who have preference for their own brand to smoke.

Originally posted on September 13, 2010 @ 2:13 am