View From The Tower

Here are some important facts I wish to pass along to you concerning cigars. I have included a few here but you can read the entire dossier in a PDF format at http://rytekwebs.com/cigars/dossier.pdf . This dossier was provided by David Sabot and is the proprietor of cheaphumidors.com

SIZE

The size of a cigar, in name, is a nearly meaningless designation, the reason being that the size of a cigar, when determined by a name such as corona or robusto, is not a universal standard. In other words, one company’s corona is another company’s churchill even though both measure the exact same length and ring gauge. Once you understand this, most of the confusion regarding cigar size disappears.

There are, however, “classic” measurements for cigars that most cigar makers attempt to follow, But remember, just because a cigar is 7 inches in length with a 48 ring gauge doesn’t necessarily mean that the manufacturer will designate that cigar as a churchill. All you really have to know is that cigars are categorized by length and ring gauge which is a fraction of an inch measured in 64ths. A cigar with a 52 ring gauge, for example, measures 52/64ths of an inch in diameter.

Go with the cigar you feel most comfortable holding.A 50- or 52-ring gauge cigar should offer the best balance of comfort, taste, and draw, but ultimately it’s a question of personal style.  As a rule of thumb, a larger ring gauge will generally give a fuller draw than a slimmer gauge.  Large and unique shapes are harder to roll properly, therefore only the most experienced rollers are allowed to make them.  Also, the larger shapes are more prone to construction flaws than the more easily rolled shapes.   Most handmade cigar shapes can be put into two groups.  Straight shapes are referred to as “parejos” and irregular shapes known as “figurados”.

SHAPE

As you have probably already figured out, cigars come in all sorts of shapes. The irregular shapes, or figurados, cover all out of the ordinary shaped cigars.

Diademas: This huge cigar, which measures 8 inches or longer has both of its ends closed. The ring gauge increases towards the foot.

Pyramid: This 6″ cigar with a 40/52 ring gauge has a tapered head with an open foot.

Culebra: 3 panatelas braided together as one cigar which is smoked separately. This cigar measures 5″ with a 38 ring gauge.

Belicoso: This cigar usually measures 5″ with a ring gauge of 50 and has a rounded head rather than a point.

Perfecto: This cigar usually has a bulge in the middle and is closed on both ends.

Torpedo: A shape with a pointed head, a closed foot and a bulge in the middle.

And now the more common straight shaped cigars, or Parejos:

Panatela: (7x 38) or smaller, “pencils”.

Corona: (6 x 43) – A standard which manufacturers measure other cigars.

Lonsdale: (6 3/4 x 42)  – Said to be the easiest shape to roll.

Toro: (6/1/2 x 48) – Delivers a full draw, in a medium length.

Churchill:  (7 x 47) – Larger sizes in general are referred to as Churchill sizes.  However, this size categorization is very loose. For example the H. Upmann Churchill is much smaller than what most companies refer to as a Churchill size.

Double Corona:  (7 1/2 x 49) – Larger variation of a Churchill.

Robusto: (5 x 50) – Full draw in a shorter cigar provides a rich in a less time-intensive smoke.

COLOR
The color of the wrapper will effect the taste of the cigar.  The darker the color, the stronger the taste. The lighter the color, the milder the taste.  In the case of cigars, you can determine a book by its cover.  At least somewhat.  In this instance, the wrappers color can tell you a lot.  As a beginner I recommend that you choose a cigar that has a lighter wrapper.

SIZE
The length of the cigar is going to determine how hot or cool the smoke is.  The longer a cigar, the cooler the temperature will be.  The shorter a cigar, the hotter the smoke will be.  For new smokers, I recommend you start with a longer cigar so you can enjoy some of the flavors of the cigar by drawing in the cool smoke.  It will also make the cigars less harsh.  Harsh cigars are one of the main reasons that people do not enjoy smoking cigars.

INSPECTION
When picking out cigars there are a few things you want to examine before you make your purchase.

1.  You DO want to make sure the wrapper has a consistent look at feel to it
2.  You DO want a shine on the wrapper which shows it has started to age
3.  You DO want veins running the length of the wrapper
4.  You DON’T want blotches, nicks, tears or holes in the wrapper
5.  You DO want to make sure the cigar is soft and supple, not hard and cracking

HOW IS IT MADE
There are three ways a cigar can be made:

Hand made- Made by human hands from start to finish.
Hand rolled- Machines bunched the filler and applied the binder, but human hands wrapped on the wrapper.
Machine made – You guessed it start to finish this cigar was high tech, and probably never saw a gentle hand until yours.

TIP
A lot of people roll cigars between their fingers to determine if the cigar has been stored properly. This will destroy your cigar. All cigars crackle when you squeeze them. If you have to man-handle your cigar before selecting it, pinch it slightly near the foot, it should give slightly and bounce back into place.