The Stogie Guys

Most of us are all too familiar with the many cigar-related gadgets on the market. From cigar holders for the golf course to unique and expensive lighters, cutters, and humidor accessories, the manufacturers and retailers of these products would have us believe that no cigar enthusiast is complete without gadgets. Nothing could be further from the truth.

But I’m willing to consider utilitarian products that I can envision being helpful on a routine basis—especially if they’re inexpensive. The new Screwpop Cigar Punch falls into this category. I’ve been using one for the past couple of weeks (provided to me by Screwpop, in the interest of full disclosure), and I’ve found it to be a decent addition to my keychain.

The Screwpop Cigar Punch is a bottle opener/punch cutter that securely clamps around a keychain (or pretty much anything else—like a clip on a golf bag, a belt loop, or the eyelet of a zipper). It has a rust-resistant body comprised of aluminum so, while it will add bulk to your keychain, it certainly won’t weigh you down.

As a bottle opener, it works perfectly. To reveal the cigar punch, simply unscrew the aluminum cap. The punch itself is sharp and functions just as you’d expect. I’ve tried it on a number of cigars of varying size and wrapper type and found no problems. Just like any other punch, though, you wouldn’t want to use it on torpedos.

My only concern with the product is the possibility of losing the screw cap that protects the punch. Once separated, there’s nowhere to affix the cap as you’re punching the cigar. Obviously, if you were to lose the cap, you may not want to keep Screwpop on your keychain or elsewhere since the sharp cutter will be exposed. Accidents happen.

That said, I can recommend this product to cigar enthusiasts who prefer punch cuts and also have an affinity for beer. And at only $7.95 from Cigars International, you won’t have to break the bank to give it a try.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Next Monday is Christmas Eve. After weeks of carols and crowded malls, the big day is almost here. For those of us who are cigar enthusiasts, there are a few steps we can take to help make this holiday season more enjoyable.

Give the gift of cigars. Chances are you have a cigar smoker on your shopping list. I’ve previously provided rules of thumb to keep in mind when buying a present for a fellow brother of the leaf, and I think they bear repeating at this opportune time. For one, remember to favor samplers over boxes, unless you know the target is loyal to one brand or one specific blend. Cigar accessories and books about cigars make more permanent gifts than those that are smokable. And buying someone a membership in Cigar Rights of America is both thoughtful and productive in the overall battle to protect cigar freedoms.

Winterize your humidor. This time of year poses particular challenges to the safe storage of cigars. Taking a few preventative measures now will save you time, money, and heartache in the long run. Colder air means less humidity, so pay special attention to your hygrometer; humidors will need to be re-charged with moisture more often in the winter. Be sure to keep distilled water on hand. If you use beads, solution, or some other moisture-granting mechanism, now would be a good time to order reserves. Check the seal of your humidor to ensure the moisture you are supplying isn’t leaking out.

Travel with cigars. Many will be traveling by plane to visit with friends and family over the holidays. Since they may be lost or confiscated by TSA officials, don’t pack expensive cigar paraphernalia in your carry-on luggage. In lieu of a fancy lighter, for example, bring along a Ronson (a reliable butane torch that only costs a few dollars). When it comes to cutters, opt for a simple keychain punch or a plastic guillotine. Travel humidors can be bulky, but you can achieve the same level of safety by enclosing your cigars in a simple Ziploc bag with a humi-pack, then wrapping the bag in soft items you planned to bring along anyways, such as clean boxer shorts.

Share your favorites. Those cigars you’ve been setting aside for a special occasion are just begging to be smoked and shared. Friends and family who might not otherwise partake in a cigar will be more receptive to smoking on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. So if you’re traveling, bring along more cigars than you think you’ll need. And if you’re welcoming others into your home, share the bounties of your collection. Your generosity will be rewarded and much appreciated.

Above all, my colleagues and I are wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season. If you have an additional tip you’d like to pass along, please provide it in the comments.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

With football on the TV, turkey in your stomach, and family gathered, Thanksgiving is a great day to enjoy a fine cigar (or several). So, as we have for the previous five years, today the StogieGuys.com team tells you what cigars we’ll be firing up after our big meals.

Patrick A: One cigar I’ve been enjoying lately is the Emilio Cigars Series H Maduro Robusto. Its profile of dark coffee, creamy nut, and cocoa will pair well a little bourbon outside on what should be an unseasonably warm day in Chicago. And since the cigar only costs $7, I won’t mind handing it out to interested family members for a post-meal celebration. I won’t feel guilty, either, since it’s a fantastic smoke.

Patrick S: It may be Thanksgiving, but my choice is equally inspired by Halloween: the Tatuaje Mummy (Halloween 2012). I picked up a 10-count box of these without trying one first, and I’m glad I did. The large Churchill (7.75 x 47) with a closed foot utilizes a Nicaraguan sun-grown criollo wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The result is a nuanced, medium- to full-bodied cigar with coffee, cedar, cream, and just a bit of clove and pepper spice. With a cup of coffee and maybe some bourbon, it seems like the perfect way to digest a heavy turkey dinner.

George E: I didn’t really have to think twice about what I’ll light up on Thanksgiving. I haven’t had an Aging Room F55 for several weeks, and I’m looking forward to what I’ve found to be a truly great cigar. As a vegetarian, I won’t be full of turkey and ham, but I’m sure I’ll be plenty full nonetheless. The Concerto (7 x 50), with its bold flavors and nice burn, will go perfectly with an after-dinner cut of coffee and easily last for the first half of the Patriots-Jets game.

Previous cigars the StogieGuys.com team designated as Thanksgiving smokes include:

Not a bad list, eh? If you’re so inclined, feel free to let us know what you’ll be smoking tomorrow in the comments below. And be sure to have a safe and joyous Thanksgiving.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: N/A

Sometimes those of us who devote lots of time and energy to cigars forget that there are many, many smokers who enjoy them but aren’t nearly as involved. They may not have the time or the inclination—or both—to delve deeply into such topics as the differences in Nicaraguan tobaccos grown in various regions of the country, or a comparison of the relative merits of entubar and accordion bunching.

No problem. After all, cigar smoking should be about enjoyment. For some, that means acquiring and evaluating lots of information. For others, it means just lighting up. But in reading various cigar forums, I know there are always newcomers confused by some of the basics. Here are a few explanations that I hope will help.

Wrapper. This is the leaf that covers the cigar, the tobacco that you see. The varieties and origins can seem nearly infinite. Despite what you may hear, a darker wrapper does not automatically mean a stronger cigar. Maduro (Spanish for ripe or mature) wrappers darken as they’re processed and often have a sweeter characteristic.

Filler. This tobacco comprises the majority of the cigar and forms the inner component. Premium cigars are nearly always long-filler, meaning the tobacco runs the length of the cigar. Chopped, cut, or sandwich filler is usually found in less expensive cigars, and it usually consists of clippings from long-filler cigars.

Construction. There are many ways to make cigars, but the most basic categories are machine-made and handmade. Most machine-made cigars use homogenized tobacco, paper, and other components and, for my taste, these bear about as much resemblance to premium cigars as does chalk to cheese. (You can read more of my thoughts on them here.) Premium cigars are almost always hand-rolled, though that includes the use of some tools, even mechanical ones such as the Lieberman machine. Premium cigars are 100% tobacco.

Resources. Well, you’re already at the best one, right? Explore the categories at the top of this page and use the search function for whatever is on your mind. If you need more, try our Cigar University or Tobacconist University. And for those interested in history, nothing comes close to the extraordinary National Cigar Museum.

And if you have other questions about cigar basics or more advanced curiosities, please let us know in the comments below.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Nothing beats strolling into your local tobacconist to patiently select a personalized sampler of cigars. If you’re like me, you love perusing the shelves for old favorites, new adventures, and hidden gems. It’s one of the few times I actually enjoy shopping.

Buying an assortment of singles from a brick and mortar store, however, isn’t usually the best way to get bang for your buck. To stretch your dollar, sometimes it makes sense to instead order a sampler from an online retailer. But how do you decide from among the insanely high number of samplers that are offered by the many online retailers on any given day? Here are a few tips to help you make a good choice.

Buy from a trusted source. Online retailers should have excellent customer service, quick order processing, and safe delivery methods. Feel free to poke around online to see what others are saying about the various websites you can order from. Obviously you want your cigars to arrive safe and well-humidified, not late and damaged.

Read reviews. The online cigar community is thriving like never before, and this means nearly every cigar you can imagine has been reviewed. Having that information at your fingertips before hitting the “place order” button is critical. So if you’re unsure about a few of the cigars in the deal you’re considering, simply do a little reading first.

Notice the filler smokes. The typical sampler has a few expensive smokes in the lineup—these are the attention-grabbers—and a few filler cigars. Filler cigars can be house blends, value smokes, or unwanted inventory. Ideally, you’ll find a sampler with limited filler cigars, or one comprised of filler smokes that you’re actually interested in.

Consider the per-cigar cost. I like to take the total sampler cost (including shipping) and divide it by the number of cigars in the sampler to derive the per-smoke cost. You can take this a step further by taking the total sampler cost and dividing it by the number of what you think are non-filler cigars. If you think about it, it makes sense to buy a sampler with unwanted filler smokes if the per-cigar cost of the remaining smokes is low enough.

Have a tip or two of your own you’d like to share with StogieGuys.com readers? Feel free to leave it in the comments below.

–Patrick A

photo credit: N/A

Lately I’ve found myself smoking cigars with friends who are very occasional cigar smokers. (By “occasional” I mean barely one cigar per year.) Almost without fail, these fine folks tend to make the same mistakes each time they light up that all-too-rare cigar. In these circumstances I find myself playing the role of teacher.

Without pointing any fingers, and hopefully without coming across as a snobby know-it-all, today I’d like to point out some of the most common cigar mistakes made by newbies for those of us who are seasoned veterans. Why? Because as good cigar smokers, it’s our duty to politely and patiently introduce interested parties to our fine hobby, and that introduction has to include some cigar basics to help our friends get the most out of the experience. So without further ado, here are my top five errors made by infrequent cigar smokers:

Cutting too much cap. The temptation to cut away too much of the cigar is too great for a rookie, especially if you’ve supplied him with a guillotine cutter. Either let him use a V-cutter or, better yet, take the time to show him where the cap should be snipped with a guillotine. Remember to instruct him to position the blade so it will enter the stogie just above the shoulder (where parejo cigars stop being round). If he’s smoking a torpedo or a pyramid, a good rule of thumb is to slice off about a quarter of an inch.

Failing to establish an even light. For starters, make sure he’s using a butane torch or a wooden match. It is inadvisable to light cigars with paper matches, stoves, candles, or lighters that use lighter fluid. Once the proper ignition tool is selected, I find that newbies are really good at lighting the middle of a cigar’s filler, but really bad at toasting its edges thoroughly. This can result in tunneling or uneven burns. So take care to explain that lighting a cigar is a process, almost a ritual, and checking the foot to make sure the cigar is fully lit is a good idea.

Smoking way too quickly. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Smoking is not a race, and there’s no prize for finishing first. You may have to say this twice to guys who are accustomed to sucking down cigarettes in a manner of minutes. You can also say that each cigar puff is intended to be savored, not to mention the fact that smoking too quickly can ruin the taste of premium tobacco.

Ashing like a cigarette. Whether your infrequent cigar smoker is a cigarette smoker or not, all rookies tend to ash their cigars like cigarettes. Too often and too carelessly. This over-ashing will only serve to increase a cigar’s heat and harshness, and flicking the cigar to remove the ash may damage the wrapper. On the other hand, leaving the ash on for a while promotes cool smoke because it allows less oxygen to reach the burning tobacco. This is key if you actually want to taste the cigar rather than simply be subjected to its spice and heat.

Assuming cigars are too expensive to smoke more regularly. Time and again my friends are surprised to learn that the cigar I handed them—a cigar they’re really enjoying, no less—costs somewhere in the $6-8 range. This falsehood that cigars are only for the rich is so pervasive that some people think all decent smokes cost upwards of $15 or $20 apiece. These folks are usually pleased to learn that you can buy many, many excellent smokes for less than $10.

Understanding these mistakes and having the proper, patient response ready for those who are seeking knowledge is vital to being an effective representative for the cigar community. Thank you in advance for your service to this noble cause, and feel free to list your own observations in the comments below.

–Patrick A

photo credit: N/A

One of the good things about cigars is that there are always new smokers joining the party. And while there is a monumental amount of information out there, sometimes it helps to reiterate a few principles to help novices along the way.

I’m probably repeating myself—let’s face it, my memory’s pretty well shot at this point—but I’m sure there are new readers who have neither the time nor the inclination to scour the significant archives of StogieGuys.com, or who are looking for occasional tips beyond what can be easily found in our Cigar University.

So, as part of our periodic efforts, here are three easy tips I think are key to cigar enjoyment when you’re starting out with cigars:

1. Light right. Whether you use a $1,000 limited edition Dupont lighter or a free pack of matches from the 7-Eleven, take your time. Try to keep the flame from direct contact as you toast the foot. Pay particular attention to the edges. A good, even light is key to a good, even burn and a satisfying smoke. And be sure to use wooden matches instead of those made of paper.

2. Purchase in haste, repent at leisure. A new smoker’s tastes almost always change often and rapidly. Resist the urge to stock up on a stick you like. They’ll almost certainly be there later if you’re sure it’s one you want more of. And don’t get caught up in bargains. Saving money applies only when you like the cigars. Otherwise, it’s called wasting money.

3. Become a recording artist. Jot down notes on what you smoke. Keep a smoker’s journal and re-read it periodically. It need be nothing fancy, simply adequate to remind you what you liked and disliked and why. And in addition to recording your own thoughts, read others’ as well. Doing so will help you better articulate why you like or dislike a particular smoke.

Feel free to offer your tips for beginners in the comments below as well.

–George E

photo credit: N/A