Take a really critical look at your cigar. As a stogie connoisseur, it’s natural that you want your cigar to be worthy of your smoking time. Here are some handy pointers:
THE WRAPPER —
If it feels somewhat “springy” to the touch and the outer wrapper is not unraveling and seems to be intact, then your cigar is fresh and has been properly stored in a humidor. If the major veins of the leaf run as parallel as possible along the entire length of the cigar, and it has a firmness without being hard in spots, then your smoke was handled well by the Torcedor (“the one who twists”), and is of good quality. Finally, you want it to possess an oily sheen, which indicates the tobacco was properly cured.
THE FILLER —
When you examine the exposed filler, you should see tobacco that seems to flow in a circular fashion. This tells you the cigar will burn evenly, indicating it was rolled properly. If the leaves are staggered and resemble the edges of a book, take a pass. You are not holding a well-made smoke in your hand.
THE ACID TEST — Now that you’ve examined that cigar in your hand, and it has passed inspection so far, it’s time to put it to the supreme test. Light up. Does it have an easy draw and burn rapidly? If so, it was under-filled. If it hesitates to burn and has a hard draw, then it was over-filled. What every cigar smoker wants is a cigar that burns evenly and has a good, steady draw. Does a fine black rim form a ring around the firm, white ash as it burns? I hope so, as that’s an indication that you have chosen a cigar made of good quality tobacco, with a high quality leaf. Congratulations on choosing cigars from your favorite Cigar of the Month Club!
Take a Close Look at this Month’s Cigar Selections . . . Featured Countries of Origin from your Favorite Cigar of the Month Club: NICARAGUA and THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
1) : MONTE CRISTO PLATINUM TORO (91-Rated!) – Nationality: Dominican Appearance: MEDIUM-FULL bodied, 6.0; 50 ring; In a dark Mexican Cubano wrapper
Personality: This Platinum La Habana Series cigar provides Montecristo lovers with a bolder, richer blend. A well-balanced blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan and Peruvian long-fillers offers a great smoothness to this Dominican hand-rolled cigar.
2) JAVA BY DREW ESTATE S.E. ROBUSTO – Nationality: Nicaraguan Appearance: MEDIUM bodied, 5.0; 50 ring; Well decked out in a dark, oily maduro wrapper
Personality: As she aged, she was slowly infused with the delicious flavors of gourmet mocha. Carefully tending made this lady an incredibly rich smoke filled with hints of mocha from start to finish, leaving an extremely pleasant aroma in her wake.
3) CUSANO 18 COROJO CHURCHILL – Nationality: Dominican Appearance: MEDIUM-FULL bodied,7.25; 50 ring; Exquisite in a rich, flawless, oily thick wrapper
Personality: A grand lady at the ripe old age of 18 years, her long core is savory. A rich blend yields pepper, spices, leather and cedar. Her renowned Dominican smoothness shines through, as an increased fusion of strength and flavor steal your heart.
4) GRAN HABANO ‘VL’ MADURO BELICOSO – Nationality: Nicaraguan Appearance: MEDIUM-FULL bodied, 6.1; 52 ring; Boasts an oily, dark chocolate Habano Oscuro wrap
Personality: A reasonably priced, ultra-refined good-looker born in the lush soils of Nicaragua and Honduras, she boldly offers oak, leather and earthiness, softened with a sweet creaminess on the palate. Her finish lingers, as she’s destined for greatness.
5) PDR ICON DOUBLE TORO – Nationality: Dominican Appearance: MEDIUM bodied, 6.0; 60 ring; Sports a vintage toothy Dominican Corojo wrapper
Personality: She’s absolutely gorgeous wrapped in her reddish-brown cloak. The fancy dressing, paired with Cuban-seed long-fillers, makes this baby brim with creamy notes of wood, coffee, pepper, sweetness, and an aroma of fresh baked bread
