Cigars
Glossology
Dos Hermanos, Indonesian Taste of World Quality
Cigars are synonymous with Cuba or Caribbean countries. From revolutionary Che Guevara to President Videl Castro in Cuba, he is almost always seen smoking a cigar. Cigars are also synonymous with mafia figures. For example, in the film Godfather I. We see how Marlon Brando smokes cigars at special meetings with relatives or family. In fact, long before that, cigars were known since Christopher Columbus first set foot in Vinegar in 1492. However, now cigars are not only a monopoly of Caribbean, Latin American and European countries. Indonesia is also one of the cigar producing countries that is worth considering. It all started from the Netherlands. After entering Indonesia in the pre-independence era, the Dutch spread cigar culture. Apart from bringing cigars from Europe and Latin American countries, the Dutch cultivated tobacco in Indonesia, especially in Deli (North Sumatra) and Besuki (East Java). Until now, these two regions are known as producers of high quality tobacco. From there, several cigar factories began to exist, and of course cigarette factories.
Compare this with cigarette factories such as Djarum, Gudang Garam, or sampoerna which are world-famous and contribute large revenues to the country. Indonesian cigar brands which are now global are also produced by long filler cigar factories, not cigar factories. Call it Dos Hermanos and Wismilak.
These two brands do not come from old traditions. Cigars were produced again after seeing promising market opportunities. And, that was done by PT Djarum. After conducting a series of research in Honduras and holland, PT Djarum produced cigars in May 1977. International standard long filler cigarettes were their first product. This cigar targets the expatriate (foreign worker) segment in Indonesia. Apart from that, well-established executives in Indonesia are the marketing targets for products which previously were mostly for the export market. It turns out that the quality and stable taste of this cigar is not inferior to other premium cigars. Therefore, this roll of tobacco from Kudus is accepted in Manncangera. Call it America, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Singapore and several other countries. Especially for ASEAN, people tend to choose short filters with the Gold Seal brand and are now starting to be marketed domestically.
Worldwide Dos Hermanos
Cigars in every part of the world have their own taste. For example, Dominican cigars need to burn two inches before the distinctive taste comes out. Cigars are also not made from just any tobacco. After harvesting, two years later the tobacco can be made into cigars. Tobacco leaves must be fermented before they are ready to be rolled into cigars. In Cuba, by hand (long filler) in Netherlands by machine (short filler ) To maintain the quality of tobacco, cigars must be stored at a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius with 70 percent humidity. And, Dos Hermanos cigars are recognized worldwide as classy cigars. The name Dos Hermanos itself was actually only used in September 1999 for the Indonesian market. However, this product is also liked by foreign tourists.
In fact, they often take them abroad as souvenirs from Indonesia. The quality of Dos Hermanos, a premium cigar blending Brazilian and Indonesian tobacco, is recognized worldwide
How To Cut A Cigar?
A bad cut will ruin even the best of cigars, so it’s important to snip your smoke correctly to avoid problems later. Before you begin, it’s important to know that the object of the cut is to create an ample. smooth opening for smoking without damaging the cigar’s structure. With most cigars, this means cutting away part of the cap on the head that closes the cigar, while leaving some of it glued around the end to keep the filler leaves together.
Next, you need to select the right cutting tool. There are a myriad of options available: single- and double-bladed cutters, scissors, v-cutters, a sharp knife, or even your thumbnail. If you are just starting out, though, we suggest choosing a double-bladed cutter, as they are the simplest to operate, are designed to make a cut across the cigar from both sides simultaneously, and can snip any shape or size smoke you’ll see in a humidor. With a double-bladed cutter, there’s less of a chance that the cigar wrapper will be torn, whereas other cutting tools require a bit more experience.
Start by identifying the shoulder of the cigar-the place where the curved end of the cigar starts to straighten out. This is where you’ll make your cut
Place the head of the cigar inside the opening of the double-bladed cutter, and slightly close the blades so they are just touching the cigar. This keeps the cigar properly positioned and prevents motion, which might lead to tearing or to the cut happening in the wrong place.
Once the cigar is in position, cut it boldly using swift, even pressure. A true aficionado cuts like a surgeon: quickly and confidently.
If you’re having trouble, a simpler way to cut your smoke is to open the blades of the double-bladed cutter and lay it on a flat surface. Then, insert the head of the cigar in between the blades so that it rests evenly on the surface, and finally, swiftly clip the head of the cigar. This is a surefire method to achieve a perfect cut.
How To Light A Cigar?
Lighting a cigar is not like lighting the tip of a cigarette or the wick of a candle—it takes longer. In other words, patience is key, especially when you are starting out. Mistakes happen even if you are a seasoned cigar veteran, so just accept it and try not to let errors ruin what should be an enjoyable process.
A properly lit cigar is important because it means all the components (wrapper, binder and filler) will be evenly lit, thus imparting the flavors of the blend as the maker intended them to be experienced. Additionally, you won’t be fighting an uneven burn while you’re smoking, which can add hassle to a time that should be relaxing.
But before you can light up, you’ll want to cut your cigar so air can pass through it. (Check out How To Cut A Cigar to learn the best method to snip your smoke.) To light a premium cigar, follow these three steps (and check out the video above):
- Light your cigar the same way you would toast a marshmallow over a campfire—keep the cigar above and near the flame, but don’t let them touch. Burning a cigar directly in a flame makes it too hot. If you do accidentally nick the cigar with the flame, don’t worry! You haven’t ruined the cigar. Instead, calmly, but quickly, move your smoke back out of the flame.
- And, as with a marshmallow, you’ll want to rotate the cigar so all parts of its tip are equally heated. Be patient and keep at it until there’s a glowing ring all the way around the cigar’s tip and the edges are thinly blackened.
- Raise the unlit end of the cigar to your mouth and take the first puff. The ember should burn evenly while drawing, If it doesn’t, take the cigar out of your mouth and go ahead and touch up the end with the flame. You can also try to gently blow on the embers to create a smooth, completely rounded ash. Remember, it’s better to avoid lighting a cigar with a flame from a source that will alter the essence of your cigar. Examples include a candle, Zippo and oil-fueled lighters, and standard sulfur matches. These lighting implements can add odd flavors to your smoke. Instead of using one of these suboptimal tools to directly light a cigar, it would be better to find a strip of cedar, called a spill, and use that to light your smoke. (See How To Light A Cigar With A Cedar Spill. If a cedar spill isn’t available, we suggest getting extra-long, wooden matches that are sulfurless. If you can’t find them and must use regular, short matches, be prepared to use a number of them. Be sure to let the sulfur burn off before starting the lighting process and try lighting two at a time, so you get a broader flame. If you’re only option is a Zippo or oil-based lighter, let the flame burn for a moment before lighting your cigar. The best way to get the perfect light is to use a lighter designed specifically for cigars, with butane for fuel and a flame (or multiple flames) wide enough to easily light a cigar. There are dozens of different cigar lighters on the market, and which one is best for you is a matter of personal preference. The most important requirement is performance—a lighter should fit easily in your hand, ignite easily, and work without fail every time.
How To Ash A Cigar?
There’s no need to repeatedly tap or flick a cigar’s ash like that of a cigarette. Handmade cigars are crafted from long-filler tobacco, which holds a far longer and sturdier ash than a cigarette, whose ash flakes and end up in your lap if left to any length. Fiddling with the ash with too much force can break off the ember, or “cherry,” of the cigar, which will leave you having to relight.
The best thing is to first have patience. Wait until the ash is about an inch long, or until you see a crack develop, before disposing of it in your ashtray. If you wait a very long time, the ash will no doubt drop on your shirt or pants or on the floor.
When it is time to ash, rest the cigar against the side of the ashtray and gently tap the end of the cigar. If done right, and at the correct time, the weight of the cigar should allow the ash to naturally fall off. If the ash is not breaking off, rest it on the side of the ashtray for a second, then repeat the process.
You can also gently press the edge of the cigar against side of the ashtray, turning or rotating the cigar at the same time. Take care not to press too hard. This will allow the ash to break off evenly, and you’ll avoid any of the pitfalls mentioned above.
Cigar Shapes, Sizes and Colors?
One of the missions of Cigar Aficionado has always been to bring cigar lovers together. Between the Big Smokes across the nation and our Internet chat rooms, we’ve done our best to help foster a community of connoisseurs.
Through our events, our website and sections such as “Cigar Adviser” in our magazine, we’ve tried to provide aficionados with opportunities to meet others who share their passion, and forums for providing you access to the best, most accurate cigar information possible.
But that’s not enough. Many people read our magazine who may never have thought about smoking a cigar. But the cigar coverage in our pages piques their curiosity, and some of these new readers may become new smokers.
For these novice smokers, and for those who may not have yet discovered cigars, we offer Cigar 101, a crash course in the basics of cigar smoking. This primer will be continued over the course of the next several issues and will highlight a range of cigar topics, from shapes and colors to the proper cutting, lighting and storage for your smokes.
Shapes & Sizes
A cigar shape can vary greatly in size from brand to brand, so describing a cigar by its size as well as shape is important. Cigars are measured by two factors: length, which is given in inches, and “ring gauge,” a designation of a cigar’s diameter broken into 64ths of an inch.
A cigar with a 42 ring gauge, for example, is 42/64 of an inch in diameter.
There is no correlation between the size of a cigar and its strength. An 8-inch cigar made with mild tobaccos will be mellow, while a thin, short cigar rolled with powerful tobaccos will be full bodied. While a cigar’s strength is determined by the tobacco it is rolled with, thin cigars have a tendency to burn hotter than fatter ones.
Also important to note is that there is no consistency of strength from brand to brand: one company’s corona is likely to taste very different from another’s
Parejos
Parejos are straight-sided cigars; most have an open foot for lighting and need to be cut before smoking. They may be either round or box-pressed, meaning that the sides of the cigar were pressed square prior to packing or, in some cases, by pressure in the box.
Corona
This is the benchmark size against which all other sizes are measured. The traditional dimensions are 5 1/2 to 6 inches with a ring gauge of 42 to 44. Example: Montecristo No. 3
Petit Corona
Basically a miniature corona, this cigar generally measures about 4 1/2 inches, with a ring gauge of 40 to 42. Example: Montecristo No. 4
Churchill
A large corona format. The standard dimensions are 7 inches by 47 ring gauge. Example: Romeo y Julieta Churchill
Robusto
A short, fat cigar that has become the most popular cigar size in America. The size is generally 4 3/4 to 5 1/2 inches by 48 to 52 ring gauge. Example: Cohiba Robusto
Corona Gorda
Also called a toro, this cigar is steadily growing in popularity. The traditional measurements are 5 5/8 inches by 46 ring gauge, but cigars of 6 inches by 50 ring have also become popular. Example: Punch Punch
Double Corona
The standard dimensions are 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 inches by a 49 to 52 ring gauge. Example: Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona
Panetela
Long, thin and elegant, this size’s popularity has decreased in recent years. Still, it is an elegant size, with a wide length variation of 5 to 7 1/2 inches with a ring gauge of 34 to 38. Cigars longer than 7 inches in this category are often referred to as “gran panetelas.” Example: Cohiba Lancero
Lonsdale
A lonsdale is generally longer than a corona but thicker than a panetela, with a classic size of 6 1/2 inches by 42 ring. Example: Montecristo No. 1
Figurados
Although the majority of cigars are parejos, a growing number of cigar companies are broadening their portfolios with more creatively shaped smokes. These cigars are called figurados, and they include any cigar that is not a straight-sided cylinder. Although cigarmakers’ interpretations of the shapes vary as widely as the flavors inside their cigars, the basic categories of figurados are as follows:
Pyramid
Pyramids are cigars with cut feet, like parejos, but with heads tapered to a point. Generally the cigars measure from 6 to 7 inches in length, with ring gauges of about 40 at the head widening to 52 to 54 at the foot. The pyramid is treasured because the tapered head allows the complex flavors of the cigar to meld in the mouth. Example: Montecristo No. 2
Belicoso
Traditional belicosos are short pyramids, often with a slightly rounded pyramid head. They often measure from 5 to 5 1/2 inches, with ring gauges of about 50. Today’s belicosos, however, are often coronas or corona gordas with tapered heads. Recent years have also seen the production of mini-belicosos, short cigars with small ring gauges and tapered heads. Example: Bolivar Belicoso Fino
Torpedo
Although many companies include cigars called torpedos in their portfolios, the cigars are often pyramids. A true torpedo is a rare cigar today, a smoke with a closed foot, a head tapered to a point, and a bulge in the middle. Example: Cuaba Millennium
Perfecto
Like the torpedo, the perfecto has a closed foot and a bulge in the middle. Unlike torpedos, though, the head of a perfecto is rounded like the head of a parejo. Perfectos very greatly in length, from a diminutive 4 1/2 inches to unwieldy 9-inch cigars, with ring gauges from 38 to 48. Example: Partagas Presidente
Culebra
More popular in the past than it is today, the culebra is perhaps the most exotic shape of cigar made. It consists of three panetelas braided together and tied with string, sold as one cigar. The three parts are then unbraided and smoked separately.
Usually 5 to 6 inches long, culebras most often have a 38 ring gauge. Since they are difficult to come by today, you might consider sharing the other two braids of the cigar with two friends, turning the smoking of a culebra into a special occasion. Example: Partagas Culebra
Diadema
Diademas are enormous, 8 1/2 inches or longer. The head is tapered, though often not to a complete point, usually with a 40 ring gauge. The cigar then tapers down to a foot that can be open like a parejo or closed like a perfecto, usually with a ring gauge of 52 or greater. This is a cigar to be enjoyed when time is no object. Example: Hoyo de Monterrey Diadema
Colors
Cigar wrappers come in a wide array of colors, from the palest of greens and yellows to dark black. Just as there are seven basic colors that make up the rainbow, there are seven basic color distinctions among wrappers, with an infinite number of shades between each color.
A simple way to begin understanding the color designations is to remember that, just as the state of Colorado is in the middle of the United States, the color “colorado” comes in the center of the color range.
Wrapper leaves vary in color due to the many methods for processing tobacco and the variety of tobacco strains used. Additionally, sunlight can play a factor: a wrapper grown in sunlight is typically darker than a shade-grown wrapper of an equivalent seed strain.
From light to dark, the seven commonly used wrapper color descriptions are:
Double Claro (also called Candela)
This wrapper is light green, a hue created by a quick-drying process using heat that locks in the green chlorophyll of the tobacco. Years ago, this wrapper was tremendously popular in the United States, and it was a point of amusement for Europeans.
Claro
A light tan color, most commonly achieved by growing in shade under cheesecloth tents, picking the plants early and air-drying the leaves. Flavorwise, these wrappers have little to offer, and allow the flavors of the filler tobaccos to dominate the taste of the cigar.
Colorado Claro
Light reddish-brown; often grown in direct sunlight, and given longer to mature before picking.
Colorado
The center of the color scale. These cigars are medium-brown to brownish-red and full flavored, though soft and subtle in their aroma. These wrappers are often shade grown.
Colorado Maduro
Darker than colorado, lighter than maduro.
Maduro
This shade can vary from a deep reddish-brown to almost black. Maduro means “mature” in Spanish, which refers to longer time needed to cure this color wrapper than wrappers that are lighter. For maduros, leaves are either toasted in a pressure chamber or fermented longer in above-average heat. A maduro wrapper lends significant flavor to a cigar: it tends to be mild in aroma, but to have robust, almost sweet flavor
Oscuro
This black-as-night wrapper shade is achieved by leaving the leaves on the plant as long as possible, by using only the leaves from the top of the plant, and by fermenting them for an especially long time. Most often Brazilian or Mexican in origin, oscuro wrappers are often very rough, a result of the extra fermentation. This category is sometimes referred to as “black,” “negro” or “double maduro.”
