Premium cigars are handcrafted by artisans who dedicate years to develop this skill and technique. Indulging in a premium stick at a comfortable cigar lounge is a great way to relax after a long day.
To fully enjoy the aroma and flavor of your cigar, you need to know how to properly store, cut, and light it. This article will guide you through the process.
How to Store Your Premium Cigars at Home
The best way to store your premium cigars is in a humidor. These special boxes are made to mimic the climate of the regions where cigars are made. Tobacco leaves naturally expand and contract based on the relative humidity of the air around them, so a humidor helps to keep the leaves at the perfect moisture level. When you get a humidor for your home, the humidity level can be tweaked based on the amount and kind of cigars you want to store.
Humidors are great for new and aging premium cigars, as they help to maintain the flavor. There are a few new cigars that should be put inside a humidor to stabilize them before smoking. If you find a new cigar that is burning poorly, it could be due to additional moisture that was added in the factory to keep it fresh as it makes its way to your cigar dealer. In this case, it has to be stabilized. Just put it in your humidor and wait about a week before you smoke it.
Our premium cigar lounge has a great humidor that is set at an optimum level. If you have one at home, here are 9 tips on how to store cigars in your humidor:
- Use distilled water. Always make sure you use distilled water. Using tap water can lead to mineral build-up and attract mold.
- Look for mold. Check your cigars from time to time to look for signs of mold. It is important to check the moisture level every week to make sure it is not too humid.
- Keep the infused and non-infused cigars in different humidors. Always keep flavored or infused cigars separate from your regular, or non-infused ones. If they were to share a humidor, the infusion from your flavored cigars could pass to your normal ones and negatively impact their taste.
- Remove the wrappers. Take any cellophane wrappers off of your premium cigars before storing them. This helps the flavors to meld.
- Open the humidor sometimes. Many aficionados recommend opening the humidor for a few hours at least once a week. This lets fresh air into the box. When you leave them into a sealed box for a long period, it tends to develop a musty smell.
- Don’t stack the cigars. Avoid stacking premium cigars on top of each other. Stagger the rows to ensure airflow between each cigar.
- Put them in rotation. Rotate the cigar’s position inside the humidor every 6 months. This distributes humidity evenly.
- Check your stash. Check your cigars often for signs of cracking, chipping, and mold. Squeeze the bottom end to ensure it is still springy.
- Size matters. Make sure you get a humidor of adequate size based on your collection size. Avoid overstuffing or under-staffing. If you have to store 40-50 cigars, consider getting a humidor that stores a minimum of 75 cigars. This lets air circulate inside.
How to Set Up Your Humidor the Right Way
When you get a new humidor, you may be eager to fill it up right away. But doing this without re-humidifying the wood in the humidor will ruin your cigars.
The wood is kiln-dried Spanish Cedar. It won’t have the chance to reach its equilibrium of 65% humidity before you buy it. So, if you put your stash inside before you re-humidify it, all it will do is suck the moisture right out of your sticks.
Here is how to re-humidify your humidor before using it for the first time.
- Take a shot glass and fill it up with distilled water (not tap water). Place it at the bottom of the humidor.
- Charge the humidifier and place it inside the humidor.
- Place the calibrated hygrometer inside the humidor and close the lid.
- Check the humidity regularly using a hygrometer. You will know the wood has been stabilized when it reaches the 65% range.
Cutting Your Premium Cigars
The goal in cutting a cigar is to create an opening for smoke to come through without damaging the cigar’s construction. Cut it too small and the cigar won’t draw (no smoke will come through). Cut it too wide and the cigar could fall apart.
For a long time, there are three main types of cuts: the straight cut, the wedge cut, and the hole punch cut. Then in 2011, the multiple slit cut (or Shuriken) was introduced. The type of cut you make is based on your personal preference, the type of filler tobacco, and the shape or size of the cigar. Most smokers have more than one cutter.
No matter what kind of cut you prefer, it is important to have a good cutter. You can get a great one right here in our cigar lounge. We can even show you how to do it if you have never done it before.
How to Light Premium Cigars for an Even Burn
If you are not used to lighting a cigar, it could seem difficult. Newbies sometimes think the cigar-lighting ritual is shrouded in etiquette and mystique. Here’s all you have to do to properly light a cigar.
- Choose the Right Flame: Make sure you have a cigar lighter with the right lighter fluid. Torch or jet flame lighters are recommended. Use refined butane as your lighter fluid. Any other kind of fluid could release odors that can smell light jet fuel and ruin the experience.
- Toast the Foot: “Toasting” your cigar is when you set fire to the filler, the binder, and the wrapper. If you don’t “toast” the whole thing, you will only ignite the filler. The majority of the flavor comes from the wrapper so the wrapper must have ignition too. You can blow on it until it glows red all the way through.
- Ignite the Filler: Once you have toasted the edges, start to burn the filler. This is at the center of the cigar’s foot. You might need a smaller flame for this.
- Blow on the Cherry: The cherry is the smoldering end of the cigar so you’ll want to blow from the embers towards the charred areas. Blowing on the cherry allows you to disperse the heat throughout the tobacco without exposing it to a direct flame.
Time to Enjoy Your Premium Cigar
Now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the flavors your premium cigar is giving you. Come on by our premier cigar lounge and enjoy the experience with friends. We carry a wide range of premium cigars and great beer on tap.
