An Anatomy Lesson

Say you took a cigar apart--although the rest of us would be standing over you, saying, "What exactly do you think you're doing?" But anyway, say you had a cigar, and you decided to take it apart because you just HAD to see how it was made.

Let me just tell you, and that will keep us all from mourning the loss of a perfectly good cigar, okay? Okay!

[source]

Here's another view:

[source]

If you want to sound super fancy at your next cocktail party, you can let some of this info slip (as long as the group is talking about cigars; don't be socially awkward like me and just spit out random facts):

Wrappers determine a lot of the cigar's flavor and character and folks general describe the cigar by the color of the wrapper. One major MAJOR misconception about cigars is that the darker the cigar, the stronger the cigar. No, no, no. Don't judge the book by the cover. (Unless you're judging my books; they have great covers--they have great innerds.)

Binders are wrappers that are rejected because they just aren't good enough. Kind of like that cozy t-shirt you put on but then have to cover with a nicer shirt. Poor cozy t-shirt. Poor binder, the leaves of which are elasticy (elasticish?) because they need to hold everything (the filler) together. Like Spanx.*

Filler/Blend are the innerds that determine how strong the cigar will be. There's much more to it than this, but let's start with the basics, okay? (Remember: Cocktail party fodder for now.) When I was first learning about this, from the great Michael Herklotz of Nat Sherman, my head was spinning from all the info. (I swear it had nothing to do with the sangria.)

• Volado--Taken from the bottom of the plant, with minimum flavor
• Seco--Taken from the middle of the plant, with light flavor
• Ligero--Taken from the upper leaves exposed to the most sunlight, the fullest flavor and strength.

Stay tuned for more necessary filler info among other awesome stuff (not filler filler, although that is funny to say). Search the Cigars 101 tag if you're all about the learning.


*(For all the men who have unexpectedly encountered Spanx during activities and are shaking their heads: We're sorry, but sometimes we need to hold everything together, just like the binder contains the filler. it's not sexy, but necessary. Does that help ease the horror?)

Meet the House Specialist...

...the man who smokes!

...the man with the big cigar!

...the man who reads the posts and just stares at me (I'd like to think he's staring because he's in awe of my genius, but the stare is usually accompanied by a comment like, "You're writing about Spanx in a cigar blog?)

...the man who takes one for the team and smokes all these delicious cigars so I can second-hand smoke them.  (The sacrifices you guys make in the name of love...just staggering.)

It's Valentino!

When did you first start smoking cigars?
Jeez, it had to be in the late 80s.

Do you remember what kind it was?
The Baccarat.  My first box purchase ever. I hated it. I asked the guy at Thomson, or maybe CI, for a recommendation. ::here in the interview is a lot of hand flailing, as the Italians do::  I think I have the box! I don't even remember the flavor. I was new to smoking and I just didn't think they were very good. But then again I didn't know what was not good back then. Oh, plus price. It was definitely a price-conscious purchase back then.

The actual box o' pain and disappointment.

We should give them another try!
::painedlook::

Or not.
I really started smoking cigars on golf trips for my work.*  One of the perks were all these free, amazing cigars, and meeting all these great guys who smoked. That's when I really started getting into the whole culture. My go-to back then was Macanudo.

[*I know what you're thinking. Whhhhaaaaa? Where can I get that job? Exactly. --ed]

Say I bought you a box of cigars and, by the way, it's beautifully wrapped because you know that's one of my mad skillz. Before you open the package, what brand and type of cigar are you hoping for? (Not Cubans, because there's no way I could get those without you knowing, since I'd have to ask you to get my passport out of the safe, and then you'd see the flight to and hotel at a place with a La Casa del Habano nearby, and... So, no Cubans. What else?)
'64 Padron Pyramid. Or the Torpedo.  To quote comedian Brian Regan, "They're BOTH favorites."

I would pretend not to see the charges if you wanted to go to a LCDH.

Because you're nice like that. So I'm smuggling Montecristo #2s into the country?
It's not like you haven't done it before.

Whatever, dude. Next question: What do you like most about the cigar community?
Camraderie. How nice everybody is.  You come in, everybody says, "Hello." Not like a regular bar, where people keep to themselves and smoke their cigarettes, hanging in their cliques. In a cigar bar or with a group of cigar smokers hanging around together, you feel like everybody is on the same level. No one is sitting there thinking that they're better than anyone else.  And everyone talks to each other about the cigars they're smoking, which leads to other conversations, and very quickly, friendship.

And everyone's willing to share. Need a lighter or a cutter? Here you go.  And on more than one occasion, someone has mentioned that they have never tried a certain cigar and they're quickly gifted with one.

You handed over one of the beloved Monte #2s once, to someone you didn't even know that well, although we did see him pretty regularly at events sponsored by our tobacconist.
Well, he said he'd never had one.

Of course. You look like you need a smoke.  What are we having? How about a Monte... Just kidding. Kuba Kuba? I'm dying for something sweet.
::stares in that way that makes a girl's Spanx fall off (which is no easy task)::

Ciao!

At LCDH in Falmouth, Jamaica.

Hi! ::waves::

• I know this sounds weird, but I love the smell of cigars and the taste in the back of my throat, but I have wonky taste buds, so actually smoking cigars would be a waste. So I second-hand smoke them and take pleasure in watching my guy and our friends enjoy the sticks. 
  
  
  Oh, I'm not just a dumb old hanger-on, secretly hating the smoke but hoping I'll get bonus girlfriend points for appearing supportive, so don't go getting that impression. 
•  

  

  Mecca (Cigars International in Hamburg, PA)

  
  
  I just went to Cigars International in Hamburg and Bethlehem, PA this week and I spent many, many dollars on Drew Estate Pigs and Rats with some of my super faves, like a box of La Palina Goldie Lanceros and '64 Padrons (torpedoes). I also purchased a boat load of Nica Rusticas recently because I adore their smokey goodness! 
  
  
  In fact, I'm also writing a book about the cigar culture--honestly, cigar smokers are the best, kindest, and most generous people I have ever met. (Please don't tell my writer friends I said that--they're an awesome group too!)
  
  
  So, that's me.  And this is my place to share all my cigar stuff--thoughts, finds, and metaphorical sparkly things.  (Okay, probably some real sparkly things too, because that's how I roll.)