TIPS FOR SMOKING

A GOOD CIGAR FROM LA PALMA

CIGARS. BASIC KNOWLEDGE.

Shrink-wrapped to preserve all its aroma and freshness.
The main qualities of a good cigar are: combustibility, texture, flavour, elasticity, aroma, colour and balance in the composition of nicotine and oils.

“Tobacco” is the name of the Nicotiana Tabacum plant, native to the southern part of America, specifically from the area between Peru and Ecuador.

Pre-Columbian peoples inhaled the smoke given off by the burnt tobacco leaf in order to relax the introduction to their religious ceremonies. The Spanish conquerors, amazed by that, decided to take it to Europe. This was the moment in which the development of tobacco began around the world.

THE CUT.

This, perhaps, is the most important part of the smoking ceremony of a good cigar. A good cut defines the experience, since mostly due to a bad cut, many Premium cigars cannot be appreciated in their maximum splendour. It is advisable to use a guillotine cutter, or a scissor cutter, as both allow a precise cut.

Ideally, 70-80% of the opening of head of the cigar should be cut off as this allows for more consistent smoking and also prevents the cigar wrapper from being destroyed.

What we should never try to do is to cut it with our teeth, with the consequent tearing that the cigar will suffer.

Nor is it convenient to introduce a stick, a match or any other thin element. This causes the tobacco from the back end to be pressed and it may not puff properly.

THE LIGHTING.

It requires patience and we must use a match with a long stick, preferably made of wood, a gas burner and even cedar bark. Non-odourless flames, such as petrol lighters, should never be used, as they would spoil the flavour and aroma of the cigar.

When the cigar is near the flame, you have to turn it progressively so that the lighting is carried out evenly over the whole surface.
The cigar must be kept in a 90º position in relation to the flame. The thicker the cigar, the longer the ignition time.

If we want to check that the cigar is perfectly lit, we only have to blow gently on the lit part and check that the whole surface glows.

STORING.

Dry cigars are fragile and burn faster because they don’t contain enough natural humidity and the flavour is much more aggressive and bitter.

On the other hand, cigars with more humidity than necessary burn unevenly and have a heavier, more acidic flavour.
The 80% humidity level should never be exceeded because the cigar will begin to mold and rot.

If knowing how to buy a cigar is important, its preservation is no less important. They must be stored at 65-75% relative air humidity, constantly, without noise or coming into contact with other products or substances, even when packaged.

It is convenient to change the internal environment, by periodically airing the humidor.

Aging means the resting inside the humidor that, under ideal conditions of temperature and humidity, improves the properties, making the wrappers darker and silkier, settling the flavour, attenuating the aroma and maintaining the puffing and combustibility.

The recommended aging cycle is up to 15 years. This period can be prolonged, but at the risk of deterioration. A Premium cigar should never be stored in the fridge.

The ideal conditions for storing a cigar are a temperature of 20-21º and a humidity of approximately 70%.

The humidor is a wise investment that will repay you with a good maintenance of your cigars. Its inside, if possible, should be lined with cedar wood, since it has properties called hygroscopic (absorbs and releases humidity), and favours the function of the tobacco that makes up the cigar.

The humidor is made of wood, which, even if it is closed, must have minimal ventilation and be equipped with a device to maintain a constant relative humidity inside and a mechanism that measures humidity, called a hygrometer.

With all this we will achieve a recreation of a tropical climate that prevents the cigars from becoming dry and fragile and this makes it possible to preserve them for a longer period of time.

The humidor is a permanent source of humidity and atmospheric pressure. They all have a simple device (hygrostat) that usually consists of a sponge or plastic tube that slowly releases humidity. It is recommended to use distilled water when filling the hygrostat.

ENJOYING A GOOD CIGAR FROM PUROS ARTESANOS JULIO.

Enjoying a good handmade cigar requires a calm and pleasant environment. It is a real pleasure for the senses.

In the case of cigars, unlike cigarettes, the smoke is not swallowed, we inhale it but we do not swallow it. It is savoured, appreciating all its nuances.

Nor should you be constantly tapping the cigar to throw away the remaining ash. It is better to let it build slowly and even try to let it fall because of its own weight. If the cigar is a quality cigar, it will leave a fairly firm and, therefore, long ash.

The flavour can become more intense as it is consumed. Three quarters of the cigar is usually smoked and it is not put out by “squeezing” it against the ashtray like any other cigarette. It should be allowed to go out naturally, let it die with dignity.

ENJOY AN AUTHENTIC CIGAR FROM LA PALMA OF PREMIUM QUALITY

Humidors

Puros Artesanos Julio makes these solid cedar humidors available to its customers to perfectly preserve our cigars from La Palma.

Available in black and off-white, with a hygrometer to control the degree of humidity. They are specially designed so that bars and restaurants offer our handmade tobacco in perfect conditions, while serving as a decorative element.