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Full-flavored cigars; Do you inhale your cigars?; Cigar tips, news and more!
(Posted April 6, 2004)
Next issue: May 4, 2004
*** IN THIS ISSUE ***
1.
Feature Story: Moving to Full-Flavored Cigars
2. Survey Says: Do you inhale your cigars?
3. Smoker's Ed (Cigar Terms & Tips): Conical visits; Re-freshing cigars
4. Rating Lunatic: El Credito Super Habanero; Punch Rothschild; Olor Fuerte Robusto & Magnum; Sancho Panza Caballero; Oliva Segundos Potente; St. Luis Rey Toro & Corona
5. Cigars in the News: Cigars in Baghdad
6. Eyes on the Prize: Celebrity and Customer Cigar Sightings
*** FEATURE STORY ***
Moving To "Full Flavored" Cigars
Due to an ever-increasing demand for cigars that are more "Cubanesque"
in flavor and strength over the last several years, manufacturers
have dedicated themselves to producing more full-bodied cigars. Also
described as 'full-flavored" these terms can often be confusing to
the new cigar smoker. If you've been smoking cigars for a long time,
by now you pretty much know what you like. If you're still relatively
new to cigars and looking for something new or different, this article
should help.
Most new cigar smokers start out with mild to medium-bodied cigars.
Some of the more popular brands are Macanudo, Baccarat, Arturo Fuente
and Partagas. Until they get a hankering for something a little
stronger, they tend to play it safe and stick with what they know.
This is why cigar samplers have become so popular, since most samplers
offer a range of strengths and "flavors."
The terms full-flavored, full-strength, full-bodied can be confusing.
"Full-flavored," in the traditional cigar tasting parlance has nothing
to do with flavored cigars. Brands like Tatiana, Havana Honeys, Kahlúa
and flavours by CAO are flavored (e.g. vanilla, cherry, rum, chocolate,
etc.) using a special flavoring process. The "flavors" found in non-
flavored cigars, are determined by the blend, the curing of the tobaccos
and ultimately, what your taste buds objectively sense as a result.
As I've pointed out in past articles, the actual strength of a cigar is
often determined by the amount of Ligero tobacco. This is the most potent
tobacco leaf and you can usually see it if you look at the foot of the
cigar. It’s usually much darker in color than the surrounding leaves.
To many new cigar smokers, "strong" indicates the cigar is harsh and
undesirable. Many cigar makers like to use the term "full-bodied" or
"full-flavored" rather than "strong" due to the negative connotation
usually associated with "strong" cigars. What they often mean by these
terms is that the cigar is more flavorful or richer in flavor - tobacco
flavor, that is.
There are now many brands available that are "full-flavored/"full-bodied"
and yes, "stronger" than the average mild cigar, but due to the way they
are blended (the combination of tobaccos) and cured, the result is a cigar
that is very smooth, virtually eliminating the "harshness" associated with
"strong" cigars. One of the hallmarks of some of the best Cuban cigars
is that they are very robust in flavor, yet smooth enough that they don't
bite or leave a bitter aftertaste on the throat or palate.
Although some of the following may still be considered a bit "strong"
for the novice cigar smoker, good examples of these cigars are the
Partagas Spanish Rosado, Carlos Toraño Exodus 1959 Gold and Silver,
C.A.O. Criollo, C.A.O. Brazilia, Don Tomás Dominican Selection, Indian Tabac Super
Fuerte, Hoyo Dark Sumatra, Sancho Panza Double Maduro, Montecristo
Platinum, Oliva O Bold, Olor Fuerte, The Griffins Fuerte, Fonseca Serie
‘F’, Davidoff Millennium, Domaine Avo, La Aroma De Cuba, La Gloria Cubana
Serie R, La Vieja Habana Early Years, Arturo Fuente Don Carlos, Joya De
Nicaragua Antaño 1970 and Ramon Allones. As a result, many of these are
listed as "med-full" in strength as opposed to "full" strength.
Again, a well-made, full-flavored cigar should have a full, rich flavor
that’s very smooth from start to finish, never harsh or bitter. Some
full-flavored cigars start out very spicy, but if you stick with them,
they tend to round-out nicely, making what you may have thought was a
"strong" cigar, quite pleasurable.
So, keep experimenting and don't be afraid to jump into the deep end.
You may find yourself adding many of these cigars into your regular mix.
You may also prefer to smoke the fuller-flavored blends in the evening
when you can relax and savor the nuances of their unique flavors and
aromas. (_[@]__[[~~
*** SURVEY SAYS DEPT. ***
Do you inhale your cigars?
Send an email to: and in the SUBJECT line type or copy & paste, "inhale" and in the message area, please
indicate "yes" or "no" (or also include it in the subject line). As
always, your comments are welcome.
Survey Results for March 2nd: Do you belong to an online cigar community/group or bulletin board?
If so, which one/s and how often do you participate?
1. Daily - How many times a day?
2. Weekly - How many times a week?
3. Monthly - How many times a month?
4. Rarely
Although the response to this survey was a bit on the light side, there
were enough to see a clear pattern. The majority of respondents who were
members of a cigar community visited on a daily basis, usually several
times a day. Many also belonged to more than one group, some of which
I have listed below.
The only other response that had any significant numbers was "rarely,"
and a trickle of responses came up with "weekly."
What this survey seems to say is, most active members see it as a
commitment. In observing some cigar groups, I've seen members posting
cigar "reviews" even trading cigars, not to mention a lot of ribbing each
other (I have been run through the gauntlet, myself) all in the name of
fraternal fun. Here are some of the more popular cigar groups that came
up in the responses. If I left one out that you'd like to plug, please
send me the name and the link and I'll post it here.
Herfer's Paradise
Club Stogie
Cigar World Herfboard
Cigar Wise
Cigar Utopia
Cigar Family
Cigar Pass
Cigar Weekly
Cigar Terms & Tips (Collect and trade em'!)
"Ungraded" tobacco leaves - The tobacco that "does not meet certain
manufacturer standards." It could be tobacco with blemishes or other
imperfections which would make it undesirable. However, depending on
the manufacturer, the tobacco may often be better than some other
graded, first-quality cigars. (e.g. Private Stock cigars)
Conical Visits
Q: I've noticed that with some cigars the outer part burns faster than
the middle, leaving an ash that is almost pointed. This seems to happen
with certain cigars and not others, although it could be my imagination.
Is it the construction of the cigar, the way I'm lighting the cigar,
storing them? Is there a way to prevent them from burning that way?
Your thoughts or any advice you have to offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Herb Kawashima, Portland, OR
A: That conical tip is just what you want on a good premium cigar. If the
middle burns faster than the wrapper, you get something called "tunneling,"
which causes the cigars to smoke harsh b/c you're not getting the flavor
and aroma of the wrapper, which, by the way, accounts for 20% of a cigar’s
overall taste and strength.
What actually causes the cone is the ligero filler usually found in the
center of the cigar. This tobacco burns the slowest, therefore it forms a
conical shape as it burns. You find this often on the best cigars, but the
burn also depends on the roller and the type and amount of tobacco used.
Make sure before you light up, you "toast" the outer edge first and light
the foot as evenly as possible.
Tip: Re-Freshing Cigars
Here's a good tip I learned from a veteran cigar smoker years ago.
I've never met anyone since that has tried or even heard of this.
At some point, almost every cigar gets an old or bitter taste. Depending
on the cigar and the smokers taste preference, it usually means it's soon
time to put it out.
I like to get the most out of my investment, especially if I really
enjoyed the cigar. If I can get a little more from it by refreshing it,
all the better.
By strongly and evenly blowing out through the cigar for 15-20 seconds
while holding a lighter at the tip, the cigar takes on a refreshed taste.
Not like brand new, but much better! I guess you could say it's like
'blowing the carbon out'. One word of caution: tilt your head up or you
could burn your eyebrows off. Most cigars will flare up and then maintain
a flame while you blow. I prefer holding the lighter at the tip till the
flame coming out of the cigar is maintained on its own. Then I keep
blowing and turning the cigar till the flame dies out on its own.
Doing this once is recommended, but I have found that you can do it more
than once, but with less effect each time. If you're a person that sets
a cigar down and comes back to it later, try this before setting it down.
- Bill L. from Allentown, PA
Got A Good Cigar Tip? Send it in and share it with our readers by
sending an email to . Please be
sure to put "CIGAR TIP" in the header field.
*** SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DEPT.***
Have a question about the care and feeding of your cigars or another
cigar-related topic? Send your questions and comments to me at: . I will try to respond as quickly as possible, but some replies may take a few days.
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*** RATING LUNATIC DEPT.***
Customer reviews are selected at random and may be edited for length, not content.
El Credito Super Habanero (Dom, Rep)
(Med-bodied / 7 1/2" x 46 / Ecuador Conn. Natural wrapper)
The Super Habanero is a poor man's Montesino Napoleon. I smoked Fuentes
fumas for years until they became outrageously expensive (they went from
$18 bundle to $35+). The Super Habanero is thin skinned, but avoids the
harshness of most dollar cigars. They are not peppery or hot, registering
a cooler smoke than most cigars in this category. They are loosely packed,
like the Fuentes, which means happily that they are not likely to be
plugged. All in all this is a smoke that provides sound value coupled
with a satisfactory tasting experience. They are best directed at those
who smoke 4 to 5 cigars a day. They have a place in that rotation.
- Daniel Kaylor (April 1, 2004)
Punch Rothschild (Honduras)
(Full-bodied / 4 1/2" x 50 / Ecuador Sumatra Natural wrapper)
Have smoked these cigars for about 25 yrs. Remember paying less than
$40/box. A good strong cigar, but can be harsh if you rush them.
Definitely not for a beginner. Pretty much my benchmark for measuring
other cigars. Only problem with smoking these is after a while, nothing
else seems strong enough.
- Gary R. Thomason, St. Louis, MO (April 2, 2004)
Olor Fuerte Robusto (Honduras)
(Full-bodied / 5" x 50 / Talanga Cubano dark natural wrapper)
This is an awesome smoke! Very full bodied but ALSO has a deep, rich
flavor. I love smoking these cigars as I relax after dinner!
- Neil, Spartanburg, SC (April 2, 2004)
Olor Fuerte Magnum (Honduras)
(Full-bodied / 6" x 60 / Talanga Cubano dark natural wrapper)
The basic smoke is great. The large ring was a problem for me. After a
bad start it was great smoke. However, halfway 10 of them burned bad.
A lot of wasted smoke. This is a great site and Olor has been a great
cigar over the years. This one was not good for me.
- Jack Flasnagan, Concord MA (March 27, 2004)
Sancho Panza Caballero (Honduras)
(Medium bodied / 6 1/4" x 45 / Semi-dark Connecticut shade wrapper)
Great cigar at a great price! I just finished a box of these Sancho Panza Caballero's and can truly
say that they are one of the best cigars I have ever smoked. They were
consistent, even burning, great drawing and great tasting to the nub!
I recommend them for an every day smoke at this price!
Robert L. Rubalcaba, Rancho Mirage, CA (March 28, 2004)
Oliva Segundo Potente (Nicaragua)
(Full-bodied / 6" x 46 / Dark natural wrapper)
The best bundle bargain bar-none! A friend turned me on to the Robusto
in this line and after trying them I also ordered the Potente. Fantastic!
Not second quality in any way. Wonderful visual, burn characteristics
and most of all flavor. An absolute steal!
Dave Mathews, Portland, OR (March 29, 2004)
St. Luis Rey Toro (Honduras)
(Med-full bodied / 6" x 50 / Nicaraguan dark natural wrapper)
I was unsure when I ordered a box of Toro's but man, it only took one
to become my every day cigar. This cigar, for the money is one of the
best deals on the market today. I have a few friends hooked on them now.
Don't be afraid, buy a box today!
John Connelly, Fairbanks, AK (March 23, 2004)
St. Luis Rey Corona (Honduras)
(Med-full bodied / 5 1/2" x 44 / Nicaraguan dark natural wrapper)
After smoking this brand in the mid 1990's and reading some of the on-
line reviews I was excited to try them again, so ordered a sampler. I
must say that I was disappointed. While the construction is very good
the flavor was just not there. I found them to be much milder than I
expected without much character.
Jerry Stoddard, Tustin, CA (March 25, 2004)
AGREE/DISAGREE? Your opinion may be similar or completely different and is also appreciated, so don't be shy. Rate the cigars you smoke on our web site and write a review. What you say can help others make a more informed decision, even you!
*** CIGARS IN THE NEWS ***
When in Iraq, Lovers of Cuban Cigars Find Rare Satisfaction
By Carol Rosenberg
Knight Ridder Newspapers (April 1, 2004)
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Regimes may come and regimes may go, but for nearly a
decade now, the fashionable cigar-smoker has found his way to Ali
Qournawi's Zenobia.
The tobacco store in an exclusive Baghdad district has been shattered
by a car bomb, seen its supplies wilt in wartime power outages and lost
its original Baath Party clientele to exile and jail.
But Qournawi reports that postwar business has skyrocketed 200 percent,
thanks to the tastes of U.S. service members and more stealthy security
men, who snap up his $12 Cohiba Esplendidos, $10 Romeo y Julietas and
$8 Montecristo Torpedos, all from Cuba, all brought to Iraq by boat
from a supplier in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
"People who smoke cigars are high class, they have style," said Qournawi,
28, who set up shop during U.N. sanctions in the 1990s and started catering
to senior officials of Saddam Hussein's regime. Now he thinks his customers
are from the CIA.
These days, none of his original clientele appears. They all fled abroad
last year before the U.S.-led invasion or are now "at the airport," he
said wryly, using Baghdad's euphemism for the clandestine American lockup
where agents are interrogating former Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz and other
members of the so-called "deck of cards," the list of the most-wanted Iraqis
from the former regime.
It's not known where Saddam, who's been in U.S. custody three months, is
being held, and coalition officials won't say whether he's getting a supply
of the stogies that he seemed to clutch constantly, but rarely smoke, in
his day.
Qournawi and other Iraqis think that Saddam, his son Odai and Aziz got
special supplies as favored friends of Cuban President Fidel Castro -
straight from Cuba, by private plane. However the cigars got here,
American commanders treated their troops to generally forbidden Cuban
booty, mostly Cohibas, that they discovered in Tigris riverfront villas
that belonged to regime members, along with liquor and caches of gun and
cash early in Baghdad's invasion.
Saddam and his inner circle adopted the cigar affectation with exuberance
to seem more macho, Iraqi oil painter Esam Pasha said.
"In Egyptian movies - the Arabs' Hollywood - a terrifying, mysterious,
important guy smokes a cigar," said Pasha, 28, a former member of Iraq's
national judo team and a self-styled renaissance man with straggly hair
and a bushy black beard.
Pasha puffs in his studio or after a good meal. For a time, before it
grew too dangerous, he worked as an Arabic-English translator on U.S.
patrols, and he affectionately recalled the Cuban cigars he savored
outside a chow hall with a Miami reservist he knew as Sgt. Jimenez.
"If smoking a cigarette is like a snack, then smoking a cigar is like
a meal," Pasha said.
It's also a celebratory act, which may explain why Qournawi's successor
clientele was uniformed U.S. soldiers enjoying their swift seizure of the
capital after frightful visions of weapons of mass destruction. The troops
cruised the city like champions for a time, until suicide bombings and
drive-by shootings dampened their sense of triumph.
Now, a new kind of foreign customer comes to Zenobia: fit American and
European civilians wearing flak vests and toting Sigsauer pistols and
MP5 submachine guns, standard attire for some of the bodyguards and
security consultants who've flooded the capital.
"We all call them the CIA," Qournawi said, with a shrug.
Be they former Baath Party loyalists or Westerners, all his customers
have had a common trait. "They're real gentlemen, polite," he said.
"Those who smoke, usually, are high-class and they're traveled."
Qournawi said he and a childhood friend started the cigar business as
a lark in the mid-'90s because Qournawi's father favored cigars. Baghdad
was a lonely, paranoid place then and few Iraqis except regime insiders
had the resources to shop at Zenobia, named after a warrior queen who
fought Rome in third-century Syria.
A year ago, when a U.S.-led invasion seemed inevitable, Qournawi shuttered
his shop, took the last boat from Basra to Dubai, on March 5, and sat out
the war. When he returned, airstrikes had cut Baghdad's electricity and
silenced the air conditioners that cooled his stock, which was in special
imported humidors.
The American soldiers who ruled the streets snapped up his cracked, dried
Cubanos. They didn't care.
(Rosenberg reports for The Miami Herald.)¶
*** GIVE THAT MAN A CIGAR! DEPT.***
Goings on in our retail store located at
1100 Conroy Place, Easton, PA.
April In-Store Promotions
Mondays: Buy 3 Cigars - Get a FREE Famous Coffee Mug and FREE Coffee
Refills for the Entire Month of April*
Tuesdays: Buy a Box/Bundle - Get (2) FREE Cigars (Dominique & Olor)
and a "Le Tube" Double Tube Leather Case (w/Belt Clip)*
*(Some restrictions may apply. Call store for details.)
Upcoming In-Store Events
Saturday, May 8th: Kahlua Cigars Delicioso Tasting - 12pm to 3pm
Saturday May 22nd: Bike & Car Show 12pm to 4pm (Rain date: Saturday June 12th)
Friday June 4th: La Gloria Cubana cigars "Roll Off" - 3pm to 6pm
Friday June 25th: C.A.O cigars Tasting - 3pm to 7pm
Call 610-559-8800 for more info and offers associated with these events.
If you live in or near the Lehigh Valley of Pa, and would like to see all deals and events in our Retail Store - click here.
*** EYES ON THE PRIZE DEPT.***
Cigar Sightings
Ron Perlman as "Hellboy" - Reports on this new movie say Mr. Perlman frequently lights up cigars in this dark comic book flick. From the tone of the reviews I've read, it looks like a smash hit. Who said the cigar business was going to Hell? ;-)
Morgan Freeman in Chain Reaction (1996) plays Paul Shannon, the head of the U.S. Govt's secret underground laboratory where they have finally converted Hydrogen to energy. Throughout the entire film, Freeman is holding and/or smoking Davidoff cigars, exclusively.
(For the purposes of this page, I had to re-size the photo, but in the original you can clearly see and read the Davidoff cigars band.)
THE APPRENTICE (NBC) - Episode #11: In a scene shot at the Trump Taj Mahal, Protégé team member, Kwame Jackson, is shown holding a large Macanudo as he celebrates a Casino promotion victory with teammates, Troy McClean and Bill Rancic.
JUST IN! (April 16th): CONGRATULATIONS to Bill Rancic, a cigar entrepreneur from Chicago who got to hear The Donald say, “Your hired!”
Other Famous Cigar Smokers Caught “Infumare Delecto”
Just me enjoying a good smoke by the Hudson River
-John Golden
(Jeanine Hass (left) of Las Vegas, NV and Peter Hass (right) of Santa Ana, CA at the Las Vegas Big Smoke in November 2003.) My daughter Jeanine, her boyfriend Aaron (not pictured) and I went to the Big Smoke in Vegas last November. This night after our tour of the booths, the three of us enjoyed a smoke together. My Daughter was smoking an Arturo Fuente Churchill from one of the vendors at the show and Aaron had one of the Ashton Robustos. I brought along a few Camacho SLR Torpedo's to enjoy that night. It was a great time and about the 8th time Jeanine and I enjoyed a smoke together.
- Peter Haas
I think I have found the greatest cigar, ever. The Baccarat Toro. Check out this ash... these cigars are nicely rolled and very flavorful and smooth!! The ash was a little over 2 inches before it finally fell off.
- Bob Hilderbrand, San Diego, CA
Me (right) and Dirk Benedict (left) of Battlestar Galactica and A-Team fame. We are on-board Holland America's ms Zuiderdam. Dirk is holding a Griffin's #300 Tubo from Famous which was enjoyed after dinner.
- Dave Flower
WANTED! Cigar-smoking photos of you and/or your friends. (See next paragraph for details.)
Have You Made A Cigar Sighting Recently?
It can be from a movie, TV show or a celebrity you've seen elsewhere or in-person puffing on a primo. If you can name the brand of the cigar, even better! Or send in a herfing photo of you and your friends to me at and please put "Cigar Sightings" in the subject line. Limit: 1 sighting or photo (preferably, a JPEG) per email.
That's all folks. Until our next issue on May 4th, Happy Smokes!
Gary
(__[@]______{{{~~
Copyright © 2004 Famous Smoke Shop - PA, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Portions or all of this information may be reprinted freely, provided this
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