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Travel Cases, Reader Tips, Weird Cigar Survey and More!
(Posted June 8, 2004)
Next issue: July 6, 2004 - Special RTDA Preview!
*** IN THIS ISSUE ***
1. Feature Story: Choosing a Good Cigar Travel Case
2. Survey Says: What is the weirdest cigar you've ever smoked?
3. Smoker's Ed (Cigar Terms & Tips): Clipping technique, plus lots of reader's tips
4. Rating Lunatic: Private Stock No. 2; Hamiltons Rsv. Don Jorge; La Flor Dominicana Chisel Maduro; ACID Earthiness; Astral Vtg. '92 Lujo
5. Cigars in the News: Havana Busts Itself; Op-Ed on Cuban Travel
6. Site Improvements: Now See What's Free!
7. Eyes on the Prize: Celebrity and Customer Cigar Sightings
*** FEATURE STORY ***
Choosing a Good Cigar Travel Case
Since this is the time of year when many of us are traveling, I
thought I'd pull this old article from the file drawer on cigar
travel cases and dust it off for those of you who may have missed
it, or are new to Shop Talk.
Some cigar smokers just can't leave home without taking their favorite
cigars with them. But before you board that plane, train or automobile,
you'll need a portable storage case that will keep your precious primos
out of harm's way. Travel cases come in practically every style and
material imaginable. Whether it's a fancy attaché case humidor or a
simple, "two-fingered" leather pocket case, the case MUST do at least
two things:
1) Protect your cigars.
2) Keep them fresh.
Just as important is choosing a case that will hold the cigar size and
shape you smoke.
Pocket Cases: Telescoping "fingered" cases are good for long cigars,
but fingered cases can cause problems if you're toting cigars with
different ring gauges. Most telescoping fingered cases are designed
to hold a wide range of ring sizes, but are better suited for cigars
of similar ring gauge since they are not often very flexible. When
selecting a fingered case, be sure to choose the size best suited for
the cigar size you smoke. Most pocket cases will accommodate cigars
up to a 50 ring. Be sure the case slides open easily and that the
inside is smooth, especially if you're looking at leather cases,
which can add a leathery taste to your smokes. You may want to opt for
a wooden or metal tube style case. Moreover, the latter type can
usually keep the cigars fresh for a couple of days, but the trade-off
is they can be heavier, which doesn't make them practical as true
"pocket" cases. If you keep your cigars in the cello wrapper, this
will help keep them fresher, too. Some pocket cases include small
humidifiers to keep your cigars fresh, but if you're returning home
on the same day, make sure you put any un-smoked cigars back in your
humidor, as most pocket cases will only keep cigars fresh for about
a day.
Attaché and Other Travel Cases: These come in a variety of sizes,
materials and price ranges, too. The better cases come with a
humidification device and are lined with cedar and foam insulation
to maintain a "home humidor" environment and protect the cigars from
damage. These are good for long trips. The case should also have a
good, tight clasp to prevent the lid from opening during travel.
Some manufacturers, like Csonka, sell accessory kits with hygrometers,
humidifiers, etc. for customizing your travel humidor. Many cases come
with pre-formed slots to hold the cigars firmly in-place, but others
do not, which may cause your cigars to roll around if they get jostled.
If you do buy a travel case that does not hold the cigars in place,
this can be easily remedied by purchasing some insulation foam available
at most hardware stores. Select the right thickness you need and cut
the foam to the size of the inside of the box and you're all set. If
you have a humidifier under the lid, a hole can be shaped easily with
an Xacto knife by tracing around the perimeter of the humidifier and
the hygrometer, too, if applicable.
Enjoy your travels this summer and don't forget the cigars!
(_[@]__[[~~
*** SURVEY SAYS DEPT. ***
What is the Most Unusual or Weirdest Cigar You've Ever Smoked?
(It can be based on taste, shape, size, flavor, scent, etc.)
Send an email to: and in the SUBJECT line and type or copy &
paste "weirdest cigar" in the SUBJECT line. As always, your comments are welcome.
Survey Results for May 4th: Has YOUR cigar smoking influenced your friends or family to start smoking cigars?
The results of this survey were WELL in favor of influence. Looks like a good cigar, when shared, goes a long way.
YES: 86%
NO: 14%
Thanks to all who took the time to vote. Here are some of the responses that came in:
"This is a great survey, asking one of the most legit questions of our
time, If you give a good cigar to someone will they appreciate it and
will they then become a quality smoker.
I think that by-and-large the absolute answer is NO! How many times
have you given a superb Avo or Davidoff, or any other fine quality
cigar to a guy or two on the links, the beach or at the track only to
watch them chew, abuse and toss it away. I believe it is way too often.
So why waste a good cigar on an amateur who doesn't appreciate the
enjoyment of a good cigar.
I keep the good quality cigars for those people that I know appreciate
a fine cigar and I don't care how many that they "borrow" or share with
me. Those who do enjoy a quality cigar reciprocate and more times than
not they will turn you on to some nice buys and good cigars when they
have them or hear about them. To the real smoker my hat's off.
So thanks for the survey. The regular cigar man take care of each other
and that's the way it is." - Leonard Crouch
"One of my closest friends, a mature Italian gentleman from Florence,
Italy, cultured in fine food and drink was a life long very heavy
cigarette smoker (and champion race car driver). After his first
heart attack he continued smoking until I brought him a Fuente Double
Chateau. Although he had smoked many cigars before he had reached the
right moment and from that moment onwards until this day he has not
had one cigarette!" - Eric Fischer
"It has rubbed off onto my wife. She's a devoted cigar smoker now.
And since I got her started on my preference, which is mostly full-bodied, and full flavored cigars, she's spoiled now, and she loves full
cigars with the best of 'em. We also enjoy lighter cigars that have
good flavor and a variety of flavor experiences being offered on the
market today. But our main love is still FULL & robust cigars.
Fire 'em up. Thanks again to Famous for the Olor Fuerte (Magnum)
- an outstanding fuller cigar - we love 'em." - Al Cohen
"I was influenced by a friend of mine who was trumpet player in a band
called Duck Soup (frequent performances on PGA events and even Republican
conventions). He would be privy to the pickings of these gatherings and
would bring home some really good cigars and share them with me. I passed the interest to another friend and usually each time we have a chance to get together, there's a cigar. At least now we both know what
to get the other for birthday or Christmas presents." - Steven Hendrickson, Austin, Texas
Cigar Terms & Tips (Collect and trade em'!)
Case - In the cigar production process, workers "case," or slightly
moisten, aged tobacco so that it will be easy for hand rollers to work with.
Clipping Query
Q: I have noticed recently that when I cut the tip off of a cigar that the leaf would start to unravel slightly. I only take 1/16th to 1/8th off the tip. Any suggestions? - Jay in Boston (p.s. - using a Xikar)
A: Maybe you're taking off just a wee bit much. When you "grab" the head with the blades you want to do so just "under the skin," as it were. If you do it right, you will literally "pop" the cap off and expose just the right amount of tobacco. Practice!
Reader Feedback and Tips from Our Mailbag
When A Cutter Isn't Available
A quite workable technique for those times when a cutter doesn't avail
itself and is a much favorable alternative to biting off the end, I've
found, is to gently score it with my front teeth, then carefully remove
(again with my teeth ) that now cut part of the cap. With care and a
bit of practice the effect is almost equal to that of a guillotine
cutter. Also I make sure to score the cigar well before the end of
the cap. - Garry
Pathetic Padres Predicament
Went to the new Petco Padres Stadium in San Diego for a game over the
weekend. It is a non-smoking facility! No where in the whole place can
you smoke. There is a lawn/park area adjacent to the stadium, but inside
the gates, that would be ideal for a stroll and a cigar. I ended up
smoking my Montecristo outside the gates, then got yelled at by the
gatekeeper to take my Cuban cigar and smoke it away from the building. - Leonard Li
Inhaling (Almost)
I didn't get a chance to send this in about inhaling, but I'd like to
share this, because it has made a complete difference in my smoking
experience & pleasure. I don't inhale down my throat, like a cigarette.
But after I take the smoke into my mouth, I let the smoke drift out of
my mouth, so that I can sniff a small amount up my nose. With this
method, I have tasted many flavors that I had not previously tasted at
all. And if you vary the density & amount of smoke sniffed up, the
flavors that are tasted vary also. Fair warning: some cigars are a
bit harsh on the nose until they burn in about an inch or so - try
this method carefully, sniffing very small amounts of smoke at first,
so that nose burn is avoided. - Al Cohen
Golfer's Tip
Like many, I like to smoke cigars when I play golf. On a few occasions,
I have found myself without my cutter. Of course, I did the "manly"
thing and bit the end off, which can create an unpleasant smoke if the
cigar is not in perfect condition. During one round, I reached for a
cigar and was preparing for my biting ritual, when my partner dropped
his golf tee on the ground in front of me. I noticed the sharp point
and decided to use it as a punch (it's important that the tee have a
sharp point). It worked perfectly! Next time you're on the course
without your cutter, just tee one up. - Dave Gerber, San Clemente, CA
Give That "Stick" A Cigar!
New Years Eve I found myself on call for the large oil company that I
work for. I am an oil heat technician in the Greater Boston Area.
Normally I do not smoke premium cigars in my truck during winter and
usually Famous Value line is my brand during those trips between house
calls. But since it was a holiday I decided before I left for my shift
to take a Fuente Churchill out of my humidor so that it might bring me
some comfort during this bitter cold night. During my shift, I noticed
the wrapper of my cigar starting to unravel, probably from the truck's
heater and I was starting to bum big time. I hate to throw a cigar away
especially a primo so I looked on the shelf of the trucks dash and found
I had a ChapStick®. In my line of work sometimes you must improvise when
you don't have the parts. I took the ChapStick and carefully lined the
under wrapper ever so slightly and began to re-wrap the leaf. Well, that
Fuente Churchill smoked perfectly without coming apart. Was it a fluke?
Tried it again with a cheap smoke and except for a little bleed thru
from the ChapStick, it worked just fine with out any change to the
taste. Enjoy! Necessity is truly the mother of invention! - Bill Settemio
"The British Standard"
This may be old hat but after discussing the undesirable effects of
tunneling in my cigars, I decided to try an experiment. I was told
that tunneling was caused by cigars being too moist. I decided to use
the "British" standard of humidification, that is, setting my humidor
at a humidity rate of 60-65% rather than the 70-75% rate normally
recommended. This, of course, caused the moisture content of the cigars
to go down. I also reduced tunneling in my cigars considerably.
Controvertibly, if you have cigars that have wrappers that seem too
dry, raise the rate of humidification slightly. I suspect the wrapper
will be more flexible and less prone to breakage. One may want to have
two different humidors to accommodate the humidity differences. Your
mileage may vary! - Cal Eustaquio, Monterey, CA
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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“Shop-Talk” Archives
Want to catch up on your Famous Smoke "Shop Talk" reading or reference an article, tip, or other bit of information that appeared in a past issue? Go to our Famous Smoke “Shop Talk” archives page.
*** RATING LUNATIC DEPT.***
May cigar reviews from Famous Smoke Shop customers. Reviews are
selected at random and may be edited for length, not content. (Rating numbers shown may have changed since time of publication)
Private Stock No. 2 (8.75)
Country: Dom. Rep.
Length/Ring: 6" x 48
Shape: Toro
Wrapper: Conn. Natural
Strength: Med
Quantity: 25
Wonderful cigar!! I originally tried the Davidoff 2000 at a bar, and
when I went looking for some at my local cigar shop I was pointed at
the Private Stock brand as the factory seconds of the Davidoff. What
a deal. I have smoked both the #6 and #2, and have never had a bad
smoke. For me this is a mild to medium smoke with a wonderful taste,
even unlit. All of the cigars have always been beautiful and I've
never had a plugged smoke. I don't know what makes these seconds
and I don't care. I Love them! - Mike Womack in Overland Park, KS
Hamiltons Reserve Don Jorge (9.37)
Country: Dom. Rep.
Length/Ring: 7" x 48
Shape: Churchill
Wrapper: Conn. Natural
Strength: Med
Quantity: 25
Don't smoke this cigar. Find something else. What do I know? For me
it's the best stick for the price anywhere! George Hamilton has redeemed
himself for all those lousy movies. A wonderful taste with a great build.
A little soft in construction, but wow what a smoke! Keep up the good job,
George. Just kidding about your movies, George. But I love your cigars! - Fred (last name & state withheld)
La Flor Dominicana Chisel Maduro (9.52)
Country: Dom. Rep.
Length/Ring: 6 1/4" x 54
Shape: Figurado
Wrapper: Maduro
Strength: Extra-Full
Quantity: 10
Just a superb cigar! Flawless construction and a joy to look at, it has
a rich cedary, nutty taste that easily competes with any of the great
cigars of the world. While not cheap, it can be bought at lesser price
than the super premiums it compares to or excels against. - David in New Hampshire
Acid Earthiness (8.27)
Country: Nicaragua
Length/Ring: 5" x 42
Shape: Corona
Wrapper: Sumatra Natural
Strength: Full
Quantity: 24
I bought my first Acid in a cigar shop in Little Italy and I was hooked
ever since. Although I still enjoy smoking "regular" cigars, when I want
to relax with something special, I light up an Earthiness. I've gotten
a second humidor just for Acids to ensure I always have some on hand. - Robert in New Jersey
Astral Grand Reserve '92 Lujo (9.02)
Country: Honduras
Length/Ring: 6 1/2" x 44
Shape: Lonsdale
Wrapper: Conn. Natural Vintage 1992
Strength: Med - Full
Quantity: 15
This is a very good smoke. Good even burn, good ash, fine construction,
very good taste, very easy draw making this one of the best smokes for
the price. - Mike Jordan in South Carolina
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 ***
A story right from Havana that appeared on Cubanet.org titled, "More
than 11,000 boxes of counterfeit cigars confiscated" reported that
National police and Customs inspectors confiscated 11,935 boxes of
counterfeit cigars and closed more than 150 underground factories
in a series of raids.
The cigars, which comprised the most prestigious Cuban government
brands, sell at lower prices in the black market, primarily to tourists,
and experts say their quality is indistinguishable from that of the
officially approved product.
During the raids in three Havana municipalities, police found more
than 150 factories where the cigars were made, packed in cedar boxes
and fitted with the rings that would presumably attest to their
authenticity.
In spite of an holographic seal which appears on the govt. boxes that
was supposedly tamper-proof, during the last two years, authorities
have uncovered evidence of a parallel, clandestine industry engaged in
the sale and export of cigars which has been almost impossible to stamp
out.¶
Here is a digest (sort of) of a May 19th Op-Ed piece titled, "As
Terrorists Plot, Uncle Sam Pays to Halt Cuban Cigars" that appeared in
the LA TIMES by Max Baucus & Mike Enzi, founders of the Senate Working
Group on Cuba and sponsors of legislation to lift the Cuba travel ban:
In the weeks following that devastating day in September 2001 when
terrorists struck at America's symbols of financial and political
strength, the United States launched a war on terrorism. The first
salvo from the U.S. was perhaps the smartest: freezing millions of
dollars in assets held by suspected terrorist groups and their
affiliates.
Today, 2 1/2 years later, money is still the lifeblood of terrorists,
and stopping the flow of funding is the key to victory in our fight
against them. Yet the division at the Treasury Department in charge
of tracking terrorist financing and enforcing sanctions programs, the
Office of Foreign Assets Control, is not committing every resource to
the crucial financial front in the war on terror.
If you think the country targeted by that sanctions program is Iraq or
Iran, you'd be wrong. It is Cuba, and in the office's cross hairs are
the American people themselves. More than a decade after the Soviet bloc
collapsed, the U.S. travel ban on Cuba still stands. Only a few Americans,
such as Cuban Americans with relatives on the island and members of U.S.
companies seeking to sell food to the island, are allowed to travel there
on a limited basis.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control administers and enforces this ban
on others. Among the criminal Cuba travelers that the office's investigators have uncovered: a 75-year-old grandmother from San Diego who took
a bicycling trip on Cuba, an Indiana Christian academy teacher who
delivered Bibles there and a Washington man who traveled there to spread
his parents' ashes at the site of the church they founded 50 years ago.
Six months ago, President Bush directed the Treasury Department and
Department of Homeland Security to step up enforcement of the travel ban.
Several top administration officials report that the assets control office
has trained hundreds of customs officials, who search 100% of the flights
to and from Cuba at airports in Los Angeles, Miami and New York. Those
agents, these top officials boast, uncovered more than 300 violations of
the restrictions on importing Cuban cigars.
Since 1990, the assets control office has opened just 93 enforcement
investigations related to terrorism, and, since 1994, it has collected
$9,425 in fines for violations related to terrorism financing. During
the same time frames, the office opened 10,683 enforcement cases against
the Cuba embargo and has collected $8 million in fines for Cuba embargo
violations.
Cutting off dollars and American travel only harms the Cuban people and
the effort to open Cuba to U.S. ideals. Cuba's fledgling private sector
is already fighting for survival. Undermining it helps reinforce Castro's
opportunistic caricature of Uncle Sam. Sixty percent of Cubans now get
access to U.S. dollars through the tourist economy and from family
remittances. A majority of Cuban Americans in south Florida, who are
often the source of those dollars, identify themselves as economic
refugees who care more about visiting their families on the island and
sending them money than they do about propping up Fidel Castro.
Yet now the administration wants to further limit family travel and
remittances, and at the same time it is proposing to spend millions in
a clumsy effort to broadcast American ideals to the island via military
aircraft.
Make no mistake; there needs to be change in Cuba. But change is
inevitable. Flooding the island with Americans, U.S. dollars and U.S.
democratic ideals would provide the country with the breath of fresh air
it so desperately needs.
Rather than fussing over a few cigars and wasting precious resources to
enforce an outdated and ineffective embargo and
travel ban against Cuba, let us direct our attention instead to cutting
off the flow of money to terrorists who would attack our troops or sneak
a bomb onto an airplane. The security of this nation depends on it.¶
*** FAMOUS-SMOKE.COM HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS ***
Finding Free Items And Other Special Offers!
Not knowing whether or not you were going to get an offer displayed in
our catalog or the website has been problematic for many customers,
until now. Thankfully, after some deft programming hocus pocus, all
catalog and website offers will now appear in your shopping cart.
Moreover, if an item has a current offer associated with it, a "Special
Offer" label now appears, on the search results page. If you add an item that has an offer to your shopping cart, two possibilities exist:
1) If the "Buy" item has only 1 "Get" item associated with it, then the
"Get" item will be automatically added to the shopping cart with the
same quantity as the "Buy" item.
2) If the "Buy" item has 2 or more "Get" items/choices associated with
it, then a pop-up window will appear and you may choose which "Get"
item you would prefer. When you select the "Get" item and click on the
"Add to Cart" button, the shopping cart page will redraw and the "Get"
item will appear.
*** GIVE THAT MAN A CIGAR! DEPT.***
Goings on in our retail store located at
1100 Conroy Place, Easton, PA.
Upcoming In-Store Events
Friday June 25th: C.A.O cigars Tasting - 3pm to 7pm
SATURDAY, JUNE 26TH, 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. - 1ST ANNUAL FAMOUS CLAM BAKE!
Don't miss this event! Food, cigars, beer, live music, prizes and more! Buy a pair of tickets in time for Father's Day and join your Dad for this event. Or, bring your friends. Seats are limited!
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
Sigmond Freud said it & Mousie painted it. - Doug Knauer
With the last episode of The Sopranos for this season airing this month, I just had to put up this picture of Tony Soprano enjoying a good cigar. Shooting for the next season doesn't start until 2005, so enjoy the re-runs of this past season while you can. It was one of the best! - G.K.
Other Famous Cigar Smokers Caught “Infumare Delecto”
Last year we had the honor to be the reader sighting picture in your first biweekly newsletter on May 13th. Two weeks ago I held our second annual "Cigar B-Q." The rain again was a threat but as you can see we managed to make it out to the back yard this year. We started off the day with appetizers and Griffin's Fuertes. I then grilled some burgers and sausage and we enjoyed La Vieja Habana Early Years - Red Velvet. We ended the day with a glass of Tawny Port and Hoyo De Monterrey Excalibur #1. Thanks to Famous Smoke, I was able to order all of these great cigars at sale prices and they arrived very fresh just a couple of days before our event. Thanks again for a great store with excellent service. - Dave Parsons
WANTED! Cigar-smoking photos of you and/or your friends.
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 June 8th, Happy Smokes!
Gary
(__[@]______{{{~~
Shop Talk illustration at top of page by Robert Ingram.
Copyright © 2004 Famous Smoke Shop - PA, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Portions or all of this information may be reprinted freely, provided this
link, http://www.famous-smoke.com, remains intact.
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