Fan Mail: Fresh Cigar Questions…Answered! (Part 56)

More top burning cigar questions answered. See our latest video responses!

They say there’s no such thing as a bad question, and as long as they’re not talking about whether cello on or off is best, we’d wholeheartedly agree! Eh, maybe plume vs. mold can go, too…but I digress. We open the mail bag here at Cigar Advisor as often as possible. It’s what we’re here to do—give the smoking education that we never got. Hopefully, that means you won’t succumb to our past follies.

In this month’s edition, Pullo smokes some cinnamon sticks to give advice on flavoring dog rockets, Jared leaves bananas out too long to describe how Maduros get their color. Plus, Paul compares his cigars to cow poo for composting tips, and Gary spills some liquid discussing the benefits of crystal gel humidification jars. Tune in to see it all now!

And remember…if you have a burning cigar query, reach out to us on Facebook and Instagram or leave a comment below!

Cigar Question #1: How long do humidifier crystals last?

By Gary Korb

Jack in Ohio recently replaced the green foam humidifier in his humidor with a new Xikar crystal humidifier unit and asked, “How long will the crystals last in this type of humidifier?” Gary not only answered Jack’s question, he reveals what makes these crystals work and more. Watch now and learn why a crystal-based humidifier may be a good fit for your own cigar collection.

Cigar Question 2: What is the difference between Natural and Maduro wrappers?

By Jared Gulick

Porter from Millinocket, ME writes, “What is a Maduro cigar? Are Maduro leaves grown somewhere specific? Why are they so dark?”

Great question, Porter! Maduro wrappers are among the hardest to define because they’re not a varietal of leaf on their own. Any tobacco leaf can technically be a Maduro (which means ripe in Spanish) if it’s fermented long enough. Maduros are more accurately classified as a shade or color. Check out my video where I’ll explain it in more detail!

See our definitive guide to Maduro-wrapped cigars.

Cigar Question 3: Can you compost cigars?

By Paul Lukens

Can you compost cigar nubs in a garden? Since premium cigars are all natural and will break down—this seems like a natural solution, but all is not how it seems. Find out all you need to know and more in this month’s Fan Mail video.

Randy, from Manhattan, Kansas asks, I read somewhere that I could toss my extinguished cigar nubs in a garden since they’re natural and will basically compost and nourish the soil. Seems to make sense, but I wanted to be sure.

Thanks for the great question, Randy. In short—no. I think of it like this, however inelegant. Dog poop is organic material that will decompose, but you’d be hard-pressed to find any gardening expert who’d recommend using it to fertilize plants.

So, while premium cigars are natural and will break down over time, there are couple of good reasons why composting them or letting them break down in a garden can actually be harmful.

For my in-depth answer check out the full video!

Cigar Question 4: Can I flavor my own cigars?

Glen from Cocoa Beach, Florida got a not-so-great gift of cigars from a friend – and he wanted to know if he could turn them into his own flavored cigars to make them taste better. And if the answer is yes, how would he do it? Of course, if you’re like Glen and it’s just not your kind of cigar, you could always throw them away or hand them out.

It’s important to realize that flavoring a cigar at home is much different than how the big cigar companies do it (I explain the methods in the video). But if you’re like Glen and want to try something – anything – to help give some flavor to the crappy cigars in your stash, watch this video for two ways you might be able to do it. If the cigars are that bad, you don’t have much to lose. And who knows? You might have the next hit homebrew blend on your hands. Watch now!