Check out:
- the history of cigars
- A basic guide to smoking cigars, including how to cut them and light them
- A glossary of cigar terminology
Monday, August 31, 2009
CIGAR BASICS
Check out:
Tasting Batch Numero Uno - What to do first
And here it is... the very first batch of gourmet cigars from New Zealand s best cigar club for our tasting pleasure.
Sam has got them so meet up with him for your stash! All you need is a clean tupperware or icecream box, if possible approx 1L, to put cigars in as per instructions below.
In this batch you will have:
The idea of this selection is to provide a rough idea of what a few different cuban brands taste like, and just to get smoking really!
Sam has got them so meet up with him for your stash! All you need is a clean tupperware or icecream box, if possible approx 1L, to put cigars in as per instructions below.
In this batch you will have:
- 1 Partagas Princess
- 2 Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Maire (smallest ones)
- 1 Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Especial
- 2 Trinidad Reyes
The idea of this selection is to provide a rough idea of what a few different cuban brands taste like, and just to get smoking really!
- Step 1: Set up your cigar storage as in STORING YOUR CIGARS post.
- Step 2: Then, check out all the other posts for relevant info.
- Step 3: As you smoke each cigar, comment on the posts about individual cigars below to give your own tasting experience - or write up a full review as per the post on "Reviewing a Cigar"
STORING YOUR CIGARS
Cigars are sensitive little creatures that need to be stored between 65-70% relative humidity and 16-20deg.C. Higher humidity/temperature leads to wet cigars which don't burn well and even fungal problems (goodbye cigars). Lower hum/temp leads to cigars drying out so that they burn too hot, lose their essential oils and become harsh tasting, and even disintegrate, eventually.
You can buy a humidor for long term storage (specially made wooden box lined with spanish cedar wood which retains humidity) or for temporary purposes like ours just get any old tupperware or ice cream box (provided it DOESN'T smell of anything, including last night's curry or yesterday's icecream, or else your cigars will pick up the flavour - yurk).
So basically:
* The sheet of cedar is to make the box smell a little of aromatic cedar in which cigars are stored.
** The problem with tupperware is that it's airtight - unlike wooden humidors which "breathe" - and so the humidity will always be too high unless there's a minuscule outlet for moisture to escape.
*** Cigars cook and are ruined quite quickly, and cold sucks the moisture and their flavour out of them
NOTE ON CARING FOR HUMIDIFYING BEADS
These beads are special humidifying silica gel beads that keep humidity at 65%R.H - ideal smoking (as opposed to long term storage 70%) humidity. They will do the trick as long as they are semi-transparent i.e. moisture charged.
Eventually, when they lose their moisture - you will be able to see this quite clearly as they become completely white and opaque like white plastic - then it will be time to re-charge them.
Unfortunately they need Distilled water - not mineral or tap water*- and it can't be poured on them or they will crack - it has to be sprayed on them in a mist or absorbed through the air. You can either buy some distilled water at supermarket and spray it on with (hard to find - i found this brand of bottled water called "PureDew" which is effectively distilled water); or put the beads somewhere high up in the bathroom, close the window and have a shower - the mist is distilled water and if you leave the beads in the room for say half an hour they should be recharged (ie they've absorbed some moisture and turned semi-transparent again).
[*Non-distilled water has minerals in it which block the micro-pores on the beads]
You can buy a humidor for long term storage (specially made wooden box lined with spanish cedar wood which retains humidity) or for temporary purposes like ours just get any old tupperware or ice cream box (provided it DOESN'T smell of anything, including last night's curry or yesterday's icecream, or else your cigars will pick up the flavour - yurk).
So basically:
- Get a plastic container, not too big (ie not more than 1L or so or you'll need more beads).
- Place the little bag of beads inside, a sheet of cedar, and the cigars.*
- Don't close the lid - place it on top as if to close it; or alternatively close it and put a few pin prick holes in it; this will enable a tiny bit of moisture to escape**
- Put the tupperware OUT OF THE SUN somewhere where the temperature is relatively stable around 15-20deg.C. ***
* The sheet of cedar is to make the box smell a little of aromatic cedar in which cigars are stored.
** The problem with tupperware is that it's airtight - unlike wooden humidors which "breathe" - and so the humidity will always be too high unless there's a minuscule outlet for moisture to escape.
*** Cigars cook and are ruined quite quickly, and cold sucks the moisture and their flavour out of them
NOTE ON CARING FOR HUMIDIFYING BEADS
These beads are special humidifying silica gel beads that keep humidity at 65%R.H - ideal smoking (as opposed to long term storage 70%) humidity. They will do the trick as long as they are semi-transparent i.e. moisture charged.
Eventually, when they lose their moisture - you will be able to see this quite clearly as they become completely white and opaque like white plastic - then it will be time to re-charge them.
Unfortunately they need Distilled water - not mineral or tap water*- and it can't be poured on them or they will crack - it has to be sprayed on them in a mist or absorbed through the air. You can either buy some distilled water at supermarket and spray it on with (hard to find - i found this brand of bottled water called "PureDew" which is effectively distilled water); or put the beads somewhere high up in the bathroom, close the window and have a shower - the mist is distilled water and if you leave the beads in the room for say half an hour they should be recharged (ie they've absorbed some moisture and turned semi-transparent again).
[*Non-distilled water has minerals in it which block the micro-pores on the beads]
Friday, August 28, 2009
How to describe a cigar's Flavour
FLAVOUR = AROMA > TASTE
Our taste is actually limited to five different elements – sweet, sour, salty, bitter and "umami" (ie old cheese, mushrooms, seaweed). So in reality, when we say taste, what we are mostly saying is what we smell.
Apparently, we can pick up around 10,000 different aromas. Wine, there is still much work being done on this, has hundreds of compounds (some say thousands) and these work individually and in combination. It is simply inevitable that some of these compounds will resemble other characters/flavours/aromas etc.
Hence, it makes sense that the same should happen with cigars/tobacco. When transformed into cigars, the combination of compounds therein gives off different flavours. Don’t forget that there is a human component in the production of both, including fermentation, which will alter the original flavour. Otherwise, wine would taste like grapes and cigars like tobacco leaves and nothing more.
Making it all the more difficult is that there is no doubt that aromas are inextricably linked with one’s individual experiences and emotions, not unlike music. So if I was chugging on a Reyes while enjoying... a good All Blacks win say (great self-censure)... then chances are I will have a higher opinion of it than I should.
DESCRIBING AROMA/TASTE
All these things aside, a great learning tool for describing taste is a Taste Wheel. Its great use is in helping to identify the flavours you are enjoying. The concept is that you start in the centre with a simple general flavour, and move outwards towards the more specific flavours.
It also allows us to determine if a cigar is smoking as one would expect and perhaps most importantly, it simply allows each of us to identify the cigars we prefer.
Click here for a Flavour Wheel (to print if you want)
For more info on cigar flavours, including chemical compounds etc, go to this link where most of the above was stolen from.
Our taste is actually limited to five different elements – sweet, sour, salty, bitter and "umami" (ie old cheese, mushrooms, seaweed). So in reality, when we say taste, what we are mostly saying is what we smell.
Apparently, we can pick up around 10,000 different aromas. Wine, there is still much work being done on this, has hundreds of compounds (some say thousands) and these work individually and in combination. It is simply inevitable that some of these compounds will resemble other characters/flavours/aromas etc.
Hence, it makes sense that the same should happen with cigars/tobacco. When transformed into cigars, the combination of compounds therein gives off different flavours. Don’t forget that there is a human component in the production of both, including fermentation, which will alter the original flavour. Otherwise, wine would taste like grapes and cigars like tobacco leaves and nothing more.
Making it all the more difficult is that there is no doubt that aromas are inextricably linked with one’s individual experiences and emotions, not unlike music. So if I was chugging on a Reyes while enjoying... a good All Blacks win say (great self-censure)... then chances are I will have a higher opinion of it than I should.
DESCRIBING AROMA/TASTE
All these things aside, a great learning tool for describing taste is a Taste Wheel. Its great use is in helping to identify the flavours you are enjoying. The concept is that you start in the centre with a simple general flavour, and move outwards towards the more specific flavours.
It also allows us to determine if a cigar is smoking as one would expect and perhaps most importantly, it simply allows each of us to identify the cigars we prefer.
Click here for a Flavour Wheel (to print if you want)
For more info on cigar flavours, including chemical compounds etc, go to this link where most of the above was stolen from.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Little tube of mighty pow'r, Charmer of an idle hour, Object of my warm desire.
An Irish proverb wisely counsels: "Smoke your pipe and be silent; there's only wind and smoke in the world"(and tasting notes I guess).
I have indeed received the first shipment of cigars. Andrew and I shared one of the small dark ones [Hoyo Du Maire] tonight with coffee after a nice meal. It had a pleasant punch and a quick draw.
Kiaora Xav, for this exquisite website, as well as our first handful of fine cigars. I feel like a young Fidel, unwrapping his Cigarillos on Chritmas morn'. Tata. (PS. the title has no intended inuendo)
[Ed.: you can call your "little tube" whatever you want, none of our business really ;-)]
Monday, August 24, 2009
Trinidad Reyes
The most luxurious (and one of the most expensive) of the small cuban cigars. Always perfectly constructed, with flavours of well matured and high quality tobacco, with an excellent smoothness and lots of creamy vanilla notes. Produces clouds of thick, white smoke. Delightful!
30-45mn smoke. Drink match: good hot chocolate, coffee, port.
Size: "Reyes" - Length: 4 1/4" Ring Gauge: 39 (110mm x 15.87mm)
Brand info: These cigars have been recognised by connoisseurs all over the world, but not easily obtained as, since 1969, they were produced in a 38 ring guage exclusively for Fidel Castro as diplomatic presents. In 1998 they were launched upon the world market. They are named for the beautiful cuban city of Trinidad. Superior and stylish cigars of medium strength, well rounded, rich and tasty. Smooth cinnamon spice flavours tantalise the palate with hints of chocolate and roasted coffee intermingled with cedar aromas.
Comment on this post with your own tasting review
30-45mn smoke. Drink match: good hot chocolate, coffee, port.
Size: "Reyes" - Length: 4 1/4" Ring Gauge: 39 (110mm x 15.87mm)
Brand info: These cigars have been recognised by connoisseurs all over the world, but not easily obtained as, since 1969, they were produced in a 38 ring guage exclusively for Fidel Castro as diplomatic presents. In 1998 they were launched upon the world market. They are named for the beautiful cuban city of Trinidad. Superior and stylish cigars of medium strength, well rounded, rich and tasty. Smooth cinnamon spice flavours tantalise the palate with hints of chocolate and roasted coffee intermingled with cedar aromas.
Comment on this post with your own tasting review
Partagas - Princess
Slender, elegant and delightful, these cigars are medium in strength and body and perhaps a little milder than the normal Partagas style. Very well balanced and full of earthy flavours, underscored with ginger and cinnamon.
20-40mn smoke. Drink match: Anything light (ie prob. too mild for whisky)
Size: "Conchitas" - Length: 5"; Ring Gauge: 34 (127mm x 13.89mm)
From a box dated May 2008.
Brand info: Don Jaime Partagas started manufacturing cigars in 1827. Evelyn Waugh mentioned this cigar in Brideshead Revisited and Partagas cigars won gold medals in at least three international exhibitions between 1867 and 1884. They are still produced in the Partagas factory, renamed Fernando Perez after nationalisation. Partagas cigars are medium-full bodied, well balanced and rich in flavour.
Comment on this post with your own experience of these cigars.
20-40mn smoke. Drink match: Anything light (ie prob. too mild for whisky)
Size: "Conchitas" - Length: 5"; Ring Gauge: 34 (127mm x 13.89mm)
From a box dated May 2008.
Brand info: Don Jaime Partagas started manufacturing cigars in 1827. Evelyn Waugh mentioned this cigar in Brideshead Revisited and Partagas cigars won gold medals in at least three international exhibitions between 1867 and 1884. They are still produced in the Partagas factory, renamed Fernando Perez after nationalisation. Partagas cigars are medium-full bodied, well balanced and rich in flavour.
Comment on this post with your own experience of these cigars.
Hoyo de Monterrey - Le Hoyo du Maire
An excellent cigar for coffee or when you only have only half an hour to spare. Don't be fooled by the size, this little cigar is flavoursome, wood, leather and almonds abound with a hint of mint/cloves. Neither sweet nor spicy. Medium in strength, with delightful aromatics.
These are aged almost a decade so all the ammonia of the new tobacco has worn off. Smallest cigar in the "Le Hoyo" series.
15-30mn smoke. Drink match: Very light - tea, coffee, milo.
Size: "Entreactos" - Length: 3 6/7"; Ring Gauge: 30 (100mm x 11.91mm)
From 2 boxes dated 2001
Brand info: This brand was established in 1865 by Jose Gener and is named after the fertile valley in the Vuelta Abajo which has been farmed by Gener since at least 1860.
Hoyo de Monterrey cigars gently flow over the tongue with light, rich and aromatic sensations.
WRAPPER EXPERIMENT
Note that if Sam has done his job right you will have one with a lighter wrapper and one with a darker wrapper from 2 different boxes. At the cigar factories, they try to group all the cigars with similar tones of wrapper colour so as to get a homogeneous colour for each box. Comparing the two will give you an idea of the influence of the wrapper leaf's colour on the flavour of the cigar. It's a very subtle difference but it is noticeable - generally for a given cigar the darker the wrapper leaf, the sweeter and stronger the flavour (with a hint of underlying bitterness).
There has long been a debate about how much of the overall cigar flavour is given by the wrapper leaf. Estimates vary between 10%-50%...
Comment on this post with your own experience of these cigars.
These are aged almost a decade so all the ammonia of the new tobacco has worn off. Smallest cigar in the "Le Hoyo" series.
15-30mn smoke. Drink match: Very light - tea, coffee, milo.
Size: "Entreactos" - Length: 3 6/7"; Ring Gauge: 30 (100mm x 11.91mm)
From 2 boxes dated 2001
Brand info: This brand was established in 1865 by Jose Gener and is named after the fertile valley in the Vuelta Abajo which has been farmed by Gener since at least 1860.
Hoyo de Monterrey cigars gently flow over the tongue with light, rich and aromatic sensations.
WRAPPER EXPERIMENT
Note that if Sam has done his job right you will have one with a lighter wrapper and one with a darker wrapper from 2 different boxes. At the cigar factories, they try to group all the cigars with similar tones of wrapper colour so as to get a homogeneous colour for each box. Comparing the two will give you an idea of the influence of the wrapper leaf's colour on the flavour of the cigar. It's a very subtle difference but it is noticeable - generally for a given cigar the darker the wrapper leaf, the sweeter and stronger the flavour (with a hint of underlying bitterness).
There has long been a debate about how much of the overall cigar flavour is given by the wrapper leaf. Estimates vary between 10%-50%...
Comment on this post with your own experience of these cigars.
Hoyo de Monterrey - Epicure Especial
This is your Special Smoke for the batch - best after a good meal or a few drinks. In fact I suggest that you Aucklanders meet up for a game of poker to smoke these fellas.
An outstanding cigar, with a developing complexity that keeps surprising you until the very last draw. Rich earth and tobacco flavours slowly build to a pepper and spice climax. Wonderfully rich on the palate and just packed with amazing aromas. Aging will only improve this delightful habano. (Check out full reviews of this cigar in "HOW TO REVIEW A CIGAR" below)
Based on a Limited Edition that came out in 2004 and was wildly popular, this cigar was released in 2008 as a regular format.
1hr smoke? Drink match: You tell me, I haven't smoked one yet!
Size: "Gorditos" Length: 5 1/2" Ring Gauge: 49 (141mm x 19.84mm)
From a box dated Oct 08
Comment on this post with your own tasting review.
An outstanding cigar, with a developing complexity that keeps surprising you until the very last draw. Rich earth and tobacco flavours slowly build to a pepper and spice climax. Wonderfully rich on the palate and just packed with amazing aromas. Aging will only improve this delightful habano. (Check out full reviews of this cigar in "HOW TO REVIEW A CIGAR" below)
Based on a Limited Edition that came out in 2004 and was wildly popular, this cigar was released in 2008 as a regular format.
1hr smoke? Drink match: You tell me, I haven't smoked one yet!
Size: "Gorditos" Length: 5 1/2" Ring Gauge: 49 (141mm x 19.84mm)
From a box dated Oct 08
Comment on this post with your own tasting review.
HOW TO REVIEW A CIGAR
Your first mission as a NZ cigar heretic is to smoke these cigars and post your tasting notes on this site (with Silly Photos if possible).
To give you an idea of a full-on cigar review, check out these 2 run-downs on your Big Cigar of the tasting batch:
Note how they review:
- Appearance: how it looks, smells and what it feels like before lighting it.
- Pre-light draw: cut the cap and take a puff BEFORE you light it - what does it taste like?
- Smoke: what it tastes like, what texture it has and how this evolves throughout the cigar (typically 1st third, 2nd third, 3rd third)
- Construction: whether it burns well or not, if the draw is good (too tight = hard to smoke, too loose = burns too quickly and smoke gets too hot), and how well the ash holds together.
Also check out the post: How to describe a Cigar's Flavour
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