Hidden Humidor
1161 Hidden Valley Pkwy
Norco, CA 92860
ph: 951-278-3100
fax: 951-278-3766
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Storing your cigars.
Humidity
- At the least, keep your cigars in a tight fitting cupboard, drawer or box, away from radiators and other sources of heat . Pick the coolest indoor spot in your house. Leave the cigars in their original boxes as this will help preserve them, stop them from being damaged, and prevent any cross-tainting of flavors between varieties of cigars stored in the same area. If the humidity in your make shift humidor is low, a damp sponge in a cup will serve as a basic provider of humidity.
Temperature
- The danger of excessive temperature (combined with too much humidity) is that the cigars can either go moldy or be damaged by weavil attack. If cigars go moldy, this is generally not a problem, as long as it is spotted reasonably soon and the mold only appears on the wrapper leaf. The mold can be removed with a soft brush and then the cigar can be returned to store in the correct conditions. If mold gets into the end of the cigar, we recommend that you do not smoke it. Weavil, or tobacco beetle, is a more serious problem, If you see any small holes in your cigar, you should take immediate action. Never store cigars near direct sunlight or for long periods exposed to sea breezes (salt will not enhance your smoke). The lower the temperature, the higher the humidity required to compensate.
How a cigar is made.
Filler: A tobacco blend which forms a cigar's thick center.
Binder: The outer leaf rolled around the filler to hold it together.
Wrapper: The outer leaf of the cigar that is rolled around the binder and filler. It is the most important leaf of the whole cigar which gives the cigar most of its character.
Head/Cap: The end of the cigar which is clipped and smoked.
Foot: The end of the cigar which is lit.
Ring Size: This is the measurement which refers to the width or girth of a cigar.
Length: This is a measurement in inches in the United States, of the cigars length.
Selecting a Cigar
Not sure what cigar to chose? Our staff can help you choose the right cigar for you. A few things to consider are:
-How long would I like to smoke?
-What type of flavor do I want? Do I want a full and robust flavor, perhaps something mild or would I prefer a light flavor?
-How much do I want to spend?
Cutting your cigar.
Once you have selected your cigar, you will need to cut the closed end. All handmade cigars have a cap over the head end. Thats the end that will go into your mouth. If you attempt to smoke the cigar the other way around, you will find that half way through it will unravel and take on the appearance of an exploded stick. There are a number of ways of cutting the cap, ranging from the use of a thumbnail to portable guillotine cutters, from cheap to expensive, to the more exotic cigar scissors and table-top cutters.
The cut should be clean and level, or there will be difficulties with the draw and a risk of damaging the wrapper. Cut the cigar so that an eighth of an inch of the cap is left around the cigar wrapper. It is not recommended that you pierce the cap with a pin, as this will interfere with the passage of the smoke, make the cigar overheat and lead to unpleasant flavours from residues condensing at the point the cap was pierced. Cap hole punching devices do work well as long as the diameter of the punch is at least a quarter of an inch.
Whatever you use, make sure its sharp and that you expose enough of the fill leaves under the cap to allow the smoke uninterrupted passage.
How to light your cigar.
When you light a cigar, use either a butane lighter (not one filled with gasoline) or a match. Anything else, such as using a candle, will tend to taint the flavour of the cigar, and will ultimately impede the passage of smoke through the cigar with particles from the flame. Avoid matches with high sulphur or wax content ( dont use paper matches). Take time and care to light the cigar.
First, hold the cigar horizontally in direct contact with the flame, and slowly revolve it untill the end is charred evenly over its entire surface.
Put the cigar between your lips, hold the flame about half an inch away from the end, and draw slowly while rotating the cigar. Its end should now ignite. Ensure an even burn has taken hold.
Gently blow on the burning end to make sure the cigar is fully lit.
1161 Hidden Valley Pkwy
Norco, CA 92860
ph: 951-278-3100
fax: 951-278-3766
cigarbah
