Cigars Head to Foot: Everything you need to know

CIGARS The United States and Western Europe account for approximately 75% of all cigar sales in the world. THE SIX STEPS OF CIGAR MAKING* HEAD to FOOT Every thing you need to know STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4 STEP 5 STEP 6 Curing Fermenting Wrapping Rolling Whether the rolling is done by hand or by machine the filler must be packed evenly to ensure that the cigar burns smoothly. Cultivation of Tobacco Stripping The main vein of the filler leaves are removed. The stripped leaves are wrapped in bales and stored for further fermentation. Wrapping is the most difficult step in the cigar manufacturing process. The partially completed cigar is taken out of the mold, placed in on the wrapper leaf and cut. Tobacco plants are carefully pruned to ensure their leaves grow to the correct size. Plants that produce leaves for the outer wrappers of cigars are usually covered to protect the leaves from the After harvesting, the tobacco leaves must be cured in order to develop their characteristic aroma. Once cured, the tobacco leaves are sorted by size and color. They are * THE FIVE STEPS OF CIGAR SMOKING* tied into bundles called hands of 10 or 15 leaves each and stored in boxes called hogsheads for a period of six months to five years. sun. "I smoke in moderation. Only one cigar at a time." "Given the choice STEP Pre- STEP 2 Cutting between a woman and a cigar, I will always choose the cigar". STEP 3 Lighting STEP 4 Smoking STEP 5 Ashing Cut the tip - Use a punch cutter to make a small hole, or remove the cap from the end with a guillotine or scissors. Do not bite the end off a cigar. lighting Light the cigar by drawing shallow breaths through it while rotating the cigar through the flame. Draw smooth breaths through the cigar. Appreciate the flavor, but do not inhale. Allow Wait until the ash is about an inch long, rotate the end of the cigar into the ash - Mark Twain - Groucho Marx "It has been my experience that falks who have "Sometimes a Remove the cigar form it's tube or tray. cigar is merely a cigar" wrapper. Squeeze it gently : it should be firm but pliant smoke to linger. Remove the band only when it is in danger of igniting. no vices, have very few virtues." Abraham Lincoln Sigmund Freud 1961: The year Cuban cigars were first boycotted, President John F. Kennedy bought 1,200 hand rolled Cuban cigars just hours before he ordered a blockade of the communist state. THE FOUR RULES OF CIGAR ETIQUETTE, ENHANCING YOUR CIGAR The impeccable bourbon-and-cigar combination is an elusive ideal that enthusiasts have been chasing for years. Look can spend years in search of perfection and have outstanding experiences along the way. Whether it's bourbon or scotch, single malt or blended; that as a happy problem: you RULE 3 Don't offend non-smokers with the smell of cigar smoke on your clothes or breath. RULE 2 upon RULE 1 RULE 4 INFOGRAPHIC COURTESY OF Don't chain-smoke cigars. Confine indoor cigar smoking to cigar parlors. Don't ask, don't tell if it's a Cuban cigar. THE you CIGAR LIFE.NET can't go wrong.