25 November 2013

Cigar Accessories

Do I NEED Cigar Accessories?

"We have all seen the movies in which the hero or main bad guy slowly and stylishly withdraws a large cigar from his breast pocket. They insert it into a small tool, and gingerly snip one of the ends off it. This is the purpose of a cigar cutter."

However, cigar accessories are not there to simply look good, they are there to make the best of your cigars and to culminate in the most satisfying of smokes (I learnt this the hard way, and trust me, you want to spare yourself that). For example, a cigar 'cut' with ones teeth results usually in a bitter taste and loose flakes of tobacco in ones mouth. A cigar kept our of a humidor will eventually lose its character and flavour, and be difficult and horrible to smoke. And there is NOTHING worse than a caseless cigar becoming wet and renedered useless in the rain. (Hairdrying it wont help).

I have therefore done some research and hope you will all find this hub informative: please feel free to comment if theres something I miss out!

For those on the move, cigar cases are an essential item. Not only do they protect your cigars from bumps and distortions, they can also help preserve their flavour and humidity. Many are small enough to fit descreetly in a jacket pocket, others find a good place in a briefcase or travelbag. They are usualy made from leather, but some (see below) are lined with spanish cedar, very much like a humidor.

There are two main types of cigar cases:

•    Spanish cedar lines cases - are usually more up-market, and act more like a mini-humidor than a case. They are extremely protective of your cigars whilst you are on the move.
•    Telescopic cases - These usually have seperate cylindrical slots for the cigars to fit into: and slide, therefore can accomodate different kinds of cigar. Usually made from a harder leather, and not from any wood.

Some cigar cases actually incorporate small compartment(s) for accomodating a cigar cutter and/or lighter. This is (of course) another useful feature, as it saves jacket pocket space and hassle.

I use a simple Pantanella Cigar case, which although may be not the most up-market of cases, I feel does the job fine, as most of the time my cigars are kept in a humidor. And for those of you who live in an area with not a single tobacconist in sight, try this site for cigars and Cigar Accessories.

Lighting a cigar is a task that takes practice. Any semi-regular cigar smoker knows how a cigar is lit affects the way it smokes and tastes. If you're well adjusted, you'll probably pull it off with a cheap disposable lighter, but you certainly won't look the part!

Cigar lighters makes a big difference, especially if you find yourself lighting up outside. Many cigar smokers don't get the most out of their smoke due to improper lighting; leaving them with burnt tobacco and a horrible taste. Getting your cigar lit properly lets it be enjoyed the way it was intended.

In fact, many cigar smokers grow attached to their lighter. Many branded cigar lighters are sought after items, with clubs dedicated to their collection throughout the world. A good cigar lighter will have a strong, even flame that can be controlled with precision, rather than jumping around, ruining the cigar and taking off your eyebrows!

Proper lighters are essential to help distribute a good, even flame around the end of the cigar without over heating and charring the tobacco.

Cigar lighters are always well constructed and last for years, becoming an essential piece of kit for any dedicated cigar smoker. Some brands include Sarome, Prometheus and Colibri. These quality cigar lighters are windproof with wide or jet flames, and often come with cigar cutters and other accessories, like gas level indicators.