SMOKE RINGS
www.smokeringscigarbar.com
Enjoying a Cool, Slow Burn
Did you ever look at a premium cigar? I mean, really look at it? The complexity of this hand rolled piece of art is amazing. A cigar is made up of three major parts: wrapper, binder and filler and each piece of the puzzle comes together to form a masterpiece to be enjoyed by any cigar smoker from novice to expert. To truly understand the beauty of a premium cigar, let’s discuss each part in more detail.
To begin, the wrapper of the cigar, which is the visible outer cover leaf, is the most expensive part per pound. The tobacco leaves used for the wrapper need to be perfect in appearance as well as flavorful. Imagine looking at a cigar and seeing a veiny, rough or blemished texture.
This would surely turn off any cigar smoker who would like to truly enjoy the smoking experience. If the tobacco leaves are not up to the standards, then it can no longer be categorized as a wrapper.
Next, let’s talk about the binder in a premium cigar. Generally, you can consider the tobacco used in the binder can be the same leaf that didn’t meet the wrapper criteria. In other words, the binder consists of leaves that don’t need to be as unblemished and pristine in appearance. The job of the binder leaf is to do exactly that….”bind” the filler tobacco together to hold it in place. But there’s more to it than that. The combustion of the binder is also critical. A good-burning binder will often help the filler burn more evenly.
Finally the filler, which makes up the bulk of the cigar, is where the cigarmaker can get creative, using different types of tobacco from various countries and even several different primings from a tobacco plant. Flavor, strength, complexity and burn time of a premium cigar are achieved with the filler.
The key to a premium cigar is the overall construction from the foot to the neatly rolled symmetrical cap. If a cigar isn’t made properly, it will not draw or burn as it should, affecting both the taste and your enjoyment.
Once you have chosen your cigar, it’s time to master the cut, light it and enjoy the smoke. Typically there’s a slight taper at the head of the cigar called the shoulder. You’ll want to cut just above that line finding the balance of cutting off the right amount in order to avoid having too firm of a draw and a build-up of tar in the head. To light your premium cigar, treat it delicately and “toast the foot” of the cigar using minimal direct contact of the flame to avoid the taste of pure char. Use caution when lighting with powerful torch lighters which can easily cause a charred taste.
When it’s time to smoke your premium cigar, don’t rush it, slow down and enjoy the process. If you puff too often, you may overheat the cigar and make it taste bitter. A cigar is made to burn cool and slow in order to enjoy the flavors of the tobacco. Taking a puff about every minute is recommended to enjoy the true meaning of smoking a cigar. And while it may be tempting to tap off the ash of your cigar frequently, leave the ash on for as long as you can. It actually serves as a temperature regulator, keeping the cigar cooler
So the next time you select a premium cigar at Smoke Rings, take a moment to appreciate the masterpiece in your hand before lighting up. Consider the quality of the tobacco and the expertise of the worker that hand rolled it. Then sit back and enjoy a cool, slow burn, preferably in a high back leather chair.
SMOKE RINGS 