For a many smokers it can be easy to dismiss a line of cigars just one smoke, but with a little humidor exploration you can often times find a better fit with a simple change of size or shape. This is not to say that sub-par tobacco can be overcome, but rather that individual smoking styles can have different affects upon the flavors and depth of the smoke. In an ideal world we would all puff at the two times a minute rate that so many suggest, but in reality there are some simple ways to pick the cigar that is perfect for you. First we must arm ourselves with some pertinent information.
BASIC CONSTRUCTION
We know the basic parts of the cigar to be wrapper, binder and filler, but there is a little more to it than that. The wrapper is normally the highest quality leaf both through aesthetics and taste. The binder is the workhorse of the three as its job is to keep in the filler while providing some flavor. The filler is the heart of the cigar and often composed of three parts.
Volado: Coming from the bottom portion of the tobacco plant, these leaves are said to have the weakest body of the fillers and are picked for their burn.
Seco: These leaves come from the middle portion of the tobacco plant and are known as being medium bodied.
Ligero: Found at the top of the tobacco plant and are generally used for the body of a cigar. In thinner cigars ligero is often used in smaller amounts.
SIZES
The ring gauge is one of the most tossed around phrases in the cigar world and one of the more noticeable characteristics when perusing a humidor’s selection. It represents the diameter of a cigar out of 64ths of an inch. So, a 52 ring gauge is 52/64ths of an inch.
The length is a much simpler measure as it is stated simply in inches.
SHAPES
The term parejos is used for the classic straight-sided look. This style includes Robusto (5 by 50) and Lonsdale (6 1/4 by 42). The sizes attributed to these terms are not set in stone as most cigar makers tend deviate from them.
Figurados are known for their more interesting construction. The term figurado encompasses shapes like the pyramid, which starts larger and tapers down, and the perfecto, which looks like an elongated football.
PUTTING IT TOGETHER
Smaller ring gauge cigars suggest a few things. First, there is a greater proportion of wrapper than in a cigar with greater girth, implying greater affect upon the overall flavor. Second, there is usually less ligero leaf within a thinner cigar, implying less body. Finally, ligero is known for its slow burning properties. Less ligero would then also hint at a higher risk of running hot and introducing the corresponding bitterness.
So the question then comes to shape’s affect on the experience. The tapering of a pyramid can avoid an unpleasantly bold crescendo to a cigar. Meanwhile the perfecto often provides an easy lighting smoke building to a full body then scaling itself back to a smooth finish. Don’t take my word for it, however, pick some new shapes and experiment for yourself.
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