Everybody enjoys a good Cuban cigar. Cuban cigars are the most coveted cigars, known worldwide for their smoothness and rich flavors. Cuban cigars are so prized that many illegitimate dealers have been known to sell fake knockoffs to unknowing cigar smokers. Bummer for them. How do you tell if what you have is a fake or a real Cuban? First, make certain that you purchase your cigars from a reputable dealer. Buying from your local tobacconist or a reputable mail order business is a safe bet. You don’t want to get them from some schmuck on EBay who claims they are the real deal.
If you are at a tobacconist shop and have an opportunity to buy a whole box of Cubans, take a close look at the box before making the purchase. You can tell a few things from the box. Here are a few tidbits of inside knowledge to help you spot the fakes from the real thing.
The easiest thing to examine is the cigar box. Authentic Cuban manufactured cigars will contain a green and white warranty seal on the left front side of the box. On that seal you will find an insignia that has a picture of a shield and a hat. In the upper right hand corner of the box, you should find a white sticker that is placed diagonally with the word ‘Habanos’ printed on it conspicuously. The overall appearance of the box should be neat and clean. If it looks like someone has been tampering with the box, it is a safe bet that they have. Don’t fall for it.
On the bottom of the box of cigars, you should find a heat stamp with the words ‘Habanos.’ The heat stamp should be melted into the bottom of the box. Counterfeits will use a regular rubber stamp or some other kind of way to simulate the real thing. You should also find a factory code stamp on the bottom. This label is normally stamped in blue, black or green ink. The factory code stamp tells you when and where the cigars were rolled.
If they’ll let you, open up the box and take a huge whiff. Cuban cigars will have a deep, rich aroma, unmistakable to experienced cigar smokers. They shouldn’t smell like cheap discounted foreign imported cigars. If it doesn’t smell right chances are you do not have a box of authentic cigars. Make sure the cigars are all facing the same way. The first or top row may appear slightly flattened. The caps on all the cigars should appear identical, and the foot of each cigar should be cut clean. The bands on all the cigars should also be identical, and should be arranged so that they face the same direction. If they look like they have been rearranged, then that is a tell tale sign that you’ve got a bogus box.
Experienced cigar enthusiasts prefer the pleasures of a well-aged cigar. The subtle flavors and complex constitution of an aged cigar is unforgettable. Like wine, many cigar aficionados and snobs swear by the process of aging. In order to be a great cigar, the argument goes, it must be an aged one. How can you attain a well-aged cigar that provides the mellow, complex flavors you crave? You can always fork over a good deal of your money and purchase a box of expensive vintage cigars. If you would rather save the money and experiment with aging on your own, here are a few tips to help you get started.
You will have to be patient if you want a properly aged cigar. IT takes about a year in order to achieve the flavors and complex subtleties of a well-aged cigar. Also, know that in order to achieve the rewards of a well-aged cigar, you must begin the process with a high quality cigar, not the cheap supermarket brands. If you try to age a lower quality cigar, chances are any amount of aging won’t improve their flavor significantly. You can buy a wide variety of quality cheap cigars online. IF you have purchased some high quality cigars that you find too strong or odorous, they may be perfect candidates for aging. In fact, almost all high quality cigars can be improved through the process of aging.
Purchase yourself a good quality humidor. You can also find cheap humidors for sale online. The cigars must be stored in a constant and stable temperature and humid environment. Follow the 70-70 rules. That means the humidity must be at a constant humidity of 70%, and at a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Of course, the environment in which they are stored is crucial. The 70 rule is a good guideline. Any more and your cigars will get moldy. Any less and the aging process begins to be stunted. Maintaining a stable environment for your cigars is key even if it is slightly off of the 70 mark. Storing them in a constantly fluctuation environment can be disastrous. Swings in temperature and humidity cause cigars to expand and contract, cracking their wrappers and it may disrupt the aging process. In a perfect world, the space in the humidor should be about twice the volume of cigars. I prefer the aromatic scent of a cedar humidor. Arturo Fuente cigar fans are familiar with the smell. They pack cedar scented packets in with the box of cigars. It is the first thing you notice when you open a new box. With the passage of time, the interaction of the tobacco oils amongst themselves cause the flavors to blend. With the cedar oil of the wood it leads to a mellowing and blending of flavors resulting in that subtle complexity you can only get from proper aging.
Have you ever wondered where tobacco came form or where cigars were first produced? It is commonly believed that cigars were first produced in Spain because for years Spain was the leading producer of cigars. But before cigars became very popular in Europe, cigar tobacco was needed to make them. Tobacco is indigenous to North and South America. Native populations have produced it for hundreds of years. It is believed that the Maya of Yucatan peninsula in Mexico and parts of Central America were one of the original tribes to begin smoking tobacco. Slowly, tobacco use spread to other surrounding tribes. It is believed that its first use in the United States was probably among the tribe along the southern end of the Mississippi river. It wasn’t until Christopher Columbus sailed his famous voyage to the Americas in 1492 that the rest of the world came to know tobacco.
Apparently, Columbus was not impressed by tobacco or its use among native peoples. Yet, many sailors grew found of the strange spicy plant. Because of its rarity, it quickly caught on in Spain and Portugal. From there, it spread to France, where the French ambassador Jean Nicot lent his name to the scientific name for tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). The origins of the word tobacco itself are still suspect, although many believe it is simply a corruption of the word Tobago. Tobago is the name of a Caribbean island where explorers would certainly have visited. Still others believe it comes from the word Tabasco, a region in Mexico.
Along with many other farms during that era, the first tobacco plantation in the United States was established in Virginia in 1612. More tobacco plantations followed up and down the coastal colonies soon after. Although tobacco became a popular crop, colonists only smoked it in pipes. The cigar was not introduced to the United States until the late 18th century. Israel Putnam, an army general who had served in the Revolutionary War, is credited with introducing the cigar to the United States. Putnam had traveled to Cuba after the Revolutionary War and returned with a box of fine Cuban cigars. Naturally their popularity quickly spread. Soon enough there were cigar factories being established in the area of Harford, Connecticut, where General Putnam resided.
In Europe, cigar production and consumption did not achieve widespread popularity until after the Peninsula War in the early 19th century. British and French veterans returned to their homelands after years of serving in Spain. Among the aristocracy, the favored method of enjoying tobacco was the cigar. Cigar smoking remains a habit associated with the wealthy to this day. Want to read something interesting about cigars, here is the worlds longest cigar.
