About Cigar Cutters  
Are all cigar cutters the 
same ~ The great debate 
on which is best 
 

About Humidors and Storing Your Cigars 
What is the best way to 
keep cigars? A discussion 
about aging and storgage 
 

Turning The Corner 
A discussion about the 
cigar industry in general 
and the Dominican  
Republic ~ Problems with 
Quality over the last few 
years 
 

In a world that is always in a hurry and full of mass produced goods, a cigar is truly something unique and individual.  Unlike many products we buy today, a fine cigar is hand made by someone with years of experience and training.  In addition, a fine cigar is something that can be enjoyed or savored.  With the prices of good cigars going through the roof, the difficulty of course is making a  good selection.   

To be quite honest, there is no easy way to tell someone what to smoke.  What I mean is, selecting a fine cigar is like selecting a wine or anything else in life.  You are certainly going to try a few in order to find out what you like.  Certainly a magazine, such as Cigar Aficionado, can help  with some suggestions.  Ultimately though it is your money, your enjoyment and your time.  Smoke what you like.    

In order to help you find what you like, I am giving you some basic definitions so you can at least narrow down your choices and also be able to ask the right questions when speaking to your local cigar store.   

The Wrapper (nothing to do with music) - The wrapper is the outer binding that brings the whole cigar together.  The interesting thing about cigars is that a cigar can taste totally different just by changing the wrapper.  Remember that the wrapper is tobacco leaf, and along with the filler, gives each cigar its unique taste or appeal. There are a quite a few different types of wrappers.  Two of the more basic types are:  
 

Connecticut Shade ~ This is a lighter leaf that has spent less time on the plant.  Normally this will offer a more mellow or blander taste to the palate. If you like a milder cigar, look for a wrapper that has the color of coffee with cream.  

Maduro - This is a leaf that has spent more time on the plant.  As a result, it has grown dark in color and has also retained more sugar due to the natural photosynthesis process.  A cigar with a maduro wrapper will tend to be sweeter on the palate.  Some people look at a dark wrapper and instantly think that they are looking at a “strong” cigar.  As they old cliche goes, do not judge a book by its cover.