Staff, Author at Cigar Life Guy

Cigar Humidifier: Humidification Options for Cigars

Posted on January 6, 2023 by Staff

An experienced cigar smoker knows that storing cigars requires little maintenance. For example, you should keep your cigars under particular conditions to ensure they taste the way they should. Preserving cigars between 68-70% humidity and 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit is optimal. Sixty-eight to seventy-two degrees Fahrenheit is the sweet spot for both moisture and temperature, which is why a cigar humidifier is essential.

We recommend investing in a home humidor if you buy cigars by the box or in bulk rather than a few sticks at a time. Most of these options will also work if you are a casual smoker and must preserve three or four cigars. Have a look at the many ways to humidify your cigars properly.

Cigar Humidifier: Why Cigars Need Humidity

Cigars are agricultural products; Like produce, they won’t taste right (or smoke right) without the proper care. The tobacco in your Robusto is grown in a tropical climate with high humidity and warm temperatures. The leaves dry during the curing process, but cigar makers reintroduce moisture during fermenting and aging.

Many newbies erroneously think cigars store well in the refrigerator or the freezer. But, unfortunately, cold temperatures can’t retain humidity.

Without humidity, cigars become brittle, and the exterior wrapper cracks. Too much moisture can also cause problems. Like the walls in a dank basement, cigars can grow mold. Soggy cigars are challenging to light and burn unevenly.

Whether too damp or too dry, improper humidification affects the taste of your cigar. Keep cigars out of extremes, and remember that 68-72 is optimal.

Cigar Humidifier: Products to Improve Humidity

Most humidors come with a “sponge.” However, these are typically the floral foam variety. Humidification systems have evolved and improved in recent years. If you want to upgrade your cigar humidifier or stash a few sticks inside a Tupperware or Ziplock, these products will help maintain the proper humidity.

Note: It’s crucial to use distilled water or propylene glycol when using these products or refilling a humidor sponge. Tap water contains chlorine and other impurities that can create mold.

Boveda Pouches

These pouches provide humidity using a “2- Way Control” system that adds and removes moisture. Made from natural salts and water, they are leakproof and offer a wide range of humidity levels (from 58-84% relative humidity or Rh).

Whether seasoning a humidor, adding extra moisture during the colder months, or traveling with a few sticks, Boveda pouches are easy and safe. First, remove the exterior packaging and toss the brown bag wherever you store your cigars. Depending on the surrounding environment and the quality of the container’s seal, Boveda bags can last anywhere from a few weeks to a year.

Boveda won’t advertise it, but you can always reuse the pouches. Submerge the bag in distilled water for a day and allow it to dry.

Cigar Humidifier Crystals

These polymer crystals are incredibly absorbent and, once activated with distilled water or propylene glycol, expand to hold up to 100 times their weight in moisture. Xikar makes several varieties.

The puck-shaped humidifiers are magnetized and a nice upgrade for the standard units with humidors. XiKar also makes a larger rectangular-shaped unit.

Crystals also come in jars and tubes. These are often already activated, so it is as simple as dropping them in your humidor or wherever you store cigars. Crystals provide a consistent 70% Rh but do require a bit of monitoring and maintenance.

The crystals will become noticeably smaller as they lose moisture. Refresh the crystals with the recommended mixture of distilled water or propylene glycol.

Longevity will depend on your environment. Colder, dryer weather will require more refilling, but crystals produce humidity anywhere from 1 to three months. The units can last up to six years if adequately maintained with moisture.

Heartfelt Beads

These beads work on the same principle as crystals. Spritz them with distilled water, and they will regulate the humidity in your humidor. They come in tubes or mesh bags.

Unorthodox Methods Humidification Methods

Some guys swear by kitty litter. We wouldn’t recommend it because the options above are inexpensive and designed for cigars. However, if desperate times call for desperate measures, ensure the litter is fragrance-free and add distilled water.

What To Do If You Don’t Have a Humidor

A tried and true, but the last-ditch solution is to use damp paper towels in a Ziploc bag or Tupperware. Just be sure to wring out the paper towel and only store sticks wrapped in cellophane. But, of course, you don’t want to place your cigars on a wet paper towel.

Monitoring Your Cigar Humidifier

Invest in a humidor if you’re investing time, care, and money into smoking premium cigars. Even small travel-sized humidors will come with humidifiers. They can hold anywhere from 2 to 10 or more cigars. But, of course, a traditional cedar-lined box is the best option.

They come with cigar humidifiers and hygrometers designed to seal in the humidity. In addition, all humidification products promise an exacting Rh level.

As you become familiar with the feel and taste of your cigars, you’ll know when to add humidity or let your cigars dry out a bit. However, having storage with a digital or analog hygrometer that provides an accurate Rh reading removes the guesswork. You’ll know when it’s time to add a Boveda pouch or refresh that crystal jar.

Photo credit: Cigar Life Guy

The Cigar Life Guy® Rating System

Posted on December 22, 2022 by Staff

Cigar Life Guy isn’t a website full of cigar reviews, but plenty of those websites are out there. Make no mistake. You won’t find our website full of reviews and with a complex or confusing numbered rating system. We don’t sit around smoking bunches of cigars just for show or have many opinions about each stick! Cigar Life Guy has a pretty simple system: “Consider buying, yes or no?”

Typical Cigar Review Rating System

Most popular cigar reviewers use a 100-point scale, 1-100. Typically, cigars are evaluated on appearance, flavor, construction, smoking performance, and overall impression.

Some of those attributes may be weighted differently, but a maximum amount of points are allowed, say 15 or 20, per attribute. So there’s usually much bunching for overall scores in the high 80s and low 90s.

You don’t want to look at cigar reviews like the letter grades you got in school, meaning an 80 is a ”B” or above average or 90 is an “A” or excellent.

Out of courtesy to the makers, unflattering reviews are typically not published. However, some sources of reviews, including the most famous, Cigar Aficionado, are done blind, meaning the removal of the bands is necessary, so the reviewer doesn’t know who made the cigar, and the reputation of the brand isn’t a consideration.

Some reviewers do not review blindly. Also, most reviews are done without regard to shelf price (obviously, this has to be the case when done blind).

Cigar Life Guy’s Take: Reviews and Rating Systems

Simply put, Cigar Life Guy believes the actual moment of truth for the consumer is when they go into a humidor (whether literally in a brick-and-mortar store or virtually shopping online) and are confronted with hundreds or thousands of options and decide what cigar they want to buy. As a result, shelf price, or value, must be considered when evaluating cigars.

Our rating system doesn’t use a 100-point scale and is relatively simple. The reviewer asks, “If I was in a humidor, would I consider buying this cigar at regular retail prices?” The system is individual, and smokers can have different takes on the same cigar for reasons like palate and pocketbook.

More on the Cigar Life Guy Rating System

Recognizing that the simple up or down leaves a lot of unanswered questions, we’ve added a few categories that provide a little more perspective.

Regularly Buy

These are our favorites, and we regularly purchase them in the humidor. These are in our wheelhouse. Not only do we love these cigars we think the shelf price is fair or represents a terrific value relative to other cigars. These are 10% of the cigar universe we sample.

Note: The percentages in this and the following categories aren’t meant to be precise but an order of magnitude approximation.

Occasionally Buy

They are not our favorites, but we buy these occasionally in the humidor. We enjoy these cigars and think they represent a fair value. However, we don’t enjoy them quite as much as the “Regularly Buy” category. These are approximately 15% of the cigar universe we sample.

Good But Wouldn’t Buy, Palate

These are cigars we can appreciate, but they aren’t for us. Typically they are flawlessly made and smoke well, but the flavor doesn’t align with our palate. As a result, we wouldn’t buy these. That doesn’t mean they aren’t great cigars, and they may certainly deserve all the accolades they receive from others; they don’t work for us. These are roughly 10% of what we sample. (They are a much more significant portion of the cigar universe, but we naturally gravitate to what we think we’ll enjoy).

Good But Wouldn’t Buy, Value

These are cigars we enjoyed but put, but the shelf price is just so high that under normal circumstances, we wouldn’t buy them; there are just so many other good alternatives. You’ve probably heard your buddies talking about a cigar and say something along the lines of, “it was a good stick, but it wasn’t a $20 ($30 in high tax States) stick,” or “for that kind of money I could have gotten an XYZ cigar!” That’s what we’re talking about here.

Yeah, suppose you’re at an event for that cigar maker. In that case, you might buy another to be supportive, but you wouldn’t under normal circumstances. The value equation – what you get vs. what you pay – is just off. These are roughly 20% of what we try.

Smokable But Wouldn’t Buy

It isn’t a bad cigar. It was smokable. The value equation may or may not be okay, but with so many other choices out there, we aren’t going to rebuy it. Palate differences may play a role here; others might enjoy it, but it isn’t for us. These are roughly 35% of the cigars we try.

Wouldn’t Smoke Again, Period

These cigars were just not enjoyable to smoke. Typically these cigars have issues with the construction or smoking experience; it isn’t just an issue of preference or palate. These are cigars we’d be embarrassed to give to a friend. But unfortunately, many of these are out there, and they are probably 10% of what we sample.

A Final Thought on Cigar Reviews

Our approach, using value as a criterion and keeping it simple, works for us. Use what works for you; that’s all that’s important. Don’t rely too much on anyone’s review system. Also, recognize that individual taste or palate will play a role in anyone’s plan. If you find someone’s reviews helpful, follow their work and tell them you appreciate them.

Photo credit: Cigar Life Guy

Orson Welles Devoured Cigars

Posted on December 11, 2022 by Staff

The G.O.A.T — Greatest of all time — has become a common designation. Michael Jordan in basketball, Tom Brady in football, and of course, the person who coined the phrase, boxing legend Muhammed Ali. Sports fans love to debate the G.O.A.T., but you don’t see it often in other contexts. However, in the world of film, Citizen Kane has been considered the G.O.A.T. for decades. The 1941 classic was writer, director, and actor Orson Welles’ debut film. The movie launched Welles to stardom. Like most celebrities, Welles lived a luxurious lifestyle, including fine food, wine, and cigars. Here’s a look at the man many consider the greatest filmmaker of all time.

Orson Welles’ Early Career

Orson Welles was born in 1915 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, but moved to Chicago at a young age. The budding genius had lost both his parents by age 15. So he opted out of college, choosing to tour Europe instead. No one knows when Welles began smoking, but he started acting young. When he was in Ireland, he tried convincing the manager of the Gate Theater that he was a Broadway star. Although the manager likely didn’t believe the teenager, Welles began acting in minor roles at the Gate.

A few years later, Welles made another breakthrough, this time in radio. He performed anonymously as The Shadow, a popular radio show in the 1930s. However, his adaptation of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds in 1938 made him world famous. The episode aired on Halloween and is as renowned for Welles’ distinct baritone narration as it is for causing widespread panic. The format, a regular news broadcast that depicted a Martian invasion, led some listeners to believe the Mars attack was an actual invasion. Photographs from that evening show the young Orson Welles clenching a cigar in his teeth and clutching the Mercury Theater microphone. Hollywood came calling shortly after.

Citizen Kane and Hollywood Outsider

Orson Welles co-wrote, directed, and starred in the biopic that still lands in the top spot on movie lists. Citizen Kane is loosely based on newspaperman and later politician William Randolph Hearst. Despite the film receiving critical praise, it was not a box office success, a pattern Welles experienced throughout his career. The film was nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. However, it only won the Oscar for Best Original Screenwriting.

Like any cigar man, Welles was an original. Unfortunately, his pursuit of creative control over his projects often blackballed him from the Hollywood studio system. He worked in Europe throughout most of his career.

His innovative camera techniques and nonlinear narrative style made him one of the first film auteurs. Best known for his use of light, deep focus, and long takes, an even closer look shows how Welles loved to capture smoking in his movies.

Perhaps it is how smoke billowed and played off the light in black and white films, but Welles often wrote his favorite habit into his movies. Charles Foster Kane, played by Welles, smoked a pipe, but cigars took center stage in later films. In the noir classic, A Touch of Evil, Welles played the cigar-smoking detective Hank Quinlan. In his last film, the satirical film within a film, The Other Side of the Wind, John Huston constantly puffed on a Churchill. Huston played a movie director in the film. It was a likely stand-in for Welles, but Huston was also an avid cigar smoker.

Orson Welles’ Personal Life

Welles loved women, food, booze, and cigars. He married three times, including a nearly five-year marriage to legendary beauty Rita Hayworth. With fame came affairs with actresses and socialites. Welles was larger than life, but he was also a large man. He stood over six feet three inches and struggled with weight most of his life. The corpulent Welles played Shakespeare’s Falstaff in The Chimes at Midnight, one of three Shakespeare plays he adapted for the screen.

Welles’ opulent lifestyle likely attributed to his obesity late in life; this no doubt included premium hand-rolled cigars. However, no one knows the exact brand of cigar Welles preferred. Some claimed Montecristos. Either way, it’s challenging to find a photograph of the legendary Welles without a long cigar in his hand or between his lips, especially during his later years.

Photo credit: “Orson Welles en la grabación de Campanadas a medianoche (España, 1964)” by Recuerdos de Pandora is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Actor Danny DeVito: Big Affection for Cuban Cigars

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Staff

Cigars are a great stress reliever and a great way to think and relax. Maybe that’s why so many comedians are avid cigar smokers. Comedians and actors spend a lot of time on the road or location and in character. So it’s no wonder why so many comedic actors take their cigars seriously. Actor Danny DeVito is no different.

Like many comedians who came before him, Danny DeVito is a devoted smoker. However, he didn’t use his cigar as a prop on stage like George Burns or Groucho Marx. Compared to his predecessors, who began smoking in their teens, DeVito took up smoking late in life. Here’s a glimpse at the cigar-loving It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star.

Actor Danny DeVito’s Early Career

Actor Danny DeVito was born in New Jersey in 1944 and began his career on stage. Although DeVito measures a modest 4 ’10” (due to a rare genetic disorder), he would become a larger-than-life star of television and the movies.

Reprising his stage role as Martini, he worked alongside Jack Nicholson and Christopher Lloyd in the classic One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture, but his big break came in 1978 when he took the role of Louie De Palma on Taxi. The sitcom was short-lived but critically acclaimed. He won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for his portrayal of the grumpy dispatcher, De Palma. It was around this time DeVito took up cigar smoking. The cast included Tony Danza and Andy Kaufman, primarily men. DeVito has said in interviews that they celebrated holidays and birthdays by sharing a cigar; this was DeVito’s introduction to Cubans, but he still wasn’t smoking cigars regularly.

Danny DeVito: Cuban Cigars and Movies

Young fans might know DeVito from the FX series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but he had a run of hit movies in the 1980s and 90s. After Taxi was canceled, DeVito focused on his movie career. Terms of Endearment, Romancing the Stone, and Throw Mama from the Train are just a few of his famous titles from that time. Twins, which paired the diminutive DeVito with Arnold Schwarzenegger, is one of the most memorable. It’s also when Actor Danny DeVito took up cigars as a regular habit. Schwarzenegger was primarily an action star at the time but leaped into comedy. The two actors, who play unlikely fraternal twins in the movie, hit it off. Schwarzenegger gave DeVito a box of Cuban cigars, and DeVito was hooked.

The two actors made several movies together with director Ivan Reitman. They often hung out together on the set. DeVito cooked Italian food, and they would smoke a cigar. DeVito recently revealed he once tricked his famous co-star and former governor of California by giving him a cigar laced with marijuana on the set of Junior. Stoned and confused, Schwarzenegger forgot his lines for that afternoon’s shoot, much to the delight of DeVito.

Danny DeVito’s Cigar Preferences

DeVito is a daily smoker. He typically has one after dinner or lunch but smokes more when working. And DeVito doesn’t only act. Over the years, he began to branch out into directing and producing. But, like many writers, comedians, and thinkers, DeVito admits to working better when he smokes.

The world is tough on cigar life, especially these days. Like any great actor, DeVito has had to improvise to squeeze a cigar in on occasion. He told Cigar Aficionado he once convinced an airplane full of people to allow him to light up. He said it was the most enjoyable transatlantic flight he had ever taken.

On the set of Matilda, a film he directed and starred in, the studio complained that his cigar smoking was against fire regulations. So, DeVito’s crew set up a special smoking tent for him.

He has always had expensive tastes. He’s been smoking Cubans for almost 40 years. However, like anyone who has smoked for a long time, he mixes it up. He started with Cohibas but smoked Partagas Serie D No. 4 for a time, as well as Bolivars.

DeVito married Rhea Perlman, the former star of another classic 80s sitcom, Cheers, in 1982. They have three grown children.

The 78-year-old star reunited with his old friend Schwarzenegger for a sequel to Twins called Triplets. Rumor has it Schwarzenegger tried to get back at DeVito for the on-set prank thirty years ago. Either way, the two will enjoy a few cigars on the set.

Photo credit: “danny devito” by Mario A. P. is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Groucho Marx Loved Laughs and Cigars

Posted on November 14, 2022 by Staff

Many young people today might not be able to identify Groucho Marx, but the famed Groucho Glasses remain one of the most iconic costume props of all time. It’s a shame that while the bushy eyebrows, mustache, and glasses are still around, the man who inspired them is fading from memory. Likewise, many might not know that the complete costume includes a large cigar.

For Groucho, the cigar was no prop. Instead, he was an avid smoker who enjoyed his daily cigars. Here’s a look at the man many consider the most remarkable American comedian.

Early Life With Groucho Marx and Vaudeville

Born Julius Marx in 1890, Groucho Marx’s vaudeville and smoking career started when he was 15. Like other era performers, he began as a singer before moving to comedy. His stogie was a valuable prop when searching for a line. Improv and smoking seem to go hand and hand. George Burns also insisted that his cigar was his favorite stage companion when he needed time to think of a quip. Like Burns, Groucho Marx would become famous for his one-liners.

In the early years of their act, Groucho and his brothers adopted various personas. Chico used an Italian accent. Harpo, who didn’t like to talk on stage, wore a curly red wig. Groucho initially used a German accent. However, he dropped the accent when anti-German sentiment spiked at the start of World War I, and his familiar wise-cracking schtick was born.

It was around this time that Groucho began using his signature look. The mustache and eyebrows were actually theatrical greasepaint. Legend has it that Groucho did not have time to apply a prop mustache before a show one night, so he quickly painted one on his upper lip. Whether the story is true or not, the rest is history. The absurd get-up, complete with eyeglasses, would become classic.

Groucho Marx’s Cigars

When he was starting out and short on money, Groucho smoked nickel cigars. Later, when he could afford it, Groucho smoked expensive cigars. La Preferencias, a Cuban cigar, was one of his regular smokes, but the Dunhill 410 was his favorite. His son, Arthur, also recalls him having Belindas in the humidor for special guests. Belinda was a pre-revolutionary Cuban line. They were discontinued in the 1960s but were a prestigious brand in Groucho Marx’s day.

Groucho once said, “Marriage is the chief cause of divorce.” He was probably an authority on the topic. He married three times. When his third wife, Eden, complained about his smoking Groucho responded, “A woman is just a woman; a cigar is a smoke.” She allegedly banished him from the bedroom for six months.

Groucho Marx: Movies and Television

Groucho honed his comedic routine on stage, and like many vaudeville stars, he and his brothers took their act to the movies. The Marx Brothers made 13 movies in all. Many are considered classics. Duck Soup, A Night at the Opera, and several others were listed on the American Film Institute’s list of 100 Best Comedies. Nearly a hundred years old, Marx Brothers’ movies remain some of the most influential of all time.

Groucho Marx also wrote books and starred on radio and television. Later, fans may know him as the host of You Bet Your Life, a radio and television game show that aired from 1947 to 1961. The popular quiz show was recently revived with Jay Leno as host.

Bantering with contestants was the perfect platform for Groucho’s comedic talents. However, one interaction of the show was the source of his most debated one-liners.

Groucho Marx’s Most Famous One-liner That Never Was

Groucho is known for his one-liners. He could be self-deprecating: “I would never belong to a club that would have me as a member.” Somewhat political: “Military intelligence is a contradiction in terms.” Considering he was a television and movie star, he could also be self-sabotaging: “I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book”.

However, Groucho’s most famous one-liner is one that some historians insist never happened, and plenty of fans insist they remember vividly. But, of course, it was a cigar quip.

It took place during a taping of You Bet Your Life. Groucho was talking with a contestant who told him she had ten children. When Groucho asked her why she answered, “Because I love my husband.” The quick-witted Groucho replied in kind. “I love my cigar too, but I take it out of my mouth every once and a while.”

In interviews late in life, Groucho denied saying it, but it does appear in one biographer’s account. The debate continues. Many fans claim it was a male contestant. They claim to have heard it live, but the year of the show varies. Others say Groucho would have never been so crass. The show was also pre-recorded. A line like that would have never gotten past censors in that era. Unfortunately, no one has confirmed a recording of the comment, so we may never know.

Still, who else could we attribute such a zinger but Groucho Marx? A man who took comedy and his cigars seriously.

Photo credit: “Groucho Marx 1957,” by McFadden Publications, licensed under CC By 2.0

Holiday Gift: How to Buy for the Cigar Lover

Posted on November 6, 2022 by Staff

So you’re looking for a holiday gift for the cigar enthusiast. The first question a cigar shop owner might jokingly ask is, “How well do you like the person?” That’s because there are plenty of options at a wide range of prices. You can spend as little as $10 on a gift. If you like them, you can spend plenty more than that.

Whether it’s Christmas, a birthday, or just because, shopping for a cigar smoker does not need to be a chore.

Novices and nonsmokers may feel overwhelmed when they first step into a cigar shop. They may get the same feeling scrolling through cigar catalogs online. Here’s a guide on how to shop for the cigar smoker in your life.

Holiday Gift Shopping Cigars

Experienced smokers can identify a cigar by its band, size, and color from across a room. To the newbie and the nonsmoker, all cigars look the same. However, newbies see oblong rolls of tobacco with an array of colored bands. Additionally, cigars come in different sizes, shapes, and outer wrappers. Finally, there are dozens and dozens of other brands.

Holiday gift shopping for cigars can be confusing if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Where to Start Holiday Gift Shopping

Pay attention to your smoker. Noticing the size of the cigar is an excellent place to start. If you’re shopping in person, you’ll be able to narrow the scope of your search. Is the cigar short and thick or long and thin?

Peek at the cigar band if you can. Many cigar lines print their name on their bands or have identifiable designs and artwork. Then, you’ll at least be in the ballpark. Now it’s a matter of finding your seat.

Cigar employees are helpful, knowledgeable, and glad to answer questions. Boldness is challenging to determine because it can’t be identified simply by looking. Here’s where you’ll want to get an expert opinion.

Most cigar shop employees would advise you to err on the side of caution and go with milder cigars. If a smoker is not used to robust cigars, they probably won’t be able to handle a full-bodied cigar. However, someone who regularly smokes heavier cigars won’t refuse a mild blend.

Loose Sticks vs. Full Box for Holiday Gifts

If you’re wondering whether you buy loose sticks or an entire box of cigars as a holiday gift, it depends on how much you like the person. But, all kidding aside, the cost is a factor in cigars.

A box of twenty or even ten cigars will cost more than a selection of loose cigars. In addition, buying a box of cigars is risky if you don’t know the exact brand, size, and shape.

Cigars are agricultural products, and many shops, especially smaller ones, do not accept returns. Buy the wrong box, and you may be out of luck.

A wiser option may be to buy a variety of loose cigars. Of course, you’ll want to get advice from an expert. They’ll find a selection in the price range of your choice. Any cigar lover would welcome a mix of a half dozen cigars.

Gift Cards as Holiday Gifts

Consider a gift card if you know where your favorite smoker likes to shop (brick and mortar or online seller) or hang out but don’t know what they smoke.

Like any other retailer, most cigar stores offer gift cards. One advantage is your favorite smoker gets what they want. Another is if they are an excellent “shopper” and hunt for deals or watch for sales; if you get them a gift card, they stretch that face value more than what you’d pick out for them. The downside, like any other product category, is it just isn’t quite the same as a physical holiday gift you can wrap up (or, in this case, smoke right away!).

Holiday Gifts: Cigar Accessories

Cigar life involves accessories. Accessories make excellent holiday gift options if finding the right cigar proves too difficult or tedious.

Cutters and Cigar Lighters

You can’t smoke a cigar without a proper cut. But, if the smoker in your life is using a simple plastic cutter, maybe it’s time for an upgrade. Whether choosing a scissor, butterfly, or V cut, a first-class cutter made with surgical steel, is a holiday gift any cigar smoker can use.

A lighter is an obvious essential as well. Refillable butane lighters can get expensive, but companies like Xikar and Colibri offer a variety of styles at different price points. Shopping for a lighter is more straightforward than shopping for cigars. However, there is a wide range of designs and colors.

Triple jet or double jet? Gunmetal or Black? Any shop employee can provide guidance. Reading online ratings is also helpful. Many companies make high-quality lighters that cost anywhere from $30 to $100.

Carrying Cases and Carriers

Frequent travelers, golfers, fishermen, and enthusiasts who take their cigars on the road can always use a carrier. These come in different styles and sizes. Some simple leather cases hold 2 to 4 sticks, perfect for the golf bag. Others are made of plastic and have solid seals and humidification sponges so cigars won’t dry out.

Humidors

Every cigar collector could use a place to store and age their cigars. Prices will vary based on size, the exterior woods, and the type of finish, either high gloss or matte; this may seem aesthetic, but a quality humidor is not only for storage. They make a fine centerpiece for an office or den.

When shopping for a home humidor, be sure it has a good seal and interior woods made of nonaromatic cedar. Most will come with humidification sponges and an analog hygrometer. Upgrade to a digital hygrometer if you like the person.

Buying a holiday gift for the cigar lover doesn’t need to be stressful. You don’t even have to visit your local cigar shop. Cigar Life Guy has shirts, hats, jackets, and more if you’re too skittish to visit a shop. All net proceeds — 100% — go to Operation: Cigar for Warriors.

Photo credit: Cigar Life Guy

Smoking Habits: How Many Should You Smoke?

Posted on October 23, 2022 by Staff

The cigar industry has evolved over the past few hundred years. Cigars were plentiful and relatively inexpensive for much of their history. Smoking didn’t carry the same social stigma. Most men enjoyed at least an occasional cigar. However, men like Mark Twain and Sigmund Freud enjoyed smoking habits that included puffing on 10 to 20 cigars daily.

These days well under five percent of the population regularly smokes premium cigars. It is considered a luxury item, but the wide range of brands and price ranges attracts smokers from all walks of life whose smoking habits are as diverse as the types of cigars available.

How many cigars should you smoke? The short answer is as many as you’d like. That may not be realistic or even desirable. The number of cigars someone smokes daily, monthly, or yearly will vary. Cost, size, strength, and time all factor into how much someone smokes.

Smoking Habit Factors

Cigar Cost

Smoking habits that include multiple cigars a day can be costly. Depending on the brand of cigars, you can spend a good deal of money if your smoking habit progresses to one or more cigars a day. However, if smoking a Davidoff or a Padron 1926 every day is not in your budget, there’s good news. Plenty of brands offer high-quality cigars that are inexpensive.

Cigar Strength & Size

Cigar blends have gotten stronger over the years. But, again, this all depends on the individual smoker. The typical enthusiast knows their limits. But on the other hand, smoking too much, especially fuller-bodied cigars, can lead to nausea and cigar hangovers.

Cigar size is another reason some guys can’t squeeze in a cigar during the day.

Churchills, Toros, and cigars with bigger ring gauges can take an hour or longer to smoke. Some guys are wedded to a particular cigar size, but many smokers will enjoy a “dog walker” (a smaller smoke) now and then.

Time and Place

Smoking the right way takes time. Not having the time is probably the most common reason guys don’t smoke as much as they would like. Purists smoke cigars to relieve stress, think, and relax. There’s no sense in rushing the ritual. If a guy doesn’t have the time to smoke the right way, he might not smoke.

The world has not been kind to smokers in recent years. Unless you’ve built a smoking room and work from home, finding a place to squeeze in a cigar is challenging. If you live in a cold weather environment, it’s even more difficult. Belonging to a lounge helps.

Smoking Habits by Smoker Types

Cigar smoking is not a contest. Smoking frequency depends on the individual. So there’s no need to compare your habits to others, but here’s a look at a few different types of smokers.

The High-Volume Smoker

It’s tough to find time for one cigar daily, let alone multiple. However, there are plenty of cigar lovers who smoke all day long.

A smoking habit of ten cigars daily might sound like a lot, but plenty of people have the time, money, and endurance to smoke one after another. Shorter cigars with small ring gauges, like Robustos and coronas, are more manageable for the high-volume smoker. Even the most experienced smoker probably can’t smoke a dozen of the kind of full-bodied cigars made today. They’re more than likely smoking smaller mild-bodied cigars.

Guys that smoke larger cigars might need more time, but the high-volume smoker makes the time for a cigar or two every day. It’s a mid-morning or lunch-hour smoke followed by, perhaps the best of all, the after-dinner cigar.

The Slow Burn Aficionado

A premium cigar — especially one that costs a good buck — is meant to be savored. Most smokers prefer not to rush the experience, but aficionados are perhaps the most attentive. Aficionados have sensitive palates. A smoking habit of few cigars a week is all it takes. They read the ratings and the year’s best lists a little more closely than the average smoker. Then, over a few weeks or months, they may taste a variety of cigars but only smoke a few.

Seasonal Smoking Habits

Ask any cigar shop owner, and they’ll tell you some of their customers disappear in November. It probably only pertains to cold weather regions, but plenty of cigar enthusiasts only smoke on the golf course and during the warmer months. They are tried-and-true smokers but their smoking habits include associating cigars with the outdoors. So they hibernate in winter and come back when the weather turns.

Weekend Smoking Habits

Chalk it up to not having enough hours in the day or simply not having a place to smoke during the work week, but it’s common for some guys to only smoke on the weekend. But, of course, a midweek stick for a special occasion is never out of the question.

Victory and Occasional Smoking Habits

Even the uninitiated will indulge in a fine cigar once or twice a year. For many people, smoking is social, and there’s no better reason to smoke than a celebration. So you’ll find plenty of occasional smokers at Super Bowl parties, graduations, and weddings. While not true brothers of the leaf, some eventually take to the hobby. You’ve got to start somewhere.

The Chewer

Chewers might be a dying breed, but we would be remiss if we didn’t at least mention them. Newbies and those unfamiliar with cigars might be unaware that some smoking habits include never lighting cigars. Since most of a cigar’s flavor comes from the outer leaf, you need only touch it to taste the tobacco. Whether due to health concerns or a pure appreciation of flavor, chewers gnaw a few cigars throughout the day.

The Upshot on Smoking Habits

In the end, the frequency smoking habits is subjective. How much to smoke is up to you. Do what makes you comfortable.

If you’re a newbie, take it slow. Don’t attempt to smoke multiple cigars in a day until you know how your body will react. If you decide to smoke more than one cigar a day, be sure to start with a milder blend. Cleanse your palate between cigars. Don’t smoke on an empty stomach, and don’t smoke too fast. Rushing a fine cigar can lead to nausea or ruin the relaxing experience of a good blend.

Photo Credit: Cigar Life Guy

George Burns and His Love of Cigars

Posted on October 11, 2022 by Staff

You won’t find up-to-the-minute Instagram posts from George Burns. Maybe that’s because he’s been dead for nearly three decades, but no celebrity these days can say they performed in vaudeville, radio, television, and movies. Likewise, not many can say their most reliable stage partner was a cigar.

The cigar between George Burns’ teeth wasn’t just schtick. Burns was a lifelong cigar smoker who lived to a hundred, so he must have been doing something right. Here’s a look at the legendary comedian and a life spent smoking cigars.

Early Life

George Burns was born Nathan Birnbaum in 1896 in New York City. The son of Jewish immigrants, his father died of influenza in 1903. The seven-year-old Burns had to work to support his family. He was “discovered” while working as a syrup maker in a candy shop, and the rest is, as they say, history. He began working in vaudeville as a comedian and singer and adopted the stage name to hide his Jewish identity.

Burns started smoking cigars at 14, and a cigar became his permanent stage partner. The premium cigar industry wasn’t like it is today. Burns grew accustomed to inexpensive cigars. Back then, he preferred a nickel cigar called Hermosa Jose. Like many legendary smokers and similar to Mark Twain and Sigmund Freud, George Burns smoked all day long. Most attest to Burns smoking 10 to 14 cigars a day.

Aside from his cigar, his longest stage and screen collaborator was his beloved wife, Gracie Allen. They married in 1926 and shared success as a dynamic comedy duo. Their act featured Burns as a “straight man” offering his famous one-liners. The two took their routine from stage to radio, providing comedy relief for the big band leaders of the day like Guy Lombardo. Their act evolved over the years and led to radio shows. Eventually, they made movies and starred in a long-running television show.

George Burns’ Favorite Cigar Brand

Burns’ favorite cigars were El Producto Queens, a brand Elvis Presley favored. While this is a cheaper machine-rolled line these days, it was hand-rolled during Burns’ time. Also, they made several sizes back then, including perfectos, Burns’ preference.

One of the main reasons for his loyalty? They didn’t go out on stage when he was performing. Instead, when acting and thinking of his next line, Burns liked to puff his cigar to buy some time. He always knew Queens, or, as he called them, his “little ladies,” would stay lit.

Aside from that, Burns received 300 a month for free. In addition, he shot several commercials, and several print ads for El Producto featured him.

George Burns Career Resurgence

When Gracie died in 1964, George Burns threw himself back into his work. He produced several television shows and still performed live. However, his role in the film adaptation of Neil Simons’ play The Sunshine Boys would solidify his legacy and redefine his career at 80.

Originally, Burns’ lifelong friend, Jack Benny, was cast for the role of an aging vaudeville star Al Lewis. Benny died during pre-production, and Burns replaced him even though he had not been in a movie since 1939. He earned an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance. At the time, Burns was the oldest person ever to win an Academy Award. Burns only needed a Tony Award to be in the elite company of EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winners, like Mel Brooks, Tim Rice, Jennifer Hudson, and Whoopi Goldberg.

The success led to several more movies introducing Burns to a new generation of fans. Oh, God! was the first of three films with Burns in the title role as the omnipotent wise-cracking deity that gave him a chance to deliver his classic one-liners. Burns remained healthy his entire life. He exercised regularly and never stopped working. He made several more films and performed stand-up after signing a lifetime contract at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas when he was 96.

Although he reduced his habit to 4 cigars a day, Burns smoked until the day he died. Then, when he was 98, he delivered this zinger for all the smoking detractors, “If I’d taken my doctor’s advice and quit smoking when he advised me to, I wouldn’t have lived to go to his funeral.”

George Burns died a few months after his 100 birthday in 1996. He was buried with three of his “little ladies” in his breast pocket.

Photo credit: Allan Warren, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Diversity of Cigar Lounges: Here’s What You’ll Find

Posted on October 4, 2022 by Staff

So that cigar you smoked at your best friend’s wedding became a once-a-day experience. You’ve started collecting cigars and purchased an at-home humidor. You’re a regular brother of the leaf. Everyone who enjoys a premium cigar is part of an exclusive club. Most smokers eventually look for a place to share a smoke with friends. From the high-end cigar bar to the cozy storefront club, you’ll find a wide variety of venues when smoking outside the peacefulness of your home. If you live in a small town, you might not have as many options as you would in a larger city. However, there are loyal cigar enthusiasts everywhere, so what does the diversity of cigar lounges look like today? Here’s what you might find when heading out to smoke.

Diversity of Indoor Smoking and Laws

Smoking laws these days are as complex and varied as tobacco tax codes. Many states have ordinances that ban the sale of alcohol in establishments that also allow smoking. Getting a license for food and alcohol sales often depends on a certain percentage of revenue from tobacco products. Private clubs are typically not subject to these laws but allow members to bring alcohol and food.

Know the laws in the area. They will often dictate the type of lounges you’ll find. For example, smoking accommodations run the gamut from first-rate service to the shabby and everything in between.

The Diversity of Lounges

Free Front-of-the-House Smoking

Many cigar shops allow “front of the house” smoking at no charge. These technically don’t fall into the “lounge” category, but they are worth mentioning. All some guys need is a comfy chair right in the retail space of their local cigar shop. They smoke the merchandise and talk up the newbies about the latest blends.

Front-of-the-house smoking might not be the right fit for everyone, but it is cost-effective, and there is a genuine sense of belonging when you become a regular at your local shop. There are plenty of drawbacks, however. Most shops that allow smoking have limited seating. Depending on local laws, many lack the proper ventilation and won’t allow you to enjoy your favorite stick with your favorite spirit.

The Retail Store Lounge

Many lounges connect to small retail shops. They charge a yearly or per diem fee and have various amenities worth the money. Regarding cigar lounges and cigar bars, there are plenty of choices and a wide range of quality.

The size, decor, and ambiance of a lounge matter if you plan on spending time there. You’ll know what kind of place it is by evaluating the diversity of furniture and the interior design. For example, are there leather chairs with firm armrests or ratty chairs with broken springs and burn holes?

You’ll also want to know how many members belong. For example, if the lounge has ten chairs for 200 members, you might be out of luck during busy hours or cold weather.

The No-Frills Lounge

These establishments may seem dumpy, but some smokers feel at home in a fusty old room with a pool table and video poker.

Since small shops are typically in the business of selling cigars, many pay little attention to their lounge accommodations.

The no-frills clubs may charge you for a day pass, but they are usually inexpensive. Here you’ll find a few folding chairs and a table or two. The room may be small and poorly ventilated. You might not want to bring that bottle of 100-year-old scotch. Chances are you’ll be drinking it from a red Solo cup.

If you’re traveling for business or want a quick stick out of the elements, there’s nothing wrong with these establishments. They can be quaint with plenty of locals and friendly staff. However, don’t expect a diversity of amenities. While they may offer yearly memberships, these establishments devote little time or money to their lounge atmosphere.

The Traditional Private Lounge

For the classic lounge, there is a range of choices. These lounges become affiliated with a storefront but typically provide a more comfortable setting for frequent smokers — a simple elegance with a quiet calmer vibe.

Owners of these lounges spend a good deal of time and money designing rooms devoted to smoking cigars. So expect a first-rate ventilation system, decor, and atmosphere more akin to a charming Irish pub.

Most have televisions, comfortable seating, glassware, and soft drinks. Since paying members are the only smokers allowed, finding a seat isn’t a problem, nor is dealing with crowds and foot traffic from customers buying cigars.

They often provide merchandise discounts and host events like Super Bowl Parties, poker nights, and holiday gatherings for members. Since owners work closely with vendors, you can also count on special events hosted by cigar companies.

Since membership costs extra, most places don’t mind if you bring your cigars, but it’s always nice to support a local brick-and-mortar store by buying from the humidor.

BYOB Cigar Lounges

Small shops are typically in the business of selling cigars, so most lack a diversity of licenses like selling alcohol or food. However, membership has its advantages. Since they aren’t private clubs, lounges allow members to bring alcohol and food.

Conventional lounges also typically offer humidified storage lockers for an additional fee, but basic lounges are inexpensive and provide a home away from home. Besides yearly memberships, they welcome walk-ins and travelers.

However, not all lounges are the same. Some BYOBs and private clubs cater to wealthier clientele, others to a more blue-collar crowd. Nevertheless, there are plenty of classy lounges that appeal to everyone, no matter what your income. In the end, everyone is there to smoke. As long as you know cigar etiquette, most places welcome new members and walk-ins.

The Full-Service Lounge

Like the BYOB lounge, a full-service lounge typically offers large modern televisions with cable stations, streaming, and sports packages. The furniture is comfortable and plentiful, and members prevent crowds from getting too large.

The difference is a full-service bar and possibly appetizer and entrée menus. These full-service lounges keep the private club feel, but many attract a diversity in clientele. Non Smoking patrons with friends who smoke are often welcome, so the crowd may not be just cigar enthusiasts. However, the draw is the freedom to smoke. A membership might cost a bit more than a traditional lounge, but expect top-notch service and a business that appeals to the cigar smoker foremost.

The High-End Cigar Bar

Although many cities outlaw smoking and alcohol consumption or at the least make it difficult or costly to get licenses, larger businesses can afford it. Cigar companies like Ashton and Davidoff have elegant, spacious venues in big cities like New York and Las Vegas.

They provide a full-service experience that focuses on the accommodations and the satisfaction of their members and patrons. Expect a bar fully stocked with top-shelf liquors and expert advice on pairing cigars with spirits. Depending on the region, they provide indoor and outdoor seating. Perhaps it’s the novelty of lighting up a premium cigar in a sophisticated setting, but novices, enthusiasts, and everyone in between patronize genuine cigar bars.

Diversity in Cigar Lounges: The Right Place and Time

Cigar smoking is a bond no matter where you decide to smoke. Part of smoking cigars is being open-minded. You’ll meet people of various backgrounds in various lines of work. Remember to keep politics and religion out of the conversation. Nothing spoils the atmosphere like an untimely political barb. From construction workers to Wall Street traders, cigar smoking attracts people from all walks of life. It’s part of the camaraderie of the hobby.

Some venues attract a younger livelier crowd, others an older one. If you’re looking to relax and watch the news after work, a lounge that feels like a nightclub might not be for you. Alternatively, paying a day fee at BYOB is a good bet if you want to network or share a smoke with a few like-minded individuals. Ultimately, it’s about comfort and what you want when you light your next premium cigar. There’s always a place with the right atmosphere for the moment.

Photo credit: Cigar Life Guy

Sigmund Freud: Sometimes a Cigar is Just a Cigar

Posted on September 25, 2022 by Staff

There were few photographs during the Sigmund Freud era, but you’d be hard-pressed to find an image where this father of psychology wasn’t holding a cigar. If you can’t spot a cigar, look closely. On his desk, amid his cherished statues of Eros, the Sphinx, and other gods and goddesses, are the accouterments of a smoker; ashtrays, matches, and cigar boxes.

Sigmund Freud: Early Life

Sigmund Freud was born in Austria in 1856 and attended the University of Vienna. He earned a medical degree in 1881. The following year Freud began work at Vienna General Hospital and conducted his first notable research. After publishing essays on the benefits of cocaine, he followed up with a study of aphasia, on which he later based his first book. This research led to Freud’s appointment as a head lecturer on neuropathy. Soon after, he went into private practice specializing in nervous disorders and developing his theories of psychoanalysis.

Freud started smoking relatively late. He didn’t smoke his first cigar until 24, but it became a routine for the rest of his life. Perhaps the only smoker who rivals Freud’s alleged 20 cigars a day habit was American humorist Mark Twain. When one of Freud’s nephews refused a cigar, he famously told the young man, “Smoking is one of the greatest and cheapest enjoyments in life, and if you decide in advance not to smoke, I can only feel sorry for you.”

Smoking and Work

Freud was a workaholic. Not only was he an innovative thinker who regularly saw patients, but he was a prolific writer and lecturer. Still, Freud made time for leisure. He went on daily walks, always making a stop at the local tobacconist.

Austria had limited choices of cigars. Freud smoked small locally made Trabuco cigars, but he preferred Reina Cubanas, which he could only get when he traveled. Toward the end of his life, Freud also appreciated Dutch Liliputanos.

Whether at work or on a stroll, Freud smoked incessantly. While they lay on the famous couch, his patients often said the smell of cigars was as distinct as the sound of his voice. Like many artists, writers, and thinkers, Freud felt his ability to work directly related to his smoking habit. He once told his doctor, “I believe I owe to the cigar a great intensification of my capacity to work and a facilitation of my self-control.” Indeed, much of his work encompassed human desires, wish fulfillment, and self-control.

Psychoanalysis and Interpreting Dreams

Freud is best known for his development of psychoanalysis in the 1890s. Inspired by methods of hypnosis his friend and colleague Josef Breuer developed, Freud began cultivating some of his own. One of Breuer’s patients, known as Anna O, would later call it the “talking cure,” a process where the patient spoke freely about symptoms rather than the therapist providing suggestions. Freud would eventually call this free association and believed it could access memories in the unconscious that the conscious mind has repressed. Freud believed these were the sources of neurosis and that talking freely could relieve a patient’s symptoms.

The Interpretation of Dreams is perhaps Freud’s best-known work. First, Freud analyzed his dreams along with his patients’ dreams. Then, he introduced the main ideas, such as the Oedipus complex and dreams as wish fulfillment.

Freud and the Pleasure Principle

For Freud, libido was the primary human drive. He often reduced his idea to sex and sexual repression, particularly the relationship between mother and son and father and daughter, but Freud’s concept was much broader. He divided the psyche into the id, ego, and superego to explain human behavior.

He called the human urge to have basic needs met the pleasure principle; It is the driving force behind all human desires and behavior. This pleasure principle extended beyond sex to include hunger, thirst, and plenty of other primal urges. In simple terms, these urges derive from the id, filter through the superego, and present themselves as the ego.

Oral fixations were a focal point of some of his theories. No wonder he was a lifelong cigar smoker. He believed fixations developed in the early stages of psychosexual development. They manifest later in life as habits such as nail biting, gum chewing, and, yes, smoking. Satisfying the pleasure principle is the aim, and Freud did that daily.

As for the famous line “sometimes a cigar is just a cigar,” we’ll never know whether Freud said it. Nevertheless, cigars provided great comfort and pleasure for the father of psychology.

Photo credit: “Sigmund Freud” by cambodia4kidsorg is licensed under CC BY 2.0.