Cuban Cigars FINDING THE RIGHT HAVANA The journey in search of the right Havana can be long. For some it never ends. In these pages you have been introduced to thirty different vitolas and twelve leading marques. Not every marque offers each vitola but nonetheless there are over a hundred possible stepping stones along your way. There are those who will complete the journey, find the one vitola in a marque that suits them best and stick with it through thick and thin. Others will prefer to journey on in search of different flavours and vitolas, thick or thin, to fit the moment. The package you purchase presents a challenge too. From single cigars, in tubes or not, to Cabinet Selection bundles of 50, there hundred ways to buy Havanas. Daunting, isn't it? Here are some thoughts to set you on your way. However you will be well advise to recruit a Cigar Merchant as your guide. He knows the road and will be your friend along the way. WHERE TO START: Let's assume you have befriended a Cigar Merchant. There are two vitolas he will have which are found in virtually every marque - the Corona and the Mareva. One is 5 1/2" long, the other 5", both are 42 ring gauge. Pick one of them and test their taste in different marques. FULL OR LIGHT: Once your mind is made up on flavours, there is another point to remember. If you smoke more than one Havana a day, subsequent cigars should have equal or fuller flavour. Never follow a full cigar with a lighter one or you will not taste it. There are cigars for morning, noon and night. LONG OR SHORT: A Havana's flavour develops as you smoke it. Often its true potential is not revealed until the halfway stage. To do it justice pick the length according to the time you have available. HEAVY OR SLENDER: Slow burning, heavy gauge cigars tend to offer fuller flavours than slender ones even within the same marque. Indeed the thinnest vitolas omit the Ligero leaf from the filler to offset the hotter smoke. It is said you should pick the gauge to match the shape of your face. If this concerns you, remember you can always smoke in private. DARK OR LIGHT: Wrapper colours may vary between boxes of Havanas from Maduro (black) to Claro (light brown). Some say that dark cigars are fuller flavoured. Not so. It is the blend of the filler which dictates the flavour. If anything, dark wrappers add a touch of sweetness and light ones a hint of dryness to the taste. OLD OR YOUNG: When kept correctly a Havana will age and, like wine, improve for up to 15 years, sometimes longer. The flavour mellows. Most Havanas smoked in Britain are between one and two years old. If you prefer your cigars with a vintage buy them now, store them well and wait. return to http://cubanmadecigars.com/ |
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