I am often asked, “what is your favorite cigar?” to which I reply with the following points to be answered:
- What time of day is it?
- Am I going for a walk, reading, or watching a movie?
- How long shall I be doing the activity?
- Will I have a cocktail or cognac with the cigar?
- How did my day go?
- What mood am I in?
- Etc.
Sorry, I do not mean to be difficult, but I have found that those factors and others can determine what cigar I shall be picking out to enjoy. I say enjoy because I do not smoke a cigar unconsciously. Before acquiring a taste for cigars, I never smoked so I determined that if I were going to smoke cigars, I was determined that I would receive something positive from the habit. This meant that over a period of years, I tried many brands and types of cigars to develop a menu of cigars that could fulfill what I sought at any particular moment. Toward this end, I have four humidors, labeled in my mind, A, 2-Bs, and a C. They are not large humidors; each can hold about 40-50 Robusto cigars but they each serve a function.
- A Humidor: This humidor is a genuinely nice Dunhill humidor and holds my best cigars, the cigars I smoke when I wish to reward myself for a job well done, a successful business venture, etc. If I have any Cuban cigars, they go into the A humidor along with cigars which I pick up as a mini treat for myself again as a reward such as specific Davidoff blends, some Monte Cristo Reds, etc. I even have an AVO Uvezian 80th Anniversary, the sole survivor of a box I purchased at the Ataturk airport cigar shop some ten years ago, plus a couple of the private blend cigars you can only get at The Ritz hotels (I picked mine up in London). Visitors to my library may approach this humidor but please, do not touch!
- B Humidor(s): One in my home office, one in my library, these hold my most smoked cigars. I admit that I enjoy opening the lid and letting the blended smells greet me as I look at them, deciding which little puppy will be picked. They range from 5 x 50 to Churchills and include a nice assortment of Monte Cristos, Romeo Y Julieta, a few from Macanudo and any nice cigars that are given to me. I am careful to rotate them so that they mellow nicely, and I found that such a process for me takes three to four weeks. Guests are offered these cigars and they always seem pleased with the selection. I also have a few milder cigars for a new smoker as introducing one to a stronger cigar before they are ready can damage someone’s experience.
- C Humidor: Here are cigars that will not make it into the B Humidor for at least 30 days as I do not want to have an excess of cigars in the “Bs”. I also keep my smaller cigars which I smoke while just strolling for a break here as they do not take up much space. I can almost hear the cigars cheer as I transfer them to the B humidor as they realize they are about to fulfill their destiny!
If all of this sounds silly, it reflects a sense of order and again, reinforces my belief that smoking a cigar should be an experience, not some absent-minded habit.
CIGAR TIP OF THE DAY
Some mornings when I go for a walk, I take a Macanudo Montego Y Cia Café cigar. This is a nice 4 ¼ x 36 cigar that comes in its own tube, so it is handy for storage, travel, etc. I have found that while thinking of the projects for the day, it is a pleasant reminder of how fortunate I am to have the life I lead. On a walk, this little treasure will last 35-40 minutes and remains cool and tasty to the end. At about $2.70/cigar, it is a good steady smoke, draws well and has a consistent flavor.
