Damaged cigars - repairable?

// By Richard // On August, 28th 2008 // 11:55 am

I often get asked about damaged cigars and how damaged one must be before it effects the smoke of the cigar. You would be incredibly surprised at the resistance and construction of these Cuban hand rolled cigars. As the wrapper is purely for decorative purposes, the binder is the leaf that actually holds the cigar together, surface damage will not have any effect on the cigars' smoke. Cigars like the one shown above right, simply need a dab of odorless vegetable gum or glue to re-stick the loosened leaf. Remember, this is exactly how the cigar is constructed in the first place! Do not be afraid to get closer with your smokes. Touch them, clean them, move them in the humidor and take care of them when slight damage occurs. You will find odorless (remember your cigar is like a sponge, it will absorb any odors around it) vegetable gum or glues at most tobacconists or on-line.

You can see:
Credo - El Torcedor cigar glue

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Double banded tendencies

// By Richard // On August, 14th 2008 // 5:15 pm

It seems that our friends at Habanos S.A. have decided to embark on the double banding theme for cigars in the next few years. After the Special productions (EL's, Regional Productions, Casa Del Habanos productions, Anniversary productions), the RyJ Short Churchills, the Cohiba Maduro line, the new Hoyo Epicure Especiales and H.Upmann Magnum 50, it is now the existing regular production cigars that are going to start appearing double banded. The RyJ Churchill is now being produced with the golden Churchill band, as well as the standard red RyJ band found on the rest of the line. Look out for the H.Upmann Magnum 46 to also start appearing with a double band. I am expecting most of the cigars to go into double band, as Habanos look set on creating a band that depicts the family and a band that depicts the vitole. Good or just a waste of paper? Give us your thoughts.

You can see:
Habanos S.A.

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Olympic Smokes

// By Richard // On August, 09th 2008 // 4:16 pm

Once every four years and eagerly anticipated by the entire world population, the Olympic Games is one of the few truly global events. A place where amateur athletes rub shoulders the highest paid stars of the sports world, a spectacle that is seen by nearly 4 billion viewers worldwide, an opening ceremony attended by more than 100 heads of state and a program that provides entertainment for everyone, even those less sports inclined. For China, this is a spotlight on their country and culture. It is a nation that is advancing at a galloping pace. The Chinese have a history that dates back well over 5000 and a culture that has so much to offer other cultures, especially in this age of 'back to basics'. Like in most countries, the Cuban cigar is a prized possession in China and a clear symbol of social status. Hong Kong has long been home to some of the biggest private collectors of Cuban cigars in the world and Habanos S.A. acknowledge the importance of this market, with several Regional Releases on the Asian Market every year. Smoking has always been part of the Chinese culture, so a steep increase in sales of Cuban cigars in China will surely parallel the general growth of the country. So we invite you to soak up this atmosphere of sporting excellence and fraternity and stretch your palate to the limit with the TopCubans.com Olympic Smoking Seleccion.

You can see:
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
Discover China