The image of a gentleman smoking a fine evokes many a scenario. There are many occasions for a fine cigar: the reward at the end of a long struggle, the victory at a poker table, the celebrations after the birth of a child, the end of tough business negotiations, a fine outing with a son or grandson, the heat of battle, the song of a woman humming in the den after a night at the opera. Mostly, the occasion for a fine cigar is one that evokes the view of men as gentlemen, a view that is presently experiencing resurgence, and for good reason.
Gone are the not-so-glory days of the boy-man whose pants are at the ready to fall down around his ankles, and who has experienced neither a proper shave nor a good haircut. Oh no–a quality cigar brings to mind not only a man, but a gentleman who understands what it is to go to a real barber, and that going to a real barber is something that takes time. He understands what a handkerchief is for, and that it isn’t just for keeping his own nose clean. Fine cigars are part of a gentleman’s lifestyle. He is a man who owns (and on occasion wears) cufflinks, who wears aftershave and knows what Bay Run is for. He knows that women really do love to see a man wearing a handsome pair of suspenders.
Yes, there is indeed a mystique around the kind of man who smokes fine cigars, an image of a gentleman who knows quality in all things and why quality is important, from institutional connections to connections that have been obtained from years of attending the school of life. This is the kind of man who brings a Mona Lisa smile to the women in his life, whether she is his dear friend, sweetheart, fiancé, wife, mother, mother-in-law, daughter or granddaughter. Whoever she is, she knows what kind of cigars he smokes, and the idea of giving a box of fine cigars to this gentleman for the holidays brings her the pleasure of giving. That’s because buying such a man his favorite cigars not only means that she loves him, but it means that she understands him.
It’s important to find the right kind of cigar for the right gentlemen. A quality cigar may be obtained online or at brick and mortar stores. Remember, too, that quality cigars are something that must be cared for and kept as fresh as possible in humidors to ensure the perfect moisture level for the perfect cigar-smoking experience.
For access to the best and Cigar accessories available check out the great deals available only on the authors website – http://www.davidoffmadison.com
Ah, the fine premium cigar. There truly is nothing to compare to the experience of a fine cigar, a glass of really good cognac, and an evening in the shade. It is a peaceful experience to say the least.
However, have you ever looked at your high-profile smoke and wondered what the events were that led to the making of it? Most true cigar aficionados have at one point or another.
The chain of events that led to the production of the cigar that you now hold in your hand is a long one, spanning back over 500 years. It all began when a brave explorer by the name of Christopher Columbus decided to throw caution to the wind and risk it all to prove that there was more to the world than everyone knew at the time. In 1492, he found success, along with a little something in the new world called tobacco.
Ironically, Luis De Torres of a Spanish Envoy to America decided to take some back to his home for personal use. After spotted lighting it, he was arrested for witchcraft and sentenced to a decade in prison.
The presence of tobacco popped up again as Cortez stumbled upon a tribe of Aztec natives that are smoking tobacco. Through Cortez, the tobacco makes its way throughout Spain. From there, the pipe-smoked substance began to grow in fame and use. By the mid 1500’s, tobacco had made its’ way all the way to France where the first seeds were planted and cultivated by a monk by the name of Andre Thevet.
From there, tobacco made its’ way to the distant lands of Portugal, Russia, Turkey, and Italy. The Portuguese, via a trade route, introduce it to the Japanese. Onward it spreads to Morocco, Egypt, and even to the Philippines. Finally, in the early 1600’s, it makes a full historical circle as documents reveal that the husband of Pocahontas, John Rolfe, brings tobacco to the state of Virginia.
By the early 1600’s, Cuba has built a solid name for fine tobacco growth and becomes the major supplier for the majority of the known world.
In the mid 1700’s, the infamous Catherine the great creates the cigar band as a concept. It seems that Catherine would smoke cigars so often that her fingers would take on a brownish colored stain. Therefore, to avoid this, she had a band designed so she could hold her cigars without the irritating stain.
From there, it is only a matter of time until the major brands began to establish themselves. , H. Upmann, , El Rey del Mundo, Sancho Pancza, Romeo y Julieta, Hoyo de Monterrey, Montecristo and the rest of the premium cigars that you and I enjoy today become very notable over the next century.
That brings us to the here and now. Today, we can sit back and enjoy our fine cigars knowing that they have a history that dates all the way back to Christopher Columbus. So when you enjoy that next high-profile smoke, blow a plume and say, “Here’s to you Chris!”.
Denis is the author and webmaster for CigarInspector.com, your source for and .
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are categorized by size and shape. Together, these are known as the vitola of a cigar.
Cigar size is measured two ways: ring gauge (its diameter) and its length. For example, most non-Cuban robustos have a ring gauge of approximately 50 and a length of approximately 5 inches. Robustos of Cuban origin always have a ring gauge of 50 and a length of 4 ? inches
The most common shape is the parejo. It has a cylindrical body, straight sides, one open end, and a round tobacco-leaf “cap” on the other end that must be sliced off in to be smoked.
Parejos are designated by the following terms: Coronas Rothschilds (4 ½” x 50), after the Rothschild family Robusto (4 ?” x 50) Hermosos No. 4 (5″ x 48) Mareva/Petit Corona (5 ?” x 42) Corona (5 ½” x 42) Corona Gorda (5 ?” x 46) Toro (6″ x 50) Corona Grande (6 ?” x 42) Cervantes/Lonsdale (6 ½” x 42), named for Hugh Cecil Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale Dalia (6 ¾” x 43) Julieta, also known as Churchill (7″ x 47), named for Sir Winston Churchill Prominente/Double Corona (7 ?” x 49) Presidente (8″ x 50) Gran Corona (“A”) (9 ¼” x 47) Panatelas – longer and generally thinner than Coronas Small Panatela (5″ x 33) Carlota (5 ?” x 35) Short Panatela (5″ x 38) Slim Panatela (6″ x 34.9) Panatela (6″ x 38) Deliciados/Laguito No. 1 (7 ¼” x 38)
These dimensions, of course, are estimated at best.
Irregularly shaped cigars are known as figurados and are more difficult to make, leading many to consider them higher quality cigars. During the 19th century, figurados were the most popular shapes; however, they have since fallen out of fashion and all but disappeared.
Figurados include the following: Torpedo – Like a parejo except that the cap is pointed. Pyramid – Broad foot and evenly narrows to a pointed cap. Perfecto – A caricature of a cigar, narrow at both ends and bulged in the middle. Presidente/Diadema – Shaped like a parejo but considered a figurado because of its enormous size and occasional closed foot akin to a perfecto. Culebras – An exotic of three long, pointed cigars braided together. Tuscanian – Typical Italian cigar. This shape, known as a cheroot, is the largest selling cigar shape in the United States.
Little cigars differ greatly from regular cigars. They weigh less than cigars and cigarillos, and resemble cigarettes in size, shape, packaging and filters.
Whatever shape or size you prefer, a variety of cigars can be found online at fine purveyors’ websites.
For access to the best and Cigar accessories available check out the great deals available only on the authors website – http://www.davidoffmadison.com
Those who know their cigars well also, by that same token, know Brazil-albeit as a source of great tobacco rather than as a top cigar-producing nation. Brazilian tobacco, mainly produced in the country’s temperate northeastern and southern regions, turns up in such world-class cigars as Carlos Torano’s Toro, but the country’s cigar producers themselves haven’t always gotten the same respect. But that may be about to change. After all, Brazilian cigars-including the Angelina, Dannemann and Dannemann, Le Cigar, Don Pepe, Dom Porfirio, and Dona Flor (named for Jorge Amado’s classic novel Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands)-have already convinced many US cigar aficionados that this country’s cigars are as good as its tobacco.
But Brazil’s own rich history-and its sure-to-be-turbulent future-make it an important place for cigar smokers to understand. How has one of the world’s important tobacco-producing nations come to be the home of one of the strongest anti-smoking movements in the Western Hemisphere? And will these two opposing tendencies continue, uneasily, to coexist? Only a prophet could say-but perhaps a brief backgrounder on this Latin American nation can provide some helpful context.
The first thing to know about Brazil is that it’s big-in resources, landmass, and people. It’s the fifth-largest country in the world, and the fifth most populous. Among the world’s pro forma democracies, it ranks fourth in population size, and it controls a powerful economy, ranking ninth in the world in purchasing power. It’s a diverse country, too, with one hundred-eighty-eight living languages, and, interestingly enough, the world’s largest confirmed reserve of uncontacted peoples-small pre-industrial tribes that, for all practical purposes, have stayed sealed off from the rest of the world. In this single nation, then, an ultramodern economy exists side-by-side with some of the world’s last refuges of pre-industrial life, and gleaming cities (Sao Paulo and Brasilia) share the same boundary with huge swaths of rainforest.
What kind of culture does such a diverse country produce? Well-a similar situation produced artistic riches for the United States, and things are hardly any different for Brazil. Consider tropicalismo, one of the country’s major artistic exports. This musical movement, spearheaded by the legendary band Os Mutantes and the singer-songwriters Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, and manic genius Tom Ze among others, fuses all the diverse musics of this country (along with a hefty dose of Bob Dylan, Velvet Underground and jazz) to create some of the best-regarded music of the 1970s. Whatever political and logistical headaches it may pose, such bursting-at-the-seams diversity is good fortune for any artist lucky enough to benefit from it.
Like many Latin American countries (and like the US), Brazil was originally the colony of an ambitious European nation-in this case, Portugal. Led by its Portuguese-born regent, Pedro I, the country won its independence in 1822. What followed was a long power struggle between Pedro (eventually replaced by his son Pedro II), various rebelling factions of the population, and the country’s economically dominant classes, who found Pedro variously useful and irksome, depending on the situation. Following the deposition of Pedro II in 1889, the country became a republic; during the twentieth century, though, Brazil fell frequently to military coups, some of them (most infamously in 1964) made possible by covert US assistance. Its current relative freedom has lasted only since 1985.
Made up of twenty-six states and a federal district (think Washington, D.C.), the country’s exports include (among others) coffee, iron ore, ethanol, textiles, shoes, and cars. With a major modernizing initiative underway-in 2007, the country’s government, under President Luis Ignacio DaSilva, dedicated three hundred billion dollars to renovating power plants, roads and ports-Brazil clearly intends to keep those exports booming. Including tobacco? Well-that’s dicier. Brazil is incredibly rich in natural resources, but that rainforest shrinks every day. The resulting controversy raises issues for tobacco farmers: only a sustainable ecology will ensure that Brazil continues to yield those fine tobacco crops, and yet some sustainability measures may threaten farmers’ short-term profits (small farmers, many of them, and small profits). It’s a difficult balance.
More threatening, perhaps, for those of us who value Brazil’s contribution to cigar culture, is the strength of its anti-smoking movement. The country has some of the toughest anti-smoking laws in the world, funnels large amounts of money into anti-tobacco campaigns, and forbids tobacco-products advertising in any form. Still, the total number of smokers grew slightly during the past decade. Some business experts forecast that the country’s tobacco industry will have to get used to a shrinking overall population of smokers, and concentrate instead on increasing brand value, making better and safer products. Cigars, designed to be used in moderation and savored, may well flourish in this environment. At any rate, the reported use of genetically-modified tobacco crops in the country’s southern region suggests that tobacco-related controversies will continue in Brazil.
provides you the opportunity to build your own sampler of the finest cigars that include cigar brands like Montecristo, Romeo & Julieta, H Upmann, Macanudo, Cohiba, Partagas, Gurkha and many more. Choose from more than 1200 different cigars! Other cigar products include cigar humidors, cigar boxes, and cigar accessories like Zippo Lighters.
Starting up a new hobby can be intimidating. Going golfing for the first time with a bunch of guys who have been doing it for years can make a beginner feel self-conscious about his lack of prowess on the links. People just learning to play guitar will go for years refusing to play in front of others. Even someone learning to cook might be embarrassed to share a less than savory meal with his family.
Some people might not consider smoking cigars a hobby, but it certainly is a pastime and it has its own intricacies just like anything else. There are traditions and faux pas when it comes to smoking cigars that any old puffer at the country club will notice and call you out on in a heartbeat.
Good-natured as the ribbing may be, it can’t hurt to brush up on some cigar “do’s and don’ts” before you have a cigar among the aficionados. Included are some suggestions for classy cigars and accessories that will show off your sense of refinement and good taste.
1. It is not a race. Smoking a cigar should be a leisure activity. The best way to start is to smoke as if it is no big deal. Take your time and enjoy it.
The Ashton Magnum is a smooth and creamy cigar that is perfect for new smokers. The aroma and flavor is remarkably consistent so you won’t ever get a bad draw. Ashton Magnums are made from Dominican leaves and shade-grown Connecticut wrappers. It is truly a cigar to be savored.
2. Trim the end of your cigar with a cigar cutter. Don’t try to bite it off with your teeth. This may look cool in the movies but it will just leave you with an unsightly and decidedly uncouth mouthful of tobacco.
The Double Blade Stainless Round Cigar Cutter from Orleans is an inexpensive yet fully functional cigar cutter. In other words, it is perfect for beginners. It works with a dual-blade guillotine action, which ensures a shred-free cut. It is housed in a durable stainless steel case for a long lifespan.
3. Don’t grind out a cigar in an ashtray. Let it go out on its own. This is a handy technique for being able to re-light a cigar later on. It is also polite to not leave the smudged out remains of tobacco scattered around in an ashtray.
In your own home, it is also nice to have a relatively clean ashtray. The Flor De Gonzalez Ashtray is made of simple black porcelain with the company’s logo in the center. It is square with resting places for your cigar in all four corners.
4. If there is less than a quarter left, let it go out in an ashtray. When a cigar starts to get that short, it will begin to lose its flavor. Nothing gold can stay. When it gets to the ¼ mark, it is time to let it go.
Another practical and stylish ashtray is the Hexagon Crystal Cigar Ashtray from Orleans. It looks incredibly luxurious for its modest price. It has wide stirrups (that’s where the cigar rests) to accommodate bigger cigars and a deep bowl for plenty of ash.
5. Don’t show off. Nothing screams amateur more than someone who makes a big deal out of smoking a cigar. Cigar holders and fancy smoking techniques are the antithesis of the cool guy casually smoking a cigar. You are allowed to blow smoke rings though. That’s a cool trick that’s not overtly flashy.
The best way to look natural smoking a cigar is to find one that you enjoy. In the beginning, it is best to start with a milder cigar and work your way up to fuller flavors. The Montecristo #1 is a legendary Cuban-inspired cigar that is made in the Dominican Republic.
6. Don’t chew on it. You are not Peter Parker’s grizzled boss at the newspaper. You are not a grunt in World War II. Unless you are being shot at or trying to ruin Spider-Man’s good name, chewing on a cigar is just plain gross.
Fine cigars can be works of art and the Griffin’s Robusto Natural is not something that you chomp away at. It has a rich and mild taste that smokers of every level can enjoy.
7. Don’t ask for a light. Seriously, you are a cigar smoker now. You should be carrying your own lighter around. In the worst case scenario, ask the bartender for a pack of matches.
The refillable Xikar EX Windproof Flame Cigar Lighter is far more practical than it sounds. It looks good and is affordable without appearing cheap or flashy. It is a functional, fantastic lighter that gets your cigar lit. What else could you want?
8. Don’t be afraid to let it go out and re-light it later. If you have spent some money on a nice cigar, there is no need to smoke it all at once and no need to waste it. Just scrape the ash off and rotate it over a flame for a moment to catch it again.
The Davidoff Millienium Churchill is a full-bodied, hearty, Dominican cigar that you won’t want to let go to waste. These cigars are top-notch and have a complex blend of aromas and flavors. Don’t be afraid to let it go out and enjoy the rest later.
9. Take your time warming up the end before you light it. This prevents you from charring the tobacco.
The Vector Vulcan Triple Flame shoots out a powerful trident flame that will allow you to perfectly light your cigar without over-toasting it.
10. Don’t smoke one after another. You are not chain smoking cigarettes here. Cigars are meant to be savored. Take your time and enjoy it. When it’s done, it’s done. Get on with your life for a while before having another.
If you find yourself enjoying your new pastime of smoking cigars, you are going to want to eventually invest in a humidor to keep them fresh. The Capri Humidor is a lovely, affordable way to keep your cigars tasting fresh for a long time.
Smoking cigars isn’t like smoking cigarettes. It is a hobby, not a habit. It is the difference between enjoying a fine glass of wine and slamming whiskey before noon. Take to heart these tips and smoke in moderation and you will be on your way in no time.
William Patterson is a freelance writer who writes about luxury items such
Owning a humidor is a true sign of a cigar aficionado. There is a common misconception that humidors are large and often expensive. Yes, you can large, even walk-in humidors that will cost you a year’s salary, but that it unnecessary unless you have enough cigars to fill a humidor that large!
The fact is that if you enjoy a cigar every now and then or even several times a day, you may want to consider purchasing a humidor. These handy containers keep every cigar at just the right temperature and humidity. This ensures that your entire stock stays fresh so that you can enjoy them when you are ready.
When you decide that you are ready to purchase your own humidor, you need to consider a few things. How many cigars would you ideally like to store? How many cigars do you think you will actually have on hand at any given time? The reason that this is important is because there should not be too much dead space in your humidor. This can throw off the humidity and temperature level.
Those walk-in humidors are most often seen in a cigar store or specialty bar, although some more wealthy people may have one as a status symbol. The majority of enthusiasts will choose to purchase a tabletop humidor. These generally hold up to three hundred cigars. In addition, you can purchase a travel humidor if you want to bring some with you.
As a cigar enthusiast, you want to get the best possible flavor every time you smoke. It is believed that aging in a humidor for up to ten years will heighten the flavor continually. While you may balk at the idea of waiting ten years to smoke a cigar, remember that it is entirely up to you whether you even choose to explore the aging process. Not everyone with a humidor chooses to age their cigars significantly, but the purpose of a humidor is to keep your stock as flavorful as possible.
If you do decide to endeavor into the aging process, then you should be aware of a few things. Not all are going to taste better with age. This is a personal preference and is not easily figured out without some experimentation. Cheaper cigars may not need to be aged at all, while some will greatly benefit from aging. Again, this is trial and error. A harshly flavored cigar will likely mellow in flavor the longer it is aged. If you don’t like the taste of a cigar, then aging it will not have any effect on your preference. As long as you understand that a humidor is not going to magically transform your cigars in a few simple months or years, you should be pleasantly surprised at your own findings.
A true cigar enthusiast will choose a humidor that meets his or her specific needs.
Otto Van Deven has been smoking cigars every since he raided his Grandfather’s humidor and snuck behind the barn at 16. Quite a few decades later he still thinks that was a great decision, although his grandfather disagreed, until Otto replaced his glass cigar jar with a fine humidor. You can get your own humidor at the , and see what Otto has to say at .
There is no better way to end a day then going to your humidor, perusing your fine selection of cigars and selecting the cigar that fits your mood best. You sit back and start relaxing in your comfort chair; you clip the tip, set flame to it and start your evening of calm and relaxation. To you, a good cigar is better than a fine wine.
Whether you are new to the world of cigars or you are a true cigar aficionado; Famous-smoke.com has everything you need to compliment your experience. If a you like to try something new each and every time, our huge selection of cigar brands, flavors, sizes, colors, and even countries of origin will keep you busy experimenting for years to come. You can start out with sampler packs that allow you to try multiple varieties of cigars without a huge investment. You can even build your own samplers, so you try the cigars you want.
Once you discover the delights of smoking cigars you will undoubtedly want to make sure you take the utmost care of your cigars. Famous-smoke.com has humidors, cases, tubes, and much more for you to keep your cigars stored safe and kept the way you like them. We offer unheard of discounts on our incredible selection! Famous Smoke Shop has 70 years of experience, so you know that you are getting the finest quality cigars each and every time you from Famous-smoke.com! Not to mention that we can accommodate most shipping requirements.
Our website is a wealth of information, however, if you have any questions you can always call and talk to one of our award winning customer service representatives, Monday thru Saturday that can answer any questions you may have. We know that sitting at a computer enjoying a cigar is not something you would normally do, so why not scan through our 64 page full color catalog instead.
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Key West FL is the southernmost city in the Continental United States. Key West is a city and an island by the same name near the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys and encompasses the namesake island, the part of Stock Island north of US 1, Sigsbee Park and Sunset Key.
Many passenger cruise ships utilize Key West as a seaport. Key West International Airport also serves the area. Naval Air Station Key West offers a training site for Naval Aviation.
Key West is officially known for having the nation’s first and oldest continuous gay and lesbian chamber of commerce. Thus the city’s motto “One Human Family”
Kay West was inhabited by ancient peoples known as the Calusa People in Pre-Columbian times. Juan Ponce De Leon was the first European to visit the area and the island was known as Cayo Hueso. It was established as a fishing and salvage village with a small fort to protect the Spanish colony.
Cayo Hueso literally means “bone key” as it is said that the island is littered with the bones from an Indian battlefield or burial ground. It is thought that the name changed to Key West is an Anglicization of the word “Hueso” that could mean west in English. Many businesses on the island use the name.
Great Britain took control of Florida in the late 1700′s and relocated the Spaniards and Indians to Havana. Florida passed back to the Spanish 20 years later but they did not formally resettle. The island was used by fishermen from Cuba and joined by fishermen from the United States.
The island was deeded to Juan Pablo Salis in 1815 but when Florida was transferred to the United States Salas was eager to sell the island. First he sold it for a sloop valued at $575 and then to a US businessman named Simonton for about $2,000. The sloop trader sold it to a man named Geddes who could not secure rights to the property because Simonton had help from influential friends in Washington and gained clear title. Simonton bought the island because he had learned of the opportunities presented by the strategic location. Simonton’s friend John Whitehead, once stranded on the islands by a shipwreck had seen the deep harbor.
Lying 90 in a strategic location on the deep shipping lane Straits of Florida the harbor was considered the “Gibraltar of the West”. Matthew Perry said into the harbor in 1822 and physically planted the US flag to claim it as US property. He reported on the piracy problems and renamed it “Thompson’s Island” and named the harbor “Port Rodgers”. Neither name stuck. In 1823 Commodore David Porter took charge and tried to rule the island as a military dictator under martial law.
Simonton soon subdivided the island into plots and sold 3 undivided quarters of each plot to private individuals. Simonton spent the winter in Key West and then the summer in Washington to lobby for development of the island and for the establishment of a naval base. Among other first founders are Pardon Green who moved there permanently and became a prominent businessman. John Whitehead lived there for 8 years and partnered with Greene in the firm of “P.C. Greene and Company”. He left the island for good in 1832 returning only once during the Civil War. John Fleeming, active in the mercantile business in Alabama was a friend of Simonton. He spent only a few months in Key West before leaving to marry in Massachusetts. He returned to Key West intending to develop the slat manufacturing of the island but died soon after. The names of these founding fathers of modern Key West used as names for the main arteries of the island.
Many residents of Key West emigrated from the Bahamas. They were known as Counch. They arrived in ever increasing numbers after 1830. Sons and daughters of Loyalists fled to the nearest British soil during the American Revelation. Many of residents of Key West refer to themselves as Conchs and the term is now generally applied to all residents of Key West. The term “Fresh Water Counch” refers to a resident not “native born” but who has lived there for more than seven years. The name is derived from the tradition of placing a conch shell on a pole at the home of a new born baby.
“Bahama Village” is an area of Old town next to the Truman Annex largely inhabited by Bahaman immigrants.
Fishing, salt production and ocean salvage were major industries in the early 19th century. The salvage operations made Key West the largest and richest city in Florida and residents had a high concentration of fine furniture and fancy chandeliers which the locals used in their homes after taking them from shipwrecks on the Florida reefs.
During the Civil War Fort Zachary Taylor was established in Key West after Florida seceded and joined the confederate States of America. It was an important outpost and now contains the largest collection of Civil War cannons ever discovered in a single location.
In 1912 Key West was connected to the Florida mainland via the Overseas Railway extension. The railway created a landfill at Trumbon Point for rail yards. In 1935 the Labor Day Hurricane destroyed much of the railroad and hilled hundreds. About 400 World War I veterans living in camps there working on federal road projects and mosquito control projects in the Middle Keys were also killed. It was too expensive to restore the railroad. In 1938 The Federal Government rebuilt the rail lines as an automobile highway. Completed in 1938 it became an extension of the US Highway 1. The portion of US 1 running though the Keys is called the Overseas Highway.
Numerous artists and writers have come to the Keys but the two most associated with the island are Ernest Hemmingway and Tennessee Williams. Hemmingway reportedly wrote 2 novels “A Farewell to Arms” and “To Have and Have Not” while living in the Keys. The Ernest Hemingway House and Sloppy Joes Bar have become important tourist’s attractions. The Hemingway House is currently inhabited by six or seven toed polydactyl cats descended form Hemingway’s original pert named “Snowball”. The cats live on the grounds and are cared for by the Hemingway House even though the USDA complains about the number of them housed there. The Key West City Commission exempted the house from a law prohibiting more than four domestic animals per household.
Tennessee Williams is said to have written the first draft of “A Streetcar Named Desire” while staying at the La Concha Hotel. He bought a permanent house and listed Key West as his permanent residence. Williams’ home in the “unfashionable” New Town neighborhood is quite the contrast to the elegant Hemingway house. It is a very modest bungalow. The house is privately owned and is not open to the public. The Tenn4essee Williams Theatre is located on the campus of Florida Keys Community College on Stock Island.
Key West is much closer to Havana than to Miami. In 1890 it had a population of nearly 18,800 which made it the richest and biggest city in Florida. The population was nearly half Cuban descent and the city had a succession of Cuban mayors. Cubans were reportedly active in nearly 200 factories in town producing cigars.
The Battleship Maine was blown up after sailing from Key West to Havana which ignited the Spanish American War.
Pan American Airlines was founded in Key West to fly visitors to Havana.
John Kennedy used the phrase “90 miles to Cuba” in his speeches against Fidel Castro.
There were regular ferry and airplane services between Key West and Havana until the revelation in 1959. Refugees flooded into Key West during the Mariel Boatlift and continue to come across the dangerous stretch of waters.
In 1982 Key West and the rest of the Keys tried to declare independence and become the “Conch Republic” in a protest over US Border Patrol blockades. The blockade was set up in response to the Mariel Boatlift. This blockade created a 17 mile traffic jam when the Border Patrol stopped every car to search for illegal immigrants. The Florida Keys were virtually paralyzed as tourism nearly ground to a halt. Couch Republic flags and T shirts are still popular souvenirs for visitors. The Counch Republic Independence Celebration is celebrated each April 23.
Key West was always an important military post. At the beginning of World War II the Navy built the first water line extending the length of the Keys to serve the Naval Air Station. The main facility on Boca Chica is where the navy trains pilots. There are 3400 civilians and 16oo active duty military personnel along with family members. The area next to the old For Taylor became a submarine pen and was used for the Fleet Sonar School.
To understand the concept behind the humidor, one must first be informed of the long-term effects of ageing on tobacco products. First, there is the effect of bloom. This is often mistaken for mold by less learned cigar smokers. Bloom will appear as a white powdery substance on the cigar. In all actuality, Bloom is a good aspect, as it is a sign of proper ageing. This actually intensifies the flavor of a good smoke. If you would rather, you can simply dust this off or, in some cases, simply blow it off, but most cigar aficionados would not.
Mold, on the other hand, does truly occur. Tobacco mold most often comes in the form of blue mold. It is a bluish colored fungus that grows on the outer wrapper of your cigar. If you find this, do not attempt to merely cut the mold off and smoke it anyway. This can be quite harmful to your health. As painful as it might be, simply throw that cigar away.
If properly aged, Mold will not occur, but Bloom will. A properly aged cigar is generally stronger and has a much more distinct flavor. Most people will only bother to age a high-profile smoke, such as a fine Cuban cigar.
Proper aging is done via the Humidor, the focus of this article. A humidor is a device designed solely for the purpose of creating the perfect environment in which to age a cigar. You see, aging a cigar in normal room environments leaves it prone to excessive temperatures, varying humidity’s and other environmental factors that can increase the possibility of the occurrence of mold.
A humidor allows the smoker to maintain a steady and ideal environment for the aging of the cigar. The ideal settings for your humidor are somewhere between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity of 65 to 75 percent, roughly.
Do you need a humidor? This all depends. If smoking a cigar is nothing more to you than a quick distraction, if you are content to smoke a cigar that is simply aged between the point of manufacturer to distributor then the answer is no. However, if you consider yourself to be a true connoisseur of fine tobacco, then your life will not be complete without a good humidor to age your cigars to perfection.
Some people prefer to make their own humidors. However, if you do not have the know-how to attempt this, you can find them for online anywhere between the prices of $20.00 to $1000.00. The cheaper ones do work, but as with all products, you generally get what you pay for. In the long run, it would be best to pay a little more for the better product.
Denis is the author and webmaster for CigarInspector.com, your source for and .