Latest Articles

What is retro-haling?

I received three contact form messages during the last week from users who wanted to know how to retro-hale and I decided to answer the question…

Cigar Tip: Dry Boxing Cigars

There is nothing like a moist, fragrant cigar. The wonderful aroma we sense upon opening our cigar humidors is mouth-watering to a cigar lover. But sometimes…

Boutique cigars… Is there a difference?

Fifteen years is a long time. If we look back to 1996, we would see a world where cell phones were simply telephones, and the “War…

Returning cigars… don’t be shy

No need to smoke a brick. Readers have often asked how to unplug a clogged cigar. I know from experience that no amount of poking, squeezing,…

Cigar Tip: Cutting a Torpedo

Cutting a cigar cap can be tricky. We need to cut just enough cigar to open its end, but not so deep as to cause the…

How to store tubo cigars: do I need a humidor?

I’ve received several questions lately regarding tubo cigars storage. I decided it was time to write a short article about this aspect of cigar care. Of…

Tar coming out of my cigar: what to do?

I recently received this question by e-mail from our reader George and thought I’d write a quick blog post about it: I sometimes come across tar…

Storing cigars in their boxes

Reader’s question: “I have 10 boxes of Cuban cigars that I want to age for at least 2 years. Should I leave them sealed in their…

The Cure for “Cigar Breath” Found!

A malady that has long plagued the cigar smoking man (and woman)… Cigar Breath! No matter how much you brush your teeth or your tongue or…

Size Matters: Long Live the Lancero

It’s fun to be trendy, right? For the longest time, the trend has been to make bigger, fatter cigars. Robustos became popular in the 90s during…

How to Deal with Mold on Cigars and in the Humidor

Question from a reader: I got some white small spots on my cigars and also in the humidor, most likely it’s mold. Can you please help…

What Are Tobacco Beetles and How Do You Fight Them?

It’s a day like any other day—or so you think. You head to your humidor to grab a stogie; you haven’t had one in a couple…

How to Remove an Unwanted Smell from Your Humidor

Recently we received the following question from one of our readers: “I’ve been storing some cinnamon-flavored cigars in my humidor and, even one month after I…

Lighting a Cigar: The Method of Jacques Puisais

A few months ago we posted an article called “The Bands: the Whole Colour of Tobacco”, which was part of a relatively new cigar magazine called…

What is a Wineador and How to Build One?

We’ve been getting quite a lot of questions about temperature-controlled humidors lately and it was about time to come up with an answer! The following guest…

How to Get Rid of Cigar Breath

Cigar breath … also called cigar mouth. One of the few drawbacks of smoking stogies, it’s something all of us have experienced at one time or…

Are Cabinet Selections Superior to Dress Boxes?

Recently we had a reader write in with the following question: “Do you think cabinet selections are somewhat better than dress boxes?” This is a good…

Smoking a Wet Cigar… Wait, What?

There have been several heated discussions in blogs and forums on the web, over the benefits of wetting your cigar before smoking it. Min Ron Nee,…

Sunday’s Cigar Cartoon: “a survival trip”

What to post on Sundays? Every blogger asks him/herself this question, as this is the day one doesn’t necessarily want to read lengthy articles. Today, we’re…

Sunday’s Cigar Cartoon: “meant to be shared”

Sunday’s Cigar Cartoon: “choosing your priorities”

Sunday’s Cigar Cartoon: “dreaming about it”

Sunday’s Cigar Cartoon: “a long herf”

Sunday’s Cigar Cartoon: “poker night”

Sunday’s Cigar Cartoon: “breaking the law”

Sunday’s Cigar Cartoon: “the art of pairing”

Sunday’s Cigar Cartoon: “second hand smoke”

Sunday’s Cigar Cartoon: “caught ya!”

Sunday’s Cigar Cartoon: “special protection”

Sunday’s Cigar Cartoon: “outdoor smoking ban”