Try something new
It goes without saying that there are tons of new cigars that come out every year – at the last two IPCPR trade shows, the number of new products seemed to number around 800 each year! That means that your local tobacconist has lots of new cigars that you've likely never tried, or there are some classics on the shelf that you never got around to sampling. Make it a point to try some new cigars in 2013. You’ll broaden your palate, taste the work of different master blenders and regions of the world, and enhance your appreciation for and understanding of just what kind of flavors a great cigar can produce. This is a great time to be a cigar smoker – don’t miss out on some of the best cigars to have ever been released.
Learn about cigars
With all the information available on the Internet, it’s easy to learn almost as much as you want about the cigars you smoke. But beyond that, you should learn about the cigar-making process as a whole: the terms, the “seed to smoke steps” and so on. One great resource is the Tobacconist University handbook, which you can purchase on Amazon.com among other places. Think of it as a textbook for the cigar industry – it is loaded with terms and pictures that will not only make you much more knowledgeable about how your favorite cigar got into your hands, but it will make you much more appreciative of the entire process as well.
With all the information available on the Internet, it’s easy to learn almost as much as you want about the cigars you smoke. But beyond that, you should learn about the cigar-making process as a whole: the terms, the “seed to smoke steps” and so on. One great resource is the Tobacconist University handbook, which you can purchase on Amazon.com among other places. Think of it as a textbook for the cigar industry – it is loaded with terms and pictures that will not only make you much more knowledgeable about how your favorite cigar got into your hands, but it will make you much more appreciative of the entire process as well.
Start up a conversation with someone at our cigar shop
One of the many great things about cigars is how they can bring people together. Next time you buy a cigar at our shop, enjoy it with us. Start up a conversation with someone you don’t know. You just might make a new friend or business associate.
One of the many great things about cigars is how they can bring people together. Next time you buy a cigar at our shop, enjoy it with us. Start up a conversation with someone you don’t know. You just might make a new friend or business associate.
Smoke different vitolas of the same cigar
Just because cigars of different sizes have the same band on them, they don’t all taste the same. The ring gauge of a cigar – how wide it is – plays a huge role in determining the taste because of how it affects the amount of tobacco that’s able to be used. Next time you’re reaching for a cigar, grab a different vitola and see how it compares to the one you normally smoke. If you’re up for a real challenge, smoke the biggest and smallest vitolas of the same cigar at the same time. Your palate will be in for a real treat.
Just because cigars of different sizes have the same band on them, they don’t all taste the same. The ring gauge of a cigar – how wide it is – plays a huge role in determining the taste because of how it affects the amount of tobacco that’s able to be used. Next time you’re reaching for a cigar, grab a different vitola and see how it compares to the one you normally smoke. If you’re up for a real challenge, smoke the biggest and smallest vitolas of the same cigar at the same time. Your palate will be in for a real treat.
Join Cigar Rights of America
The plain and simple truth is that your ability to smoke a cigar is constantly under attack by people who oppose tobacco products of all shapes and sizes and don’t care where you smoke your favorite cigar. If you do nothing else on this list, become a member of Cigar Rights of America. This organization fights for your cigar rights at all levels of government, from city to state to federal, and they need your support. There team of lobbyists speaks up for you on a daily basis to make sure that your right to enjoy a premium handmade cigar are protected. A basic membership is only $35 per year, and you get two free limited edition cigars just for signing up. Give it as a gift to your cigar buddies as well – every individual who enjoys a cigar needs to be a member of CRA.
The plain and simple truth is that your ability to smoke a cigar is constantly under attack by people who oppose tobacco products of all shapes and sizes and don’t care where you smoke your favorite cigar. If you do nothing else on this list, become a member of Cigar Rights of America. This organization fights for your cigar rights at all levels of government, from city to state to federal, and they need your support. There team of lobbyists speaks up for you on a daily basis to make sure that your right to enjoy a premium handmade cigar are protected. A basic membership is only $35 per year, and you get two free limited edition cigars just for signing up. Give it as a gift to your cigar buddies as well – every individual who enjoys a cigar needs to be a member of CRA.
Write a letter to your elected officials asking them to defend your cigar rights
Cigar Rights of America has made it incredibly easy to track proposed legislation in your area that could affect your cigar rights, from smoking bans to increased taxation. They've developed an online tool that allows you to contact your elected officials and speak out against any proposed laws or actions that would hamper your cigar rights. Take the time to write a letter or call your elected officials and let them know that you are a cigar smoker, you vote, and you’re watching what they’re doing to protect your cigar rights.
Cigar Rights of America has made it incredibly easy to track proposed legislation in your area that could affect your cigar rights, from smoking bans to increased taxation. They've developed an online tool that allows you to contact your elected officials and speak out against any proposed laws or actions that would hamper your cigar rights. Take the time to write a letter or call your elected officials and let them know that you are a cigar smoker, you vote, and you’re watching what they’re doing to protect your cigar rights.
Support brick & mortar stores like ours in your city & keep your dollars local
Cigar retail locations like ours are the backbone of the tobacco industry and we need your support. It’s become easy to order cigars online with just a few mouse clicks, but when you do that you’re missing out on the expertise that our store has to offer, as well as the camaraderie and conversation that comes from enjoying a cigar with us. In addition, by supporting our shop you support our local economy, keeping your money in the community as opposed to sending it out of state.
Cigar retail locations like ours are the backbone of the tobacco industry and we need your support. It’s become easy to order cigars online with just a few mouse clicks, but when you do that you’re missing out on the expertise that our store has to offer, as well as the camaraderie and conversation that comes from enjoying a cigar with us. In addition, by supporting our shop you support our local economy, keeping your money in the community as opposed to sending it out of state.
Make 2013 your best year of enjoying cigars by adding a cigar-related resolution to your list. If you do, you’re guaranteed to get more out of your next cigar while helping support your local shop, community and the industry as a whole.
