Don Tomas Cigars & More

All Right, Saint Louis has chosen a smoking ban for all public building, with only a small number allowances. I am so sick and tired of my legal rights being eliminated, I am distraught. I can’t fathom the reason non-smokers have such a assertive personal judgement on what we smokers do. I comprehend that smoking is bad, but I made a conscience decision when I took up smoking, observant of the fact it was unhealthy. Just because non-smokers want me to cease, does not mean that it’s going to happen. Smoking in bars has been a privilage, but most restaurants provide a special smoking room. If you prefer not to to inhale the smoke, don’t sit in the smoking room, you are not unwilling made to sit in the smoking section. And as far as the workers of these pubs that say they are distressed by second hand smoke, prove it. I was employeed in the hospitality industry for over 10 years, and I know that most of theco-workers were smokers.  Interacting with people, tends to, initiates you to inhale.  And, I have never overheard any non-smoking co-worker ever whine about second hand smoke while working in the smoking room. Putting a smoking prohibition in restaurants and bars, will only save me money, because I refuse to go out after the January 1st.

I have made a decision this holiday to ask for easy Christmas Gifts that my wife can determine competently for me. My selection, as always, is my favored stogie from cigars-com.net. My wife won’t even have to leave the home, she can go on the internet (I have all my favorites sites saved) and make out the order there. As far as anything else, she can head over to the local store and choose a gift. She says to me every Christmas that I am utterly difficult person to shop for. But we have been together for about 15 years! And if she doesn’t know the things I admire by now, I give up. I continuously mention every December, “I got to have stogies”, I enjoy 1 or 2 in a day, and that adds up. I bought a humidor for holding my stogies, “what’s that for?” she says. Well my beloved, it’s to keep my cigars refreshed. So, if you get me smokes for December I can store them in that for a couple months and pull a stogie when I am wanting to fancy one. Although I have to say, I was blessed last year, she purchased me a lighter that was ingraved with my initials. The prior year, she got me a fishing pole, because I said I wanted to go fishing again someday. Well, I went fishing once since then, but guess what, I still smoke 1-2 stogies a day. In the end what do I want for the holiday this year? I want Cigars, and anything else would just be an secondary delight.

The simplest method of categorizing cigars is by the method in which they are made. Cigars are either rolled by hand, or manufactured by machines. The beginner smoker may be tempted to start by trying those machine made brands sold in Drug Stores, such as Garcia Vega. However, the Novice Smoker should consider spending a few more pennies and moving up to hand rolled cigars, which are sold on the web or at a local tobacco retailer.

Daily Smokers Vs Connoisseurs
TypicalIndividual cigar smokers have their own unique tastes, and have their own individual budget. Those who are smoking multiple cigars per day may need an “everyday” cigar that is less expensive. Therefore, the taste and cost of machine made cigars can be very attractive to some smokers. However, to the new smoker or experienced connoisseurs, the ones who enjoy an occasional cigar as a special treat, the hand rolled cigar is worth every dime.

Have you been witness to a debate questioning the proper etiquette regarding removal of the vaunted cigar band? Just as there is no complete agreement on the origin of the band, differences of opinion exist on contemporary band manners. Etiquette guides of 19th-century England, the land from which most manners were dictated, insisted that only “lower classes” failed to remove the band. These same guides did approve, however, of turning the face of the band toward one’s fellows if “the cigar was of sufficient quality to impress them.”

Most modern U.S. tobacconists tell customers that band removal is strictly a matter of choice. Interestingly, the majority of tobacconists queried said they personally removed bands so as not to show favoritism, except, predictably, those smoking their own house brands who view the display of the band as inexpensive advertising.

Why remove it? The arguments range from the potential of the band damaging the wrapper to the steadfast belief that only the most naive smokers would actually leave the band on. Most experts, including Zino Davidoff, believe that the removal of a cigar band is a “personal choice,” claiming that in today’s world there is no shame in leaving the band on a cigar, citing references to both practices in literature as evidence. He personally removes his bands, but only after a few puffs, when the cigar is well-lighted and “running.” Waiting a few minutes allows the heat of the smoke to make the gum on the band less adhesive and easier to remove without tearing the fragile wrapper.

One country does still take a rather strong view with respect to the band – the British. They still consider it “bad form” to advertise the brand you are smoking – as you wouldn’t want to embarrass another gentleman smoking an inferior brand. No matter whether you decide to remove the band before, during, or not at all be prepared to support your choice.

There have been more than a few stories contemplating the origin of the cigar band – here are three: First is that of the Russian Queen, Catherine the Great who ordered all of her cigars to be wrapped in silk in order to protect her fingers. In an effort to mimic the queen all cigars in Russia eventually had the same bands applied. But, why would Cubans be influenced by the extravagances of a queen over 5,000 miles away?

Story #2 stems from the need to keep white gloves in England from being soiled. There are three reasons this most likely is not the origin. For one, a properly rolled and smoked cigar would not stain fingers. Secondly, smokers most often did not wear these gloves while smoking (as shown in photographs of the period). And third, keeping in mind your own experiences, how often have you ever noticed anyone actually holding the cigar by the band while smoking?

The third story suggests the most logical development of the cigar band counterfeiting. During the 1800’s as the popularity of the cigars was steadily increasing, the demand for Cuban cigars overwhelmed the supply. Don Francisco Cabanas (owner of a prestigious brand of Cuban Cigars) estimated that “for every one of the 2 million Cuban cigars that I ship to Europe, 6 million are being sold there.” So in an effort to combat the fake Cuban cigars, a local factory owner named Gustave Bock, a European immigrant well versed in the practices of Old World Merchants, ordered that a paper ring with his signature be placed on every cigar intended for export.