Cigar Watch

This is an area with only two things to look at but one of them is worth a whole 27 points. First to the lesser – the wrapper staying intact. Have you ever had a cigar unwrap as you smoked it? I have and it is not a peasant experience – particularly if I was enjoying the smoke. There are some makers that just don’t seem to get the wrappers applied very well. And it is very frustrating to have to hold the damn thing together while you smoke it. Three points if it holds together – zero if it unravels. I will admit that I don’t give one or two points in this area very often.

But the big dog in this field is the draw – 27 points on the line. The best cigars will have a medium draw – easy but not too easy. A cigar that draws very easy has probably been packed too light – rolled too loose – and will be difficult to keep cool. Even the most gentle of draws will be enough to get the fire very hot. These cigars also tend to burn fairly quickly. The opposite – a very hard draw – is even more frustrating. Relighting – hard work to get a taste – not a very good result. I will sometimes cut the far end of the stick off in an attempt to improve the draw. If that fails, I throw it away and look for more commodious company.

Pay attention to the draw at the beginning, middle and ¾ of the way down the stick. Poorly made cigars will vary – often because they swell up half way down making the draw much harder.

Because there are so many points on the line, you may find it hard at first to tell the difference between a 15 and 20 point draw – but, with experience, you will come to see that there are many grades of draws. It is not only the draw but the way the draw changes as you smoke the cigar. Now on to the big question of Taste.