How to smoke a cigar like a pro: Cigar smoking is a culture in itself.

October 13, 2010

Philippines Wine Shop Clark Wine Center is pleased to share with you articles, news and information about wine, wine events, wine tasting and other topics related to wine and the appreciation of wine.

It you think that all you have to do to exude an air of class while smoking a cigar is inhale (which should not be done) and exhale, do not go near a cigar before reading this!

Cigar smoking is a culture in itself, and in order to appear Cary Grant-like, you must know how to cut a cigar, light it and finally, smoke it.

choosing a cigar

When purchasing a cigar, either from a tobacco shop or a site like Canadian Cigar Company, there are certain things you should keep in mind:

The length and diameter of the cigar is related to the intensity of the cigar. So if you’re a novice cigar-smoker, then you may want a longer, thinner cigar (with cooler smoke) rather than a small stubby one, which may make you cough some.

Verify the quality of the cigar by squeezing it slightly to make sure there are no lumps in the it, and check to ensure that the tobacco at the end of it is not discolored. Also, avoid purchasing cigars with discolored wrappers.

Remember that if you’re purchasing cigars in the United States, you’d be hard-pressed to find Cubans, which is too bad, as these are top quality stogies.

Ask the salesperson whether the cigar consists of 100% tobacco — that’s what you want.

Cigar types

Although cigars are broken down into groups, depending on where they’re made and the tobacco leaves used, here are several categories of cigars classified by their shape and size.

Churchill
Measures 7 inches by 47-ring gauge (refers to the measurement for the diameter of a cigar). Named after Winston Churchill himself, who made the cigar one of his trademarks.

Corona (not the beer)
Measures 6 inches by 42-ring gauge. The standard by which other cigars are manufactured, the corona has an open foot (the end you light) and a closed head (the end you smoke), which is usually rounded.

Pyramid
Has a pointed, closed head.

Robusto
5 inches by 50-ring gauge.

Torpedo
Has a pointed head, closed foot and a bulge in the middle.

Panatelas
At 7 inches by 38-ring gauge, these are usually longer and thinner than coronas.

Culebras
Three Panatelas braided together to form one cigar.

Diademas
8 inches or longer, this large cigar usually has an open foot.

Perfecto
Similar to the torpedo, except that it has two closed ends with a bulge in the middle. A rounder cigar.

Clark Wine Center was built in 2003 by Hong Kong-based Yats International Leisure Philippines to become the largest wine shop in Philippines supplying Asia’s wine lovers with fine vintage wines at attractive prices.  Today, this wine shop in Clark Philippines offers over 2000 selections of fine wines from all major wine regions in the world.  As a leading wine supplier in Philippines, Pampanga’s Clark Wine Center offers an incomparable breadth of vintages, wines from back vintages spanning over 50 years.  Clark Wine Center is located in Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone adjacent to Angeles City, just 25 minutes from Subic and 45 minutes from Manila.

Wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone, Loire, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Alsace, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, South Africa, Chile and Argentina etc. are well represented in this Clark Wine Shop.

Buy wine in Pampanga, Philippines at good wine shops and boutique wine stores that offer good selection of good vintage wines at all price points. Wine lovers in Philippines can find good red wines in wine shops in Manila and Pampanga. Among the good selections of French red wines from Bordeaux are Chateau Gloria, Chateau Lafite, Chateau Margaux, Chateau Petrus, Chateau Lynch Bages, Chateau Latour, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Cheval Blanc, Chateau Ausone, Chateau le Pin, Chateau Palmer, Chateau Pontet Canet, Chateau Carruades de Lafite, Chateau les Forts de Latour, Chateau Pichon Lalande. This makes it easy and convenient for wine lovers to buy wine in Manila. Manila wine and food lovers looking for things to do in Pampanga and Manila can consider attending one of these wine events. Leading Philippines wine supplier and wine importer Yats Wine Cellars frequently hold public wine tasting in Clark, Pampanga and Manila.

For more information, email Wine@Yats-International.com or visit http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com