If you have friends smoking cigars, don’t be surprised if you see one or two of them holding a rather squarish shaped one instead of the regular round cigars. These are called “box-pressed” or “square-pressed” cigars. Cigars acquire the square-shaped characteristics from being packed tightly inside of a box, hence also the name box-pressed cigars. Packing the cigars tightly on a box was originally a shipment issue. To save on shipping space, manufacturers will pack boxes with as many cigars as possible. The first ever box-pressed cigars came from Cuba sometime in the onset of the 20th century.

For a long time Cubans were the only one’s making and exporting “cuadrados” or box-pressed cigars. This remained the status quo up until Padron came out with their Padron Anniversary 1964 series. Today box-pressed cigars are part of the cigar varieties that smokers can choose from. It has moved from being an exception into something conventional and commercial. So today, there are cigars makers that intentionally shape the round bodies into square. Manufacturers do this by pressing the cigars into square molds before they are packed into boxes and be readied for shipping. Like what was mentioned at earlier, box-pressing a cigar involves packing it tightly along with the others into boxes. In time, the cigar shape will begin to conform to that of the box. There’s also a trunk-pressing technique that has and still in use today. Although, this process is more delicate and involves the use of a trunk press made of wood. The press clamps together the cigars for about 30 minutes to as long as 12 hours.

Among the best known quality box-pressed cigars are Padron Anniversary, Aspira, Don Tomas Dominican Selection, Perdomo La Tradición, and Sancho Panza. It is said that box-pressed cigars burn longer and give a richer and flavorful smoke.

Depending on the molds or how makers do it, the extent of squareness of box-pressed cigars vary. Some have very sharp edges like the CAO Cameroon, CAO eXtreme, and Padron Anniversary 1964 cigar varieties. The Rocky Patel Vintage, on the other hand, has a more rounded body that the other box-pressed cigars.

When cigars have been shaped square from tight packing, more often than not, when left in a humidor with enough space long enough, they will return to their original rounder shape. However, some cigars retain their squarish appearance even after years of being left in a humidor.

Even, there are claims that box-pressed cigars are unusually strong and rich flavor and smell some still prefer the rounded cigars. It’s not that they don’t like the richer square ones but people who don’t like box-pressed cigars simply don’t like the feel of the cigars in their hands or in their mouths. Some like the shape, the feel and the taste.

However, a word of caution. Some cigar suppliers will try and sell you fake cigars and pose them as box-pressed ones. They will pack fake branded cigars into tight boxes and try passing them off as original box-pressed cigars of that brand. It would be best, therefore, that you buy your cigars from legitimate sources.

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You pick a cigar from your humidor, you cut off the tip, light it with your butane lighter and slowly draw a puff. Then you taste it. Your cigar tastes kinda funny. It doesn’t have the same aroma, taste or flavor the last time you smoked one. Questions start rushing into your mind. Was it the same cigar brand? Is my taste buds faulty today? Was is it the humidor’s fault? Was it the cellophane wrapper’s fault? Or was I fooled by man in the cigar shop? In time you will find the right answers. As you grow accustomed in cigar smoking,  you will know the basic do’s and don’ts. But for now, let me help you understand why suddenly your cigar began to taste funny and weird.

The only reason that I could think of is that your cigar has lost its freshness. Fresh cigars taste a lot different from aged ones. Not that I’m saying aged cigars are bad, since a number of people intentionally age their cigars. But let’s put that discussion on hold for later. For now let’s concentrate on fresh cigars.

Cigars should be able to retain their freshness over a couple of weeks when stored properly. Cigars are normally stored in boxes called humidors. However, once you open the box the cigars will start loosing their freshness since the moisture within the cigars will start to evaporate. The dryer or hotter the climate, the faster the cigars will dry out. If you think putting them in a refrigerator will help, then your absolutely wrong and you should never do so. The frost-free environment inside the refrigerator dries out the cigar faster. Never attempt to give your cigars a “sponge bath.” The excess water and humidity will damage your cigars. The idea is to retain the most moisture through the most natural way possible. A good cigar box or humidor can do the job pretty well.

To spot whether a cigar is fresh or not, one can use the traditional, yet quite effective “pinch or squeeze test.” To do the test, you simply and very lightly “pinch” the cigar between your thumb and forefinger. The cigar should feel firm and a little springy. You can tell if it’s no longer fresh if the cigar feels like wood, or if it feels too soft and spongy. Other indications of a fresh batch of cigar include having rich and oily sheen. Although, sometimes the type of tobacco used in cigars are dull. The “pinch test” seems to be the best way to know the freshness of a cigar.

I mentioned earlier that some prefer aging their cigars. Aging is actually a matter of preference. Some would age their cigars from three to six months while some even like wait for four years to smoke their cigars. Cigar aging also depends on the type, brand or variety of cigar. Some cigar variety age well while others will not. People who prefer aged cigars attest that the flavors are more blended and the taste is much mellow compared to fresh ones. Fresh cigars have characteristically sharp and zesty flavors. By aging the cigars, the flavors are muted and become less distinguishable.

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We encounter this question frequently: “What’s the difference between cigars and cigarettes?” In an attempt to clarify and inform you of the basic differences, I have compiled some information below and hopefully before you finish reading, you will be a bit smarter.

Let us begin with the obvious. One difference between the two is their size, with cigarettes being a lot smaller than cigars. Cigarettes are often more uniform in sizes compared to cigars. Cigars can measure more than five inches in length. And because of their sizes, the amount of tobacco they carry are also different. A typical cigarette can carry about a gram of tobacco. On the other hand, a cigar can contain between five and 20 grams of tobacco. There are cigars that contain tobacco equivalent to a pack of cigarettes. Consequently, cigars last longer than cigarettes. People can finish a cigarette in ten to fifteen minutes. While cigars are smoked longer. Cigar smokers don not finish a cigar in one sitting. They smoke a few puffs, enjoy the sensation and then put it out saving the rest for another day.

Now comes the more subtle differences. Cigars are generally considered much more sophisticated than cigarettes. The cigars are often associated with style, culture and the refined. When you want to appear sophisticated with cigarettes, one needs to attach it to a cigarette holder and dress the part, whereas cigars dresses the smoker with sophistication.

Believe it or not, there are far more distinct varieties of cigars than cigarettes. Although, there are a lot of brands of cigarettes out there, the differences with each other is not that pronounced. It’s just an issue of one having less nicotine than another. Cigars, on the other hand, is a different story. Aside from the outside appearances of cigars, the taste and smell of each brand is quite unique. No two cigar brands will have the same taste. Cigar makers pay more attention to providing their products with flavors than the makers of cigarettes.

Cigars are from a filler which is the bunched of tobacco that is bound inside the cigar and a binder, which is a tobacco leaf that is used to bind the filler together. The filler usually consists of different kinds of tobacco leaves and creates a distinct taste and aroma. Half of the cigar’s taste will rely on the filler. The binder is there to balance and sometimes enhance the flavor of the cigar’s filling.

These same flavors present in cigars also make them better companions of coffee or an alcoholic drink. Compared to the rather dull and less fulfilling taste of cigarettes,  cigar smokers can enhance one’s drinking experience more.

Another difference is actually more of a luxury for cigar smokers. Unlike cigarettes where you can smoke it anywhere you want, there are specific cigar bars that cater to the cigar smoking populace. The cigar bars add a certain level of exclusivity which further creates an image of sophistication for those who smoke cigars. Normally, cigarette smokers are not welcome inside cigar bars.

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First time cigar smokers will often wonder why brand new cigars are wrapped inside cellophane sleeves. Removing the cellophane and storing the cigar is a likely step to take. But you might hesitate doing so, since it is only logical that leaving the sleeves on will offer some sort of protection to the cigar.

Let’s take look at the cellophane first. Now, cellophanes are thin, transparent sheets made of processed cellulose, the same cellulose we find in wood, cotton or hemp. Thanks to Swiss textile engineer Jacques E. Brandenberger, the cellophane we now see and use today came into being. It was he who first developed cellophane from viscose film and was among the first who used it for practical purposes. He used the thin plastic to keep his cloths dry and protected.

In the same manner that Brandenberger used the cellophane to protect his clothes, cigar manufacturers used sleeves or sheets of cellophane to protect the delicate inner wrappings and the cigar itself. A number of cigar connoisseurs have asked the same questions again and again: is it advisable to remove the cellophane wrap of cigars? It is true that the low permeability to air of cellophane as well as its resistance to grease and bacteria makes them ideal for food packaging. However, for cigars keeping them wrapped in cellophane too long may work against it in the long run.

Because of the low permeability of cellophane, the outside air will not get through and reach the cigar. This could allow, as some experts assert, the cigar to age better and faster. Also, by keeping the cigars inside the cellophane, they will not lose much of their humidity. This makes humidors utterly important for cigar connoisseurs. With humidors, the air inside is protected from the outside elements. More importantly, one can control or maintaining the humidity inside the box.

On one hand, however, leaving the cellophane sleeves on will prevent different kinds of cigars from mixing their distinct aroma, flavors or tastes with each other. The cellophane locks the aroma and tastes of the cigar inside which is a pretty good reason to keep them on as you store your cigars inside the box.

After reading the benefits and disadvantages of leaving the cellophane, it all boils down to your own personal preference. You could try storing the cigars with and without the cellophane and see what’s best for your taste. The cigar might become too dry and may not retain the flavors of the cigar. You will know that a cigar is too dry if you already hear a crunching sound as you slightly squeeze and roll the cigar between your fingers.

We, in the meantime, would like you to adhere to a general rule regarding this matter of cigars and cellophanes. And that is: if you have no humidor, keep the cigars inside the cellophane wrappings for added protection and to keep it moist. If you have one, however, store the cigars inside the humidor without the cellophane and to avoid mixing flavors, you could always store different brands of cigars in different boxes.

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We’ve seen in the movies time and again how Cuban cigars are held in such high esteem. “If you’re not smoking Cuban, then don’t bother smoking a cigar,” seems to be the message being conveyed in the movies. In reality, however, experts will tell you that there are Honduras and Nicaraguan grown tobacco which makes great cigars that can rival those from Cuba. Nevertheless, Cuban made cigars continue to be considered as the best in the world. But definitely they are one of the most popular.

Hand made from a selection of the best grown tobacco leaves and the excellent, exquisite taste has made Cuban cigars more appealing than other brands. These and the fact that they are pretty expensive and hard to find makes them more of a novelty. It is hard to find because trading Cuban cigars is prohibited under U.S. soil.

There is a total ban on importing Cuban origin cigars. Regardless, if the cigars were purchased by an importer or was given as a gift, bringing cigars from Cuba to the US is deemed illegal. Likewise, any web-based transaction of Cuban-origin cigars and tobacco products and importing of the said products to the US is prohibited under US Laws. The prohibition covers the buying, selling, trading or engaging in any transactions involving illegally-imported Cuban cigars. It is even illegal for tourists or travelers to bring back to the US Cuban cigars bought or acquired in other countries, like Canada, United Kingdom, or Mexico.

These prohibitions on importing any Cuban-origin cigars and other tobacco products stemmed from the US imposed economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba. The embargo was declared way back in 1963 during President John F. Kennedy’s time. The Trading with the Enemy Act was issued on July 8, 1963 which was in in response to Cubans hosting Soviet nuclear weapons. As we all know, this eventually led to the well documented Cuban Missile Crisis. But that is a totally different story and we need a whole new article for that.

Because of the embargo, Cuban cigars have become a “holy grail” of cigar connoisseur in the US. All have heard about it, but only a few have actually smoked the true Cuban cigar. Not only is it hard to find but because it is illegal, sort of adds a thrill in smoking one.

The quality of the Cuba cigar is not isolated to one element alone, but is a combination of the quality of the filler, binder, and wrapper that may have come from the different portions of Cuba. All cigar production in Cuba government controlled with Habanos SA and Cubatabaco doing all the quality control, promotions and distribution and exportation of the cigar.

There are a number of popular Cuban cigar brands exported and distributed in the world market today. Cohiba is one brand and is considered the top brand in the industry today. This brand was first made in 1968 and was made exclusive for top government officials. Another popular brand is the Montecristo which perhaps enjoys distinction of being the most popular Cuban cigar in the world. Other brands include the Diplomaticos, Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey cigar brand, H. Uppmann, Romeo y Julieta brand, Rafael Gonzales cigars, and the Vegueros label.

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