Up in Smoke

Gentlemen, you may smoke...." Those immortal words--music to the ears of cigar connoisseurs everywhere--were first spoken by King Edward VII in 1901 upon assuming the throne of England. Thus ended the 64-year antitobacco reign of Queen Victoria, and the 20th Century was destined to become a more enlightened era in which to live. And some years are even better than others.

The cigar is a symbol of the good life and of people who know how to live it. Contrary to popular myth, the Cuban embargo of 1962 did nothing to slow down the manufacture of premium smokes. The cigar makers of Havana simply took their brands and Havana seeds to more hospitable surroundings. Soon, the legendary cigars of old Havana's Vuelta Abajo growing region were being created anew in areas such as Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and the Canary Islands. Here the soil and the climate were equal to the best that Cuba had to offer.

This means that cigars, like wines, have vintages and can be aged so that their tastes will deepen and mellow. Like wines, cigars also should be stored in a cool, dark place. But unlike wines, cigars do not peak and then lose their flavor. Even if exposed to air over long periods of time, they can usually be rehumidified and brought back to life. By contrast, once a 1973 California cabernet has been opened to the elements over a weekend, it is gone forever. (Not everyone shares the connoisseur's appreciation of a good (continued on page 148)Up In Smoke(continued from page 119) cigar. Thus, it's considered good form to ask if anyone minds your lighting up. Since most restaurants prohibit cigars in the dining area, save your fresh panatela for the lounge or your favorite easy chair.)

Three distinct elements are hand-rolled into every premium cigar: the filler (always long leaf in the better grades), which forms the thick "body" of the cigar; the binder, a separate leaf that holds the filler together; and the wrapper, the outer leaf that gives each cigar its visual appeal and contributes about 30 percent to the cigar's taste.

Although there are many categories of cigar classifications, you have to know only three variations in order to make a selection. Each refers to wrapper color and taste. The lightest in color and mildest in taste is claro (sometimes referred to as American Market Selection or AMS), a delicate greenish brown in hue. Next comes colorado, or English Market Selection (EMS). These cigars possess a medium-full taste and their wrappers are rich brown. Finally, we have the maduro, or Spanish Market Selection (SMS), a deep dark-brown cigar, very strong and robust in flavor. First-time or occasional smokers who want a satisfying cigar that is not too strong may want to start with a good claro, such as Dunhill's Montecruz Number 210 Natural Claro, an especially mild variation of the more robust Number 210 Natural. Seasoned cigar smokers may find more satisfaction in some of the new medium-heavy Dominican Republic cigars such as the Pleiades or the Juan Clemente. And finally, for the man who wants a hefty-tasting cigar, the Honduran Punch Rothschild or Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Number I is the perfect way to gracefully end an evening of fine food and wine.

In selecting a cigar, remember that taste is determined by thickness--called ring gauge--rather than length. (Ring gauge is measured in increments of 1/64 of an inch.) The cigars we've included in this article were chosen with taste and shape as primary considerations. However, we also took into account convenience, and thus added the Jose Benito Havanitos, for the man who wants a thick, flavorful repast yet does not have the pocket space or the time for a large cigar. Based on the same criteria, we included the relatively new Upmann Pequeños, a short four-and-a-half-inch premium cigar that comes in 42, 46 and 50 ring gauges, for the man who resents having time to smoke only half of his three-dollar cigar before the curtain goes up.

Preparing to light your cigar involves a certain amount of ritualistic foreplay. First, the head, which has been sealed with a leaf of gummed tobacco, must be clipped. Be sure to use a properly shaped cigar cutter designed to make either a V cut or a full ("guillotine") cut so that the end of your cigar will not feather or unravel. (Tearing off the end of your chosen smoke with your teeth and spitting it across the room is definitely not part of the ritual.) Next comes the light. For this, only a wooden match or a butane lighter should be used; anything else will impart a rancid chemical undertaste to the delicate tobacco blends of the filler. First, rotate the end of the cigar slightly above the tip of the flame without actually touching it to the tobacco. The end of the cigar will quickly darken as the moisture and oils are dried out. Suddenly, the flame will actually leap to the cigar as the tobacco is kissed by the fire. Then a thin whiff of smoke will indicate that the cigar is ready to smoke. Place it to your lips and, if needed, light it again to make sure that the entire end is aglow. Then sit back and sip the rich, full flavor.

The following is a connoisseur's guide to a variety of premium smokes.

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Juan Clemente Churchill: The aroma is deceptively light, but the cigar itself has a rich, lingering undertaste that many smokers find appealing.

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Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic: A top-of-the-line Dominican Republic cigar with a sweet, heavy aroma and a tapered foot for easy lighting.

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Hoyo de Monterrey José Gener Excalibur Number I: This Honduran cigar is a full, rich smoke.

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Macanudo Baron de Rothschild: Hand-rolled in Jamaica, this cigar has a light aroma, a pleasant undertaste and a mellow flavor.

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Montecruz Number 210 Natural Claro: A new and popular variation on Dunhill's standard Number 210; the wrapper indicates an exceptionally light taste.

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Partagas Number 10: Hand-rolled in the Dominican Republic, this robust cigar provides a full, rich taste.

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Peñamil Number 17: A superb Canary Islands smoke with a strong but not overpowering flavor.

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Pleiades Sirius: Another rich Dominican Republic brand with a bouquet that blends nicely with its heavy, full-bodied flavor.

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Punch Rothschild: This rich Honduran sports a classic short, thick shape.

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Romeo y Julieta Monarcas: The size of this Dominican Republic cigar disguises its delicate, medium-full flavor laced with a mellow undertaste.

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Te-Amo Toro: One of the best Mexican cigars, with a mild flavor that lingers on the palate.

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H. Upmann 2000: A classic cigar with a medium-full flavor, now produced in the Dominican Republic.

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The need for many of today's high-grade-cigar smokers to condense rich flavor into a short smoking time has led to the creation of premium minicigars. These two brands are prime examples:

Jose Benito Havanitos: These five-inch Dominican Republic cigars pack a surprising amount of flavor in small hand-rolled packages for a hefty 25-minute smoke.

Upmann Pequeños: These four-and-a-half-inch cigars from the Dominican Republic come in three ring sizes: 42, 46 and 50. A short smoke that's long in flavor.

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Smokers may also want to pick up the following brands to round out their humidors. Davidoff of Geneva: Look for these fine cigars in shapes from the Mouton-Cadet to the Classic. Tinder Box La Reserva: A newly introduced cigar that has already become a much-sought-after commodity, combining Cuban seed with the finest Dominican tobacco leaf. Primo del Rey: A high-quality Dominican cigar with a variety of ring gauges to suit a total spectrum of taste. Veracruz: One of Mexico's classic cigars. Each is individually humidified in a sealed glass tube and encased in its own cedar box. Royal Jamaica: Made in Jamaica until a year ago, this flavorful smoke is now expertly hand-rolled in the Dominican Republic. Don Diego: A favorite from the Dominican Republic. Some sizes are available in tubes (Monarchs, Corona Major, Royal Palmas) and a humidified jar (Amatista). Don Tomas: A Honduran cigar, capable of delivering a full taste in all of the ring gauges. Ramon Allones: A Dominican cigar that delivers a medium-full taste. La Regenta: A hand-made cigar from the Canary Islands, for the smoker who prefers a medium taste. Kiskeya: Introduced only two years ago and not yet widely found, its shade-grown Connecticut wrapper and Dominican Republic leaf have created a cigar worth seeking, especially in the large Presidente size.

Now, gentlemen, you may smoke!