DANNEMANN - Tobacco Culture - Tobacco FAQ

Tobacco FAQ

Here are the answers.

  • When does a cigar need to be cut?
    • A cigar needs to be cut if the tip is closed. This is typical for longfiller cigars.
  • How do I cut the cigar?
    • Cigars are carefully cut, notched, or punched with a cigar cutter, a pair of cigar scissors, or with a cigar drill. Be careful not to tear the wrapper. The opening must be big enough for sufficient puff. That means, it must be somewhat smaller than the cigar’s diameter and have clean-cut edges.
  • How do I light a cigar correctly?
    • Turn the cigar carefully with your fingers to expose the tip evenly above the flame of the lighter or a 7 to 8 cm long match. Take care to draw in the flame from a short distance, evenly lighting the tip. After treating the cigar like that for about 15 seconds, put the cigar in your mouth. To prevent the smoke from the flame from entering the cigar and affecting the taste, never hold the tip of the cigar (or the cigarillo) directly in the flame.
  • What should I use to light a cigar?
    • Generally, any type of fire may be used to light a cigar or a cigarillo, although gas lighters or matches are best. It is important not to use anything that emits a smell, such as fuel lighters or joss sticks. To produce a steady burn, matches used for lighting a cigar should be at least 7 to 8 cm long.
  • Why is the ash important?
    • For cigars and cigarillos, the ash has an important function: to protect the embers and to keep the cigar burning. So some ashes should always remain at the cigar tip. This has the additional advantage of a cooler smoke, which develops a perfect aroma. When the ashes part is longer than about an inch, take it off with a slight tap.
  • What should I do with the band?
    • Basically, the decision whether or not to remove the band it is up to each smoker. But if you decide to remove it, take care not to damage the wrapper.
  • At which intervals should I take a puff?
    • This is a matter of preference. Just take care not to smoke in a hurry; the cigar will get too hot, which will have a negative effect on the taste. For a cooler smoke – and the best taste – protect the embers and keep the cigar burning steadily by keeping some of the ashes at the cigar tip.
  • How do I put the cigar out?
    • Cigars should not be stubbed out. Just deposit it in the ashtray and let it burn out all by itself. In general, the right moment for putting it out comes when about one third or a quarter of the cigar remains.
  • Can I light my cigar again if it has gone out?
    • Of course, you may relight your cigar as often as you like. To relight the cigar, just remove the ashes, turn the cigar in a flame as for the first lighting and slightly draw in the flame until the tip is burning evenly again.
  • Are bigger and longer cigars stronger than others?
    • The idea ‘the bigger the cigar the stronger the taste’ is a widely held misunderstanding. The truth is, the bigger the cross section the milder the cigar, because the tobacco has a filtering function here, and the smoke is cooler when it reaches the palate.
  • What are Tubos?
    • ‘Tubos’ are metal tubes in which single cigars are packed to kept them fresh.
  • What are short or long fillers?
    • In cigar making we distinguish between short and longfillers.

      For short fillers: the filler tobacco is torn into small pieces during the manufacturing process. In automated production, up to 15 different tobacco varieties may be combined in a cigar.

      For long filler: cigars, three or four long strips of tobacco are manually cut and used as filler tobacco.

  • How do you keep the cigar fresh?
    • Generally, cigars should be kept in a cool and not too dry place. Longfiller cigars require a relative humidity of approximately 70 to 75 % and a storage temperature of 18 to 20 °C. The lower value is right for Sumatran cigars, while the upper value is appropriate for Brazilian cigars. To meet these conditions, longfiller cigars are kept in a humidor, which guarantees a steady humidity and temperature.
  • Do you inhale when smoking cigars or cigarillos?
    • No! You will enjoy the best taste when smoking cigars or cigarillos without inhaling. Only your palate can taste the aroma, and thanks to the large variety of tobacco blends, cigars and cigarillos offer a more finely nuanced flavor than any other tobacco product.
  • Are dark cigars stronger than bright ones?
    • No. The color of the wrapper (Brazil tobacco is dark, Sumatra and Havana varieties are bright) has nothing to do with a cigar’s strong or light taste (comparable to the red and white wine).
  • What is a cigar composed of?
    • A cigar is composed of filler, binder and wrapper.

      Filler: The inner component of the cigar which in part determines the taste. It consists of up to 15 different tobacco varieties.

      Binder: Leaf used to wrap the filler.

      Wrapper: The outer, visible tobacco leaf is the wrapper. The wrapper is selected with much care because it gives the cigar its individual look.

  • Which are the most common cigar formats?
    • The most common cigar formats are: Cigarillo, Senorita, Panatella, Robusto, Corona and Churchill.