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UNDER
THE WRAPPER
Informed information about Cuban Cigars
November 2001 Issue #3
wrapper@ajaxcigars.com
Welcome
to Issue #3 of
UNDER THE WRAPPER
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IN THIS ISSUE
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=> Welcome
=> Feature Article - Humidors
=> Industry News - Habanos SA To Cut Certain Vitolas
=> Spotlight - Our Newsletter Special
=> Reader Feedback Invited
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information
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WELCOME
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The
US embargo has had a tremendous impact on the Cuban cigar
industry, just as it has had a tremendous impact on practically
every aspect of the Cuban economy.
Our
Industry News Article - "Habanos SA To Cut Certain Vitolas"
describes major changes which will be taking place to the
brands
(marquees) and the elimination of certain vitolas within the
marquees. However, it is the feeling of the writer that this
posturing to meet demand is aimed at the US market. While
the
vast majority of all Habanos sold on the US gray market are
fake, the amount of genuine Cuban Cigars sold is at least
5 million cigars per year.
Should
the trade embargo end, Altadis USA only owns the rights to
a few of the brands currently produced in Havana, trademark
issues
will therefore dog the initial influx of what brands could
be
distributed on the US market. As the knowledge of many US
cigar
smokers is limited to the flagship marquees, the demand for
the
well known brands through direct sale venues and over the
internet
will skyrocket.
In
1998, according to Habanos S.A., the Trinidad line was actually
initially aimed at the American market. The marquee had its
first
release in Canada and Mexico, a strategic move to try to get
sales
that would seep through the US border, skirting the embargo.
As
borders become more porous, and the economy becomes more global
the market in the US for Habanos will increase, and the greatest
demand will fall on the flagship marquees and vitolas, and
the
reorganization of the marquees and vitolas is oriented toward
this end.
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FEATURE ARTICLE - HUMIDORS
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The
question I seem to get asked most (after how do you ship to
the US and are your Cubans genuine) is about humidors and
proper
humidification. Everyone knows what happens when you try and
smoke a cigar that you found in the back of a desk drawer.
Spark
that baby up and talk about your memorable cigar! So the problem
is how to keep the cigars as fresh as the day they were rolled.
Tip
#1 Don't store your cigars in the fridge. The modern fridge
is frost free and sucks the moisture out of the cigars.
Just think of that shriveled apple you find at the back
of the crisper.
A
humidor is any device that is used in an attempt to keep cigars
from losing their moisture content. It can be anything from
a
ziplock bag with a piece of damp sponge to a walk in room
kept at
a constant temperature and humidity.
TIP
#2 Anything is better than nothing.
Lets
say that you have decided to graduate beyond the ziplock bag
or the Tupperware container borrowed from the wife. Most buy
a
wooden desk top humidor which holds anywhere from 25 to 100
cigars.
A
satisfactory desk top humidor must have the following:
1)
The interior must be lined with either Spanish Cedar or Mahogany.
2)
The lid must seal properly - not to tight, not to loose. The
best
way to check is the drop test. Lift the lid so that it is
about 2"
above the front of the box. Drop the lid. It should almost
close
all the way. Not quite but almost. It should close the rest
of the way with a minimum of hand pressure. If the lid hits
the
top of the box when you let it go its to loose. If you have
to
force it down its to tight. Remember its on the store shelf
and
no moisture has been added at this point.
I know a guy who bought 2 of those French jobs at over a $1000.00
a pop. Absolutely gorgeous looking. He filled up the moisture
brick with water dropped his cigars in and a week later couldn't
open the lid. To tight. Wrecked the finish prying it open.
3) A lot of the humidors you buy come complete with both the
humidity
gage, called a hygrometer, and the moisture element called
the
brick. Cheap analogue hygrometers are not worth having and
I
recommend the digital ones which cost about $25.00. The digital
ones also tell temperature as well as humidity levels inside
the
box. You can have a lot of money tied up in cigars. The hygrometer
is the most important piece of equipment in the box.
4) The brick comes in many sizes and shapes. The size of your
humidor will dictate the size of the brick required to do
the job.
A lot of people start with a small one and add another if
the
first doesn't provide the necessary humidity. They usually
just
stick on with Velcro or a magnetic strip so they can be easily
removed to add water.
So
now you have the box you want - what's next?
Steps
to Curing a Humidor
A humidor's proper moisture and temperature environment must
be
created before attempting to store cigars, This is called
"curing" a
humidor. Here are the simple steps involved in this process.
Remove and fill the brick with distilled water.
With
a fresh sponge, dampened with distilled water, thoroughly
wet
the sides, top and bottom of the humidor interior.
Leave
the damp sponge in the humidor, resting on a plastic bag.
Make sure there is no direct contact between the sponge and
humidor.
Install the humidity brick.
Close
the humidor overnight or for at least twelve hours.
Open
the humidor, remove the sponge and plastic bag.
Close
humidor again for an additional twelve hours, ensuring the
interior wood has a raised level of humidity prior to storing
cigars.
Your
humidor is now ready to accept your cigars for storage.
Well, finally, you now have your cigars in your new humidor,
we're
almost done, just a few things you still need to know.
Relative Humidity is the amount of moisture air can hold at
different
temperatures.
These guidelines may be able to help you keep your cigars
stored
correctly.
You
are trying to achieve a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit
and
a relative humidity (R.H.) of 70% in your humidor. The table
below
gives you the equivalent figures you need.
EXAMPLE:
Lets take the top figures in the table. If your
humidor temperature reads 74 degrees you only have to
have a R.H. of 61% to equal 70 degrees and 70%.
Get it?
TEMP<------>R.H.
74
<---------> 61 %
73 <---------> 63 %
72 <---------> 65 %
71 <----*----> 68 %
70 <----*----> 70 %
69 <----*----> 72 %
68 <----*----> 75 %
67 <---------> 78 %
66 <---------> 80 %
65 <---------> 83 %
One
last thing on relative humidity and temperature. I have marked
four of the ranges with a *. I always try to keep my humidors
within
these ranges. Why? Tobacco beetle. If you keep your cigars
stored
for any period of time above a temperature of 72 degrees you
are
inviting our friend to dinner. My ideal is 68 degrees and
75%.
TIP
#3 If you store your cigars in a desk top humidor you must
rotate them. There is no air movement within the humidor.
So move the ones on the bottom to the top every couple of
weeks.
NEXT ISSUE Rod's Never Fail 6'6" x 4' Cabinet Humidor.
Holds up to 200 boxes.
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INDUSTRY NEWS - HABANOS S.A. TO CUT CERTAIN VITOLAS FROM PRODUCTION
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In
1999 the French-Spanish organization Altadis purchased a 50%
stake in Habanos SA (the Cuban corporation in charge of marketing
and distributing Habanos), for US $500 million. A marketing
meeting was held in Havana earlier this summer. It was decided
that Habanos SA will soon rearrange its variety-rich portfolio.
The existing brand names (marquees) will not be changed, but
some of the vitolas within the marquees will be phased out.
In
the future a marquee will be either totally devoted to
producing handmade, machine made, or machine bunched-hand
finished
cigars.
This is a welcome change as it will help the consumer
understand the portfolio of Habanos more easily.
Along
with this change some of the vitolas will be given up entirely.
Some of these are great cigars. I have a complete list of
all the
cigars that will be dropped and if anyone wants the full list
please
contact me.
Here
are the important ones:
El
Rey Del Mundo Tanios
Fonseca Invictos
H. Upmann Lonsdales
H. Upmann Petite Upmann
La Gloria Cubana Tanios
Partagas Churchill DeLuxe
Partagas 8-9-8 Unvarnished
Partagas Presidentes
Partagas Selection Privada No. 1
Romeo y Julieta Celestiale Finos
Romeo y Julieta Prince of Wales
Habanos
SA does not want to officially name the vitolas that will
be
taken off the market, because this could likely lead to a
sudden
special interest in the cigars. Of course, this may not be
true as
well, as some of the vitolas are known only to the devout
havanaphile,
and hence sales are quite low.
Well,
the word will spread and these cigars will vanish from the
market sooner than later. I'm thinking back to some of the
other
cigars that are no longer available. Just look at any of the
cigar
auctions and see what they are going for now. This is an excellent
investment opportunity. The time is short and should be used
wisely.
We presently have all of the vitolas available with the exception
of
the Partagas Selection Privada No. 1
Hey!
What's the worst that can happen?
You end up with some great smokes.
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Our recommended cut off date for Christmas
shipping is December 12th 2001
Gift specials are on the site.
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
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SPOTLIGHT: THIS MONTHS NEWLETTER SPECIAL
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This section is devoted to specials for e-mail subscribers
to
UNDER THE WRAPPER.
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READER FEEDBACK INVITED:
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to: wrapper@ajaxcigars.com
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HOW TO BE A GUEST COLUMNIST INSTRUCTIONS
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Copyright 2001 Ajax Cigars
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