Sure you can smoke a 460cc driver off the tee, but do you know the intricate fundamentals of smoking a good cigar?<\/p>\n
I’ve had all the golf lessons I could ever want (no, they didn\u2019t help).\u00a0 But for a primer on choosing the best cigar to enjoy between lousy shots I turned to Bill Shindler, manager of downtown Portland, Oregon\u2019s Rich\u2019s Cigar Store, who has been selling smoke for more than 30 years.\u00a0 Shindler is the David Leadbetter of cigar smoking, though if you ask him about his golf handicap he\u2019s likely to retort, \u201cYou mean other than my temper?\u201d<\/p>\n
Nattily dressed in a leather vest and cigar motif necktie, Shindler begins my stogie education by describing the construction of a cigar, which consists of the wrapper, binder, and filler.\u00a0 Eighty percent of the taste and flavor comes from the wrapper, which is named after its place of origin.\u00a0 The best wrappers are grown in Connecticut (yes, really), though Cameroon wrappers are also quite good.\u00a0 A fine cigar wrapper will exude a light, oily sheen and feel firm yet pliable when squeezed.<\/p>\n
Just inside the wrapper lies the binder\u2014a thicker, coarser leaf that holds the filler together and affects the burn rate of the cigar.\u00a0 Thicker binders equate to a slower, cooler smoke.<\/p>\n
Inside the binder, a good hand-rolled cigar will contain long or whole-leaf filler, which should produce ash at least an inch in length.\u00a0 Most of the best tobacco currently comes from three places: Nicaragua, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic.\u00a0 Although Cuban cigars still carry a mystique because you can\u2019t buy them in the United States, Shindler asserts that other nations have developed better crops.\u00a0 He adds that comparing cigars is much like comparing French and California wines\u2014products from different regions can be equally good.\u00a0 In fact, cigars and wine share much in common as both are influenced by climate and soil and induce aficionados to speak in a language that may sound like utter frippery to outsiders.<\/p>\n
For golfers, cigar selection can prove as crucial as club selection.\u00a0 \u201cI often choose a cigar based on the length of time I have to enjoy it,\u201d Shindler says.\u00a0 \u201cOn the golf course I like a larger cigar because they smoke cooler and the flavors are more complex.\u00a0 I\u2019m moving, outdoors, and the wind may be blowing.\u201d\u00a0 He recommends choosing a cigar \u201cthat can hold up to the vulgarities of your particular golf game.\u00a0 For me, a good cigar might be the most redeeming part of my round.\u201d\u00a0 And although he likes to wait until he hits his first good shot to light up, sometimes he\u2019s forced to break this rule.<\/p>\n
When faced with a temperature-and-humidity-controlled cigar case full of attractive stogies, less experienced smokers should rely on an expert to help select a good fit.\u00a0 But keep in mind that recommendations may say as much about who\u2019s standing behind the counter.\u00a0 Shindler likes to ask new clients about their favorite smoking experience\u2014did the cigar have a hint of nutmeg, or did it remind the smoker of a beloved uncle?\u00a0 How long will you have to smoke it, and will it likely be with your morning coffee or with a small-batch bourbon after a big meal?\u00a0 A good tobacconist should combine the skills of a psychiatrist, a detective, and an accountant to find the right smoke for you\u2014whether a dainty, inexpensive caf\u00e9 cr\u00e8me or a swaggering, unwieldy Churchill.<\/p>\n
Once you\u2019ve chosen a cigar you\u2019ll want to make sure to use it properly\u2014and by that I don\u2019t just mean not lighting up in yoga class.\u00a0 All cigars feature a cap on the end meant to hold the wrapper together, but which must be pierced so that smoke will draw through into your mouth.\u00a0 Shindler warns smokers not to clip below the cap line to ensure that the cigar won\u2019t unravel.\u00a0 He prefers a punch or plug cut as opposed to using a guillotine cutter (or your teeth).\u00a0 In an emergency you can always poke the sharp end of a golf tee through the center of the cap.<\/p>\n
\u201cCigars can also be lit a thousand ways,\u201d Shindler says.\u00a0 \u201cAnd this is a crucial part of the ritual.\u201d\u00a0 Although using a piece of burning cedar (included in many tube-enclosed cigars) is traditional, he prefers a butane lighter.<\/p>\n
To light a cigar, \u201chold it at a 45-degree angle and slowly roast the tip so that the gases burn off and the cigar can acclimate to the heat.\u00a0 It\u2019s like warming cognac.\u00a0 Hold the flame away from the tip and draw to it with a soft, gentle pull.\u00a0 Rotate to get an even burn.\u201d\u00a0 He lights a Fuente Don Carlos to demonstrate, and immediately becomes calmer, more reflective.\u00a0 \u201cTake a moment to savor it.\u00a0 Waft it under your nose,\u201d he practically drawls.<\/p>\n
After that, it proves difficult to get Shindler\u2014who seems lost in a cloudy reverie\u2014 to answer any more questions, but he does offer the following additional tips:<\/p>\n
Rich\u2019s Top 10 Cigars:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n For further info: 800-669-1527, www.richscigarstore.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n