Cigar 101
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Cigar 101
Cuban Cigar Sizes (Vitolas) Explained — The 2026 Guide
A vitola is the size + shape spec of a Cuban cigar. There are over 70 named vitolas in the Habanos catalogue. This guide explains every category that matters: Robusto, Churchill, Petit Edmundo, Behike, Piramide, Lonsdale, and more — with ring gauges, lengths, and smoke times.
Cigar 101
What Is a Habano? The Complete Guide to Cuban Cigars (2026)
A Habano is a cigar that is 100% Cuban-grown, Cuban-rolled, and licensed by Habanos S.A. Every other 'Cuban-style' cigar is something else. Here's the 2026 guide: what counts, what doesn't, and how to read the band.
Cigar 101
Your Humidor Will Betray You This Summer — Here's How to Survive It
Most cigar collections lose more inventory between June and August than the rest of the year combined. The reason is boring physics, the fix is four simple moves, and almost nobody does them on time.
Cigar 101
My Cigar Selection : A Leader's Guide to Shape, Size, and Shade
A practical guide to cigar selection — how shape (vitola), size (length and ring gauge), and wrapper color shape your smoke. The framework you actually need at the humidor.
Cigar 101
What's the Best Way to Cut a Cigar? We Settle the Debate.
How to cut a cigar the right way. Guillotine vs V-cut vs punch, the anatomy you need to know, and how to handle torpedoes — even without a cutter.
Cigar 101
The Secret Lives of Cigars: What 'Puro,' 'Habano,' and 'Tobacco' Really Mean for Your Smoke
Tobacco, puro, habano — three words that get used interchangeably in cigar conversations and shouldn't be. What each term actually means, what it tells you about a cigar's origin, and how the distinctions show up in your humidor.
Cigar 101
Cigar Mold: What It Is and How to Get Rid of It
Cigar mold versus plume — how to tell them apart, what triggers a humidor outbreak, and a step-by-step protocol for saving the cigars that can still be saved.
Cigar 101
The Aficionado's Nightmare: A Complete Guide to Cigar Beetles
Cigar beetles can destroy a humidor in days. How to spot them, what triggers a hatch, and the freezing protocol every collector must know.
Cigar 101
10 Cigar Essentials Every Aficionado Should Master
Ten cigar essentials that separate beginners from serious aficionados — origin, fermentation, anatomy, cutting, lighting, draw technique, ash management, humidor science, and the etiquette nobody publishes.
Cigar 101
How to Light a Cigar
How to light a cigar properly — toast the foot, get an even cherry, choose the right flame, and avoid the four mistakes that ruin the first inch. A working aficionado's guide.
Cigar 101
The Aficionado's Code: Cigar Etiquette That Actually Matters
Cigar etiquette the way it's practiced — not posted. How to cut, light, smoke, ash, and behave in a lounge without embarrassing yourself or wasting a $40 stick.
Cigar 101
First Steps Into The Cigar World
A working beginner's guide to your first cigar — what to buy, how to cut and light it, how to pace the smoke, and the etiquette rules nobody publishes but everyone is judging you on.
Cigar 101
Pairings and Gear: Where the Cigar Ritual Has Actually Moved
Mezcal, agricole rum, smart humidors, and the gear that earns its place in a serious lineup. A working guide to pairings and accessories that have changed in the last five years.
Cigar 101
The Silent Keeper: Why Proper Cigar Storage is Your Secret to Unforgettable Smokes
Proper cigar storage decides whether a $30 stick smokes like one. Humidor humidity, temperature, hygrometer calibration, and the rotation habit serious collectors live by.
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