International Cigar Discount Shop

The holiday season is quickly approaching and you might be wondering what to get that guy on your list who has everything and wants for nothing. I’m sure you know the guy I’m talking about, the one with who just purchased a brand new LED television for his theater last month, has a collection of leather bound first editions in his library, and the walls of his office are covered in original works of art and photos of him standing next to diplomats and dignitaries. What kind of gift gets that guy excited? After all he might already be the most interesting man in the world.

No matter how timelessly cool any man might be, he will always appreciate the gift of cigars or cigar accessories like a cigar humidor. There’s just something about a quality cigar that just speaks to a man.

Of course Cuban cigars are the benchmark of the cigar world and due to import/export sanctions are not legally sold in the United States. However there are a great deal of high quality cigars that guy on your holiday list will enjoy.

Before choosing a particular style or make of cigar its important to understand what goes into a cigar and what distinguishes one from another. Cigars are made from two parts of the tobacco plant. The cigar is composed of high grade tobacco wrapped in an aged tobacco leaf. Much of the flavor of a cigar comes from the wrapper. In fact a great deal of the rating of a cigar is judged by inspection of the wrapper.

Tobacco plants used to make wrappers are grown in one of two ways. They are either known as shade grown or sun grown. Shade grown plants are grown under canopies out of direct sunlight.

Shade grown plants are specifically used for making wrappers because the lack of direct sunlight keeps the leaves soft and limits the growth in the veins. Quality cigars will often have shade grown wrappers with tight fibers and small veins. On the contrary, sun grown wrappers have larger and tougher veins. However sun grown tobacco leaves tend to be sweeter and darker in color, making them ideal for certain types of cigars.

The tobacco inside the cigar goes through just as intense and rigorous a process as the wrappers. First the tobacco is grown to strict standards, and then it is fermented in heated compost heaps known as burros or bulks. This process is often known as sweating. Finally the raw tobacco goes to the blending room for mixing into the finished product. Blending is the process of combining tobacco flavors, however much of the composition of blending cigar tobacco is held in deep secrecy.

Even in the cigar aficionado world there are certain brands and blends that are well respected. CAO cigars are widely recognized as some of the highest quality cigars manufactured across the world. If you’re looking for a quality box of cigars for that special someone on your list CAO cigars are an excellent choice. They offer a variety of blends produced on every continent except Antarctica.

A cigar humidor also makes an excellent gift. A popular misconception is that cigars are dried. Nothing could be further from the truth. Quality cigars retain moisture and silkiness in both the wrapper and tobacco. Maintaining the right level of humidity and moisture is a crucial step to storing and keeping cigars. As a result a cigar humidifier known as a humidor is used to protect and store cigars until consumption. If you know a cigar lover, chances are they have or need a humidor to keep their collection in perfect condition.

Just remember this holiday season. There is a gift for everyone. And for the man that has everything and needs nothing, there are always cigars. Cigars are not only an enjoyable smoke, but a symbol of status and elegance. Cigars can be inexpensive and common or costly and rare. The cigar you choose depends as much on your tastes and desires as it does on the manufacturing process the grower undertakes. And most of all, a cigar is also the perfect way to ring in the new year with friends. Happy holidays!