Musketeer Cigars | About Cigars

Surgeon General Warning

Cigar smoking is not a safe alternative to cigarettes. Cigar smoking can cause lung cancer and heart disease. Cigar smoking can cause cancers of the mouth and throat, even if you do not inhale. Cigar smoking increases the risk of infertility, stillbirth and low birth weight. Cigars contain and produce chemicals known to The State of California to cause cancer, birth defects and other reproductive harm.

All prices are subject to change without notice. We reserve the right to limit quantities.

We do not sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21.

We do not sell cigarettes.

We only sell Premium Cigars.

Cigar History

The first modern observation of the cigar occurred with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the New World. On October 28, 1492 Columbus noted in his log reports that the natives of San Salvador burned and inhaled the leaves of a local plant. Rodrigo de Xeres, a lieutenant on Columbus's expedition became the first European to smoke the Indian's form of a cigar. Rodrigo smoked on every subsequent day of the expedition.

The Indians in South and Central America did not smoke cigars as we know them today. The natives smoked tobacco wrapped in maize, palm or other native vegetation. The Spanish created the cigar industry, and are given credit for creating the modern cigar.

The Origin of the word cigar comes from the native language of the ancient Mayans. The Mayans called the cigar a "Ciq-Sigan" which the Spanish word "Cigarro" is derived from. The New English Dictionary of 1735 called the cigar a "seegar", and was later adapted into the modern word "cigar".

Dominican Cigars:

The Dominican Republic is a Cigar Paradise. The pleasure of smoking a good cigar is something irreplaceable for cigar lovers and the Dominican Republic has become a paradise for them in recent years. There are experts who state that the Dominican cigar has raised its quality in such an extent that is in a position to compete with the finest Cuban brands.

In 1994, the Dominican Republic became the largest world hand-made cigar exporter since the country has some excellent conditions for the plantation of this item. In 1996, the government reserved over 18,000 acres of land for the cultivation of this dark cigar.

At present, cigar production in the Dominican Republic is very successful.

How are cigars made?

Cigars are either Hand made or machine made. Handmade cigars are special cigars because the tobacco leaves were picked, sorted and bundled by a tobacconist, then the cigar is fashioned by a skilled cigar roller with his important tools. Machine made cigars are those cigars that are completely made by a machine and the hole process such as picking the leaves, grinding up the filler tobacco, and rolling the cigar were completed by machine.

What is a premium cigar?

Premium cigars are cigars made by hand these cigars should be consistent from one to the other. These special cigars are constructed from three essential parts of the cigar 1. The Filler, 2. The Binder, 3. The Wrapper. A premium cigar is prepared "long filler" this term means that the filler was constructed from full leaves. The premium cigars leaves after being picked and sorted are aged intact and are handled with great care. Making these special premium cigars takes great skill to insure that it burns evenly and smoothly.

How to cut a cigar?

The Head of the cigar is the end that you put into your mouth, but you have to cut it, first. When a cigar is handmade, a cap is put on the head of the cigar to keep it from unraveling and drying out. A cigar should not be cut until you are ready to smoke it. There are three styles of cuts, The "Guillotine" or "Traditional" Cut, the "Bullet" or "Punch" Cut and The "V" Cut, but the straight cut made with a guillotine cutter is the most common. Hold the cigar with one hand and the guillotine with the other, then insert the head of the cigar into the guillotine and cut into the cap, usually about 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch down. If the head of the cigar is shaped like a cone, then cut into the cone, but not quite at the widest part. In any case, do not cut into the body of the cigar. That would cause the wrapper to unravel, and ruin your smoking experience. No Cigar Cutter? The most primitive way of cutting the head of a cigar with absolutely no tools is to bite it with your teeth. This is a last resort, and should never be done with an expensive premium cigar, as the cigar is much more valuable than a basic cutter. Biting a cigar, or otherwise cutting it improperly, will cause the wrapper to unravel, and could even damage the binder and filler tobacco inside.

Types of cuts

The "Guillotine" or "Traditional" Cut

This cutter takes a straight slice across the cigars cap line. It is the best cut to create an easy, well circulated draw; however residue and tar from the burning tobacco will come in direct contact with the smoker's mouth.

The "Bullet" or "Punch" Cut

A bullet cutter pierces a small hole into the cigars cap. Depending on the diameter of the cutter, air circulation may be restricted and the smokes tar and residue can accumulate around the opening.

The "V" Cut

The V cutter creates a wedge shaped notice in the cigars cap. This cut allows proper air circulation to occur. The smokes tar and residue accumulate on the sides of the wedge keeping the bitter taste away from the smoker's mouth. It can be difficult to keep a V cutter sharp because of its unique shape.

What is the proper way to light a cigar?

Cigars can be lit either with matches or a gas lighter. It is not recommended to use a gasoline lighter because it affects the taste of the cigar. When lighting a cigar you should hold the cigar horizontally and make contact with the flame, then rotate the cigar around the flame and give it a gentle puff until it starts to burn uniformly.

What is the proper way to smoke a cigar?

After the cigar is lit, you should be able to draw smoke gently through it.
Puff slowly by pulling in your checks. (Do not suck or inhale).
Try not to smoke the cigar too forcefully or quickly. (It will taste harsh and burnt).
Always remember to puff occasionally; making sure the cigar stays lit.

How to store cigars?

All cigars should be kept in a controlled environment preferably a humidor. A cedar lined box, called a humidor is traditionally used for storage. The cedar helps flavor and age the cigar. Cedar also holds moisture well which helps keep humidity at a constant level.
Cigars should be kept at 70% RH and 70° F this offers the best smoking experience. Tobacco burns smoothly and tastes the best when kept with in this range. A dry cigar burns fast and has a harsh flavor. A damp cigar will be hard to keep lit and can grow mold while in storage.
Humidors should always be closed tightly, providing a seal that keeps the atmosphere inside at a constant level. A gauge that monitors temperature and humidity can be helpful to keep your cigars in optimal conditions.

What is the anatomy of a cigar?

The Anatomy of a Cigar:

Cap

Flag - C- Head

G - Body

R - Tuck or Foot

Definitions:

Cap, Head or Flag - A loose piece of tobacco applied with natural glue as the finishing touch to the cigar. Offers a nice appearance and, if applied properly, feels good in your mouth and prevents the wrapper from unraveling.

Body - main portion of cigar consists of Filler, Binder, and Wrapper.

Filler - long leaves of tobacco (Long filler) or cut up pieces of tobacco (Short filler) that compromise the bulk of the cigar and deliver most of the flavor.

Long filler - filled with long leaves of tobacco deftly gathered together by a roller. A long-filler cigar is almost always handmade, and all premium handmade cigars are long-filler cigars.

Short Filler - the middle of a short-filler cigar is filled with leaves, stems, and other scraps of tobacco chopped up by a machine, in a machine made cigar.

Binder - tough, coarse tobacco that holds the whole thing together in hand made cigars or ground up tobacco bits that are held together by natural glue in machine made cigars.

Wrapper - A silky leaf of tobacco that makes your cigar look and feel attractive.

Tuck or Foot - The business end of the cigar - the end that you light.