Have you Tried the Davidoff Golf Scorecard 2016?

Every so often, Davidoff produces a cigar to be enjoyed specifically for a round of Golf.  The Davidoff Golf Scorecard 2016 is THE PERFECT cigar for a round on the course among friends.  A Generous Grand Toro format ensures that your cigar will last you a full round, and opens the door for EXCEPTIONAL flavor. Coffee, Oak, Sweet Honey, and Almond are all present in this release.

Available in packages of 5 to accommodate your foursome, with an extra Golden Banded cigar for the winner.

ENJOY THE DAVIDOFF GOLF SCORECARD TODAY

Exploring the Oliva Serie V Melanio

Although it has been on the shelf for a few years now, the Oliva Serie V Melanio definitely lived up to the hype.  If you're not familiar with it, it is Oliva's flagship blend.  Medium to full in body, the Melanio offers a bit of spice without sacrificing smoothness.  It also demonstrates notes of pepper, cream soda sweetness, dried red fruit, and cedar.  You will notice that it is box pressed, an attribute that usually alludes to a great drawing cigar.  The cigar itself is comprised of an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, with a Nicaraguan binder and ligero fillers from the Jalapa region. It is rich, elegant, and refined.

The Melanio is available in 6 sizes;
Double Toro (6 x 60)
Churchill (7 x 50)
Petit Corona (4 1/2 x 46)
Figurado (6 1/2 x 52)
Robusto (5 x 52)
Torpedo (6 1/2 x 52)

See why it Cigar Aficionado rated it the 2014 Cigar of the Year and order online at RegencyCigar.com

Brand Highlight: Camacho American Barrel Age

Today I will be highlighting one of our more popular Camacho cigars; The Camacho American Barrel Aged.  Currently available in three sizes (Robusto, Toro, and Gordo), the ABA offers a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper and binder with Pennsylvanian Maduro, Connecticut broadleaf, and Barrel Aged Corojo fillers.  The result is a medium bodied cigar with a lot of sweetness.

What makes this cigar so special is the Barrel Aged Corojo fillers.  These fillers leaves were rotated daily for five months in ex bourbon barrels in order to obtain the rich sweetness of the residual bourbon and oak.

Due to the ABAs well reception, Camacho has decided to introduce three new sizes this coming summer.  They are the Torpedo Corto (4 1/2 x 52), Perfecto Gordo (5 15/16 x 54 x 50), and Torpedo Largo (7 x 54 x 36).

The Camacho American Barrel Aged is now available at RegencyCigar.com

Tips for Smoking in Your Car

We've all been there.  That time when you just want to light up a nice cigar and enjoy your ride.  Then you start thinking about the potential ashy mess and odor that will linger in your car for weeks and get discouraged.  Here are some tips to make your cigar smoking car ride more enjoyable and clean.

Before we get started, look into purchasing a Xikar Ashcan.  These portable ashtrays fit into the cup holder of your car, and collect ash. This eliminates the ash from flying back into the car when you try to flick it out of your window.  There is also a cigar holder in there that will prevent your cigar from flying around in the car if you need to take a call.  They are easy to clean too, just shake the ash out when you're done.

First, cut and light the cigar before you start driving.  It is a lot safer than driving with your knees and being distracted.  If it's windy, light the cigar with the windows up, then open them immediately.  Your windows do not have to be all the way down on both sides.  About a quarter of the way down should be sufficient to keep that ashtray smell out of your car.  Also, keep your AC or heat on low, facing towards the open windows.

If you don't have an ashcan, but have to ash your cigar, slow down slightly if it safe to do so.  Introduce the cigar towards the side mirror and ash downwards.  This should keep ash from re-entering the vehicle.

When you are done with your cigar, chuck it out the window if it is legal to do so.  If not, let the cigar go out and get rid of it when you're done driving.  Remember to take the cigar with you when you're ready to leave your vehicle.  If you leave it overnight, your car will smell like an ashtray.

Also, invest in an aerosol air purifier.  Ozium works the best for smoke.  Spray the seats, dash, and steering wheel.  The quicker you get to it, the better. You don't want the smoke to seep into the fabric.

How to Make Your Cigar Taste Better

One thing most cigar smokers overlook before enjoying a cigar is that they have residue that has built up during the day in their mouth.  This could be from food, beverages, a prior cigar, etc.  Unfortunately, these residual flavors are actually negatively skewing your palate, affecting how you taste your cigar.

Fortunately, there are a few ways you can cleanse your palate in order to really get a truer taste for the tobacco that you're smoking.  Let's take a look.

Dark Chocolate is the most enjoyable palate cleanser, the higher the cacao, the better.  Start off by breaking a little square off of a bar and just let it melt in your mouth.  Some of you are probably thinking "wouldn't that just skew your palate even more?"  The answer is no.  The cacao actually gets rid of the other flavors.  Another great way to cleanse your palate is by green apple fruit.  Avoid eating the skin, but green apples cut through and really get your palate clean.  Lastly, unsalted almonds can really add to your smoking experience.  They do a good job of cleansing your palate as well.

Lastly, brushing your teeth does not cleanse your palate.  The chemicals in the toothpaste and mouthwash will actually leave a bad taste in your mouth while you smoke your cigar.  It can make the flavors seem sour and metallic.  You don't want that to happen with your expensive Padrons or Davidoffs.  Let us know how these work for you.  Can you taste the difference.

Tatuaje Verocu No. 6 is Now Available

The Tatuaje Verocu No. 6 is now available at Regency Cigar.  This 6 1/8 x 52 torpedo is the first new size in the Verocu line since they made their debut last summer.  For now, they are available in a limited edition 10 count box, with a full release in boxes of 25 coming this summer.

Tatuaje's Verocu is a full bodied blend recognized for their earthiness and overall pepperiness.  Originally available in 2 sizes as East and West Coast exclusive limited editions, they were highly sought after.  Tatuaje's decision to make these a year round offering also inspired them to make the exclusive Black Label a regular production line as well.

Also, look forward to Tatuaje's Skinny Monster release, as well as the Tatuaje K222.  These cigars are very limited and will surely sell out quickly.

Cellophane Vs. Tubos Vs. Naked

Every cigar smoker has wondered why is it that some cigars are either unwrapped, wrapped in cellophane, or stored in aluminum tubes out of the box.  Today, I will shed some light on why that is, as well as the benefits to each.  What it comes down to is levels of protection.  

Cellophaned cigars keep your cigars nice and tightly pressed to retain form and prevent moisture from coming in contact with tobacco.  They can also withstand a little pressure in your pocket if you don’t plan to smoke it right away.  Customers often prefer this level of protection for their cigars.  Turn to brands like Ashton, La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero, and Davidoff, as most of their cigars come cellophaned.  

Tubes, or tubos, offer the most protection while making for an elegant presentation.  Tubes can withstand a night out and a bit of pressure without cracking the cigar.  A lot of the time, people will often gift these because of the presentation.  Most brands offer at least one size of a line in a tubo format.  

Unwrapped cigars are most susceptible to damage.  Realistically, these cigars are fine to enjoy immediately or for storage in a humidor.  You just have to be a little more careful if you’re carrying them in your coat pocket, as they can crack.  Look at Padron Anniversary Series and Tatuaje’s Brown Label for uncelloed cigars.  

Unfortunately, these three options are set by the manufacturer.  We have no say as to order them cellophaned or not.  If you would like to know how a particular cigar is shipped, feel free to contact us at RegencyCigar.com.

Why Are Most Cigars Stored in Cedar Boxes?

A question we get asked often is why are cigars stored in cedar.  Whether it’s the box from the manufacturer, the lining of a humidor, or a few strips in a box, cedar holds two properties that really help in keeping tobacco fresh.  

First, cedar is naturally absorbent to moisture.  In a humidor, the cedar lining will swell up, creating a good seal preventing humidity from leaking out and drying your cigars up.  The same goes for cigars in a cedar box.  The wood will actually absorb the excess moisture, preventing the cigars from developing a mildewy taste, which leads us in to the second benefit.  

Cedar has a distinct aroma that is typically pleasing to us, but irritates bugs and pests.  This is beneficial because you do not want your cigars to become susceptible to tobacco beetles.  Tobacco beetles will chew through your cigars and easily ruin your entire collection which can become costly to replace.  This aroma can also share its flavor with tobacco, offering a pleasant  touch of spice to your cigars over time.  

Make sure you have plenty of cedar in your humidor, ask your tobacconist for a few strips next time you’re in.  Shop with us at RegencyCigar.com and ask for cedar strips when you check out.  We are more than happy to stock you up.  

How to Set Up and Season a Humidor

If you have just bought your first humidor or need to re-season as part of your regular cigar maintenance, this guide will walk you through the process to get your humidor working optimally.  

First, remove all the cigars from your humidor.  For short term storage, tupperware containers actually do a really good job of maintaining the humidity of your cigars.  

Next, pick up a brand new sponge and a bottle of distilled water.  It is very important that the sponge is new and that the water is distilled, as these are measures to prevent bacteria such as mold from growing in your humidor and ruining all of your expensive cigars.  Put a bit of the distilled water on the sponge and wipe down the cedar interior of your humidor.  Do not drench it, but be thorough.  The most important area is the lip around the perimeter of the humidor.  You really want to get that wood swollen to ensure a good seal.  

Now that you’ve wiped down the inside, set down a small sandwich bag at the bottom of the humidor and put the sponge on top of it so the wood doesn’t warp from the moisture.  It will also help to fill your humidifier with either the distilled water or your pre-mixed glycol solution and put that in the humidor as well.  Close the lid and let sit for 12 hours.  You are going to want to repeat the wiping down process 4 to 6 times, with the sponge sitting inside the humidor when you’re done.  

After you wipe down the cedar for the last time, do not put the sponge back inside the humidor.  Just close the lid and let it sit for 24 hours.  Take your hygrometer, set it back in the humidor, and you should be close to 68-72% relative humidity.  If it’s not at least 68% rh, repeat the process.  If the rh is where it’s supposed to be and the cedar interior of your humidor seems dry, put your cigars back in.  

This process should be repeated every other year or as needed.  Just be sure to add either distilled water or the glycol solution as needed to keep your cigars humid.  Also, consider buying some Boveda Humidipaks.  They replace your standard humidifier bar and are inexpensive and easy.  Just take them out of the cellophane, throw them anywhere in the humidor, and don’t worry about the humidity for months.  They are guaranteed to keep your cigars right where they need to be.  

If you’re thinking of buying your first humidor or are looking to upgrade, be sure to check out our beautiful selection of humidors at RegencyCigar.com