I've been evolving into quite the pepin whore. I love the red pepper/spice that comes with his blends.

This may be a dumb question, but what is so different about his cigars/tobacco that gives it that pepper flavor? I've picked up hints of spice in other cigars, but nothing quite as obvious as his blends.
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All the points that Steve quoted and his are accurate IMO. I also think there is a scientific side to toasting. If done correctly, it allows the tobacco to warm up at an even pace. This way it will accept a light more evenly. IMO, it is the opposite of putting a steak on a hot grill. The outside of the steak sears. I like my steaks seared, but not my cigars. On the emotional side, toasting allows me to settle in to the whole experience of the cigar. Just my :-).
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I talked with a tobacconist about this once. His explanation was that Pepin's rolling style as well as the tobacco adds to the flavor of his blends. "He [Pepin] rolls his cigars in the old Cuban style", he said. Which I understood to mean that they are rolled wet (fresh), then aged for a period, while others roll aged tobacco and age some more. I just took his word for it.
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Well, I've found the answer to my own question in a great YouTube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4RB5lP7yzs
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I was wondering if I could get some questions answered on Herf Etiquette.

I will be attending my first this weekend in Tampa, FL and I'm wondering a few things...

It just seems strange, i guess, to show up at someone's house I've never met before. I'm very excited, but could you share your first herf story to give me an idea what to expect? Also, What sort of things to I bring? (A house warming gift for the Host?)

I'm a noob, but I want to try and blend in as best as possible...

Thanks!!!
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I would say bring some smokes to share/trade, particularly something you like. Doesn't have to be a whole bunch of Opus X or something you go out an buy a box of just for the herf, but something you don't mind sharing with others that you really like and that others may not have tried. A gift for the host might be nice, perhaps a bottle of his favorite ripple, or a nice 5 pack.
Just my :-) but I am sure there are far more experienced herfers than I out there :-)
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:-)
Relax and have fun.
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Here's a question for you about veins.

I have read reviews from fellow inmates with comments about there being no veins in the wrapper.

What constitutes a vein? All the various cigars I've tried have what I would call veins. Some are smaller than others.

Can you refer me to any photo comparisons?

Thanks,

Ian
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Hey Ian!

I will do my best to explain what I mean by veins (this may be different from others.) I am not a botanist so I cannot tell you what causes the differences in leaves, but I have spent a good amount of time smoking and contemplating cigars so I can tell you what I have noticed in the smoke. Also, these pictures are ones I took a few minutes ago. I do not have a huge assortment here in Alaska, but I think I found a couple of good candidate for both scenarios (and yes I know they look a little dry. The interior of Alaska is very cold and VERY dry and my beads have not yet made their way up here. My folks should be sending them shortly :-))

First of all...tobacco is a leaf, and leaves have veins, so every cigar you smoke will have SOME veins. I believe a cigar is labeled "veiny" or 'having little to no veins" depending on how large the veins are and whether or not they will affect the smoke.

Veiny:
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These cigars have thick veins that feel rough to the touch (they may sometimes be like small twigs they are so thick.) I find that thick veins tend to affect the draw and burn of a cigar more than the taste; however, if you are constantly sucking hard on a stick to keep it lit, it will more than likely heat up on you and get bitter...so I guess it can affect taste somewhat. It also takes away from the aesthetic appeal of the smoke, which to most S/BOTL, adds to the overall enjoyment of a cigar.

Little to no veins:
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These cigars still have veins, but they are very thin and can barley be felt by running your fingers over them. When someone describes a cigar as being "silky" they are probably noticing the lack of thick veins. These cigars tend to burn more consistently and have fewer plugs.

Since there are three parts to a cigar, veins affect your smoking experience in different ways. Thick veins in the filler will more than likely affect the draw where thick veins in the wrapper/binder will probably affect the burn. Large/thick veins does not always mean it is a bad smoke. Sometimes the veins do nothing to a cigar other than make it look slightly less pretty.

I hope this helps. :-)
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Lately, some of the cigars I've smoked from my humidor have tunneled. What I mean is that the wrapper is burning slower than the filler and binder. What could cause this? The cigars have been different brands abd sizes. My humidty and temprature has been at 66 percent and 72 degrees. My humi is well stocked, a nearly full 50 count. Help me!
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The most common reason for this is that the outer layers of tobacco are more humid that the middle most filler. It could be from the cigars having been dried out then rehydrated, just not all the way though. This may even be from the retailer.

How long have they been at 66 and in your possession? Also, are they in an area where the temperature fluctuates? Temperature can affect humidity more than you would think.
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Each over a month. The temperature shouldn't be fluctuating much, though I did take the humidor with me home from college over spring break. Would a 2 hour hot car ride cause this?
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I wouldn't think a 2 hour car ride would affect them at all.

Maybe a FOI could offer some other reasoning. I'm a little stumped. A month in a controlled environment should be plenty of time to stabilize.
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Alright, I have a beginner-type question here. I've never smoked a cigar with a cap on the foot before (I'm sure there is a proper term, but I don't know it). I recently picked up a Hemingway Short Story to try on for size and I noticed that it has one of these footcaps. Do I cut it off or light it with the foot intact? If I do cut it, am I going for the same kind of cut that I make on the head of the cigar?
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It is called a perfecto.
No need to cut the foot. Light up and enjoy.
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What is dry boxing and will it help a cigar that is rolled just a touch too tight? Thanks for the help.
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It's putting the cigar in a humidor with very low humidity or no humidification at all for any period from a few hours to 10 days to improve the smoking quality of the cigar (flavor, burn, draw, etc.). Generally yes, it tends to help with tighter draws to dry-box the cigar for a while. Some cigars are just plain tight though.
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I just made a dumb noob mistake or move. I had started smoking a Boli the other day and had put it out only after smoking about 1/4 inch of it because I couldn't taste it because of the cold I have. Well not wanting to waste a cigar I put it in a seal bag and placed it into the coolerdor thinking it will be all right (this was Monday). Well when I went into my cooler today to get some cigars out I smelled a strong smoky odor. I'm emptying my cooler as I type this now and is going to wash it out with mild solution and baking soda to try to get rid of the smell. My question is have I done some damage to my cigars that was in the cooler that can't be repaired. What can I do to lessen the damage that is already done. Thanks in advance for answers :-):-):-):-):-):-):-):-) The smell is in my beads also so is this a concern I should worry about also
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There are different way for leaves (not rolled cigars)
for CC leaves for premium Cigars we have the Air cure. It is done in the "Casa del Tabaco" where the nautral climate makes the leaves to turn from green to dark.
There is for NC different way for cure.

It is done in rooms where the temperature and Humy are controlled (sometimes with some fires). The process is delicate, a small mistake can spoil everithing.
In this way you can choose even the wrapper colour.

In Cuba they did some experiment with this method for getting the AMS capa colour - aka Capa Candela. This is for the embargo end.

AB
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