Adding your own flavors to cigars (Alternative way)
Did you know that you can make your own flavored cigars right at home?
Maybe a nice Montecristo Classic that you think would be great with a hint of vanilla… or rum? There are a couple things you can do to infuse your cigars with some of your favorite flavors.
1) Take a couple of tobacco leaves and add a few drops of vanilla extract (or any flavor extract you wish). This will moisten the leaves a bit.
2) Place the leaves in one corner of your humidor
3) Keep the humidor shut for a couple weeks. All of your cigars in the humidor will become infused with the flavor of the vanilla over time.
***If you don’t want to spoil your other cigars, you can simply use any air-tight container instead.
You can also infuse your cigars with alcohol, like whiskey or rum. You don’t need tobacco leaves for this.
1) Pour a couple shots of the alcohol of your choice into a small glass
2) Set the glass in an air-tight container.
3) Place your cigars into the container with the glass and seal it shut.
The longer they stay, the more flavor they will have.
**But try not to leave them for more than 2 weeks. Keep checking the alcohol level and refill when low.
Even if you’re not into flavored cigars, this is a cool experiment to try. We all enjoy a nice drink with our smokes, so why not combine the two!
Making your own, homemade, infused premium cigars made easy!
Over the years, I’ve used several different techniques to create homemade, infused premium cigars and I thought it would be fun to share them with you. Today, in part one of three, let’s start with one of the easiest methods to create homemade, infused cigars – making “infusing bags.”
Simply put, an “infusing bag” is an airtight bag that encloses a humidifying source, an infusing source, and cigars. And, the best thing about this method is that you most likely have all of the necessary tools right in your kitchen!
Here are the steps to follow to create your own, personally blended, infused premium cigars:
1. Begin with a relatively mild cigar until you are comfortable with how your infusing methods work. Depending on the agent and cigar chosen, the degree of flavoring absorbed by the cigar can differ and, as such, an infusing agent may taste differently on different cigars.
I prefer to use either a corona or robusto sized, mild bodied, US Connecticut wrapped cigar with a relatively steady flavor profile from beginning to end. Brands like Macanudo Café, 8-9-8 Collection, and the Montecristo White (if you feel like a higher end, infused premium cigar) are all excellent options to use. If you choose a larger cigar, keep in mind that more infusing agent will be required over a longer period of time to achieve the same results as with a smaller vitola.
2. Gather the needed supplies (the following makes 2 to 4 cigars in two flavors):
- Four cigars
- Two quart sized (or larger for really big cigars) Ziploc bags, heavy freezer type
- Two folding top plastic sandwich bags (the kind that weren’t cool in your lunch in grade school)
- One sheet of heavy duty paper towel (the more absorbent, the better!)
- Your cigars (I usually infuse no more than 4 per bag)
- Your infusing agents (alcohol based rum and vanilla cooking extracts in this case)
- A Sharpie for labeling your infusing bags
3. I recommend removing the bands from your cigars, carefully, of course. The paper can absorb some of the infusing agent, reducing its availability to your smokes. Label your infusing bags with the infusing agent used, the date of packaging, and brand of cigar used for future reference!
Labeling the cigars (note bands removed)
4. For two to four cigars, cut one sheet of paper towel into quarters, one quarter to create a humidifier for each infusing bag and another to hold each infusing agent in each.
5. To make the humidifiers, take one of the quarters and fold it into a rectangle; folding it in half once, then into thirds. Soak the towel with distilled water thoroughly and squeeze out until wet, but not dripping. Tuck the towel into the corner of a fold top type baggie and fold the bag edge down three times neatly. Fold the bag in half one time horizontally to create a small humidifier. (See below)
Folding a baggie humidifier
6. Tuck a humidifier into the corner of each of your infusing bags. Tuck your cigars in the opposite corner. These bags dry out quickly during the first few weeks as the cigar work to achieve a balanced humidity level, so check them frequently. Once the humidity has balanced out, be careful not to “over water” the cigars as mold can develop.
Infusing bags with humidifiers and cigars
7. Next, fold the remaining quarter sheets into small rectangles by folding them in half horizontally then into quarters. Using a small plate or bowl, soak the towels with your infusing agents until saturated. You may need to refresh the infusing agent once or twice to achieve the depth of flavor you prefer.
Infusing pads with extracts
8. Carefully lay the saturated pad on top of the humidifier in the bag. Pay particular attention to avoiding making contact between the infusing pad and the cigars or getting any liquid on the wrapper of the cigar as could stain the leaf or worse, cause splits, ruining your efforts.
Completed infusing bags
9. Express the majority of the air from the infusing bags leaving a bit for the humidity and infusing agent to circulate around and over the cigars. Seal the tops securely and put your babies somewhere safe to rest. Lay the bags flat (as in photo above) to prevent liquid from traveling and ruining your cigars. You don’t have to store the infusing bags in a humidor as they are humidified themselves, but be sure to treat them carefully, like any other cigars. Store them at the right temperature (around 70 deg. F), keep them out of direct sunlight, the usual mantra…
I tend to let my cigars infused using this method rest for a period of about least two months, longer if I can resist. I recommend “dry boxing” the smokes for a few days before smoking to allow the humidity within the cigar a chance to get friendly with the humidity in the real world.
The infusions you can create using this method are limited only by your imagination and the ingredients you choose to use. There are many exotic and gourmet extracts that can be found anywhere from your local grocery store to online retailers.
If you try this, please come back and let me know what you used and how things turned out. I can’t wait to hear!
Author: Marty Klausmeier
How to make your own, homemade, coffee infused premium cigars!
In the first installment of our series on creating your own, homemade, infused premium cigars I covered making flavored cigars using common kitchen flavorings including vanilla and rum extract. This time around, we’ll be making premium coffee infused cigars.
I first tried this technique about three years ago when I put some Tabak Especial robustos into a used Starbucks bag to see if the coffee aroma of the cigars would increase. Well, after a few months in the coffee bag and another month resting, these cigars were the like a double espresso straight up and a punch in the mouth. The coffee aroma had increased profoundly and the smoke developed a thickness and richness the originals didn’t have.
After my initial success, I decided to try the experiment with some non-infused cigars as a substrate. Since it’s the oil that coats the interiors of used coffee bags that convey the aromas to the cigars, I selected a cigar with a thick, dark Connecticut shade wrapper and a mild/medium profile, the Nick’s Sticks robusto natural by Perdomo.
It is important to use a cigar with a thicker wrapper since the leaf will be in direct contact with the coffee oils inside the bag. Cigars with thin, fine wrapper leaves may not take to being wetted by the coffee bean oils and run the risk of splitting. It is equally important to use a coffee bag that contained whole bean coffee not ground beans. Using a bag that contained ground beans will result in grounds becoming stuck to the cigar and a huge mess!
To make your own, coffee infused premium cigars, just follow these simple steps:
Begin by assembling your supplies:
Coffee bags and cigars for making coffee infused premium cigars
One used, coffee bag from whole bean coffee (either zip top or roll close top)
One large (quart sized) heavy duty zip lock bag
Cigars, preferably a mild to medium line with a heavier wrapper
Permanent marker for labeling your cigars
You can use either a roll top (left) or zip lock (right) coffee bag. Whole bean coffee only!
The first step is to remove the bands from the cigars to be infused. This will prevent the paper of the bands from becoming saturated with coffee oils and staining or soaking the wrapper leaf underneath.
Gently place the cigars into the roll top coffee bag
For the roll close type of coffee bag, gently place your cigars into the bag. Flatten the bag to remove most of the free space around the cigars. Do not crush the cigars! Fold the top of the bag down until just above the ends of the cigars and close with the included metal closure.
Roll the coffee bag closed and secure with the metal closure
Tuck the rolled bag inside the labeled, quart sized zip lock storage bag and store.
Place the closed coffee bag into a labeled zip lock storage bag
If you have the zip lock type of bag, label the outside of the bag with the type of the cigars you are infusing and the date the process started.
For a zip lock type bag, label with the date and brand and place cigars gently inside
Gently place your cigars in the coffee bag and carefully express the majority of the air from the bag. Seal the bag fully.
Remove most of the air from the bag and close the zip closure
The oils inside the coffee bag will maintain an appropriate humidity level as they infuse the cigars so long as they are sealed airtight. I have found that after approximately 6-8 weeks, the cigars will have absorbed about as much coffee flavor and aroma as they will from the process.
The finished products ready for a few months rest
At this point, I like to remove the cigars from the bags and store them in labeled zip lock type storage bags. I store my finished cigars in the sealed bags inside one of my “cool-a-dor’s” and find that sealed, they maintain good humidity for at least 6 months.
As some have pointed out in response to part one of this series, this is a time intensive process suited to the cigar hobbyist rather than the casual smoker.
However, with the looming FDA regulation of premium cigars and the very real threat to flavored and infused cigars, these techniques could prove valuable should the day come when you can no longer purchase premium, flavored or infused cigars.
Good smoking everyone!
Marty Klausmeier
Contributor
Gispert Toro Cigar Review
Pre Light inspection revealed a well constructed cigar with no veins, a beautiful Connecticut wrapper and triple cap. Sniffing the foot revealed slight fragrances of earth. Lighting was very easy using a kitchen match. The light was quite even.
Taste
1st Third
The cigar draws easy and produces adequate smoke with light flavors that while hard to identify, are very pleasant. This is because I do not identify flavors easily on a cigar. The ash is compact and of a nice light grey. The burn is perfect.
2nd Third
The cigar begins to build in flavor and I can taste what I believe is wood and earth, possibly with a little leather on the back of my tongue. I do note that the head is becoming softer than I am used to with a Maduro and I can see a definite line between where I hold the cigar in my mouth and the rest of the smoke. This does not detract from the cigar, just something I am not used to seeing. The burn continues to be perfect and the ash continues to form nicely, yet is surrendered with just a touch to the ashtray.
Last Third
The flavors continue to build and I can definitely taste wood and earth. Leather too is becoming a little more prominent in that I can readily identify it.
Strength
Medium strength smoke
Comments
This is a nice surprise. I am usually a Maduro smoker and enjoyed this cigar as a change of pace. It is a mild smoke and I found myself blowing smoke rings and just enjoying it. I could imagine myself smoking this cigar in the very early morning with a cup of coffee as the sun comes up.
CAO Cameroon Robusto Cigar Review
Pre light inspection reveals a beautiful square pressed robusto with a perfect Cameroon wrapper. Sniffing the foot, I can smell what seems like Chocolate Mint Ice cream… I think I am delusional. The cap is perfect, there is one small vein in the wrapper and it is firm with no soft spots. The cut is accomplished with a wedge cutter and the cigar is enjoyed without benefit of a beverage.
Taste
1st Third
The draw has no resistance. The cigar is producing a light gray ash and has a perfect burn. The first draws were somewhat harsh, but the cigar is mellowing out.
2nd Third
The cigar continues to smoke hot; but the burn remains perfect. The cigar surrenders the ash with a gentle nudge. Flavors are quite nice, and becoming less harsh. I believe I can taste spice.
Last Third
The taste is really becoming quite nice. For most of the smoke the burn has been perfect, but as we near the end, we see some canoeing.
Burn and Ash
The ash was grey and firm.
Strength
Full body smoke.
Comments
This cigar is more than likely a better smoke than this review suggests. For whatever reason, there was no resistance to the draw and so the smoke was hot throughout the experience.
Montecristo White Rothchilde Cigar Review
This cigar looks really nice. The band is simple and classic. Overall, this is a very attractive cigar. The White features good construction with no blemishes. There were no veins to speak of and cut easily. It has a nice tight feel that slightly yields. The pre-light aroma was slightly sweet and toasty with nutty hints.
Taste
1st Third
The cigar was very smooth and mild. The toasty aromas became pronounced. Within this third, the draw opened up.
2nd Third
The flavors opened up more with peppery hints came through. I also picked up some cedar aromas. The White shifted from from a mild to a mild-medium bodied cigar.
Last Third
The flavors remained consistent with the 2nd 3rd. Even as I neared the end of the cigar, it remained smooth and had no detectable bitterness.
Burn and Ash
Throughout, the cigar had a very nice, even burn. It had a thick,white smoke. The light gray ash was strong and tight.
Strength
Mild to medium smoke
Comments
This smoke would be good after dinner or in the morning. It would also go well paired with stronger flavored beverages (i.e. coffee). I would definitely smoke it again. It was well-constructed and had good flavor.
Bauza Jaguar Cigar Review
The Bauza brand may well be the best kept secret at Casa Fuente. Named after a pre-Embargo Cuban brand no longer produced for export, the cigars are now produced in the Dominican Republic for Mike’s Cigars by none other than the First Family of Cigars, Carlos Sr. and Carlito Fuente.
By combining a deep, dusky brown Ecuadoran sun-grown Sumatra wrapper and an all longfiller blend and binder from the Dominican Republic, the Fuentes have created a truly exceptional cigar at an affordable, every day price.
Four Bauza Jaguar cigars were smoked for this review. All cigars were provided to the reviewer by Mike’s Cigars for the purpose of this review. The author received no financial compensation for and reports no other conflicts of interest related to this review.
Taste
1st Third
The first thing that caught my attention as I removed the cellophane from the first Bauza was the wrapper leaf. The colorado toned wrapper appears very dry to the touch and offers a faint aroma of grass while the foot smells of rich tobacco with a chocolate hint. The wrappers showed only minimal veins and were flawless in appearance. The head on these cigars is nicely constructed and lends to the overall appearance of the cigars. I’m also fond of the band design, which for a long time was the only band in the industry to use an entire tobacco plant in the graphics (although this is no longer the case…)
I made my cut with a Xikar XI2 cutter and was rewarded with an easy, but not overly so, draw which reproduced the aroma of rich tobacco found at the foot. Toasting the foot of the cigar with my Colibri Reload single jet torch yielded a smooth and rich aromatic smoke. These cigars all cut and lit perfectly using these two implements.
The initial hot draw delivered some hefty spice in the nose with a warm cedar aroma that lingers. The initial smoke is medium-full bodied but mellows substantially after about ½ inch. The remainder of the first third reveals spice, cedar and woody aromas with a medium finish that leaves a savory feel on the palate.
2nd Third
Moving into the second portion of the cigars I found that the cedar aromas continue while the spice continues to mellow taking an appropriate place in the background. Woody flavors continue to develop along with a slight cinnamon touch which contributed to an increasingly complex smoke.
As I continued to smoke I noticed the wrapper, which initially appeared dry and dusky, shows substantial oil as the smoke progressed. The only other cigar I’ve noticed this phenomenon in is the Ashton VSG line which is also produced by the Fuentes and utilizes a sun-grown Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper as well. There are definitely some flavors that are shared by both cigars.
At one point, I needed to touch up one of the Jag’s with my torch, however I must mention that the conditions I was smoking in (my garage during a Wisconsin winter) are not the most “cigar-friendly” and I cannot complain one bit about the construction of these cigars. As with most Fuente products, the construction was flawless and I attribute this single flaw to the wind whipping around my head as I smoked. Yes, even with the garage door closed to the outside world, Wisconsin winter wind will find a way in!
Last Third
As I smoked into the final third of the Bauza Jaguars I noted that the cinnamon was becoming more pronounced yet at the same time, more subdued. The spices rounded out nicely approaching the band and the woody core aromas melded beautifully with a new strength and richness that developed.
Removing the band was not a problem on any of the cigars, a personal pet-peeve. I smoked each Bauza to the nub and was rewarded with a crescendo of deep and rich tobacco flavors, woody aromas and a full bodied smoke.
Burn and Ash
With the exception of the single touch up required to keep one cigar burning straight, the construction of the Bauza Jaguars I smoked was outstanding. The cigars produce a tight, white/gray ash that I first tipped at about 1 ½ inches although I’m certain I could have produced a significantly longer ash.
Strength
I would consider the Bauza Jaguar to be a medium/full bodied smoke. The flavors and aromas produced are full and rich yet very well balanced. The smaller ring gauge found on the Jaguar vitola allows more of the rich flavor and aroma from the sun-grown, Sumatra seed wrapper to contribute more to the overall smoking experience than the larger gauged vitola such as the Robusto.
Comments
The first time I saw a Bauza cigar was several years ago when I became a subscriber to Mike’s Cigars catalog. I remember that the line caught my eye immediately and I’ve been intrigued by this line ever since. I tend to favor full-bodied cigars like Camacho and I found the Bauza to be smooth, rich and strong. There was never a hint of bitterness, tartness or harshness to any of the cigars I smoked, just a very pleasurable smoking experience delivered by one of the world’s leading tabacaleras, Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia.
Certified Tobacconist’s Review: Licenciados Supreme Maduro No. 200
Brand/Line: Licenciados Supreme Maduro
Vitola: Corona
Name: No. 200
Size: 5 ¾ “x 43
Packaging: Cellophane wrapped singles
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: U.S. Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler blend: Dominican Republic
Manufacturer: MATASA, S.A.
Blender: Manuel Quesada
Distributor: Mike’s Cigars
Appearance: The Licenciados Supreme Maduro No. 200 comes wrapped in a dark and slightly marbled, thick maduro wrapper. While a little rustic in appearance, this heavy leaf has a fairly heavy grain to it. The cigars are wrapped perfectly with a slightly flattened cap while the foot reveals a good distribution of the filler leaves and nice bunching. As with all of the Licenciados lines, save the Anniversario, the Supreme Maduro line bears the classic yellow band with a carriage, a play off the Cuban Diplimaticos brand cigars. A matching bold yellow dress box completes a striking presentation.
Construction: Like most every product of the MATASA plants, the Licenciados Supreme Maduro No. 200 is a very well made cigar. Every bit a premium cigar, there are no soft or hard spots to be found. There are some slightly thick veins in the wrapper, but not so much so as to affect the burn of the cigars. Overall, these are very well made.
Cut and light: The cap of the Licenciados Supreme Maduro cuts easily and cleanly with a double blade cutter and provides a free and easy cold draw which has a slightly sweet, rich tobacco flavor to it. Lighting the cigars with a single jet torch lighter produces blue, wispy smoke that carries a sweet aroma and is indicative of the sweet smoke to come.
The Smoke: From the start, the Licenciados Supreme Maduro produces a thick, rich and heady smoke. Spice with an underlying sweetness predominate the first inch or so of the cigar complemented by a rich finish. As the cigar progresses, the spice fades to a pleasant background player as the natural sweetness of the wrapper begins to really show its character.
Woody and sweet, the cigar continues on a medium bodied path as the spicy component fades more. About half way through, the cigar takes on an even more sweet and woody profile with the spicy notes fading almost, but never entirely, away.
A beautiful, bluish smoke is produced at the foot which permeates the smoker’s surroundings with a soft and enjoyable aroma.
Smoke time: 40 minutes (smoked slowly and deliberately)
Discussion: While not overly complex by nature, the Licenciados Supreme Maduro is not the kind of cigar that need be. With a consistency in both flavor and aroma that persist nearly throughout the entire smoke the Licenciados Supreme Maduro is the type of cigar you simply light, sit back and enjoy.
At a great price point, the Licenciados Supreme Maduro No. 200 represents a great value in premium cigars. Several comparable smokes I have enjoyed carry prices up to two times the cost per stick and while it may not make Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 Cigars of the Year list, it is a cigar that every serious smoker should try, if for no other reason than to see how the Licenciados stacks up against some higher priced, premium maduro cigars.
Why I like this cigar: Living in the Great White North of Wisconsin, I am always on the lookout for cigars that are well suited to winter smoking. Since I am no fan of winter weather, I tend toward shorter vitola in the cold, specifically those with a heavy wrapper leaf such as this Licenciados vitola.
The thickness of the wrapper on these cigars stands up well to the shock of going from the warm, toasty, humid confines of my humidor to the stark cold and dry air of a typical Wisconsin winter. Many other cigars with similar wrappers come in at a significantly higher price point, making the Licenciados Supreme Maduro an even better choice for these inhospitable conditions.
While not the most complex cigar on the market, I personally find this a plus, especially when working in the deep-freeze. This is not to say that the Licenciados Supreme Maduro line of cigars is lacking in any way; to the contrary, I feel that this makes the Licenciados Supreme Maduro line an even more important member of my cigar family.
These are great cigars, made by a great manufacturer, for a great price… What more could you ask for?
Author: Marty Klausmeier
