Design Notes: Proportion and Balance
Proportion is the quiet engineering behind composure. A plain-English guide to the golden ratio, root rectangles, and the rule of thirds—and how we use them to shape calm, purposeful humidors.
Full Body vs. Full Strength in Premium Cigars
Dark ≠ automatically strong. Body is flavor weight; strength is nicotine. How primings, wrappers, and pacing shape both—plus practical tips.
The Cigar Blending Process: From Idea to Repeatable Profile
From idea to boxed cigar: setting the brief, picking leaf by role, prototyping, QC, and the post-roll rest that makes profiles sing.
Hand-Made Premium Cigars: The Curing Stage, Explained
Inside the curing barn: selective primings, air-curing timelines, risk control, and the post-cure steps that set premium cigars up for greatness.
Cigar Tobacco Curing Explained: From Green Leaf to Ready Leaf
Curing 101: what happens in the barn, why air curing rules for premium cigars, common risks, and how it sets the stage for fermentation and aging.
Fermentation Fun Facts (Beyond Tobacco)
Fermentation, explained: the microbes, the bubbles, the flavors—and why it’s different from curing. From chocolate to kimchi to kombucha.
Fun Facts About Tobacco Fermentation (That Actually Matter)
Fermentation turns cured leaf into cigar-ready tobacco—less ammonia, richer aroma, cleaner burn. Ten quick facts to read like a pro.
Maduro vs. Ligero/Viso/Seco/Volado: What Each Term Really Means
Primings describe leaf position; maduro describes wrapper processing. How they work together to create strength, aroma, and a smooth finish.
Maduro Wrappers Explained: Color, Process and Flavor
Dark ≠ automatically strong. How maduro wrappers are made, how they taste, storage/lighting tips, and what to look for when buying.
Accelerated Aging vs 15–20 Years: What’s Real
What “accelerated aging” really does: intensified fermentation, conditioning, pressing, barrels, and additives—how close it gets and where it falls short.
Do Aged Cigars Lose Strength? Nicotine Levels vs. Perceived Power
Nicotine stays; delivery changes. Why aged cigars feel gentler, how primings affect perception, and practical tips to manage strength.
Nicotine and “Strength” as Tobacco Ages: Perception vs. Reality
Why aged cigars feel smoother but can still hit hard. Strength vs. body, primings, and practical tips for pacing and storage.
5, 10, 15-Year Aged Tobacco—What Time Really Adds
Age is a tool—not a trophy. What 5, 10, and 15+ years actually do to tobacco, why not all leaf ages the same, and how to buy and store wisely.
Aging Cigars: The Ideal Scenario and Pro Setup
The practical blueprint for ideal cigar aging—stable RH/°F, separate zones, smart cellophane use, quarantine, rotation, and easy weekly/monthly maintenance.
The Art of Fermentation and Aging in Cigar Production
What fermentation vs. aging really do in cigars—how pilones reduce harshness, how aging marries flavors, and the quick cues of well-finished tobacco.
Lifecycle of a Cigar: From Seed to Smoke
A clear tour of cigar-making—from seed genetics and field primings to curing, fermentation, blending, rolling, and post-roll aging. What each stage contributes to flavor and draw.
Cellophane On or Off? Smart Storage and Aging Strategies for Cigars
Cellophane slows exchange and protects; naked cigars marry faster. Choose the right approach for mixed vs. single-profile humidors. Targets: ~65–69% RH, 65–70°F.
What Makes an Ultra-Fine Cigar? Craft, Tobacco, and Performance
A practical guide to ultra-fine cigars—leaf pedigree, blend craft, draw/burn behavior, flavor progression, and storage.
Tobacco Seeds 101: Lineage vs. Origin (Cuban Seed, Connecticut Shade/Broadleaf & Hybrids)
Seed is genetics; origin is place. Understand Cuban seed, Connecticut Shade vs. Broadleaf, and how terroir changes the smoke.
From Wine to Cigars: Seed, Terroir and Why Place Still Matters
Seed = varietal. Origin = terroir. A quick, wine-inspired way to predict cigar flavor and decode bands.