A education...thanks for the link. Right now I'm storing my cigars in what I call my "tamaledor", a styrofoam packing container some friends used to send us Christmas tamales. I built four, lightweight birch trays I can slid down into it, one on top of the other, each holding about 25 cigars. I disected a Macanudo 10 box and placed its cedar bottom below the humidifier (an 8 oz plastic food container with a slice of "wet" floral foam. I haven't taken any RH reading yet.

what a great page! thanks for the link, theres some really good reading there.

Is it me, the cigar or storage...I've noticed that the first several puffs on my cigars (seems to happen across brands) are not as pleasant as later ones...the earlier puffs seem to be dry, acrid and scratch my palate.

Great link!!! Charlie

Thanks Rick.

mhollowa: what are you lighting the cigars with. if it uses liquid fuel like a zippo, stop. if you are

using butane try a wooden match. also after i get it light i blow through the cigar to rid it of any

lighting material that might be on the tip of the cigar. let us know how this works out.

Thanks, Rick. I'll pick up a box on the way home and let you know.

Rick is right, and let the match burn a second or two before applying. If you can stand the wait, try to light it without the flame actually touching the tobacco. Might have to go through a bunch of matches unless you get the long cigar or fireplace kind, but by not burning up the cigar's foot you can avoid that scorched earth taste, too.

mhollowa: it has been over 24 hours. we want to know how the match suggestions given on the board has worked. if you haven't smoked a cigar in the last 24 hours, aloha.

Quik Quiz: Do you know what a 'cigar brazziere' is?

Is that the same as a 'cigar brassiere'?

A cigar with two "cups" of coffee?

Rick and eleltea: After a day putting up wainscot in the upstairs hall, I lit an Arturo Fuentes Canones maduro last night for the first time using a kitchen match and not the 69-cent butane lighter I've been using...I can see what you mean... more of the foot lights evenly...and it didn't take as long as the lighter. Thanks.