Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Further on Each of the Eleven (11) Commandments of Cigar Etiquette III

3. Biteth thee tips of thine stogies and useth not cutting implementations.
The cap is a separate piece which comes off when nibbled wetly. Cutters cause damage.
A Brief Lesson in Cigar Anatomy:
The cap of a cigar is a separate bit of leaf entirely, from the body, or wrapper, of the cigar. It is fastened in its place by a flour/water (usually) mixture. Not stickier than that, regardless of methodology. It is meant to come off. Wet it in your mouth and nibble allowingly. 

I believe that the word "bite" has scared off some. Do not maul -- allow.You will be doing far less damage than many a cutter. I'm looking at you, V-cutter gentlepersons. How far must you insist on cutting into the wrapper, into the meat of the stogie, when 'none' is a viable option?
Too, this helps add to the sensory exploration on said stogie. taste it. Let it linger. Take cold pulls along the languid way. Unless yer a Hindu or something -- you're only here once. Enjoy the journey. Let it unwrap in your juices, man.

It's always good, too, to avoid unnecessary accouterments which both weigh you down, and threaten to label you a poseur. Things do have a tendency to own us, as much -- at the least -- as do we own them.

[I wrote more about this HERE.]

A lone caveat does exist. A schmatta I will sell you for five-dollars, s&h included.
You can, and furthermore should, read The Eleven (11) Commandments of Cigar Etiquette in their gloriously sage entirety HERE.