What To Avoid When Buying a Cigar
Generally if you’re buying from a reputable cigar shop like us, you don’t have anything to worry about when buying a cigar. A proper shop should take care to oversee their stock, and maintain its quality. However there are some signs you can keep an eye out for when buying cigars to make sure you’re getting a top quality smoke.
Holes. If you see small, perfectly round holes in a cigar, that’s a sign of tobacco worm infestation or beetles. Even if the holes aren’t from insects, you want to avoid any cigar with holes in the exterior. Worms and beetles usually occur if cigars are stored at high temperatures. If you (must) buy a cigar from a box that contained cigars with holes, put the cigar in a freezer bag and freeze it for a few days, on the chance it did have larvae inside. Make sure to defrost the cigar in the refrigerator to avoid further damage.
Mold. Obviously no one wants to smoke a moldy cigar. Mold is characterized by its bluish-green color and its texture. Some cigars will have a gray dust on them which can be easily wiped off, which is normal and not mold. Mold is another symptom of improper storage, in this case too much humidity.
Dry cigar. If a cigar has not been stored at the proper level of humidity it can dry out and become brittle. Avoid buying a dry cigar, but if you must, you can restore it somewhat by keeping it in a humidor and gradually upping the humidity level over a few months.
Damaged wrapper. If a cigar’s wrapper is split or cracked, it will not burn properly and can unfurl completely. Avoid buying a cigar with any exterior damage, but again, if for some reason you must, there are ways to repair it, such as using pectin, as this video demonstrates.