The Devon Buy Collection of Cigars and Tobacco Products

I enjoy the occasional cigar with coffee over chit-chat sessions with a good buddy of mine, as well as light doses of tobacco smoking from a couple of tobacco pipes.

I maintain a healthy stash of cigars and tobacco at home, and habitually take some with me when I leave the house. I often buy new sticks faster than I can smoke them, and the cigar collection amounts to a fair bit at any given time.

For tobacco, I alternate between two different tobacco pipes – a straight stem Big Ben “Bora” from Holland, and a bent Stanwell “Zebrano” from Italy (previously from Denmark). They are both made of briarwood with different finishing and style for the bowl, each with its own smoking characteristics.

While a bent stem allows for cooler smoke and can be more easily held in the mouth without holding with the hand, a straight stem provides a smoother draw and is easier to clean and maintain. Both take a standard 9 mm filter and sit well on a flat surface without any need for support.

I find myself going for the Big Ben more often simply because of ergonomics and ease of maintenance.

The Devon Buy Collection of Cigars and Tobacco Products

The collection is divided into only two categories: Cigars and Tobacco.

The cigar and tobacco products presented below are what I currently have at the moment. I store most of these in my own home-made humidor, the construction of which I have outlined here.

To maintain the relative humidity within, I use Madelaine Propylene Glycol Solution.

CIGARS

From Tubos to Boxes, from Corona to Robusto, from Cuba to Switzerland, here are the cigars with the brand names in all caps and the country of origin in parentheses.

TOBACCO

Favourite Cigars

The cigars below are of the more exquisite variety from the collection, some of which are my personal favourites. The dimensions of cigars are usually indicated as length x diameter in inches. The diameter is given in ring gauge, measured as 1/64th of an inch. Hence a cigar of ring gauge 44 is equivalent to 44/64 of an inch, i.e. 0.6875 inch in diameter.

	“My favourite of them all…the Montecristo No.3. A cigar just perfect on the the draw and flavour…” Brand: Montecristo (est.1935) Variant: No.3 Natural Corona Length: 5.5 Ring Gauge: 42 Shape / Size: Parejo / Corona Wrapper Colour: Connecticut / Light brown Binder: Cuba Filler: Cuba Strength: Mild Origin: Cuba RRP: RM97.00 per stick
	“If I don’t have the No.2, the slimmer and longer No.1 will just have to do!” Brand: Romeo y Julieta (est.1875) Variant: No.1 Tubos Length: 5.5 Ring Gauge: 40 Shape / Size: Parejo / Corona Wrapper Colour: Dark brown Binder: Cuba Filler: Cuba Strength: Mild to Medium Origin: Cuba RRP: RM77.00 per stick
	“Earthy flavours, burns well without being too nutty towards the end…” Brand: Romeo y Julieta (est.1875) Variant: Petit Corona Length: 4.9 Ring Gauge: 42 Shape / Size: Parejo / Petit Corona Wrapper Colour: Dark brown Binder: Cuba Filler: Cuba Strength: Mild to Medium Origin: Cuba RRP: RM1,825.00 per box of 25
	“Spicy on the initial burn and has to be smoked slowly, otherwise…dizzy!” Brand: Romeo y Julieta (est.1875) Variant: No.2 Tubos de Aluminio Length: 5.125 Ring Gauge: 42 Shape / Size: Parejo / Corona Wrapper Colour: Dark brown Binder: Cuba Filler: Cuba Strength: Mild to Medium Origin: Cuba RRP: RM1,800.00 per box of 25
	“An intense tobacco taste blended with cocoa, cinnamon and dried fruits, this handmade cigar is highly rated and consistent throughout its burn.” Brand: Hoyo de Monterrey (est.1865) Variant: Epicure No.2 Length: 5.875 Ring Gauge: 50 Shape / Size: Parejo / Robusto Wrapper Colour: Medium brown Binder: Cuba Filler: Cuba Strength: Mild to Medium Origin: Cuba RRP: RM140.00 per stick
	“A handmade premium puro cigar meticulously tapered at both ends with a balanced blend of top-quality Nicaraguan tobaccos grown in the country’s rich, volcanic soils.” Brand: Davidoff (est.1969) Variant: Nicaragua Diadema Length: 6.5 Ring Gauge: 50 Shape / Size: Presidente / Diadema Wrapper Colour: Medium brown Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua Strength: Medium to Full Origin: Dominican Republic RRP: RM120.00 per stick
	“A medium-bodied cigar with wheaty woody notes on the draw…” Brand: Don Diego (est.1966) Variant: Corona No.3 Length: 5.5 Ring Gauge: 44 Shape / Size: Parejo / Corona Wrapper Colour: Connecticut Shade Binder: Dominican Republic Filler: Dominican Rep. / Nicaragua Strength: Mild to Medium Origin: Dominican Republic RRP: RM150.00 per pack of 5

Publications and Ratings

Cigars of the World (Illustrated Encyclopedia)

VIEW ON EBAY

The second best part about a hobby are the reading materials and publications that fuel the interest and enthusiasm, and the one that I refer to the most is Cigar Aficionado. I have read one or two other magazines on cigar appreciation, but found myself always returning to this one.

A good reference book on cigars is the Illustrated Encyclopedia: Cigars of the World (right). This is a small book with useful information about the finest cigars from around the globe and the companies which make them. It is also my source of reference. To buy this book and other titles on cigars, click here.

Here are some ratings from the blind tastings carried out at Cigar Aficionado for the cigars “of the more exquisite variety” in my collection listed above, with the dates of publication. The score ratings and their significance as described by Cigar Aficionado are:

• 95 – 100: Classic
• 90 – 94: Outstanding
• 80 – 89: Very Good to Excellent
• 70 – 79: Average to Good Commercial Quality
• 0 – 69: Don’t waste your money

Preparation and Lighting

Over the years, I realised that prepping and lighting a cigar the proper way is of paramount importance. As mentioned earlier, cigar appreciation is more a hobby than a habit, and it rewards the smoker well to pay heed to some of its ritualistic idiosyncrasies which I find best explained in the following video.

Interesting Conversations About Cigars with Arnie

Quotes About Cigar and Pipe Smoking

Thought I’d just drop a few quotes by some famous people about tobacco smoking, and add one of my own just for the heck of it.

If you’re an avid cigar or pipe tobacco smoker and if you have an interesting quote to share, do pen it down in the comment section below. Meanwhile, keep the end lit and puff away!

SEE ALSO:

• How to Clean Tobacco Pipe