One of the things that I enjoy (besides Cigars) is the period of the 1920's, 30's and 40's. I wear 3 piece suits, bowties, and vintage fedoras on a daily basis. In watching a period movie I saw a gentleman smoking a cigar with a Meerschaum cigar holder.
Back in the day, most women in society would use a cigarette holder so that the tobacco did not stain their gloves. If you have ever seen pictures of Walter O'Malley , owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, who was never without a cigar, he always used a white Meerschaum cigar holder.
I wanted to try a cigar holder to see if it enhances the cigar's flavours so I checked on the web and found a few. Once I got them, I grabbed my favourite familiar cigar and lite it up.
The very first noticeable thing is the temperature of the smoke. Because of the added length and porosity of the Meerschaum holder the smoke is noticeably cooler. Also, because there is no physical contact with the cigar wrapper or tobacco, your tongue does not get over exposed with the flavours from contact. The flavours that you taste are ONLY from the nicely cooled smoke.
Cigar holders are also available in Briar. Both the Meerschaum and Briar are similar in construction and design as pipes. And as with pipes there is maintenance that is involved in owning and using cigar holders. They have to be cleaned periodically with pipe cleaners and alcohol to remove build up.
There are draw backs to using cigar holders and one of them is that for the different ring guage cigars that you smoke, you have to own a different size holder for each ring. Another is that inserting the cigar into the holder takes some finesse and patients because you want to get it inserted tight enough to hold it so that it doesn't fall out but not so tight that you tear the wrapper while inserting it. And finally, it is another thing to carry around.
So, give one a try and see if it works for you. Two places that I found online to buy them is www.tobacco-barn.com and www.theladysmokes.com .
Smok'em if you Got'em
Chas
Thanks so much for the kind mention of our store.
ReplyDeleteWe have a number of devotees of the meerschaum cigar holders. I like using mine when I'm working and I want to be able to hold my cigar in my mouth for prolonged periods of time (like when typing) and I don't want to crush or saturate the cigar with saliva.
Most of the guys here in our lounge who use them do so so they can smoke their favorite premium and ultra-premium cigars down to the cap.
Very nicely written post!
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Chas...using a Meerschaum Cigar Holder is great!!!
ReplyDeleteAs a veteran Cigar smoker, I had at first was a little wary of using a Holder, but went ahead anyway and purchased one from Tabacco-barn.com. For those who mainly smoke Corona ring gauge (42)Cigars, purchase a Holder that is sized X-Small, 16mm...the fit will be tight enough to hold your Cigar in the Holder without it falling out...trust me...I know.
First, I researched that Meerschaum is a porous material and the best Meerschaum comes from Turkey.
How are the Cigar Holders made?
The raw lumps of meerschaum that come from the mines are chemically cleaned. All foreign matter is removed, and the lumps emerge soft, dry and white. They are then sawn into rough, Cigar Holder pre-shaped blocks. Cigar Holder shapes are made by hand and by machine. The carved models are created by hand, working on moistened blocks.
Finishing: The smooth and craved Holders are then dipped in a boiling mixture of Beeswax and oils. Since the meerschaum is very porous the liquid is absorbed, and it is this that gives the Holder the ability to color as it is smoked.
How does it color?
The inside of the bowl is not waxed, so it absorbs the moisture from the burning tobacco, and the beeswax picks up the color from the residue. The color varies according to the tobacco smoked, but the final color will nearly always be a rich, deep reddish-brown. The very first noticeable thing is the temperature of the smoke. Because of the added length and porosity of the Meerschaum holder the smoke is noticeably cooler because tars and other oils of burning cigar tobacco leaves are absorbed by the stone. Meerschaum Cigar Holders 'ripens' (as the tars and other byproducts are absorbed by the stone, they are drawn to the surface by the beeswax coating which colors the stone). Meerschaum starts out white, then blushes pink, turns tan, and deepens into shades of brown or a rich golden honey color, emphasizing the detail with which it is carved.
Thanx
Christopher
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