For those new to the cigar enjoyment, or those who have troubles telling a ring gauge or length of a cigar, they even supply a ring gauge tool and ruler on the back page. It shows ring gauges from 38 up to 64rg.

I gave one of thes books to my buddy Joe, who had been using a mini notebook for his cigar records. He said “What a great idea this is. This is alot better than my scribblings”

This is a great idea and glad someone came out with these to simplify your cigar record keepings. A “Made in the USA” product as well!
I plan on using mine to keep track of my better smokes get another book for the “yard gars”. That way I will be reminded of the good smokes and thier attributes so I could possibly find another cigar along the same lines to try.

These are deffinately worth a try if you are looking for an easy and effective way to keep track of your cigar smokings.

Contact Information:
Twitter
Humidor Notes Online

Related posts:

1. Winston Humidor Around late August I received the Winston Humidor from 1st...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Details

Size: 16-3/4″ W x 10-3/4″ D x 6-3/4″ H
Capacity: up to 150 cigars
Comes With: Humidifier, Hygrometer, Cigar Scissors and 3 Adjustable Dividers
Price: $189.00

Form

First off the Winston Humidor’s combination of eye catching shape and finish make for a nice addition to any smoke room. My personal taste leans towards darker finishes, but in the case of the Winston I really enjoy the mesh of light and dark colors. The unit as a whole is feels heavy in the hands. Quality hardware, in the way of hinges, was used which made for easy opening.

In my experience most humidors of this size are equipped with a lock. The Winston, however, does not come with one. I’m not sure that a lock is actually necessary, and in some cases it becomes a burden when a key is misplaced, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

The Winston humidor includes a humidifier, hygrometer and cigar scissors. All of these items attach nicely to the inside top of the lid using a magnet that is hidden inside the lid. To me this is a nice touch considering the Velcro used in equally expensive humidors which always seems to fail after prolonged exposure to humidity.

Function

The humidor that’s in my procession didn’t seem to have the tightest of seals when I first unpackaged it. I came to this conclusion based on personal experience with other humidors. With others I could always sense a “grab” when the lid was lifted from the base. To me this was indicating a tight fit between the lid and base. I didn’t feel that same “grab” with the Winston. Then I remembered an old trick a local shop owner taught me years ago to test a humidors seal. He told me that if you close a dollar bill between the lid and base that you should be able to feel significant resistance as the bill is pulled out. That indicates a proper seal. I tried this with the Winston and found the seal to be adequate.

Since I’ve been using this humidor for approximately 4 months I’ve had the opportunity to use the humidor in a variety of humid and dry weather conditions. All humidors, in varying degrees, fall prey to the extremes in weather, and the Winston was no exception. During humid times I had to refill the humidifier every two and a half weeks. During drier periods the refills fluctuated between one and a half to two weeks. Overall I’d say the humidor performed rather well. I was able to keep the humidor in a range of 62-8% RH with little effort.

The description states that “up to 150 cigars” can be placed in this humidor. I can wee that if they were all coronas. However, I’ve had a variety of sizes in the humidor so I’ve been able to fit anywhere between 30 and 60 sticks in the humidor at one time.

Final Thoughts

Overall I’ve been very pleased with the Winston humidor. To me it performed well in all the areas a humidor should. The cherry on top is the appearance, which in my opinion is stunning. To me this humidor is a great buy, one that I would spend my own hard earned money on.

For better picutures of the finish and interior of the Winston humidor please visit the 1st Class Cigar Humidors. Also, please leave any feedback you have on this review. Since it was my first time reviewing a humidor, other than an travel humidor, i’d appreciate any feedback you may have on how to make any future articles more informative.

Related posts:

1. Winston Churchill Lancaster Recently, I was sent some samples of a new Winston...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

One of my most obsessive quests in my cigar smoking journey is the quest to find a reliable lighter. How hard is that, you say? Very damn hard. I can’t tell you how many lighters I have. Everything from gas station specials to my beloved ST Dupont X-tend. The problem is that most rarely work and, if they do, rarely work after 6 months. If you get a year out of them, you need to get your ass to Vegas because Lady Luck is smiling on you. Its not uncommon of me to have 2-3 lighters on me so I can hopefully have one that works when I need one. I have numerous Colibris and not ONE has made it passed 6 months without an issue of some kind. I have started checking out Lotus and Vector brands, but I don’t have too much experience with them yet. I do have one Xikar Exective, but I have to keep the flame turned all the way up to get it to work. I really only have two lighters I truly count on: Blazer PB-207 and ST Dupont X-tend. These never fail me and spark up every time. The Blazer is great because it has a large fuel reservoir. Recently, though, I came across a new lighter from Bugatti, the famous hyper and extreme luxury car maker.

Name: Bugatti B-1
Flame: Single
Extras: Dual punch
MSRP: $99
Online: $50
Purchase Price: $35 from Joe’s Daily Cigar

Being somewhat of a rare car fan and an avid addict of BBC’s Top Gear, I just had to check these out. At first, I was hesitant to get one because the price was pretty high. Then, one day, I snagged one on Joe’s Daily Cigar from Cigar International for $35! I couldn’t believe it. I was eagerly waiting at the door when the UPS Santa paid me a visit. As I opened the box and took out the lighter, it was a lot heavier than I imagined, not too heavy for normal carry though. I was quite impressed with the build quality.

This lighter is a single flame torch with gunmetal slab sides hex bolted to the sides of the lighter. This is what’s giving it it’s extra heft. There is a large button the side for ignition which makes it very easy to light. It also has a cover over the flame port which keeps lint and grime out of it which is a great feature. The cover also has a second, well thought out feature: ignition safety. The latch of the cover, when closed, blocks the travel of the button so the lighter cannot engage when closed.

Another great feature is that it has a built in punch, but not just one, but two punches. One medium size and one small size. The small size is small enough to punch smaller ring gauges even as small as lanceros. My beloved Oliva Serie V lanceros can vouch for that. The punches are very sharp and do a great job on every cigar I’ve used them on. I do like having built in punches on my lighters because, if I need too, I don’t have to carry a cutter as well….even though I always carry a pocket knife or Bark River knife with me, so…I guess, technically, I’m never without a cutter, but I digress. I’ve really been into punching my cigars lately because I like the clean end that it leaves and it rarely leaves the dreaded small pieces of tobacco that get in your mouth from cutting. These do a good job.

All in all, I’m very impressed with this lighter. It has sparked up every time I’ve ignited it and the punches are really sharp. I know own 3 of them just so I can have backups. My suggestion is to grab these while you can because they are well worth it.  As an engineer by trade, I really love well built products and, so far, this is one.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

You can have a ton of great cigars in your humidor, but before you enjoy them you have to have a way to get the cap off and set the end on fire. For years now, I’ve carried a cutter and lighter in my left hip pocket, so I’ll always be ready for a smoke when the opportunity arises. The cutter has changed a few times, and the lighter has changed even more often. Whichever cutter and lighter pair I’ve carried, they all add bulk. It’s still two items I have to carry. Add in my car keys, some gum, and a small Leatherman, and pretty soon it takes me 3 minutes just to get something out of my pocket. The folks at Xikar have found a way to reduce some of that bulk you carry, and introduced the Ultra Cutter and Lighter combo.

The Ultra combo is a single-flame butane lighter with two magnetic sides to hold the thin guillotine cutter to it. The cutter was introduced first a couple of years ago. It’s thin enough that it can fit in your wallet. Back in the fall, I was at Mt. Washington Cigar Co. in Baltimore, and saw a customer with the new cutter and lighter combo. The lighter is thicker than the cutter of course, but still pretty thin, and when you attach the cutter to the lighter, you still end up with a piece that is only 5/8″ thick. I’ve been using the combo for about 2 months now, and I’m ready to give my thoughts on it.

Name: Xikar Ultra Gunmetal Cutter/Lighter Combo
Made by: Xikar, Inc.
MSRP: $79.99
Warranty: Lifetime

Form

Click photos to enlarge

The cutter is ridiculously thin. A mere 1/8 of an inch. And only 2 1/2″ long. But don’t mistake thin for flimsy. Two layers of gunmetal gray metal are wrapped around the stainless steel blades, and are held together with rivets at the corners in a slightly rounded rectangle shape. Two notches are carved out at the ends to resemble the traditional guillotine cutter handles, but are too narrow to use in that way (more on that in the next section). One of the handles is wrapped in a lighter colored steel, and held in place by three more rivets. The Xikar logo adorns one of the blades. The cutter has a great feel to it. Incredibly sturdy but smooth and stylish as well.

The lighter matches the cutter in style and craftsmanship. It measures in at a half inch thick and 2 1/2″ across, and matches the cutter’s rounded rectangular shape. For such a thin lighter, it has a definite heft to it. Perhaps a bit more than I’d like, but I’ll take sturdy over weak. Like the cutter, two gunmetal gray pieces are held onto the steel center section with 4 rivets. The sides each have a raised oval in the center that gives the cutter a place to get fit when they are attached. Both sides are magnetic, and have the Xikar logo stamped near the bottom. The ignition button is large with grooves on the top. The flame hole is covered, and it is revealed when pulling back on the ignition. A good sized fuel indicator window adorns one of the sides. The bottom of the lighter has the combination fill valve and flame height adjustment dial common to most quality butane lighters.

Separately, the cutter and lighter look very nice. When placed together, they look seamless. The cutter molds nicely to the lighter, and holds firm. The handles in the cutter reveal the Xikar logo stamped on the sides in a very subtle, attractive way.

Function

Since the cutter is short, the handles really aren’t usable. Opening the cutter requires holding one of the handles between your fingertips and pulling it open. It slides open smoothly, but not too loosely. After that, you nestle one end of the cutter into your fingers and the other end against your thumb. Pressing your thumb down clips the cigar in a smooth, clean motion. The blades are incredibly sharp. Quite possibly the sharpest blades I’ve used. The thin blades make for a very clean cut, and I’ve never cut too much off the end of a cigar, and had it unravel. On the other hand, I had one cigar where I didn’t take off quite enough, and needed to go back with the cutter again to get the draw to be even workable. I’m not blaming that on the cutter, but you do need to think about taking off enough when you are cutting a stogie. It can handle a 60 ring gauge cigar with no problem, and is rated for up to a 64 ring.

The lighter is great to use. The grooves on the ignition make it easy to get a good grip, even when wearing gloves or sweating a bit in an overcrowded shop. The ignition button provides just the right resistance. The lid over the jet slides out of the way when you ignite, and hides inside the lighter so you’re not bumping the end of your cigar against a protrusion like some lighters. The flame height is very nice, even when set to the middle setting. I like a long flame, and the Ultra delivers without having to crank up the setting. The flame adjustment requires a small screwdriver or knife to adjust it. I’d prefer a thumb adjustment like on some of the other Xikar lighters, but adding that in a way that would keep the style of the lighter intact would probably be difficult. Alas, it’s easy to use for the type that it is.

When attached to each other, the magnet does a great job of keep the cutter attached. Not once have I reached into my pocket for them, and had to go back into my pocket because the cutter came off. I’m not sure why you’d really want to, but both sides are magnetic, and you could keep two cutters attached if you wanted. When placed together, the weight is a bit heavy, but not obnoxious. It can handle up to about a 52 ring gauge cigar with minimal effort, and up to a 60 with a little bit of focus.

Warranty

Xikar is well known for their lifetime warranties. If the finish or function aren’t living up to what you want, mail it to the company, and they will fix it or replace it. I haven’t had any issues with the Ultra combo, and I haven’t had to send it back. In the past when I’ve sent cutters off for sharpening or lighters for ignition problems, most of the time I get a replacement rather than a repair. So if for some reason you want the same item back (example: a lot of people like the style of their old Xikar MTX over the new one) be sure to mention that when sending off it off. Return time is usually pretty good. I’ve had most of my repairs sent back in around 2-3 weeks.

Final Thoughts

This combo is really tough to beat. It has great style and great craftsmanship. The materials are high quality, and have withstood 2 months of heavy use with almost no blemishes. The cutter requires a bit more effort than most guillotines because of its small size, but more than makes up for it with it’s super sharpness and precision. The lighter is the best single flame lighter I’ve ever used. The ignition is just perfect, butane isn’t used up at an obnoxious rate, and it looks great too. I highly recommend the Ultra lighter and cutter combo. At an MSRP of $80, it is well worth the money, and you can find it for less if you look around. If you’re just in the market for a cutter or lighter, the Ultra lighter or cutter can be had for $50 each. At that price though, I say spend the extra $30 and get the combination. There’s more value to the combo than just than either by itself.

Recommendation: Must Buy

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Name: Zippo BLU Dusted Chrome Butane Lighter
MSRP: $56 (available for $32.99 at BuyLighters.com)
Warranty: Lifetime

Zippo is a name that even non-smokers have known for a long time. Their fluid-based lighters have been well-known and well-respected since they opened up in 1932. But the fluid used tends to leave a bad taste when used to light cigars. A couple of years ago the company introduced the new Zippo BLU lighter which uses butane for fuel. Our good friends and sponsor over at BuyLighters.com sent us one to try out. I’ve been using this lighter as my main source of flame for 2 months now.

Form

The Zippo BLU carries some of the same design cues as the classic Zippo lighter, but has a few touches that make it distinct. It’s roughly the same width as the traditional lighter, but is taller, and features a slight taper at the head, and little bit more of one at the bottom, giving the BLU an almost rounded coffin-type shape as opposed to the traditional squarish Zippo. The side of the lighter has a 1/2″ fuel level window that is easy to read. A half inch doesn’t sound like much, but it is easily one of the largest fuel windows I’ve seen in a pocket lighter, if not the largest. The bottom of the lighter has the filling valve and a flame adjustment. The flame adjustment is a little awkward, and requires a small screwdriver or pen knife to adjust. The hinge on the lid is very sturdy, and produces that distinctive Zippo click when opening and closing. Opening the lid reveals the traditional Zippo wheel plus an ignition button, and a good size torch burner. Unlike the regular Zippo, the inner piece is not removable, but since the fuel valve is on the bottom of the case it’s actually much easier to fill a BLU than the regular Zippo. The dusted chrome finish on this model is very nice, and gives a classy, traditional look. After 2 months of banging around in my left hip pocket with my car keys, mini Leatherman, and other assorted paraphernalia, scratches are surprisingly minimal, and only evident after specifically looking for them.

Function

After I received the lighter, I bled the tank, and filled it with Xikar butane, and went out on my balcony for a test drive. The wheel didn’t want to budge after I flicked it. Tried a few more times, and it finally loosened up enough where I could spark the ignition, and produced a skinny, solid flame. It easily handled the 52 ring gauge cigar I was smoking with minimal effort. I used the BLU on everything from lanceros up to about 56 ring gauge cigars, and did it in relatively short order, and did not overheat the cigar. I don’t usually smoke 60 ring gauge stogies, but I don’t think the BLU would have a problem with it. Even when holding the button down to keep the flame going, it never became hot. This is a pet peeve of mine, and something I look for in a lighter. There is nothing I hate more in a lighter than when you are passing it around at a shop or a herf, and the button gets so hot from the flame it burns your thumb. The BLU never felt hot after using it. The flame produced stayed solid and strong, never flickering or wavering like some jet lighters do when there is extra air in the tank. It also held up well in the wind. Perhaps because of the lid, I felt like I needed a longer flame, and kept the flame adjustment pretty high. The side affect of this was the flame would often stay lit for 2 or 3 seconds after I let go of the button. Not a huge deal, but it is a waste of butane, and the more you are spending on butane the less you’re spending on cigars. Perhaps because I had the flame up so high, I tended to go through butane rather quickly. I was refilling it after about 8-10 cigars, which isn’t terrible, but not the best I’ve seen either. When the butane level got low, it wasn’t necessary to look at the fuel window to tell. The flame height would drop very low, not clearing the spark wheel, and pretty much making it impossible to light up a cigar with. A quick bleed and fill always resolved the problem.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I think this was a good, solid lighter. The pros are the nice, contemporary design, quality, large fuel window, and steady performance. The downsides were the difficult flame adjustment, the stiffness of the spark wheel at first, and the relative speed in which it goes through butane. While a little over priced at the MSRP of $56, the BuyLighters.com price of $33 is more than reasonable for the BLU. Now, you might wonder why you might choose this over a traditional Zippo with a butane insert. That is what my usual pocket lighter is. For one thing, I like that the fill valve is on the bottom, and doesn’t require removal to fill or adjust. The BLU also has better quality materials, and doesn’t require 2 separate purchases (one Zippo, one insert) to work. The lack of a spark wheel in the insert makes for easier use, but having it in the BLU makes it easy to identify as a Zippo product. The BLU is a quality lighter, and definitely worth picking up if you are a Zippo fan.

Recommendation:: Buy

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

At the time of this review the Lotus 20 is on special at BuyLighters.com.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Please visit the Stinky Cigar website for more information, and to find out where you can purchase one of these products.   

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Name: Xikar 30-50 Count Travel Humidor
Made by: Xikar
MSRP: $77.99

Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure or just herfing with your buddies, no trip is complete without a stash of your favorite cigars along for the ride.  Problem is properly caring for those cigars in the process.

Form

The  Xikar travel humidor is made of hard black plastic, that provides an excellent defense against any banging around.  Two sturdy latches create a water tight seal when the box is closed.  There is also a valve on the side of the box that allows for the flow of air to either decrease humidity when levels get too high or decrease pressure after a long cross country flight.  Inside the humidor there are three foam trays with cylindrical molds to hold each cigar securely.  The inside box is also lined with the foam with a section cut out for the provided humidification device.  This humidor is also available in 5, 10, 15, 18-24 and 50-80 capacity models.

Dual latches ensure tight seal and valve helps regulate interior humidity.

Humidification device on the lids interior.

Function

Since I got this humidor about 6 months ago I’ve  used it every chance I could; multiple herfs, a trip to Florida and taking cigars to and from work.  I even took the time to personalize it, which is something I’d like to cover in a future article.  During the past 6 moths the humidor has experienced drastic weather changes and has performed well through it all.  I’ve left cigars in the humidor for as long as a month without any noticeable decrease in the overall quality of the cigar.  I’ve dropped this humidor in parking lots and spilt drinks on it, still no damage to the cigars.  Cigars with a large ring gauge sometimes make staking the shelves difficult, but I generally alternate their position from one level to another to minimize its effect.

A single foam shelf can hold a variety of vitolas.

The abundance of foam minimizes damage.

Final Thoughts

Overall this Xikar travel humidor is worth the price.  No longer will I risk putting a handful of cigars in a plastic bag, or being limited to only a three or five finger case.  If you travel a lot or maybe just enjoy herfing now and then I would suggest picking up a humidor like this, I don’t expect you will be disappointed.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Name: Palio Original Composite Silver Cutter
Made by: Brother of the Leaf, LLC
MSRP: $44.96 but can easily be found for $35.96 on the Internet.
Warranty: Lifetime

Unless you enjoy biting the end of your cigars, chances are you have a couple cutters laying around the house.  Today I bring the Palio cutter from BOTL, LLC, a cutter that I have been in love with since I got it.

Service

I received my Palio cutter as a gift from my wife in August 2008, so I have not yet exercised the warranty.  However, according to BOTLs website a Palio cutter can be returned to any dealer for a replacement at any point during the cutters lifetime for any damage resulting from normal cigar cutting use.

Form

The double guillotine cutter comes packaged in a black leather pouch with a velcro seal.  The cutter is ergonomically designed and feels sturdy in the hand.  The blades are made of hardened surgical steel that remains sharp after many cuts.  The cutter is also designed with a slight curve in the body that allows the cutter to also double as a place to rest your cigar.

Function

Once lined up a quick squeeze of the cutter yields a quick, even and effortless cut.  Cutters cut, that’s their job, but the Palio seems to dissect the cap of the cigar.  I find it difficult to accurately describe how well this product cuts so I have included a few pictures to help illustrate the Palio’s precision.

Petit Corona side shot.

Robusto side shot.

Box-pressed Torpedo side shot.

6 x 60 side shot.

Final Thoughts

In my opinion, the Palio cutter is a guaranteed winner.  I have consistently cut my cigars well since I’ve had this product in my possession.  It seems like a no brainer to buy a product that the company will stand behind over the entire life of the product.  I highly suggest picking one these cutters up.  They come in an assortment of finishes to match your taste.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.