There is a saying we have all heard, you get what you pay for.  The Internet has become the go to place for ordering premium cigars at a low price.  Several downsides to this include that you must wait for the cigars to be delivered.

Premium, high quality cigars should be ready to smoke once they arrive at your home. If the cigar was made correctly, including being allowed to age correctly and being stored properly, it should be ready to light up. This is generally not the case.

Premium cigars are going to taste better if you allow them to rest in your humidor before you light one up. You can never be exactly sure how the cigars were stored once they were loaded on a delivery truck. Secondly, you do not know what conditions the cigars were exposed to while they were being shipped. Think about how your suitcase is handled, pushed around during the journey, and most probably a few extreme temperature fluctuations while en route.

Cigars do get some amount of non humidified resting time while they are being shipped. If they were properly packaged, the packaging materials should help shield and insulate them. The most common complaints are about cigars that were shipped ground, which usually takes three to five days.

Regardless of how long it takes for your cigars to arrive, we recommend letting your cigars rest in your humidor for a minimum of one week before you light the first one. By allowing your new cigars to rest in your humidor for a week or two, you will allow them to adjust to the conditions they will be stored in, inside of your humidor.

While this process might seem slow, it is important to go at a steady pace. Cigars are comprised of many layers of tobacco, and if the layers of tobacco are unevenly hydrated, it can cause your cigars to burn unevenly, crack, and warp, rendering them unsmokeable. If the cigars are introduced to, and shocked with too much moisture, they will be at risk for bursting.

This is all only a matter of opinion.  The next time you order cigars online, smoke one on arrival.  Put the rest of the cigars in your humidor. Smoke one in a weeks time,  wait  another week and smoke another,  etc.  You will be able to see, and taste, the difference.

To avoid the wait, and the worry, we recommend buying where you know the cigars have been properly stored and cared for- right here at Broadway Cigar Company.

Two of the greatest minds in the cigar industry, Manuel Quesada and Nestor Plasencia, came together to create the Casa Magna. This cigar is rolled at Nestor Plasencia’s factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. Manuel Quesada is from Santiago in the Dominican Republic. Their family was from Cuba and had worked with tobacco since the late 1800′s and the 1974 opening of their factory in Santiago was their first venture into cigar making.  He is to have said they started the business with $100, a chair and a phone.  Quesada started the business with his father and brother until they were both in a tragic accident. There is a great article and interview in Cigar Aficionado magazine about Manuel, and his life a few years back.

Nestor Plasencia is also from a tobacco growing family and emigrated from Cuba after the revolution in 1959. As a result of a revolution in Nicaragua in the 1980′s he lost his tobacco farm and factories there. At this time he moved across the border to neighboring Honduras.  Today he again has factories in Nicaragua but keeps his primary operation in Honduras. His company is the one responsible for the manufacture of 30 or so cigar labels, including Rocky Patel and Swisher International.

We wonder how the two met and how the conversation went. This cigar is a Nicaraguan puro, and is medium to full bodied, with both the binder and filler from Nicaragua. Perfectly wrapped in an oily Colorado wrapper, this stogie gives off hints of cocoa and sweet cedar. Super smooth smoke.

Casa Magna Belicoso – Notes of caramel, toffee, cocoa, coffee and cedar. Oily Colorado wrapper.  Rich and full bodied.

Country – All Nicaraguan leaf grown in Esteli, Nicaragua for ‘strength, balanced by the sweeter and milder Jalapa leaves.

Details – Full flavor, rich coffee notes, balanced by a cedary sweetness hint of raisins. Complex.

Verdict = Very nice cigar!

As we cruise on through Broadway Cigar’s top 12 of 2012, we have to mention General Cigar’s Foundry Wells. Yet another quality cigar on our list of favorites. This unique blend of tobaccos from four different regions give this cigar a distinct taste and present an overall new experience.

This Robusto stogie is evenly packed and has a perfect burn. With a smooth and oily exterior, this cigar’s light brown wrapper showcases it’s great construction. The mildness of it is complemented by its earthy, slightly spicy and leathery flavors. A great everyday stick, you don’t want to miss out on this cigar.

The Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Toro Gordo from My Father is a great choice for your next stogie. The full flavor profile landed this cigar in our top 12. Nothing less than a luxury, this stick’s a solid dark smoke.

The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper blends nicely with the Ecuadorian binder and Nicaraguan filler. It’s noteworthy flavors include wood, cinnamon and espresso with just a hint of pepper. An exquisitely rich smoke, you won’t be disappointed. Stop in and pick up this delicacy.

As we delve further into our top 12 of 2012, it’s only fair that we talk about the Flor De Las Antillas. As a Broadway Cigar favorite we highly recommend you pick up this stogie. It’s classic stick that has a nice draw and a steady flavor throughout.

This medium-full bodied smoke has a smooth start and steady burn. A powerful flavor profile that’s sweet, spice, and everything nice. Hints of earthy and coffee notes can also be picked up. A full five inches of Nicaraguan goodness that is sure to please the palate. Pick yours up soon!

A perfect choice for the top 12 of 2012 was the La Gloria Serie R #5 Natural. It has a solid consistent burn, and is the go to cigar for many of us here at Broadway Cigar. This stogie is a great match for aficionados that can really appreciate a complex stick.

This medium to full bodied cigar offers a wide array of flavors, most notably hints of pepper, wood, and a light sweetness. Bundled in an Ecuadorian wrapper, this stogie has both a Nicaraguan and Dominican Republic filler as well as a Nicaraguan binder. Treat yourself to this thick, rich and smooth smoke.

After dishing out about the top 12 Broadway Cigars of 2012 it’s only fair that we explain why each cigar made the cut. To start off, let’s spotlight The Montecristo White Toro. This refreshing, well constructed cigar offers a consistently smooth smoke.

A balance between a mild and medium-bodied cigar, this stogie is very versatile. Noted for being both a morning and evening cigar, this fine smoke has been spotlighted for being both light and complex.  Measuring in at 6in long with a 54 ring gauge, the Montecristo White sports an Ecuadorian wrapper, with a Nicaraguan binder and filler. The most notable flavors toasty, creamy, and nutty, creating a very pleasing profile. You won’t want to miss out on this classy stick in 2013.

The fine stogies below consist of the the newest cigars available at Broadway Cigar. Make sure you get your hands on this premium goodness:

1. Cohiba Edición Diamante Capa Reserva 1980

This Limited Cohiba has cigar enthusiasts riled up, with it’s aged 1980 Cameroon tobacco wrapper and classy design, what’s not to like? Pick yours up today to enjoy this Indonesian binder, Dominican filler and aged Cameroon wrapper. Be sure to note the unique packaging, easy lighting, and wonderful taste profile. These cigars are hard to come by, get yours soon while we have them.

2. Reserva Superior Salomon

Noted for it’s distinctive blend profiles and detail oriented construction, this cigar is a fine choice for any aficionado.  With a box production of only 500 this is rare offering. The primary wrapper is Dominican Habano, the binder is Brazilian and the filler is Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Lancaster PA. Available for a limited time, and rest assured, these cigars will go fast.

3. Diamond Crown Holiday Collection

Taste the Diamond Crown family in a way that not many have with this set. A mix of three wrappers and three blends, only available with this offer. The gift set includes a leather carrying case, one Diamond Crown MAXIMUS, one Diamond Crown Julius Caeser and one Diamond Crown Cameroon Select. You better jump at this one, because frankly, who wouldn’t want a diamond for the holidays?

We’ve all heard references to the wrapper, binder and filler of a cigar, but what really should you be looking for to enrich your smoking experience?  Follow us as we dissect each section of the cigar and discuss the roles of each.

The wrapper, enhancing your experience.

The wrapper seals the entire cigar in one big tobacco embrace. Although there is a little debate about how much these flavors affect the stogies, wrappers are meant to complement the blend in the filler. Often a wrapper lighter in color translates to a tamer flavor, and the darker of the lot tend to be a bit bolder. Again, up for debate, but either way you look at it the wrapper is an integral part of your next stick.

The binder, it’s more about strength, less about flavor.

Being that the binder is the beefy leaf that holds everything together, it’s often selected for it’s strength over it’s flavor. Not to say the flavoring doesn’t often compliment the filler nicely, but a thicker durable leaf is of the utmost importance. If your focus is taste, we recommend referring to the binder last. Just don’t ignore it completely!

Saving the best for last, the filler.

If you are looking for specific flavoring, we recommend taking your magnifying glass straight to the filler. As the meat of the cigar, the filler creates most of the strength and flavor profile. There’s usually a blend of different tobacco leaves pulled together in a bunch, producing the cigar’s traits. When picking out your next stogie pay special attention to this key component. If you need some help ask a Broadway Cigar representative for some recommendations.

Which cigar do you plan on having in hand while the ghosts, zombies and superhero’s run free this week? Our recommendation may not be spooky, may not be scary, but it’s certainly a treat. Try the Tatuaje Little Monsters Cigars based off Tutuaje’s Monster Series.

The collection includes the Mini Mum, Wolfie, Baby Face, Frank Jr. and Lil’ Drac. Even with a fun play on names, these stogies are seriously enjoyable. Try the sampler for your own fun size indulgence, you’re never too old for a treat.