REUVEN ZASLER REPORTS......
The Cigar as an Aesthetic Experience
What
are the secrets of pleasure one may derive from smoking a premium
cigar, and why are cigar enthusiasts willing to invest not
unsubstantial sums of money in acquiring them? Naturally, because of
their unique tasting qualities which cannot be found in any other
delicacy. But there is more to the story than that: a great cigar
offers a variety of pleasures for all of the smoker's
senses. Cigar aficionado Ruby Zasler discusses his experiences and
viewpoints on the aesthetic aspects of cigar smoking.
The Stink Weed
Many years ago,
before I began to indulge in the delights of cigars in general, and
Habanos in particular, I, along with myriads of cigarette
smokers and non-smokers, thought of cigars as oversized, unmanageable
stink weeds, and wondered what enjoyment one could possibly derive
from them.
Even today,
notwithstanding the increased publicity the cigar has received, as
well as the marked increase in the number of cigar smokers, I would
venture to suggest that most people outside Cuba and Spain have no
idea as to what cigar smoking entails, nor do they bother to make any
distinction between that and cigarette smoking.
The proof of this is just about everywhere: in the anti-smoking laws
being legislated and enforced; in the life insurance policies of most
insurance companies; in the taxes imposed equally upon all
tobacco products; in the unsubstantiated health warnings which deface
otherwise beautiful cigar boxes.
Worse still is the fact that in the days before the public smoking
ban, there were several places, such as airplanes, certain restaurants
and airport V.I.P. lounges where one could puff away on a cigarette,
but not on a cigar, heaven forbid.
Perhaps an
anecdote of late could best summarize the general attitude (read:
discrimination) towards cigar smoking:
I was sitting with
my wife in the well-ventilated smoking area of a charming little
restaurant, and had extracted a Habano
(I believe it was a beautiful Partagas Lusitania) from my leather
cigar case after having partaken of some sumptuous dining. Three out
of the five people sitting round an adjacent table had been smoking
cigarettes, and one of them offered a comment which was quick in
coming: "Are you trying to kill us with that thing?" My
retort, chiefly inspired by anger and cynicism, was, "No sir, but you
seem to be doing a highly competent job of that all by yourselves."
Smoke gets in your eye
While there is no
doubt that cigar smoke genuinely disturbs a certain percentage of the
population, I would conjecture that the overwhelming majority of
objectors are psychologically, rather than physically
distressed by it. After all, they have been bombarded for years with
an incessant flow of virulent anti-smoking propaganda (much of
it unsubstantiated), and undoubtedly have been exposed to cigar smoke
from sticks which were, shall we say, of somewhat less than premium
quality (machine-made or "dry").
Permit me another anecdote to demonstrate the point: when I was a new
Israeli immigrant studying Hebrew in what is called an Ulpan class,
one of my classmates, a gentleman from Mexico, was, according to his
claims, rather sensitive to tobacco smoke. It was therefore agreed
that no one would light up during the lengthy study sessions. One
morning, shortly before the first break, another student fished a
cigarette from his pack in anticipation and inserted it between his
lips. Upon seeing this, the Mexican began to lose it - screaming,
shouting, his entire body flailing about like a wounded bear.
Attempting to restore calm and sanity, I pointed out the fact that the
cigarette was still unlit. His reaction to this was, "But he's
threatening to smoke it!"
And so it is,
concerning the reason a cigar enthusiast partakes in the leaf, for the
enjoyment provided by a great cigar is psychological
(abstract) as well as physical (concrete). Yes, it is
physical - but not in the sense of providing a bodily need such as a
nicotine fix - but rather in the employment of all the bodily senses
in order to achieve the psychological: sight, smell, touch,
and, of course, taste.
In a word, then, the pleasure of the cigar smoking experience is a
totally aesthetic one.
Not a few cigar
commentators have compared smoking a premium cigar to sipping a
vintage wine, or consuming a gourmet meal. I opine that such a
comparison is entirely valid, for the enjoyment of a fine wine or an
excellent meal encompasses several of their physical attributes: the
hue, nose and flavours of the wine; the aroma, arrangement, texture
and taste of the cuisine.
A premium cigar is much like a superb wine or magnificent meal, for it
tantalises the very same senses; it can thus be appreciated to a fair
extent even before it is lit, and after it has been smoked.
Love at first sight
As a tot
growing up in Brooklyn, New York in the late 1940's, I was coerced
into accompanying my mother on daily excursions to the neighbourhood
candy store (sweet shop) where, unfortunately, she would purchase
her "dosage" of two or three packs of cigarettes. As memory serves me,
I would first gape at the variety of small toys which were always for
me a mere dream, and then shift my attention to the array of cigar
boxes: those that were closed, displaying curious, interesting labels
and symbols, and those whose lids were open, revealing their
colourful, artistic lithographs and logos and, of course, the rich
assortment of the cigars themselves in all their glory. I can well
remember brown and green cigars, thin and thick cigars, long and short
cigars.
I can still recall the sight of "naked" cigars sans any type
of covering, as well as those wrapped in thin, shiny cellophane. I
especially call to mind the cigars "imprisoned" in metal and glass
tubes. All of them impressed me tremendously, as if well-disciplined
soldiers lined up for inspection in perfect rows within their
barracks. Accordingly, it could be said that even as a toddler, I was
able to find enchantment in the appearance of cigars - a
budding aficionado. Nowadays, no less than previously, I am ever
fascinated by the diversity of colours, lengths, widths and textures
of hand made premium cigars.
Scents and Non-scents
Cigar book wisdom
would have us believe that one cannot know how a cigar will taste by
its olfactory qualities, or lack thereof. I know not whether this can
be proved or disproved, but one thing I do know from personal
experience: if a cigar does indeed have a pleasant bouquet, it will
almost certainly provide an excellent taste - and this is due to the
fact that it has had time to age somewhat, enabling its tobacco oils
to be secreted and to intermingle. Hence, whenever I intend to
purchase cigars in a shop, or have received a shipment by post, I
always check three items: production date, the presence of "bloom"
("plume") and the existence of a fragrance. Most unfortunately for me,
I am totally incapable of detecting the aroma of cigar smoke (although
my Beautiful Wife is, and enjoys it greatly), so I must content myself
with a cigar's scent prior to kindling. This fact conveniently leads
into my final anecdote: approximately fifteen years ago, I visited a
cigar shop, one of only three in my country which were selling Habanos
at that time, the proprietor of which having been one of the two
Habanos importers. (There are currently three, including an official
one.) While I was browsing in the humidor room of the shop and
inspecting and sniffing various Habanos, the proprietor entered,
stared at me, smiled and shook his head. "Is there anything wrong?" I
enquired. "You cannot judge a cigar's taste by it's smell," he
replied. "No," I clarified, "I am trying to detect an aroma as a sign
of aging." "You really don't know much about cigars, do you?" he
asked. "Perhaps not," I replied, "After all, I've been smoking cigars
for a mere fourteen years. And how long have you been smoking them,
sir?" His answer was, "I've never smoked a cigar." "Why am I not
surprised?" was my touche'.
When I lift the lids of my humidors twice a day, in order to "allow
the cigars to breathe" and to check the relative humidity and
temperature inside, I love to inhale the wonderful perfume of aging
cigars. I, like many other cigar lovers, am also fond of sniffing a
cigar after it has been clipped and before it is about to be smoked,
for this, too, adds to the aesthetic appreciation of the smoking
experience.
Senses and sensations
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I take pleasure in
quoting Vahe Gerard extensively on the subject of cigar aesthetics. He
says the premium cigar "...is more than a cigar, it is a world unto
itself. A world of such richness, that, as with all products catering
to good taste and refined living, it requires some attention and
culture to be fully appreciated.
...The pleasure of
a cigar does not simply consist in smoking it, even when tasted with
all the care and respect it deserves...Sight, firstly, allows us to
appreciate the cigar's amber hue as well as its quality and
craftsmanship. Touch then evaluates the degree of softness and
smoothness that indicate the life of the cigar. Of course, the sense
of smell comes into play by detecting woody, fruity, or spicy notes
even before lighting, and fully savours these aromas during burning.
Hearing also 'savours' the cigar: the rustling of the embers that
precedes the sound of the lighting. Finally, and most importantly, is
taste - which...produces a supremely pleasurable sensual encounter."
To all this I
would add in the factor of aging, which, as with a prime cut of meat
or a vintage port, serves to immeasurably enhance the aesthetic value
of almost all premium cigars. Hence, I am always quick to disagree
with the philosophy "if you've got 'em - smoke 'em." Setting aside a
certain percentage of one's inventory for aging will guarantee a
supply of smokes capable of providing optimal delectation.
The gratification one receives from a premium cigar is in direct
proportion to the amount of patient care one invests in one's
entire "relationship" with it - including selection and purchase, and
proper storage, aging, clipping, kindling and drawing. All of these
procedures, rather than being a series of bothersome practices, are
best perceived and experienced as a progression of rituals which take
on an aesthetic value of their own.
Afterglow
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Having taken the
very last puff , the smoker's taste buds are satiated, yet sense the
aftertaste of the rich, complex flavours. Fully contented and totally
at ease, he/she may ponder all that has been sensed since the cigar
was extracted from its humidor. However, the story need not end at
this point, for one can document one's smoking experience by means of
a cigar dossier, or something similar. Several aficionados protest
that such documentation is a bothersome waste of time, but I beg to
disagree. If one has enough energy to capture a family occasion with
a camcorder, if one has enough will power to attach photos to a page
in a photo album, if one has enough patience to purchase a souvenir at
a shop, and - most importantly - if one has enough time to properly
savour a premium cigar - then devoting a few minutes to recording
some facts and impressions should not be extraneous. Just as a photo
album, video recording or souvenir can serve as a remembrance of a
special family occasion or enjoyable vacation, a cigar dossier enables
one to conserve a memento of one's aesthetic rendezvous with a premium
cigar.
Several years ago,
after having taste- tested a fine Habano for C.GARS, I was inspired by
the Muse to pen, or rather type, a rather modest poem, which I believe
is appropriate here:
Ode to the Odiferous
Wisps of Fragant
Blue arise,
The senses for to tantalize.
Awaken palate, nostrils, tongue -
The bells of Piquant Charm have rung!
The Chocolate
Silken Wand conducts
A philharmonia of Luxe;
Rich draws and sips of Nature's favour
Brief Candle of incense to savour!
Best wishes
Reuven Zasler
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