Can anyone reccomend a good cigar for a newb?
 

I'm going to a thing this weekend and I don't want to be the only asshole that shows up without a cigar, and I don't feel like lugging the hukkah over there.

I guess I'm looking for something that doesn't smell like burning cat shit when it's lit and won't require a second mortgage, and isn't a black-n-mild :giggle:

I like Balmoral Corona.

I like CAO cigars.

They're smallish, flavorful and dont suck. Some people might call you a pussy though for not smoking a "real" cigar but oh well. I dont really like putting something all phallic shaped in my mouth.

Plus i'm a cigarette smoker which makes it really hard to appreciate cigars.

just roll up a rillo :giggle:

Anything rolled upon the thighs of a virgin.

I'm interested in this as well... hopefully a few guru's will impart their knowledge.

Macanudo is a brand which is available just about everywhere, and they make several cigars which are in the $5 and under range. I'm sure that the purists will decry this suggestion as being the Budweiser of the cigar world, and I can't claim to be a cigar guru, but they are relatively mild and easy to keep lit.

A note on cigar construction. For the most part, any given brand will offer numerous cigars of various shapes and sizes, and the difference is exactly that- shape and size. Unless otherwise stated, the materials will tend to be the same for all offerings from any given brand. IOW- Coca Cola is available in 12oz cans, 12oz bottles, 750ml bottles, 1L bottles, 2L bottles, and 5 gallon corny kegs. Internally, they all contain the same liquid.

I used to smoke a lot of different cigars and even started a spreadsheet to keep track of the ones I liked. Here is a cut/paste from the spreadsheet with ranking from 1-10 on how much I liked the cigar. I never did keep up with the spreadsheet so there isn't much on it and a lot of it is from the Thompson mail order catalog but I thought it would post it anyway. The interesting thing is that some of the cigars that I have ranked low were much better when I tried them a year or so later (after they aged more) I have about 200-300 cigars right now in my humidor (maybe 100 different brands/sticks) with most of them aged for close to 10 years now. I've stopped buying different stuff and rarely smoke them. Now the only cigar I smoke is the super cheap "RBPL1 (candella) J&R Famous" from J&R (mail order and outlet place in Statesville, NC). They are only about $0.50 each and not a bad cigar. Compared to something like the Ashton Cabinet #2 which costs you $20 or so at a store when you only buy one they aren't that bad. Once I found the Holy Grail (a good $.50 cigar and a good $5 bottle of wine) I stopped trying different things and only smoke/drink those. The wine is several different brands (I'll get the names for you guys if you want to know) of a White Merlot you can find in the big grocery stores around the Charleston, SC area. Anyway, go to a real cigar store and tell the guy behind the counter that you want something really mild that doesn't cost over $5. He'll put you on to something that smokes good. Buy two of them and smoke one the day before going to your party or whatever you are going to. Showing up with something expensive that tastes like shit will ruin the moment. Also, like wine snobs, there are a lot of cigar snobs out there and they will put down anything you smoke.

Yep, you got me thinking and I am going to smoke a nice cigar this from my collection this week (I only burn maybe 10 a year now).



CAO L'Anniversaire 10
Gloria Pamera 10
Quo Vadis 10
Quo Vadis (Vanilla) 10
Thompson 9
Thompson 9
Fuente Gran Reserva 8
Don Tomas - Special Edition 8
Davidoff (Special R) 8
Macanudo Maduro 8
Romeo Y Julieta (Cuban) #1 8
Romeo Y Julieta 8
Partagas 8
Ashton Cabinet #2 8
Punch 8
la flor dominicana - especial 8
Avo #1 8
Alcazar Maduro 8
Dolce Vita 8
Fonseca 8
Carlos Torano - Signature 7
Avo XO 7
Balmoral (Royal Selection) 7
Carlos Torano - Reserva Selecta 7
Breton - Legend 7
Perdomo Reserve La Tradicion Cabinet 7
Vega Fina 7
Havana Honey 7
Flor De Selva 6
Belmondo 6
Bacchus 6
Breve 5
la gloria cubana 5
Vanilla Delight 2
Ortiz 2
Bering Casino 1
Breve (aged) 8
La Tradicion cabinet series (aged) 8
Gloria Pamera 3
Quo Vadis not flavored (aged) 8
Ortiz 8
Jamacan Heritage 7

cohiba 5.45
pinar 2000 9.2

geezus:eek5:

"only a few" lol, I know nothing about cigars, and didnt even know there are THAT MANY let alone this list being only a "few":giggle:

I really like CAO and Don Tomas...but keep in mind WHAT cigar you chose. If you are new to cigars I would choose something light and airy, fun to smoke without leaving you feeling strange.

Mac was going to be my suggestion as well. Easy enough to find, not that expensive, and good.

What Rob said. You can buy great sub $2 sticks and shitty $20 sticks. The cigar snobs prefer the shitty $20 sticks. I usually try samplers from cigarsinternational. Sometimes I'll do their "buck-a-stick" selection, sometimes I'll get their daily emails special which usually has some of the better known brands. Heck, favorite "expensive" cigar right now is a $3.50/stick Perdomo Reserve Golf Eagle.

Frank

If you are looking for a light easy smoke, I would recommend something from Dunhill or Davidoff. Both have less spice or bite and lean more towards a silky finish.

I see a few Dominican brands in that list. Let me know if I can be of service.

I also recommend Don Diego Playboy.

I've only had two cigars ever. the first one I forget but since it was harsh and nasty, that's fine. the second was a montecristo seen below. very smokable even for a noob like me.

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...518732_522.jpg

ahh canada.

I was on the cigar boom bandwagon in the mid-late 1990s like everybody else, but have tapered off my smoking considerably since then. Still have a pretty good stash in my humidors though. I have a journal where I've kept tasting notes, but I think it's still packed in a random box from when we moved this summer.

I gravitated mostly towards robustos since they can give you big bore flavor but don't take forever to smoke, so most of my impressions of a brand were based on that size (if they made a robusto). I recall not being impressed by CAO or Carlos Toraño, but that was ten years ago. JP likened Macanudo to Budweiser, but IMO it's more like Coors Light (the water of beers) in its total lack of flavor. Nothing wrong with them if that's what you like (they are well made), but if I'm taking 45 minutes to an hour out of my day for a cigar, I'm lighting up something with a bit more to it. Brands that I was almost universally happy with included A. Fuente, La Flor Dominicana, Padron, and Avo. Some of my favorites were El Rico Habano's Habano Club and Joya de Nicaragua's Consul, but I haven't had any recent production ones so don't know if they're still as good as I remember. Romeo y Julieta, Mayorga, Puros Indios are mostly good, and not expensive.

One bit of general advice if you're totally new to cigars is to go with a natural wrapper (light-medium brown) rather than a maduro (dark brown) for your first couple smokes. The maduro wrapper imparts a flavor that can make the cigar seem harsh if you're not used to it. It's like a really hoppy beer- good if you like that, but palette-wrecking bad if you don't.

Also, 99.999% of all "Cohibas" in cigar shops in the USA and nearby border towns are fakes, and not very good ones at that. If the salesman tries to sell you one, he's either A) ignorant or B) assuming you're a schmuck.

My old humidor was the size of a large shoebox (like you would buy cowboy boots in). I've since moved to a coolerdor - a large Igloo cooler that I modified. Like I said, I have several hundred cigars (lots and lots of different ones, just not a few boxes of 50 of the same). It was an old hobby of mine but I have moved on to other things. I rarely smoke now.

As Siggy said, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar". But that thing is a penis <G>...

Don't forget a good accompaning beverage.

http://wardsweb.org/misc/cohiba_glen.jpg

or even smoother without the peat

http://wardsweb.org/misc/bushmills.jpg

This is why i love this forum. Just today there are threads about Cigars, TV's, sleeping bags and over heating problems and every thread has great info.
__________________
Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

You drive a MIATA! Swisher Sweet is the obvious cigar of choice! :giggle:

I tend to smoke a cigar every couple of years, so I'm no great authority, but I've always liked the royal jamacian #2.

Thanks for the info dudes, keep it coming. So far, based on this advice, it looks like I'm going for a light-colored smoke in the $5 range.

I was going to suggest that, but he said "no black n milds" and this is basically the same crap lol

Yes, typically the lighter the color of the wrapper, the lighter the smoke. Not true if you get something cheapo. They can still be chainsaw harsh.

I really agree with the gent who suggested that you have one a day or two before. Fantastic idea. You don't want to feel wierd and conspicuous in public any more than you have to. I'm a third generation cigar smoker. I have a nice little humidor, but don't smoke as often as I did.

Pointers:
1. Get a cheap cutter (sometimes free) at the tobacco shop unless you want to borrow one at the event.
2. Use a match to light it (Purists will frown on "regular cigarette lighters" because it ruins the flavor). Many purists will buy expensive lighters that don't ruin flavor, but a simple match is still very acceptable.
3. Twist it in your mouth a little before you light it to moisten the wrapper down the shaft a little ways down from your lips. This will give you a good taste of the wrapper and will secondarily slow its burn as you finish it.
4. Twist it as you are drawing on it to light it. You want a nice even light on the end.
5. Do not inhale. It is not a cigarette. Different rules apply. This is about flavor on the palette.
6. Do not hot-box it. You are trying to take your time and enjoy the flavor. This is about relaxation. A hot cigar will taste much harsher than a cooler one. It is even ok if it goes out, or nearly goes out if you are involved in conversation or intraspection. Relighting is not a shameful act. And you only have one cigar for the whole evening, so make it last
7. It is good to keep a good ash on the end of the cigar. It keeps it from burning so quickly, and it shows your relaxation level.
8. If the end that is in your mouth becomes uncomfortably soggy, you can cut the soggy part off into the trash (avoid the ashtray with that as it is unsightly).
9. If you become weary of smoking it, you can just hang on to it, and occaisionally put it in your mouth after it goes out. No harm, no foul, no imperative to relight it.
10. Only snobs keep the label on the cigar when they light it. It's like leaving the price tag on it. :Ghey: That's for insecure folks. Not for people who actually just want to enjoy their smoke.
11. Don't get one with an uncomfortably large ring guage (diameter) for your first time out. It will feel strange to you to hold something that big in your mouth for so long.

I happen to have a few favorites that are quite smooth and light. Try the La Unica with the Natural (light) shade wrapper (not the Maduro which is dark). Very nice and quite mild, with a $5 or less price.

Quote:"Cigar Aficionado has rated La Unica an “outstanding” cigar, by giving it an 90. Although unflavored, a La Unica cigar starts out with hints of sweetness, and fruit, and the complexity of this cigar unravels with every puff. La Unica cigars have a nutty, creamy flavor that is satisfying for an everyday smoke, and ideal for the mild bodied smoker."

They are made in the Dominican Republic (Hi, Rafa!) by the J.C. Newman company out of the Cigar City of Tampa, FL. Newman makes several top brands.

On the other hand, my wife likes Macanudos.

And there are many good, smooth, light sticks out there.

Good luck.

If you're looking for a lighter (less tarry), smooth smoke, I would consider the Monte Cristo No. 2 tubed or a Cupido (more of a dessert cigar.)

As Wardsweb alludes to, you need to consider what you will be eating/drinking while enjoying your cigar. You don't want the smoke to overpower the eats/beverage and vice versa. (So if you are consuming something heavily flavored, you might want to consider a Robusto cigar...)

If you are not a routine smoker, don't get a large cigar. It will take too long for you to finish, will most likely get "too thick" and you will undoubtably get light headed.

If you are a routine smoker, don't consue the cigar in the same manner as a cigarette; meaning draw the smoke into the mouth, not into the lungs.

And by all means, use a cutter and matches or a quality lighter to start the cigar, otherwise you may as well resort to "Black and Milds"...

- L

My first cigar was a Fuente Fuente Opus X. The following year for my birthday my buddy shared a Fuente Fuente Forbidden X with me. But the last cigar I smoked was a Gurkha Grand Reserve. It's not something for the purists as its infused with cognac and it has a Connecticut wrapper. It's a mild incredibly tasty smoke and I love them. If you buy from the right place you can get them for around $6.
When I just want something to smoke its usually a light color macanudo, CAO, monte cristo, or whatever is new and on sale that I think I will enjoy.

Stay away from the Acids and other weird shit like that unless you're looking for that kind of thing. Watch out for some Discount Tabacco shops as well, some carry fake Cohibas and their humidors normally suck.

I love AG Cigars in the Stockbridge, GA area, it's a great place with an awesome selection. I only smoke a couple times a year though, don't maintain a collection, and its usually only with my one friend who is into high end scotch, cigars, and expensive watches I can't afford myself.

You forget which forum you're on. He's used to it. :giggle:

Sixshooter, pm me if you want some :)

I have some local contacts ;)

It seems like several people also like CAOs. My advice is to go to a good cigar store and talk to them about it. I learned a lot by doing that. They are usually really cool people and love to share their knowledge and recommendations.

Also, I found a really awesome cigar bar when I was working in houston this summer. Really awesome place. It was a treat since smoking tobacco is punishable by quartering here in the northwest. The most important thing about smoking a cigar is being comfortable while you do it. I have nowhere to smoke indoors anymore so smoking during the rainy cold winter outside is out of the question.

I have been passing these cigars out this week. I like the flavor, but it doesn't last very long. And if you stick the entire thing in your mouth it is a jaw work out. If you show up with these bad boys you are certain to get some compliments.

Attachment 9643

(the reason I handed them out is we celebrated new years with a 9 lb. boy. YAYUH! :) )

Many "purists" would favor a lighter because the flame from butane produces no flavor. Don't use a Zippo because they usually take a naptha/petrol type fluid, but any butane lighter is fine, even the cheap disposable ones. It's like Hank Hill's pitch for propane... "Taste the meat, not the heat." Matches are fine but wait a couple seconds after you strike it before proceeding to light the cigar because you don't want to draw in any of the smoke from the match's initial flare-up. Also, wood matches are preferable to paper.

I don't wet-lip mine quite that much. In private I'd say "to each his own" but if the OP is going to be in public there's no need to demonstrate that you know how to work a shaft that well. :giggle: We already drive Miatas.

I don't get hung up on that either way. I don't think a guy who leaves the badges on his Ferrari is being pompous or insecure, and nobody can seriously accuse you of the same if you leave the band on a $5 stick like most of us would smoke. With the lesser known brands, you have to be in a fairly cigar-savvy crowd for people to have any clue what you're smoking or what it cost, so it's usually not a concern. Mostly I leave it on because I'm lazy, and only bother to take it off if I'm going to put it in the journal with tasting notes.

Of course, if I happened to be bringing some back from a trip abroad, I'd definitely remove the bands beforehand. That way, if customs finds them, "They're Dominican." ;)

+1 La Unica is a great value brand. I still have a couple of the #400 (natural) left from a box dad bought about 10 years ago. They have a wonderful complex flavor and aren't too strong for cigar noobs to enjoy.

Rafa, you got some sort of hookup?

black and mild :fawk:

NWS link at the end
 

If we are talking tips/etiquette:

I never remove the label. I ripped the wrapper (the outer layer of tobacco on a cigar) doing that one time.

The larger the hole you make in the cigar to milder the smoke. The longer the cigar the milder the smoke.

When I light I don't put the flame on the tobacco. I use the heat off the flame (I always use a butane lighter) to get the foot hot first. I am not holding it in my mouth yet, just holding it in front of me turning the cigar back and forth (imagine roasting marshmallows) getting it hot and then I start drawing on it at the end to get the flame going.

How far down do you smoke a cigar? As far as it tastes good. Sometimes I trash it after 50% sometimes I trash it at 70%. When it tastes bad, get rid of it (or walk around holding it the rest of the day).

http://havanajournal.com/images/uplo...igar_woman.jpg

Not work safe:
Purito Cigar - Video

Shit, thanks alot. I was about to go to bed in a fairly good mood and that picture ruined it! :fawk: Id like to try a cigar, Ive never smoked anything in my life (ANYTHING). Virgin lungs, except for the second hand smoke from nearly everyone I know, who smoke 3 packs a day.

Did you not click on the link? I made up for the bad picture...

Good video.

Well that is better isnt it. Thanks lol :jerkit: ...Right back...

I sure do. The family of one of my closest friends has been involved in making cigars for generations.

I'll ask him which brand and get back to you.

Scott; cel phones are good. Their company is called "Flor de los Reyes". My friend just told me they have different brands.

your lungs should still be relatively virginal after a cigar since you dont inhale beyond your mouth!

Holy crap, there are some Cigar conisseurs on this site. Instead of typing a whole book about what is the best cigar to smoke, I'll give you 1. Only 1, because if you smoke this 1, it'll be the smoothest, best tasting cigar you'll ever smoke. The maker is Drew Estate. They make a cigar line called "Acid." Go to a cigar shop, and find the "Acid" line with a blue label. It should say "Blondie" on it. They come in a bunch of different sizes and prices and they're pretty reasonable. Get 1 and you will not be dissapointed.
Drew Estate Cigars: The Rebirth of Cigars - the home of Acid, Natural, Chateau Real, La Vieja Habana, and Liga Privada Cigars

Acid's entire line of cigars are dipped in different perfumes. You will be the laughing stock of the party.

And you will smell like incense...

Perfumes, tard...they are dipped in Cognac. I think they taste and smell great. They are smooth smoking, and they don't smell like you took off your sock and lit it on fire. I guess a cigar with a nice aroma is something to laugh at. Basically you're saying if someone took notebook paper and rolled up leaves from their yard and lit them, they would be taken seriously.

Acid has different infused cigars. If it's what you like, it's what you like.

ACID - Cigars International

Frank

From Acid: "The tobaccos are cured in areas called cuarto aromaticos (aroma rooms) for months prior to rolling - these rooms are lined with over 150 different essential herbs, oils and botanicals imbued into the cigars over time. Handmade in Nicaragua with all natural ingredients, each ACID size offers a distinct flavor and aroma."

Perfume, dumbass. It didn't say cognac dipped, did it?
Check with Drew Estate (the makers of the Acid line of cigars) if you would care to...
Drew Estate Cigars: The Rebirth of Cigars - the home of Acid, Natural, Chateau Real, La Vieja Habana, and Liga Privada Cigars

I think you must have the name confused with another, so I forgive your impetuosity. Cognac dipped cigars can be pleasant on occasion if you are bored with your normal selections, but Acid doesn't make any.

OP: Just go to your tobacconist and smell some Acids. That's all you will need to do to understand. You'd go over better at the party with a Phillies Blunt Grape or Banana flavored cigar than an Acid. At least you wouldn't smell like a hippie burning incense covered in petrouli oil. Ha.

You should also listen to some audio archives from the Cigar Conoisseur Radio Network, namely The Cigar Dave Show. ...If you get bored.
Cigar Dave Show - Cigar Connoisseur Radio Network - Humidor 1 A
Archives are in "Theater 1A" section.

Just found out there are a couple pretty big shops just outside post - w00t! Now, if I pick up more than one, how long can it be stored before a humidor is a good idea?

Ideal storage is 70% humidity. This time of year if you've got the heat on, the air in your house is probably pretty dry, so cigars will dry out quickly if you leave them sitting out, probably within 24-48 hours. If it's got a cellophane wrapper that will prolong that time period a little bit.

Humidors are not that expensive. You don't need a big fancy walnut burl finish $2K Elie Bleu model; a $40 one will do if you're just starting out. If you don't want to bother with that even, ask at the store if you can have one of the numerous empty wooden cigar boxes that will undoubtedly be laying around. Then just cut up a small piece of (new, unused) sponge and wet it with distilled water, lightly wring it out so it's not dripping wet, and leave it in the box with your unsmoked cigars. It's not elegant but it will work well enough for a ghetto humidor to keep them from drying out. How good of an air-tight seal the box has will determine how often you have to re-wet that sponge, so check it frequently at first until you get a feel for the interval. You will quickly tire of this and desire a proper humidor though.

Get a large tupperware container, a small tupperware container, some salt, and a cigar.

Put the salt in the small container and get it damp (note that I didn't say to have a water level sitting on top of the salt) and put it in the large tupperware container along with your cigar. Your container will stay at exactly 73% humidity and your cigar will be happy. Put your new DIY humidor in a dark cool place.

This is basically what I did with my DIY huge ass humidor but I use Ethylene Glycol instead of salt. Salt gets a little messy (tends to grow crystals and tries to escape). Hmmm, I think I have some pics of me building my humidor somewhere. I should make a web page for it.

Great ideas, thanks! I did buy some Cigars from the second shop I tried to find (first had apparently gone out of business) and all they sold was their own brand. I picked up a corona-size sampler and tried two of them yesterday. They were alright, but not great. The guy hosting the game had a bunch of Churchills (sp?) and those were much smoother.

Another option in lieu of a humidor is getting "tubed" cigars. Just don't grab them from the top of the box as many a noob will break the seal to smell the cigars...

- L

this thread has made me crave a cigar.

and maybe a little highland single malt

Arise, old thread, arise.

Going on R&R soon, I have a travel humidor ("herf-a-dor") and a CAO sampler on the way from cigars international. Going to have one once in a while over here in the 'Ghan, and while on R&R in Hawaii. I'll probably try out some flavoreds in HI since that'll not offend the wife as much, I'm sure. A lot of the reviews of CAO flavors and Acids say that the secondhand smoke is more aromatic, thus my reasoning.

I'm looking at trying out some Rocky Patels and Permados. Some in the thread mentioned fake Cohibas, is there something about Cohibas that makes them popular to counterfiet? Are they the Rolex of the cigar world?

I'll try some of the other ones recommended here too, along the way. Mostly in samplers though, until I find something I like well enough to buy an entire bundle/box.

Rmcelwee - You roll your own.. from start to finish? Did it take long to learn?

Acids are a bad idea. They aren't aromatic and pleasant like pipe tobacco. Thy are dipped in harsh (read unpleasant to taste) perfumes. Did you ever tongue kiss a part of your wife's body right after she applied a strong dose of perfume to the very same spot? That bitterness you can't get off of your tongue and lips... That is what it is like to me.

Cohiba :jerkit:
-The best cigars came from Cuba for the first half of the last century. Cohiba was one of the brand names that survived the revolution. The Cuban cigar industry rapidly went downhill after the revolution as the people who were the most knowledgeable fled, were imprisoned, or were murdered by Che Guevara and Fidel and Raul Castro. The worker bees that remained continued to make cigars for the now government-owned factories. As with any communist/socialist enterprise, quality dropped, innovation died, and pride in workmanship dissipated. That is the current state of the Cuban cigar industry. Many of the best and brightest that fled took their expertise and started over in other places finding excellent soils and growing conditions in Nicaragua, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic. Most quality cigars made today come from these areas and many have their productions overseen or owned by Cuban expats. They are all still striving to create the best cigars on the market.

Cohibas are a novelty simply because they are illegal. They aren't close to being the best.

Dear god, if it isn't the wine and cheesers on MT, it's the damn cigar and cognac crowd... :facepalm:

Nope, I buy these (or something similar) at around $.60 each:
http://www.jrcigars.com/index.cfm?pa...US-PLAZAS.html

http://www.jrcigars.com/index.cfm?pa...DELICADOS.html

Then I age them for around a year and flavor them for about 6 months. You can see some of them sitting here in containers:

http://www.lightweightmiata.com/misc/cigar2.JPG

http://www.lightweightmiata.com/misc/cigar3.JPG

I posted the pics so it was easier to understand. I put them in a air tight container with a shotglass full of flavoring (the cigars do not touch the liquid). After 6 months the batch is done and I smoke them. There are two sitting here. One in vanilla extract and one in Seagrams 7 Dark Honey. I normally have at least two batches going at once. One will always be vanilla and one will be some sort of liquor. I've been meaning to try some orange slices (or maybe some sort of extract) but hadn't gotten around to it. I'm glad this thread was revived because it might get me started again. I've been consumed by the guitar thing and haven't done much of anything else lately.

FWIW, I "tested" one of the Seagrams cigars the other day after it had been soaking for about 4 months. The cigar was infused quite well with the Seagrams but it was pretty wet and hard to keep lit. I'll probably have to pull them out and let them dry a few hours before smoking the next time.

I can see by the label that my vanilla extract ones (the ones in the glass jar) have been sitting since April. About 1/3 a shot glass full of liquid is gone so these guys are infused pretty well. Looks like I need to start burning some!

http://www.lightweightmiata.com/misc/cigar1.JPG

Sixshooter - thanks again, if it's anything like how you describe, I'm not going to like it. Only one way to find out though, it's only a few bucks. Then I'll know - and knowing is half the battle. Thanks for the clarification on Cohibas too.

Rmcelwee - Looks like a sweet setup you have there, nice humidor. What's its capacity, 50? What sort of ageing process do you do, do you leave them sealed all year while ageing, do you crack the lid once a week? I've seen conflicting recommendations. Seems like while you're infusing them it's best to leave the seal intact. EDIT - About your orange slices idea, what about an orange-flavored spirit? Orange extract and rum? You mentioned the newest batch was a bit soggy, would leaving them in the humidor for a day equalize them? Sorry, I know this reads like an inquisition, but you seem very knowledgeabe.

Grand Marnier? That's orange flavored.

I've got a bottle I'll never be able to finish (it was a gift). I could send Robert some of it in a small container if he's interested. I also have an Italian liqueur called Nocello that tastes like walnuts and hazelnuts that might be good.