Ralph's Cigars Blog | Ralph's Cigars | Chicago, IL
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Cigars 101: Aging Cigars
Cigars, akin to fine wine, undergo a transformative journey with time. Aging cigars is an art, enriching their flavors, aroma, and overall smoking experience. This process demands patience, attentiveness, and a touch of serendipity, but it's entirely possible to age your cigars at home on a reasonable budget.
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Ohana Nui- A Family Cigar
Today I chose another aged cigar to smoke- the Ohana M13 by Ohana Nui Cigars. It’s pouring outside, but the M13 has a lovely Habano Rosado wrapper which I can nearly smell from across the room. The wrapper itself is firm, with a sort of medium brown-bag color and a satiny sheen. The seams are entirely invisible with only a few lines. That smell, strong but not overpowering, gives off citrus and baking spice notes, and after I clipped it with a straight cut the cold draw solidified those flavors, giving a crazy orange taste, some pepper, and a deep earthiness. -
Made for Spring- Floral Notes
Experiencing floral notes in a cigar can come down to care and subtlety. Floral notes means it's reminiscent of flowers. But when it comes down to it, there is not a ton of similarity between, say, lavender and peach flowers. So how can they all fall under the same generalization? Much like leather, cedar, and earth, floral notes are more about the sensation or smell rather than the actual taste. But unlike the former, which are three of the most prominent ‘tasting’ notes, floral is not nearly as common. With that sensation can come varying levels of specificity- perhaps you can discern that one cigar has a note of roses, or orange bud- its that sensation of floral notes that drives the palate. Pushing to be able to discern evermore specific notes will give a deeper, more full smoking experience, but usually noticing the generalities comes first. -
Nomad: Aged to Perfection
We’re experiencing a bit of a slow Thursday afternoon here at Ralph’s, which means it’s the perfect time to sit down with a new cigar and really savor it. There’s been a box or two of the Nomad S-307’s hidden in the back room since they first dropped in 2013. They’ve been kept at a perfect 70 degrees and a balmy 68% humidity, so they are just as fresh as the day they dropped, with a decade of time to mix and develop a whopping flavor profile. The moment it’s pulled out of the package, yellowed with age and the natural oils of the Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, I can smell the subtle sweetness, gentle spice, and leather. -
Cigars 101: Shapes and Sizes
A cigar shape can vary greatly in size from brand to brand, so describing a cigar by its size as well as shape is important. Cigars are measured by two factors: length, which is given in inches, and "ring gauge," a designation of a cigar's diameter broken into 64ths of an inch. A cigar with a 42 ring gauge, for example, is 42/64 of an inch in diameter.
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What We're Smoking: March Madness Cigars
Now that we are in the full swing of March Madness, you can expect the NCAA to be playing on at least one of our TV’s whenever possible. If you get the chance, come on down to watch the game with us. Here’s what we’ll be smoking- perhaps we can share a stick with you.
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Candela Cigars
As we ride the rather choppy wave from winter into spring, pick up a perfect march cigar- whether it's to keep St. Patrick’s Day alive a few weeks longer, or to celebrate that natural floral scent that permeates the air all about us, a Candela wrapper oozes freshness, and a naturally sweet, earthy taste that has us here at Ralph’s scrambling for more. -
What We're Smoking: St. Patrick's Day
We here at Ralph’s are crazy excited to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this weekend. There’s nothing like an excuse to kick back with friends and family and enjoy a nice stogie with a cool drink. These are the pairings that we’re looking forward to having this weekend. -
Irish Whiskey Pairing Pack
As St. Patricks Day draws closer, and the city of Chicago gathers gallons and gallons of green dye to spill across the river, we at Ralphs are gathering some things of our own: smooth irish whiskey and an even smoother four pack of decadent cigars to pair with it. And while we aren’t selling the whiskey, we are basically giving away the cigars for a steal- $30 for all four!
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Guinness & Cigar Pairings
Once a year that old Saint Patrick raises his head and lets out the siren song of the Irish. While Guinness and other dark beers certainly satisfy all year round, they are a particular comfort in the cold of late winter, with their thick chocolate taste that fills the belly and fuzzes the brain. The only thing that could make it better? A dark, rich cigar that pairs perfectly. And the only thing that’s better still? Three such cigars, each as good as the last and for sale in one excellent pack at Ralph’s Cigars.
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The Women who Make Ralphs
As a women-owned company it's always the right time to celebrate our bosses, but there's no better time to celebrate their accomplishments than right now, at the start of women’s history month.
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Women in the Cigar Industry
Though the cigar industry has been traditionally dominated my men, in recent years it has witnessed a remarkable evolution. Influential women have emerged from the families and companies to reshape the landscape of the entire industry. From master blenders to brand owners, they have not only broken barriers but left a permanent mark on the world of cigars with their expertise, passion, and creativity.
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