FIELDSPORTS112 FIELDSPORTS 113

SPORTING CIGARS

SMOKIN’ GUN...

NICK HAMMOND on the joys of lighting up on shoot day

THE echoes from the last shot of the drive died away and the irresistible fragrance of spent cartridges hung

in the air. As I slipped my gun, my nostrils caught another exotic, familiar scent; that of a fi ne cigar. I looked down the line to see the next gun silhouetted against the sky, shielding a fl ame to light up an impressive looking stogie.

As I got closer and enquired about his cigar he grinned, puffi ng contentedly between clenched teeth. “Now this,” he said, “is the life.”

He wasn’t the fi rst fellow cigarophile I’ve met when shooting, and I’m sure he won’t be the last. Guns, cigars and gamebirds have a long and illustrious history.

In the days of the ‘great’ shoots, cigar smoking was de rigeur. Perhaps the greatest shot of them all, Lord Ripon, had a fondness for expensive cigars which he would enjoy while an army of pickers up charged around his grouse butt collecting the slain. Cigar smoking in those times was not hampered by anti-smoking laws or the incursions of dreaded heath and safety regimes.

But for many sportsman even today, a fi ne handmade cigar - very often Cuban in origin - remains a great way to round off a shoot supper or memorable day in the line.

In the UK we are spoiled for choice for quality Cuban cigars. Exotic sounding names like Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta and Cohiba are readily available from specialist tobacconists the length and breadth of the country. The Cuban cigar trade has traditionally saved its best for us over the centuries - and that’s why you’ll fi nd cigars in the UK proudly displaying the EMS (English Market Selection) label not available anywhere else in the world.

“EMS cigars are of a tremendous quality,” said cigar merchant Mitchell Orchant of C.Gars Ltd. “They literally are the pick of the crop. I have personally seen the attention to detail and care that goes into each EMS cigar in Cuba, and watching cigar production from leaf to box is watching real artistry and craftsmanship at work.”

Like the culture of wine, cigars have vintage years and special limited edition productions - and they improve with age when stored properly. A 100% natural product, their subtle nuances of taste, strength, depth and complexity come from a careful mixture of leaves grown in a particularly suitable terroir. Experts claim the hallowed Vuelta Abajo region in Cuba is cigar’s answer to wine’s Loire Valley. Everything about the place is perfect for the production of the most magnifi cent tobacco on earth,” enthused Mitchell, who visits Cuba several times each year to check on production and meet old friends. “It really is the Mecca of cigars.”

“The soil is incredibly fertile, the humidity and sunshine is perfect and the plants grown there, once fermented, aged and rolled, produce the most incredibly complex and satisfying fl avours possible. That’s why Cuban cigars are so prized.”

Choice of brand and size can be confusing to the uninitiated because there are so many on offer. And it would be a mistake to be fi re up a large Churchill-sized cigar (named after the great man’s fondness for the size) when you’ve only got a brief respite between drives. Similarly, there’s no point carrying a petit corona for consuming after your meal with your Scotch when everyone else will be smoking and chatting for hours.

The robusto size, which has gained in popularity in recent years, is a fi rm favourite with shooters. With a ring gauge (circumference) of around 50 (about 20mm) and length of fi ve inches, it is fat enough to provide a cool smoke packed with fl avours from different leaf combinations, without taking an age to wade through. A typical robusto is smoked in around an hour or so. Perfect to accompany a digestif. Just like choosing wine, the process of sampling different cigars and fi nding out what brands (marques) and sizes (vitolas) suit your palate is all part of the journey.

These days, a post-prandial cigar is more likely to be taken outside than enjoyed in the comfort of the shoot hut. But hosts in the know are providing for their cigar-loving guests with well-stocked humidors, fi repits, patio heaters and warm shelters. You can then be comfortable enough to enjoy one of life’s great pleasures - having already spent the day enjoying another.

Cigar etiquette* Cigars need to be stored properly to be at their best. Optimum smoking condition is maintained by a purpose-built humidor, which regulates the humidity and temperature of the cigars. The ideal conditions to keep your cigars are around 70 degrees centigrade and 70% humidity.* Handmade cigars are fitted with a small cap on the ‘head’ - the end of the cigar you put in your mouth. This needs to be removed before smoking so that air can be drawn through the cigar and the traditional - and best - way to do this is with a purpose-made cigar cutter.* Cigars should never be lit with petrol lighters as the taste may contaminate the cigar. For the field, butane mini ‘torches’ are the best bet. Indoors a long match is suitable once the sulphur has burned off. Lightly toast the ‘foot’ (end) of your cigar first and gently puff as you hold it over the tip of the flame to get it burning.* You can leave the cigar band on or remove it - the choice is yours. Be aware if you want to remove it that it is often stuck to the outside wrapper of the cigar with a small blob of tasteless vegetable gum. You will need to be careful when removing the band or you may tear the wrapper and cause your cigar to unravel.* When you’ve finished smoking your cigar, simply place it in its ashtray and within a few minutes it will extinguish itself. It is not the done thing to crush your cigar and this will also produce large quantities of stale smoke. Let it rest in peace.* The most popular Cuban brand in this country is Montecristo, by far outselling its rivals due to its approachable taste and style and huge variety of sizes. Other marques readily available include Hoyo de Monterrey (mild to medium bodied) Partagas (full bodied and packed with flavours) and Cohiba (expensive but classy; smooth, silky flavours, and a rumoured favourite of the erstwhile Cuban dictator, Fidel Castro).

Contentment...

Taking care of business

Mitchell Orchant