The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-06-15
All About Cigars.

terVleWeu D veteran ClBhr uohlcH VI
that city, emb0dies the information
received from him In the following
form
He prefaced his remarks with ex-
pressions Of establishment that 30 little
was generally known outside OF Cuba
In regard to the distinctive marks by
which the manufacturer designates
the make, color, shape, size and char.
acter Of cigars; the great majority OF
people mixing them up In hopeless
confusion; mistaking sizes and colors
for distinct brands. ut disgusts me-"
said Don Jose, and his eyes sparkled,
"to bear a gentleman offer another an
'Oscuro,' Just as II q Mr.. Oscuro man
ufactured cigars, 'oscuro' only SIGNIFY
ing q dark color"
BRANDS.
The marks upon the boxes, he de-.
clared, were to be readily understood
ifany one will take the slightest trou-
BILE to examine them. The principal
one is the brand, with the name OF
the manufacturer, such as "Upman q
Cor Cabanas Y Carabajal,"' or the
fancy name ofthe manufacturer 81, such
as "Figaro,n ia Corona" Cincture
d'Orion.n These are the trade marks
O, the manufacturers all duly patent
ed, while the other marks are common
to all manufacturers.
SIZES
are generally stenciled upon the front
of the box. and are very numerous.
Regalia is the largest ordinary size;
Media Regalia-half R~egalia-a small
Ter cigar; Regalia del Rey-"King
Regalia''--smsller; Regalia de 10 Rel
na--"Queen Regalia"-smaller still;
medium size
for length and thickness, so called
from being a favorite in the London
market; Brevas are SO named from .
fig grown in Spain; COncha means q
"shell;n Concha de Regalo, "Conchas
for PRESENTS" Napoleones and lmpe.
risles are extra large fancy sizes, but
little used, except for snowy presents.
In addition to these, there are some
compound indicators Of size and style,
as ! kegalia Britannica, Regalia de
Londres, Londres Cortes (short) the
Trabuco, ("Blunderbuss'') a short,
thick cigar, and Is direct opposite, the
Panetela C"Spongecake,") a long,
slim article and difficult to smoke.
Beside, there are numerous other pc
culiar shaped and sized cigars made
for particular markets and peculiar
people, such as the Principe, Norma,
Noriegas, Opera, etc.
QUALITIES.
All cigars Of one size, after being
made, are separated into three or
more grades, according to the quality
of tobacco and perfection of manufac-
ture. These brands are usually stem
ciled upon one end of the box. Flor
r'Flower,.') Is now the most usual
mark for the best, or what used to be
called "Firsts," Segundo ('Second,")
or with some makers, Superior, for the
next. Lower grades known as
"Thirds," are not generally marked,
although some factories use Bueno
C"Good") for that quality.
COLORs.
The colors indicative %ofstrength and
flavor are always stamped or stenciled
upon the reverse end ofthe box, and
are arranged by a second separation
or selection after the grades have been
determined. They run, invariably, as
follows:
Claro, Tclear;" i. g., light colored.
Colorado Literally red,) brown; Madu-
70, (ripe, matureD dark; Oscuro, lob
scure,5 very dark. These, again, are
combined to fit intermediate shades
as Colorado Claro Qight brown Colo
RADIO Maduro OZARK brown.) These
guides to color are not always to be
depended upon, as the "light-brown"
of one box may open as dark as the
sample ''brown" of another. A still
lighter color than Claro-seldom seen
here, as 1t goes mostly to Spain-in
Pagizor, OF straw-colOr-a very mild
grade of the "weed," which used to be
known as Injurlado.
PACKING.
Another distinction Is common to
all manufactures In the style of pack
which is found in two words-Cilin-
and Prensados-which may be
applied to any size or shape. The
first merely signifies that they are in
cylindrical punches, rolled in paper
or tied with ribbon; the second, that
they are pressed while moist, 80 as to
present two fiat surfaces. The indi-
cation of shape, size and style, are
collectively understood by the Havana
makers as the Vitola-accent on the
second syllable. ..,
ORDERING CIGARS.
1t will therefore he seen that In
order to obtain a particular kind of
cigars, 1t will not do to merely order,
as ninety people out of O hundred are
in the habit Of doing, a 'Partaga," a
"Colorado Maduro," or a "Florfina;"
each of these brands having a separate
and distinct relation. When you or
der, however, a Regalia del Rey, Car
barga, Colorado, Flor, you will receive
a Cabarga's King Regalia, Brown,
First Quality; or in ordering an "Inti-
midad, Regalia Britannica, Flor, Ma
duro," the dealer can understand pre-
cisely what you require. Don Jose
was very emphatic In his expressions
of annoyance he has suffered for &c
many years through the lack Of this
simple understanding among smokers
who, as he truly says, Sought to know
better.U and his black ewes blazed with