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How do you infuse a cigar with alcohol? search was ineffective

steamboat

steamboat

Future Skinny Person
Joined
Dec 16, 2006
Messages
699
I would like to know how to infuse cigars with alcohol flavor, bourbon, etc.

I have a friend that runs a small charity and they raise money from sales of Bourbon and cigars. One of the bourbon companies has expressed an interest in offering their high end bourbon with a box of good cigars that have been infused with the flavor of their bourbon. We had a discussion at the cigar shop this afternoon and no one knew how to infuse the cigars or knew how the process works.

I am new here so I hope none takes this the wrong way but after reading the other threads, I can safely say that dipping the smoking end of the cigar in poop is not a viable option.


I would like to know how to infuse cigars, what kind of equipment we would need and it makes any sense to attempt it on our own.
 
Infusing cigars after they have been rolled may be difficult. I guess you could put them in a humidor by themselves and put a glass of the bourbon in there with them, they would absorb some of that over time, but it would take some time.

I think for the most part, cigars are infused before rolling. I think the tobacco sits in a chamber with the infusion material as it ages, I've also heard that sometimes the tobacco is painted by the infusion material prior to rolling.

I did a search on this as well in the past and haven't found any great information. This is my take on it, but don't take it as the end all, I'm sure there's better info out there. We'll see in the responses I guess.
 
Infusion can be done as Brick suggested but commercially it takes place under pressure.
 
You could always try to get one of the empty bourbon barrels, set it up with some form of humidification, stick some cigars in there, and wait 8 months. Similar to the Anejos. Although I imagine an already cured/dried/aged tobacco won't take on a new element as easily as if it were to be cured in that environment from the start.
 
steamboat said:
I would like to know how to infuse cigars with alcohol flavor, bourbon, etc.

I have a friend that runs a small charity and they raise money from sales of Bourbon and cigars. One of the bourbon companies has expressed an interest in offering their high end bourbon with a box of good cigars that have been infused with the flavor of their bourbon. We had a discussion at the cigar shop this afternoon and no one knew how to infuse the cigars or knew how the process works.

I am new here so I hope none takes this the wrong way but after reading the other threads, I can safely say that dipping the smoking end of the cigar in poop is not a viable option.


I would like to know how to infuse cigars, what kind of equipment we would need and it makes any sense to attempt it on our own.
Click to expand...

If the company is serious about wanting a cigar, I think it'd be better if they contacted a reputable, smaller cigar company and tried to get a limited run batch of cigars (ie. special size, different wrapper, etc). Don't make a bourbon cigar - find the perfect cigar to pair with that bourbon.
 
Don't make a bourbon cigar - find the perfect cigar to pair with that bourbon.
Click to expand...

You are exactly right but sometimes when you are raising money you do what works and not always what is best. If that is what the Bourbon company wants....

Thanks for all your good replies. Can someone provide a link to more information? Unfortunetly Google was not my friend in this situation. I guess I will have to be unfaithful and try Yahoo.
 
I used to frequent a cigar shop where the owner would flavor his own cigars with brandy. He would take one of those humidifer sticks...The ones that had a sponge to hold water. He would soak a couple of the devices in brandy and place them in a large jar with some cigars for a month.

I never smoked one of em...But they really smelled of brandy.
 
It doesn't take that long to flavor them.... All the ideas shared here will work. I have a friend who swears by bourbon infused cigars.
 
cigarsarge said:
I used to frequent a cigar shop where the owner would flavor his own cigars with brandy. He would take one of those humidifer sticks...The ones that had a sponge to hold water. He would soak a couple of the devices in brandy and place them in a large jar with some cigars for a month.

I never smoked one of em...But they really smelled of brandy.
Click to expand...

Yep, just get something air-tight and plastic or glass. Tuperdor anyone? Then leave it alone for a while. Maybe leave the sticks out for a few hours in a dry room before the "infusion"?

::EDIT:: After I posted this I started to think to myself. Would I really like to sit down with a spirit of some kind and a cigar that tastes JUST like it? That would be a taste overload in my mind. I'd pitch the idea of a good paring. Something that really opens up the cigar and drink together.
 
I recall reading something years ago, in CA, about placing a small amount of heated brandy or whatever you chose (Must be distilled liquor) in a sealed container with cigars and let the vapors permeate the cigars for a couple days. I vaguely remember that the cigars needed to be supported above the warm brandy.

All very vague……………
 
steamboat said:
Don't make a bourbon cigar - find the perfect cigar to pair with that bourbon.
Click to expand...

You are exactly right but sometimes when you are raising money you do what works and not always what is best. If that is what the Bourbon company wants....

Thanks for all your good replies. Can someone provide a link to more information? Unfortunetly Google was not my friend in this situation. I guess I will have to be unfaithful and try Yahoo.
Click to expand...

Maybe pitch the idea to them? I think that a 'Reserva' line from a reputable smaller company might be interesting from a brand association aspect for them as a company. Like - try this thought experiment - if you walked into a tobacco store and saw some boxes of Tatuaje with their Reserva brand, and it said "blended especially for Buffalo Trace", wouldn't you want to go get a bottle of Buffalo Trace to try with that cigar? Maybe a charred signature of Pete Johnson, Jose Garcia and the master distiller on the bottom of each box? I'd be out the door and running towards a liquor store.

Now consider you see a Buffalo Trace flavored cigar - what would most of us do, pass?

They should consider that a lot of times flavored cigars, irregardless of how good/bad they taste, get put in the "shit" humidor at most stores. They aren't considered premium sticks no matter how much they cost - and even if they should be considered premium sticks in terms of tobacco quality, construction, taste, etc, most B&Ms (and consumers) will never think of them that way. A lot of times these humidors aren't near the walk in humidors and are intentionally out of the way, out of sight of a potential consumer. Not to mention most of the people who spend real money on cigars never even shoot a glance towards that flavored humidor unless it's to make a disparaging remark about those cigars.

I think if you presented them these angle, they might see it differently. What they're thinking is probably more brand exposure - show them the brand association angle. If you ran a distillery, would you rather have the consumers with spending power and taste see your "branded" cigars associated with one of their favorite cigar brands, or, would you rather have that college kid looking for an Acid see it?
 
I know this an old post but I was shown a method where you dip the smoking (non-lit) end of the cigar in whatever you drink, I like Cognac, then you swish the drink in the glass so it is all on the sides of the glass and then light the side of the glass, then light the end you dipped in the drink, let it burn until the alcohol is burned of, not letting it burn the wrapper. After that smoke and enjoy the complex new flavors. I really enjoyed it but I don't do it all the time.


Stephen
 
I heard you just Bill Clinton it, and stick the unlit end into....... umm on second thought maybe I better hold off!

Don
 
Isn't bill clinton a man who enjoy and good cigar, even more so if it means he gets to get his stick wet....
 
Now is that a fair question!!! hehe, but I might have had a nip or so if you really need to know!

Don
 
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