Category: Cigar

History of Black & Mild Cigars

When John Middleton opened his small Philadelphia tobacco shop in 1856, he could have scarcely imagined that almost a century later his successors would make a brand which would ascend to preeminence above all other cigars in American history. Originally a pipe seller and blender of pipe tobaccos, John Middleton’s success as a tobacconist blossomed into its own manufactory in 1960. The factory built in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania still operates alongside other facilities in Limerick, Pennsylvania and Richmond, Virginia. Two of these facilities create Black & Mild cigars as well as some of the original pipe blends such as Prince Albert, Carter Hall, and Middleton’s Cherry Blend. Prince Albert, subject of a timeless joke, is burned into the American consciousness as well as the Black & Mild cigars burn outside every gas station, convenience store, and pharmacy.

 Pennsylvania used to be a huge manufacturing hub for tobacco. Lancaster County is home to huge communities of Amish and Mennonite farmers. This remains a source of the world’s finest broadleaf maduro wrappers. Allentown and Reading were twin cities for tobacco excellence, manufacturing dozens of the world’s finest cigar brands. Philadelphia, too, hosted many cigar manufacturers. Indeed, some Tampa and New York manufacturers relocated their factories to Pennsylvania with the advent of cigarmaking machines. Mechanization created a veritable colossus of cigarette, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, and cigars in the state. Out of this culture of tobacco and smoking, Black & Mild cigars was born.

Black & Mild cigars are the second most popular cigar of all time in the United States, just behind Swisher Sweets. Exploding onto the scene in 1968, The brand came to dominate almost all commercial drugstore humidors by 1996. These cigars are as American as Apple Pie. Indeed, John Middleton owns a significant share of the Philadelphia Phillies. As success mounted, the family switched from retail storefronts to mail-order and finally a totally manufacturing business. While many of the other great Pennsylvania cigar brands, such as Red Lion or Phillies, may have fallen off in popularity, Black & Mild and Gold & Mild continue to dominate. As recently as 2009, Black & Mild cigars made up nearly a third of all cigar products sold in the United States.

Recently, John Middleton was purchased by the tobacco juggernaut of Altria Group or Phillip Morris Companies, Inc. Altria Group is one of the largest tobacco product manufacturers in the world, generating an estimated $21 billion dollars in revenue. This huge corporation allows John Middleton to thrive under its shade, guaranteeing the quality of Black & Mild cigars for the future. Altria, meaning “highest” in Spanish, puts a great amount of care into the quality and success of its products. This means that Black & Mild cigars and its variations and line extensions ought to represent the highest form of non-premium cigar for the money.

Just as Phillip Morris designed its cigarettes to have the pleasant aroma of cigars, the concept for Black & Mild cigars was born first from the consumer desire to enjoy the unique taste of Cavendish pipe tobacco without the hassle of attuning a pipe, packing the bowl, and the messy cleaning process afterwards. Cavendish is not a plant or tobacco varietal. It was named after British explorer Sir Thomas Cavendish who preferred smoking a blend of Virginia and Burley tobaccos which was put through a specific curing process and cutting method. After their curing process, Cavendish tobaccos are steamed, usually with sugars or flavoring in the water, to infuse the tobacco with moisture and a subtle sweetness. Following steaming, the tobacco is stored under pressure for an additional curing period. Pressing can last from a few days to several weeks and flavorings and/or casing can be added at any stage throughout the process. The color and flavor of the Cavendish varies between natural and black, depending on what flavoring is added and how vigorous the pressing.

Black & Mild Cigars

Black & Mild is most notable for its sweet-smelling smoke, which is where the brand’s slogan “Tastes great! Smells great!” comes from. The tobaccos used for the blend in Black & Mild come from Virginia, Kentucky, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua. Black & Mild are unique for selling their cigars with 4 different tip options: plastic, wood, untipped, and filter-tipped. Furthermore, Black & Mild cigars come with a sugar, vanilla, or wine flavor infusion. Black & Mild cigars are small and require less than an hour to smoke. Indeed, some enjoyers of Black & Mild cigars smoke several a day. For that reason, many retailers sell them in cases of fifty!

Recently, Luis Martinez brought Black & Mild into our inventory. Currently, we offer the Original, Select, and Wine flavors in the plastic tip. The flavors are sold in 10/5 packs for a total of 50 cigars. The Original Black & Mild is made from a special blend of Black Cavendish and Golden Virginia tobaccos grown in Pennsylvania. This cigar gives the smokers an alternative to the pipe. It still offers the pleasant, strong flavor typically associated with it. The Black & Mild Wine features the same combination of Black Cavendish and Virginia tobaccos as the Original, but with a sweet taste of red wine added to create a unique flavor profile. The Black & Mild Select cigar is a sweet, smooth smoke with a slightly fruity aftertaste. These cigars represent phenomenal value for someone who truly enjoys Black & Mild cigars.

Luis Martinez cigars claims an excellence and guarantee of value which stretches back over a century to the finest cigar factories in Tampa, Key West, and New York. This tradition pairs well with the promises and heritage of John Middleton Co. and Philip Morris. Luis Martinez is proud to sell Black & Mild cigars as these cigars are paragons of excellence and value. Indeed, Black & Mild cigars are some of the best sellers on the Luis Martinez online website. Before dismissing Black & Mild cigars as gas station cigars, try some for yourself. The inexpensive price-point of these cigars certainly warrants it.

Cigars aren’t like cigarettes, which can be smoked and then discarded. A cigar humidor is a small chamber that can keep your cigars at the ideal level of moistness. This means they won’t dry out or become overly crisp as they age, allowing you to enjoy smoking them for many years to come!

What is a cigar humidor?

Cigar humidors are small chambers that can keep your cigars at the ideal level of moistness. It’s important to remember, however, that it doesn’t matter where you store your cigars—it’s how you store them. A good cigar humidor uses a variety of methods to ensure that humidity is kept at an appropriate level, whether it be by using distilled water or some other mechanism for regulating moisture levels inside the box. This way, even if you have a small collection of smokes and don’t want to invest in an entire cabinet (which can be quite expensive), having a small humidor will do the trick!

How long do cigars last in a humidor?

Cigars that are stored properly can last for years. However, cigars that are not stored properly can lose their flavor and become stale within days. Cigars should be stored in a dark, cool place with an ideal humidity.

Cigar humidors come in many different shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common: to keep your cigars at the ideal humidity level of 65-70% so you can enjoy them for as long as possible! You should also store your cigars in an airtight container because air helps them dry out over time – keeping them sealed will ensure that they stay fresh longer. 

How To Choose The Best Cigar Humidor

To choose the best cigar humidor, you should look for one that is large enough to hold your collection but not so big that it takes up too much space. You should also look for a humidor with a Spanish cedar lining and a hygrometer and humidifier combination. In addition to these features, make sure that the lid of your chosen cigar humidor fits tightly and securely before purchasing it.

Cigars aren’t like cigarettes, which can be smoked and then discarded.

Cigars are a luxury item. They are meant to be savored, and enjoyed with friends and family for years. Cigars aren’t like cigarettes, which can be smoked and then discarded.

While cigars do take some time and patience to enjoy compared to other types of tobacco products (smokeless or chew), that doesn’t mean that you need an elaborate humidor to keep them fresh and tasty! In fact, many cigar enthusiasts prefer the simplicity of a desktop humidor as opposed to larger cabinet models—and we’ll explain why in just a moment!

It’s important to remember that it doesn’t matter where you store your cigars, but rather how you store them.

While it is true that the best cigar humidors are made by hand, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on a hand-made humidor in order to keep your cigars fresh. In fact, there are plenty of great affordable models available that do an excellent job at maintaining optimal humidity levels for your cigars.

Remember: it’s not where you store your cigars that matters; it’s how you store them. If you’re looking for a place where you can keep all of your precious stogies safe and sound while they age gracefully over time, look no further than our selection 

Sometimes, when cigars have not been stored properly, they will have a musty smell to them.

The cigar will possibly be ruined if it has a musty smell. This is actually very common with cigars that are too moist or too dry.

If your cigars do not have any signs of mold and still smell musty then it means that they were stored incorrectly either in high humidity or low humidity conditions.

Cigar humidors are the best way to ensure that your cigars are always at their peak.

Cigar humidors come in many different shapes and sizes, but at the heart of each one is a simple core principle: to keep your cigars at their peak by maintaining the right temperature and humidity.

If you’re serious about your cigar collection, then investing in a humidor is essential. Not only will it keep your cigars fresh and ready to smoke, but it will also be an attractive addition to any room!

Shop LM Cigars Humidors

This is a very important topic, so we hope we’ve covered everything you need to know about cigar humidors. If anyone has any additional questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below in the comments section! We’re always happy to hear from our readers.LM Cigars offers a wide variety of cigar humidors that are affordable and high quality. They have a large selection of different styles, sizes and colors to fit any budget or preference.