Double Happiness - does it actually work?

Anyone try these? Seems an interesting concept, at the very least. Though I'm not sure if the Gurkha's or Graycliffs were actually rolled with this intent in mind, or if it was rigged up after shipping; it seems like it could make for a really great afternoon if rolled right (image cropped by me - took out logo). They say you can clip it in half, or smoke the entire thing. I'm not too sure about that, since I've tried clipping 8" cigars in half before, thinking that I could make 2 smaller ones, and it turns out there's something about the way a cigar is rolled that makes the 2 halves smoke much hotter than they ever would have if a person hadn't clipped it in half and just smoked the 8"

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Unthought_Known

When I saw those my first thought is that it's not to be smoked as one cigar. It's supposed to be cut in half and smoked as two cigars. By shipping it like that though, they only have to pay tax as if it's one cigar rather than two.

Alex Svenson

Yes these do work. In fact, I was on the design team which engineered some of the specifications that make it work. Currently, it is being patented. Like some suggested, usually cutting a cigar in half does not work because on of the halves will always come unraveled. I cant tell you how this one was done differently to help prevent against it, but I can tell you it works. That said, you cant handle it to roughly or cut it crudely as that would present some problems for the design but if you cut it clearly you will have no problem. If you recall, Double Happiness used to be a cigar brand that is no longer made. Now the mark is meant to represent this new vitola rather than a particular blend. To get this first batch out and into the market, all sizes were done with brands made at AJ Fernandez's factory. A few rollers in his factory were trained on how to make them and it is the first use of this new concept and size.

I did see some comments on another website that these are just two cigars rolled seperate and put together foot to foot and attached with loose tobacco. This is incorrect. This whole thing is one giant cigar that can be smoked as one long "A' size but clipping both ends or cut in half to make two shorter, robusto size smokes. The entire cigar is rolled with a single wrapper leaf and was rolled as one huge stick.

These are not in the country yet but are scheduled to ship from Nicaragua this week for the first time ever. We will be stocking them at Cigar.com but I am not sure if they have been put on line yet. I can answer any questions about it, but many details about how they are made are top secret

laker1963

Is the sampler box shown in the picture how they will be sold Alex?

Or will they be made available in singles too?

Alex Williams

I want em! When will they be available and how much will I have I shell out for em??

xmacro

Alex Svenson:
I can answer any questions about it, but many details about how they are made are top secret

So are these long-filler or is short-filler?

How does cutting them alter flavor?

Can they be cut and then stored, or is it recommended they be stored whole?

Also, +1 to laker's question

Stryker808

I like the idea. Might be hard to travel/take it some where. Probably best to use cigar scissors to cut em apart. I wonder if the new technique used to make em will change the profile any.

Fourtotheflush

Kind of seems like a fad, and a fairly good way to get around Schip Tax.

xmacro

So, Alex . . . don't suppose you'd be willing to share that patent application number, eh? You know, the one that's used to look up the patent online?

Goldy

I'd buy a couple to try them out. something fun to have in the humi

j0z3r

I'm planning on buying the 10 cigar sampler and smoking them as is, no cutting. I can't wait to see the Ruination...I might not survive.

jacketsrule

It looks like the Arganeese Schip buster pack that had two robustos joined by an extra wrapper leaf to hold them together. Definitely interesting.

jsnake

This is just strange. What a buzz it has created in the cigar community though. Some think it is cool while others see it as gimmicky. I am on the fence and intrigued.

kingjk729

That is such a freaking cool idea .................. i love it .............. just to have one to show off would be sweet

Alex Svenson

I guess you are right, once the patent gets filed and published it will have all the details in there. You can cut it in half, age them, smoke them. I will say in the year it took us to come up with it, I did find that the construction really holds up best under correct humidity. If these dont get stored correctly, cutting them in half becomes impossible because you are cutting the cigar right down the middle.

I will be the first to admit that it started as a bit of a gimic, but it grew on me. I have not been cutting them in half, but rather firing them up as a full 10 x 48. One lasted me almost the entire five hour car trip I took last week from Chicago to St. Louis. Definately made the car ride go faster, and that Ruination really kicked my but.

Not sure where they are going to be priced. I have not put them online yet and I probably wont get them for Cigar.com for a month or two when the second allocation comes out. They are available as a sampler box of 10 cigars as seen in the photo you guys provided but I also ordered some bundles of 10 without the box for a..... ummmm.... potential weekend sale type thing.

But like I said, IMHO, the guy that is going to enjoy these the most is the one that smokes it from end to end. Big time commitment, but man is it yummy. I used to love the old montecriso A from Cuba back when I when I did not know any better and wasted my money on cuban cigars.

dennisking

I just ran across these in a catalog from, well, someone and my first thought was, is this legit? is the manufacturer in on this? is this one of those deals where the blend is not exclusive and locked to the buyer of the blend? I am glad to see this is a real deal though, not some afterthought or gimmick. This is cooler to me than a culebra because it's just a really big smoke. What I didn't want to see with this idea was the grower and blender selling one company's blend to catalog supplier and the supplier putting labels on a questionable product. glad to see it's the real deal. AJ is a blending ninja and i can't wait to rock a Man o War for the full 10". thanks Alex for the info.

kuzi16

i smoke slow as it is. a 10 inch cigar would last me 6-7 hours.

hows the complexity ofver the length of the stick? is there one leaf to the length of the stick this getting the entire experience of the stick or is the leaf halved and rolled so if you were to share it with a friend you would have about the same experience?

SaVas

Interesting concept...but...OK, here is a thought. I know that tobacco leaves are permeable, and allow some moisture to flow, but wouldn't a cigar with two endcaps be more subject to causing overly moist tobacco within it, that might not age appropriately? Wouldn't there be more a chance for tobacco to remain somewhat green? Possible chance for an ammonia taste/bitter? Or maybe mold? I would think an open end on a cigar allows for easier moisture release or entry.

betasynn

Interesting; I actually have some of those old Double Happiness cigars.

kuzi16

SaVas:
Interesting concept...but...OK, here is a thought. I know that tobacco leaves are permeable, and allow some moisture to flow, but wouldn't a cigar with two endcaps be more subject to causing overly moist tobacco within it, that might not age appropriately? Wouldn't there be more a chance for tobacco to remain somewhat green? Possible chance for an ammonia taste/bitter? Or maybe mold? I would think an open end on a cigar allows for easier moisture release or entry.

as long as the humidor isnt too humid, you should be fine. the cap wont stop the cigar from breathing. it wont stop humidity from entering/leaving the cigar.

kuzi16

betasynn:
Interesting; I actually have some of those old Double Happiness cigars.

how old are the original ones?

One2gofst

I saw these over the weekend when a print catalog appeared in my mailbox from another company. Its so weird that Alex has been involved with the process when everyone knows these two companies are fierce competitors and are in no way related

dennisking

One2gofst:
I saw these over the weekend when a print catalog appeared in my mailbox from another company. Its so weird that Alex has been involved with the process when everyone knows these two companies are fierce competitors and are in no way related

look close at that ad in the magazine, the man lighting the G2 stick is strangely familiar.

jreed10209

dennisking:
One2gofst:
I saw these over the weekend when a print catalog appeared in my mailbox from another company. Its so weird that Alex has been involved with the process when everyone knows these two companies are fierce competitors and are in no way related
look close at that ad in the magazine, the man lighting the G2 stick is strangely familiar.

<><> I just ordered these from across the street, they will be in stock on 2-28, i should have them about a week later, will come back with details then !!!!

dennisking

I can imagine that Ccom will also have these around the same time. I'm sure if you call in your order you can get these. Tim or any of the boys will more than likely have the lowdown and get you set up.

TatuajeVI

Alex Svenson:
I have not been cutting them in half, but rather firing them up as a full 10 x 48. One lasted me almost the entire five hour car trip...

oh. my. god. 5 hours? You must have a stomach of STEEL!

xmacro

I'm just hoping that they expand this line beyond what's in the picture; it'd be great to get a few Oliva's or Rocky Patel's in this size; imagine a double happiness Ashton VSG!!

Fourtotheflush

dennisking:
One2gofst:
I saw these over the weekend when a print catalog appeared in my mailbox from another company. Its so weird that Alex has been involved with the process when everyone knows these two companies are fierce competitors and are in no way related
look close at that ad in the magazine, the man lighting the G2 stick is strangely familiar.

I just recycled my catalog! Dang! is it the big Swede himself?

dennisking

Fourtotheflush:
dennisking:
One2gofst:
I saw these over the weekend when a print catalog appeared in my mailbox from another company. Its so weird that Alex has been involved with the process when everyone knows these two companies are fierce competitors and are in no way related
look close at that ad in the magazine, the man lighting the G2 stick is strangely familiar.

I just recycled my catalog! Dang! is it the big Swede himself?

I would say yes. He must be the chief merchant for them as well, or maybe in the photos because of his close work with this project.

betasynn

kuzi16:
betasynn:
Interesting; I actually have some of those old Double Happiness cigars.
how old are the original ones?

*shrug* somebody here sent it to me I think, haha.

Alex Svenson

SaVas:
Interesting concept...but...OK, here is a thought. I know that tobacco leaves are permeable, and allow some moisture to flow, but wouldn't a cigar with two endcaps be more subject to causing overly moist tobacco within it, that might not age appropriately? Wouldn't there be more a chance for tobacco to remain somewhat green? Possible chance for an ammonia taste/bitter? Or maybe mold? I would think an open end on a cigar allows for easier moisture release or entry.

I love this forum because we have such a well educated customer. What he is referring to is the third fermentation of tobacco and the first maturation. The both take place at the same time. To roll a cigar, the tobacco must be wet to become pliable so a cigar can be rolled without damaging the tobacco. The water added to the leaf starts fermentation which is the breakdown of the the components within the tobacco and usually releases an ammonia smell. Because the tobacco has been well fermented by this stage, the third fermentation is short, but occurs none the less. To deal with this, after a cigar is rolled at a reputable factory, a cigar is put in a bodega in the factory that is temperature and humidity controlled, usually with a humidity extractor. think of it as an oversized "dry box" for a few million cigars. Here the cigars need to rest for 30 to 90 days to allow the third fermentation to finish and all of the excess moisture to leave the cigar. In terms of maturation, it is also when the first of three maturations take place. The cigars tobaccos are marrying together for the first time and it is important the cigars can rest their first 90 days at a consistent humidity and temperature to get acquainted with one one another. The question asked involves the third fermentation. Because most standard cigars are closed on only one end, it is easier for the cigar to balance as the fillers can breathe and give the humidity a place to go (out the foot). The question is how having two closed heads effects this process.

You hit the nail on the head that it does create issues closing both ends. Several other cigars that have two closed ends have struggled with this problem such as the 5 Vegas Relic and Matasa 30 Year Perfecto. To combat this, we had to actually bodega the cigars twice. Once with the cigars rolled with just one head and then let them sit 30 days, then the second head and cap was added to the foot before they were put back in again. This is one of the exact reasons the cigars needed extra time. They were to be released last year but were delayed as we discovered various issues with construction and aging.