Choosing your first cigar is the adult version of the first time you stepped inside a candy store as a kid. The array of colors, the aromas, and the different shapes, sizes, and brands make it easy to be mesmerized. However, it’s impossible for first-time smokers to know what flavor profiles will please their palate.
That’s why your best option could be a cigar sampler. These bundles offer a cost-effective way to sample different cigars and flavor nuances to discover the type of cigars that float your boat.
Cigar samplers explained
Cigar samplers give beginners who don’t know where to start the chance to experience a selection of stogies from one or multiple brands.
Beginner cigar samplers are specially made for newcomers to the cigar world. They typically offer approachable mellow to medium flavor profiles.
The options in these sampler packs are usually mellow in strength and shorter in length with a smaller ring gauge. The cigars are typically more approachable, so the smoker can gradually learn to appreciate flavor transitions and tastes.
Some cigar samplers include the accessories you need for your cigar journey to take flight. Added extras like a cutter, lighter, or humidor to store your prized stogies can make an attractive cigar sampler deal into even more alluring.
Benefits of cigar sampler packs for beginners
Trying a cigar sampler offers many benefits for beginners that make them worth spending your hard-earned dollars on.
Discover your favorites
It’s no secret you need to taste a range of cigars to find the ones that appeal to you most — this task is made much easier with cigar samplers.
Every cigar smoker is drawn to different flavor notes. Consequently, cigars can be interpreted differently. One person might prefer a cigar to be bursting sweet or citrus flavors, while someone else will prefer something more earthy or woodsy.
Save time and money
The notion “try before you buy” comes to mind here. Rather than buying a box of cigars all containing the same stick, purchase a cigar sampler to try multiple brands and smokes. First-time smokers can’t be sure they’ll like a particular cigar — it’s better to try different cigars for the first purchase.
Don’t risk wasting your time and money on what could become a disappointment.
Makes for a great gift
Cigar sampler packs are a wonderful present for loved ones at Christmas or for birthdays and weddings. If they’ve tried cigars before and liked something specific, like Rocky Patel Cigars, you can gift them a branded sampler.
If you’re in the dark regarding their go-to brand, find something that offers a variety of brands and flavors.
Best beginner cigar sampler packs
We’ve picked out three fantastic beginner cigar sampler packs that showcase the versatility of cigars, from aromas and flavor profiles to sizes and wrappers. Through experience and lighting up different sticks, you can identify your preferences through the nuances and subtleties.
Oliva Collection sampler
The Oliva Collection sampler pack contains:
- 2 x Nub 460 Connecticut (4 x 60)
- 2 x Connecticut Reserve Robusto (5 x 50)
- 2 x Serie O Robusto (5 x 50), Serie G Churchill (7 x 50)
- 2 x Master Blends 3 Robusto (5 x 50)
- 2 x Cain Daytona Robusto (5 x 50)
The Oliva Connecticut Reserve Torpedo has an easy-going, creamy, and buttery character with tasty morsels of coffee, leather, and toasted almonds. It features all Cuban-seed Nicaraguan fillers and binder encased in a glorious caramel-blonde Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. Looking for a top-notch smoke with your morning cup of coffee? This is for you.
Feel up for sampling something full-bodied? The Oliva Serie V Torpedo is nothing less than exceptional. Just ask the folks at Cigar Aficionado, who gave it a 91 rating. It’s dressed in the silkiest dark chocolate Habano sun-grown wrapper. Devilishly spicy aged Nicaraguan leaf deliver plenty of flavor without being overly peppery.
Rich, hearty hits of chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, leather, and wood whirl in perfect harmony with the well-balanced spice. Save this cigar when you’re ready to make the move-up in strength.
CAO Flavors Petite Corona 4-cigar sampler
The CAO Flavors Petite Corona 4-cigar sampler contains:
- 1 x CAO Flavors Bella Vanilla (4 x 40)
- 1 x CAO Flavors Eileen’s Dream (4 x 40)
- 1 x CAO Flavors Gold Honey (4 x 40)
- 1 x CAO Flavors Moontrance (4 x 40)
Showcasing four premium flavored smokes in an approachable 4 x 40 petite corona size, this sampler pack from CAO Cigars promises four exciting, unique blends. Each is crafted with only long leaf fillers. They provide a quick smoke while still being long enough to appreciate the distinctive flavors.
The CAO Flavors Bella Vanilla Petite Corona contains prized vanilla beans from Madagascar. Handmade in the Dominican Republic, it’s light and flavorful and offers a soothing vanilla aroma and taste without being overwhelming.
Now for a must with your dessert after dinner. The CAO Flavors Eileen’s Dream Petite Corona sees an indulgent Irish cream and white chocolate truffles profile flood the palate. It combines an earthy Grade-A Cameroon wrapper and a rich blend of Dominican tobaccos, resulting in an outstanding flavored smoke.
Strike cigar-smoking gold with the CAO Flavors Gold Honey Petite Corona. It’s made using orange blossom honey from the highest-quality groves in Florida to give its sweet honey aroma, earthy and floral undertones, and a subtle hint of citrus. With Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos cloaked inside a golden Cameroon wrapper, it leaves a luscious impression.
The CAO Flavors Moontrance Petite Corona delivers a caramel-like sweetness, blended with bourbon vanilla and natural exotic fruit. Its 100% Dominican fillers are secured by a Connecticut Broadleaf binder and finished in a Cameroon wrapper with spicy undertones.
Puff on this aromatic, medium-bodied cigar while sipping a pint of beer to wow your tastebuds further.
Kristoff Natural Collection sampler
The Kristoff Natural Collection sampler pack contains:
- 1 x Kristoff Original Criollo Robusto (5.5 x 54)
- 1 x Kristoff Connecticut Robusto (5.5 x 54)
- 1 x Kristoff Shade Grown Robusto (5.5 x 54)
- 1 x Kristoff Kristania Robusto (5.5 x 54)
The Kristoff Original Criollo Robusto tastes as good as it looks. Clad in a rich, oily Honduran wrapper sporting a pigtail, this stick exudes rustic charm. It houses a well-aged blend of Dominican Olor and Cuban-seed Nicaraguan tobaccos. Gently toast the foot to reveal a Cuban-inspired medley of cedar, spice, toasted almonds, and a peanut-esque finish.
The luxurious Kristoff Connecticut Robusto redefines the meaning of a full-flavored, mellow smoke. A pristine Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper blankets a rich and nutty core of Dominican and Nicaraguan long-filler tobaccos to create a creamy, woody profile. Inviting displays of cocoa, sweet cream, and vanilla are all on show, alongside a sweet and nutty finish.
Need an outstanding cigar for a special occasion? Feast your eyes on the medium-bodied Kristoff Shade Grown Robusto. It has a slightly weathered, sandy- Honduran USA Connecticut Shade wrapper, representing the brand’s first foray into Shade Grown Connecticut-wrapped cigars. Detect a smokey, leathery profile and a slight hint of pepper at first light before enjoying rich cedar, hazelnut, heavy cream, and a beautiful buttery finish.
With a Dominican Habano binder and filler tobaccos rolled inside a sultry reddish-brown Nicaraguan Criollo wrapper, the Kristoff Kristania Robusto is creamy with a touch of spice and wood throughout. Think of it like a quality Connecticut Shade with just the right amount of Dominican Habano. From mossy and muddy aromas to notes of cedar, cocoa, espresso, pepper spice (and a wonderfully sweet finish), it’s a supremely balanced stick.
Discover more of our popular cigar samplers at cigars.com to help you on your way to discovering your favorite brands and burns.