There’s something undeniably special about cigars. Yet, there is far more to a top-notch stogie than meets the eye.
Cigar smoking can be a highly complex hobby, especially for beginners faced with an overwhelming choice of cigar brands, unspoken cigar etiquette, and contrasting opinions.
If you want to advance you cigar knowledge and ignite a new passion, this guide will provide fresh insight and perspective to this beloved pastime.
What to know about cigars
While we’re not claiming our list to be the Ten Commandments of cigar smoking, we’ve certainly uncovered some things from behind the scenes that make the premium cigar industry unique.
We’ve also included some valuable tips to help elevate your cigar-smoking experience so you can easily navigate the maze of the tobacco fields and beyond. For the connoisseur among you, perhaps you’ll find something you’ve never heard of before.
Here are 10 useful nuggets of information to help you on your way to becoming a knowledgeable cigar smoker.
10 things to know about cigars for beginners
Handmade cigars are plant-based
Unlike machine-made smokes (which contain chemicals), handmade cigars are 100% tobacco. From the binder and filler to the wrapper, they always use tobacco leaves while resisting the urge to alter them artificially for taste.
This means the flavors, from nutty and woody to sweet and spicy, are achieved organically, and the different shades of wrapper leaf also contribute to their inherent beauty.
While cigar makers do everything they can to ensure consistency, no two premium cigars are exactly the same. Their aim is for every cigar to express the craftsmanship and soil pertinent to the specific tobacco-growing region.
Even after they are rolled, premium cigars will improve through aging in your cigar humidor. There are no preservatives to increase shelf life — whenever the time is right, you can light up and revel in this smoky treat gifted by Mother Nature.
It takes an army
They say, “Many hands do light work,” and many hands go into formulating the premium cigar you get to taste and savor. An average of 200 pairs of hands will touch your cigar before it finds a home in your humidor. Some claim the number is even higher, but it only illustrates that every stogie needs the unique talents of various individuals.
From storage and planting tobacco seeds to curing and cutting tobacco leaves, there are plenty of quality-control steps for a cigar to negotiate. Don’t forget those important activities in the latter stages, such as the tricky skill of actually rolling the cigar and then banding it up, boxing it, and sending it out.
Understanding that every skilled, hand-rolled cigar is a mammoth human effort will help you appreciate your ever-growing collection even more.
The anatomy of a cigar
There are three main elements to a cigar — the wrapper, the binder, and the filler blend. A firm grasp of the anatomy of your stogie and the parts each element plays can give you a better appreciation for its construction and a fuller experience as you smoke.
Cigars are made to elevate the senses, so learning about a cigar’s components will help you understand how they come together to create a beautiful balance. Consider learning about other cigar parts, like the cap, foot, and cigar band.
Aging is crucial
Like fine wine, fine cigars can improve with age. Aging a box of cigars can result in a better burn and the emergence of a mellower, more refined flavor. However, a cigar’s aging takes place long before it ends up in your humidor.
Cigarmakers age fermented tobacco in bales (usually for several years) to soften any rough edges in the tobacco’s flavor. However, the time it takes will depend on the type of tobacco leaf and the cigar blend it’s intended for.
After rolling, many manufacturers also send newly completed cigars to an aging room to allow the different layers of tobacco to marry and the humidity levels to stabilize.
Cutting and lighting your cigar matters
Handmade smokes don’t come ready to puff. You need to master the art of cutting and lighting a cigar. While you’re spoilt for choice with what cutters and lighters to choose, there are hard-and-fast rules you need to abide by to ensure your smoking experience isn’t ruined.
Don’t cut too much off the top of your cigar, and certainly don’t cut it in half — cigars are designed to provide a dynamic smoking experience from head to foot. On the other hand, not cutting enough off can result in a tight draw.
You need to be slow and steady when lighting your cigar. Toast it like you would a marshmallow on a campfire, gently rotating so all sides are equally warmed for an even burn. Too much direct contact of flame to tobacco can cause a charred taste to appear.
Ultimately, you must take time and savor the cutting and lighting process. Doing so will leave room to bring out the nuanced flavors of your chosen smoke and significantly enhance your smoking pleasure.
Choose your cigar wisely
It’s always sensible for beginners to have an idea of a cigar’s strength level before buying it.
Mellow smokes are generally seen as a good match for beginners with an inexperienced palate, offering an approachable strength level and flavor profile, usually characterized by creamy and smooth notes. Also, be wary of the size of your stogie, as you don’t want to be lumbered with a Churchill vitola for your first time, which can last well over an hour.
Don’t be too swayed by the wrapper, either. The formidable look of dark, oily wrappers doesn’t always signal a strong smoke. If you’re ever in doubt, speak to one of our experts, who can recommend an appropriate cigar for your level of experience.
Cigars should be slowly enjoyed
Nobody ever got any prizes for finishing their cigar first. In fact, the only thing they probably ended up with was cigar sickness.
One of the biggest mistakes a novice can make is rushing their stogie. Cigars are meant to be enjoyed, so take your time between draws to avoid ruining the quality of your smoke.
The more you puff, the hotter your hastily-smoked cigar will become. Its inner temperature will also rise, and it will start to develop bitter tastes as the filler tobacco burns too quickly.
Powering through a cigar doesn’t just taint the flavor. You’re also wasting the hard work of the many hands that have gone into delivering the sensational aromas and flavors.
Cuban cigars aren't necessarily the best
Cuba may have once dominated the cigar industry, but this Caribbean island can no longer claim to be the cigar capital of the world.
There’s no doubt many Cuban smokes are great, but the likes of Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic are all on par (if not higher) when it comes to producing world-class stogies. For instance, a Dominican puro (the Fuente Fuente OpusX Reserved d’Chateau) won the coveted Cigar Aficionada Cigar of the Year for 2023.
Other primary growing regions include Ecuador, Mexico, and the United States. All can deliver tasty cigars and their own subtle differences, so don’t automatically presume Cubans are the best.
Price isn’t always an indicator of quality
Given the time and high-quality tobacco that goes into making cigars a luxury, handmade product, it’s no surprise they come with a price tag.
Size also plays a factor. Generally speaking, the larger the cigar, the higher the price. Some tobaccos also take longer to age and ferment for maximum burn and flavor, raising the cost of a cigar.
However, there are some great-value smokes out there, offering a more accessible and affordable way of smoking cigars. Don’t always assume that a lower price equates to compromised quality. Extraordinary construction, aroma, flavor, and complexity levels can be found for less than $10.
A humidor is a key investment
If you are serious about developing a burning passion for cigars, a cigar humidor is essential for the best smoking experience and starting a cigar collection. It provides refuge for your smokes by creating and maintaining a consistent environment of controlled humidity and temperature. This helps prevent issues such as dampness and uneven burning, while preserving a cigar’s aroma, flavor, and essential oils.