Even before you know what you’re doing, you can ‘look the part’ of an accomplished cigar smoker.  These are the four essential items you will want to have.

1. CIGAR CUTTERS

There are just some things a cigar smoker can’t do without. This is one of ‘em.  Sure you can chew off the end of your cigar (like they do in the movies) and just spit it out, but nothing says you’re a true connoisseur better than pulling out your own personal cigar cutter.  (Also see How to Cut a Cigar).

2. CIGAR LIGHTERS

If you’re spending a goodly sum on your cigar, don’t let your investment go up in smoke (the wrong way) because you didn’t invest in a decent cigar lighter.  With all due respect to the little plastic wonder, a disposable Bic from the drugstore really doesn’t make the grade.  Proper lighting is a key factor in ensuring that your cigar will taste its best!

Avoid a regular gas lighter as the fumes will be passed on to the cigar itself, and spoil the more delicate flavors.  The best implements are odorless butane lighters and good old wooden matches (Our chapter on lighting your cigar gives you some special tips about matches).

Smokin’ Product: Colibri offers a huge range of high-tech pocket lighters, including many combination types with integrated tools and cigar cutters.

3. CIGAR TUBE or CARRYING CASE

Not to be confused with the humidor, a carrying case is a home-away-from-home for a cigar ‘on the go’.  Tubes help seal in moisture, allowing you to keep a well-conditioned cigar fresh for up to 2 days outside a humidor.  Tubes come in glass or metal, and there are beautiful leather cases available, too. (One caution on the leather cases, they seem to have a tendency to dry our your cigar rather quickly).

Also, don’t continually open your tube to smell the tobacco.  You’ll be letting in dry air, which will contribute to their deterioration.  And try to avoid tubes with cork stoppers since they slowly exchange moisture with the “outside” air.

Some companies make great “Traveldors”. These are small but efficient travel cases that have a humidification device inside. If you are taking a small number of cigars for a period of time this may be your best route. I use one in my golf bag – the cigars are kept fresh between rounds.

4. CIGAR ASHTRAY

What makes a cigar ashtray different from a normal ashtray? Most importantly, cigar ashtrays make it possible to rest the cigar without disrupting the ash, which can definitely improve the way the cigar burns

An excellent (and growing) range of cigar trays in a variety of materials and styles are being offering from well-known cigar brands including Dunhill and Perolo.  Some ashtrays feature famous cigar logos such as Cohiba, H. Upmann and others.

Many of the Hillwood ashtrays match their wood and leather humidors, making an attractive ‘smoking bar’ at home. Dunhill’s crystal ashtrays are also popular and come equipped with up to four cigar rests.

New to smoking cigars?

Don’t worry.  Even Winston Churchill had to start somewhere!

Cigar Secrets is filled with lots of information about choosing cigars, lighting  smoking them, accessories, etc.  But this page is devoted to answering the questions many ‘virgins’ ask.  A Cigar Newbie’s FAQ, if you like.  (And don’t be too hard on yourself – some of the, shall we say, more ‘experienced’ cigar smokers who are reading this site could do with a refresher in these basics too.)

So start here and keep on reading.  And why not enjoy a good smoke while you do?

What’s a ‘premium’ cigar?

Only cigars handmade by experts from a choice blend of top-quality tobaccos and aged to perfection may truly be referred to as premium.

If I can pick up a cigar at my local drugstore, why should I spend all that money at the fancy cigar stores?

I can buy a Twinkie at MY local drugstore for a lot less money than a muffin at the French bakery down the street, but do you really think the quality is the same?  Come on.  Don’t be coy.  You know better.

Pre-packaged cigars often include non-tobacco ingredients like paper, PG (Propylene Glycol) or Glycerin (to prevent drying) and even saltpeter!  Quality cigars, the ones that you’ll purchase from reliable cigar stores, contain only tobacco.  Further, better cigars are rolled with top of the line leaves and are made with leaves that run from end to end.

Is the price of a cigar indicative of its quality or its consistency?

High prices do not guarantee good cigars. It’s the smoker’s dilemma to judge their relative worth.  This is one situation where trial and error can be fun.

Is it ok to buy “machine made” cigars?

There a lot of things a machine can do, making cigars is not really one of them. An experienced roller will know when to add more or less filler to help with the perfect smoke – a machine will not. How will you know? Well, if there is a plastic tip on the end that will be one dead giveaway. Secondly, most reputable brands do not make them with machines – if you are worried, stick to the larger cigars.

What’s the story with ordering cigars by mail or off the Internet?

Mail order cigar distributors – and there are a wealth of them on the Internet – offer the advantage of a good product and great prices, usually highly discounted over what your local merchant will charge.  The downside is an occasional “quality” issue and the minimum purchase requirement – Don Diego’s Casa de Cigars wants you to spend $100 for a box, not $5 for a single.

You should also remember that your local tobacconist is a source of information and advice, as well as selling cigars and accessories.  Once you have established a relationship with your local tobacconist (and they understand your tastes) he/she can recommend new brands for you – brands that you may have easily missed in the “catalog”.

Are cigars supposed to be aged or fresh?

The word ‘fresh’ is probably not the best adjective to apply to a cigar.  Premium cigar rollers utilize tobacco that has been (hopefully) aged for several months before rolling and then the manufacturer may age them an additional year before releasing them to distribution outlets.

So any way you smoke it, your stogie is hardly ‘fresh.’  Many people still savor the flavor of pre-Castro Cubans, and we’ve even read about cigars from the 1940’s, which still taste great.  In fact, some people have such a preference for ‘vintage’ cigars that they age their stogies themselves.

Can I figure out how a cigar will taste just by knowing what country it was made in?

Cigars are a global industry and each country’s cigars have textures and flavors that reflect different rolling techniques, unique curing or aging processes, even the difference in soils from one region to another.   You could spend a lifetime getting to know the subtleties and nuances of each.

It’s likely that the first cigars you choose will be from the Caribbean.

Of course there are always exceptions but it you’re looking to start out with a mild smoke, go Jamaican.  On the other end of the scale are cigars from Nicaragua and Honduras, which are considered more full-bodied.  In between are cigars from the Dominican Republic.  And, at the top of the list – cigars from Cuba, the richest and most prized in the world.

So, are Cuban cigars the best or what?

Some people believe they are the best others feel that they are overrated. I think it is just a matter of individual taste (ie: California Cabernet vs. French Bordeaux). Cuban cigars are typically more of a full-bodied cigar (they have milder versions as well), so if that is what you like than you may enjoy them. Cuban Cigars are made exclusively of Cuban tobacco. The likelihood of coming across a fake Cuban cigar is also pretty strong (it is big business creating fakes). Keep in mind that some Cuban cigars are machine made  – if you want to avoid the chance of this, stick to the larger sizes. (Also see the Top Cuban Cigars list for more information).

How do I know if I want a “strong” cigar?

First, lets lose the term “strong”. In the industry we prefer to refer to them as “full bodied” (although occasionally even I will say something is strong). Secondly, sometimes this will be due to inefficient aging of the tobacco. If you find a cigar line that you like, you may want to slowly move up into more full bodied cigars.

Let’s start at the beginning…

Fun fact:  Two tablespoons of seed can produce 10 acres of cigar tobacco!

First comes the harvesting of the leaves, in itself a thoughtful and careful process.  Leaves that are harvested from the bottom of plants (Valdo) have the mildest flavor.  Middle level leaves (Seco) which are the largest leaves and some say best tasting, deliver milder flavor, while the top leaves (Corona) have the greatest exposure to the sun, and therefore the most pronounced taste.

Fun Fact: Valdo, Seco, and Corona only apply to Sun Grown tobacco. In Cuba, wrapper tobacco that is grown in the shade (under cloth) is called Ligero (light), Seco (dry), Amarillo (yellow), and Viso (Glossy).

These pre-sorted leaves are re-sorted according to size and texture.  They’re bundled and hung to dry (cure) for 6-8 weeks.  During curing, the tobacco leaves must be able to release moisture and (sweat or ferment) rid themselves of toxins like ammonia and other chemicals that develop during the process.  If proper fermentation has not occurred during curing, the resulting tobacco will not burn steadily and will have a harsh, bitter taste.

In preparing premium cigars, the blender will carefully sort and strip the three components of a smoke – the filler, the binder and the wrapper.  All this must be completed prior to the creation of the unique combination (recipe) of tobacco and wrapper that will result in a perfect smoke.

The blender assembles a special combination of tobacco leaves to make the filler.  Depending on the type of cigar, its size and ring gauge, there may be as few as two and as many of four tobacco leaves in the mix.  Blending is an art unto itself.

The next art is shaping, and the ‘hand’ of the expert is revealed in a consistent shape and texture.  A buncher forms the filler leaves into a neat cylindrical shape.  A binder leaf comes next.  Then, the entire cigar is placed into a mold to gently and slowly ‘massage’ it into a perfect cigar shape.

When the shape has been achieved, a roller applies the outer wrapper leaf of tobacco and voila – cigar perfection…almost.

After the cigar maker has ‘introduced’ the elements of the cigar to one another, the stogies are placed in the “marrying room” for a 3-week (minimum) honeymoon together.  The ‘marrying room’ is actually a tobacco aging room, usually made of cedar, in which temperature and humidity are carefully controlled. During this time, Nature brings the various tobacco components together to synthesize their best qualities into the richly layered taste of a fine cigar.  Lots of things go into how cigars smoke with this being an important step! It is not uncommon for some growers to skip this process – a serious mistake to true cigar connoisseurs.

Let’s be honest – when you walk into a well-stocked humidor, it may feel a little bit like Tennyson’s “Charge of the Light Brigade’ – cigars to the left of you, cigars to the right of you.  Dozens of brands, hundreds of sizes in attractive, appealing nests from floor to ceiling.  It’s positively overwhelming!

Take a deep breath (not just to relax…you’ll enjoy the smell!) and remind yourself that buying a cigar isn’t rocket science, it isn’t even weird science, it’s just an interesting and enjoyable way to spend your money.  Don’t spend ALL your money on cigars that don’t suit your fancy, you can start small and instead of buying a box, buy a single.  The reward will be well worth the risk!

People who work in tobacco stores are fountains of information.  If you need some advice, feel free to ask.  And don’t worry that your merchant will be offended if you don’t follow that advice.  Cigar smoking is a completely subjective experience.  Let the advice be your guide, not your jailer!

Ask for What YOU Want

You can ask your tobacconist for a recommendation, and what your merchant will suggest is a cigar that appeals to his/her palate.  Instead, why not describe the kinds of flavors YOU like – spicy, smoky, deep, layered.  That way, the professional can steer you in the right direction.  

 Just Who Are “They” Anyway?

Cigars get rating numbers intended to convey information about quality and characteristics.  Although they may be helpful, you are much better off consulting reviews (rather than ratings) since they’ll give expanded information on things like flavor, finish, draw, etc.   Using reviews, you can develop your own ratings, giving extra weight to the characteristics to the things that matter most to you.  

Humble Beginnings

Tobacco derives much of its flavor from the soil and climate in which it’s grown.  If you’re doing some comparison-shopping, you might want to pick up a smoke from Jamaica, Hondouras and Cuba to compare and contrast.  This will give you a sense of regional differences in cigars.  

Once you’ve enjoyed a cigar from the Caribbean (for example), you can generally expect to like other selections from that area.  And in the future, if you’re confronted with a choice between an unfamiliar cigar from a country you know and a smoke from an unfamiliar region, you can be confident when you say, “I think I’d prefer the Jamaican.”

Cooler, Cleaner, Better

If you want a cool, clean smoke, think like McDonalds and ‘Super-size.”  A long cigar with a high ring gauge (circumference) is something of a self-filtering device.  The tobacco filters itself as you draw, delivering the flavor of the tobacco without the heat.  

Size Matters

How a cigar feels in your hand is important, too.  If you’re uncomfortable with a big, cumbersome 9-inch Figuardo, try a 5-inch Belicosa in the same variety.

Wrapper Up

The wrapper should be smooth and tight, and damage-free on both ends. Big veins should be rejected, but keep an eye out for small veins.  They’re a GOOD thing and a cigar with a thin-veined wrapper often provides a nice, smooth smoke.

Tobacco Expose

Give some attention to the tobacco you see on the exposed end of your cigar.  A subtle variation in color will let you know that a blend of tobaccos was used.   If the variation is too dramatic, extreme or abrupt, however, it may be a sign that inferior leaves were used, or that the leaves were incorrectly assembled during the bunching stage.  Avoid these color extremes as they may result in an off-taste experience and a bad burn.  Some variation of color is normal, as most cigars are made from a blend of tobaccos. What you’re watching for is extreme or abrupt color changes

Daring?  

You should let yourself go and experiment with different cigars.  Sampling and evaluating the differences is one of the great romances people have with cigar smoking.  Here’s a tip, though:  if you’re feeling adventurous, but are not on a big budget, you should sample brands that are familiar to you and leave the “off-brands,’ ‘no-names’ and ‘generics’ for someone else.  

Off-brand cigars frequently have problems with their consistency, both within the cigars (uneven burning, hot spots) and also from cigar to cigar (no reliable flavor).  So even if you love the no-name cigar you buy today, the chances of being able to duplicate its quality tomorrow are slim.  

Feel ‘Em Up (and Down)

The way a cigar feels will tell you volumes about its quality.  Squeeze the cigar gently. It should have some “give” without feeling mushy or loose. Then run your fingers up and down the body to look for lumps or other irregularities. 

CIGAR STORE ETIQUETTE:  Don’t roll a cigar in your fingers, as some suggest.  This can cause damage to the wrapper and the construction and leave the tobacconist with a cigar that you don’t want…and no one else will either.