Selecting the Right Cigar

So for those who have never smoked a cigar before but are curious in figuring out the right cigar for you, there are a few things we can focus on to help you find the right cigar for you. A novice cigar smoker is faced with a great deal of questions regarding color of the cigar, brand of cigar, shape of the cigar, origin or origins of the leaf in the cigar, cost of cigar, the flavor, and ultimately, how will this enhance the overall enjoyment of the cigar? However, one need not fret. Cigars come in different shapes and range in flavor and strength to cater to the taste of different people who love the pleasure of a cigar. So rest assured there is a cigar out there for you. Here are some of the tips which can help you to pick the right cigar for you:

First, I recommend one of two methods to further explore your taste in cigars. The first option is if you have internet available. Utilizing one of the many online stores such as Thompson & Co. (thompsoncigar.com)is a great tool for novice cigar smokers! These companies are great for experimenting beginners because they have the ability to bundle great sampling packages together at prices that are nearly a steal! Bundles such as five random well known cigars, or company specific bundles like the Padron Aniversario Serie bundles, or fun ones like Rocky Patel v. the World bundles. These cigar bundles are priced anywhere between $20 and $50 typically which is well below what you would spend individually for such quality cigars. This allows you the ability to smoke a variety of cigars at a reasonable cost. The other alternative is go into a local, respectable, tobacconist and discuss with them what kind of flavors and strengths there are and what kind of tastes you might have. They may ask you what kinds of things you do while smoking your cigar, what you eat and drink while smoking your cigar, and what type of cigar you might prefer. Plus, these gentlemen are fantastic sources for teaching you how to handle, properly light, and smoke your cigar along with other elements of 'cigar etiquette.'

Some things to take into account when selecting your cigar is whether or not you want hand-made cigars or machine-rolled cigars. I prefer the former as greater flavor and subtly are derived from these cigars. Also greater "ingredients" go into hand-made cigars versus machine-rolled. An individual cigar roller will hand pick whole leaves and roll them into your stunning cigar; whereas, most machine-rolled cigars are made using short filler--fragments of tobacco leaves after processing--which tends to burn quicker and harsher with less flavor.

Another thing to consider when selecting your cigar is the size and shape of the cigar. When considering size, there are a few things you should think about; is time going to be a factor, what feels comfortable both in your hand and in your mouth, and what kind of activities you'll be doing while smoking? A term you may come across when looking at cigars is ring gaugeWhat is ring gauge? It is the thickness of the cigar around. It is based on 64ths of an inch, so, if you have a cigar which has a ring gauge of 50, it is 50/64ths of an inch. Length also plays a factor as the longer the cigar, obviously, the longer it burns.

The color of the cigar is also important while picking a good cigar. The color ranges from what is called claro to oscuro (or double maduro). Generally, claro is the light brown cigar and oscuro is almost black. A lighter colored cigar, such as Rocky Petal's Connecticut Vintage, will be lighter and spicier in flavor and have a more clean, less veiny wrapper. The darker the cigar, such as CAO's MX2, the more full bodied and sweeter it will be and the wrapper will be some what veiny with subtle lumps. The darker cigar is also considered more mature than its lighter cigar counter-part. There is also candela which is not really in the spectrum of brown but is still important to know. Candela cigars, suchas Camacho's candela, are cigars who have a greenish looking wrapper where the leaf for the wrapper was less ripe and remained greenish in color after the cigar was made, these also tend to have quite the spicy bite to them.

Keeping these few things in mind, a novice cigar smoker can now have the confidence to ask the right questions to help them determine which cigar they may enjoy. And remember,as with most things in life, this will be a journey, which is almost as fun as the destination itself. Happy smoking from the Cigar Czar!

Buying cigars online.

So I have been smoking cigars now for a long time, close to ten years, and when you're 27, that's a long time. I have always purchased my cigars through different retailers in my hometown, Edwards and Al's News primarily. However, a few weeks ago, I was lured into an offer from Thompson Cigar Co. to purchase some product from them. I bought a new 25 cigar Humidor to replace my old hand me down one.

The offers for free stuff just kept rolling after that. I was given a 5 cigar sampler including a Rocky Patel, a Indian Tobac, and an Exodus 1959. I also received a butane torch lighter, a golf bag cigar "tote", a travel tube and 25 Don Lugos cigar bundle, all included with my humidor purchase. How much could this package all cost you wonder, a minuscule $45. For $45 dollars a person brand new to smoking cigars could get everything they need minus a cutter, to start storing and smoking those cigars. My recommendation is when you can, try some of these offers because what they throw in makes it more than worth its own value.

The Secret Components of Cigars

Cigars are comprised of surprisingly few component parts. Unlike cigarettes, which usually have filters, two different kinds and colors of paper, and filler ingredients other than tobacco, cigars are all tobacco. What makes one cigar so different from another is the type of tobacco, where it’s grown, when the leaves are picked, how the picked leaves are cured and fermented, and how the finished leaves are cut and rolled. Because cigars are made in so many parts of the world, there is a diverse range of product, as you’d expect.

Wrappers

The outermost layer of cigars is called the wrapper. It is made from the widest part of the tobacco leaves, and it has a big impact on the cigar’s flavor and aroma. Cigar wrappers vary in color, and because the wrapper color is what is most visible, cigars are often described by the wrapper color. Here is a list, from lightest to darkest:

* Double Claro: very light color (sometimes with a green tinge); color comes from leaves that are picked while still immature and cured quickly.

* Claro: light-brown or yellowish-brown color, which is the result of tobacco plants grown predominantly in shade.

* Natural: light-brown or brown.

* Colorado Claro: medium-brown; most often associated with Cuban or Dominican Republic tobacco.

* Colorado (or Rosado): reddish-brown.

* Maduro: dark-brown; very popular color among serious connoisseurs of cigars.

* Oscuro: very dark-brown to oily black; typically exudes a pungent aroma and deeper flavor.

Fillers

Cigars are composed mostly of whats known as filler tobacco. Cigars can have filler comprised of three basic types: Seco, Volado, and Ligero. Cigars with Seco filler are drier and have a lighter flavor. Volado filler produces a mid-range of flavor. Ligero is the darkest, oiliest filler, producing cigars with lots of bold flavors and aromatic smoke.

One reason to choose thicker cigars (Churchills or Double Coronas, for example) is that these cigars obviously have more room for filler tobacco. This gives the cigar maker the ability to add blends of Seco, Volado, and Ligero varieties. You will find that these bigger cigars generally produce more varied and complex flavor combinations.

Filler is either whats known as long or short. Long filler in cigars is comprised of whole tobacco leaves, whereas short filler contains a chopped mixture of leaves (sometimes just the leaves), stems, and other plant materials. In most cases, cigars with long filler are of superior quality.

Binders

Many low-end cigars only use wrappers and fillers. But the better quality cigars you'll find on the market use another component binders. Binders are an intermediate layer of more elastic tobacco leaves that help cigars hold the filler material together in a more cohesive manner. The best cigars have binders that also add another complementary flavor to enhance the overall smoking experience.

By: Ben Harris

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Don Richards, internationally acclaimed cigar connoisseur, knows that proper blend of fine tobacco, rolling style and most importantly, storage is key to the best taste in your cigars. Get the information you need to keep your cigars at their finest, check out Don's cigar resource center at www.CigarHumidorNews.com.