If you are interested in buying cigars but don’t know where to begin, this is a great guide for you here.
To know more details about the best cigars for beginners you can read some guides, and reviews from aficionados or you can just ask the smoke shops for advice. These can help you understand which cigars are best for people who are just starting.
In general, you’ll want to look for something mild and easy to smoke. Avoid anything too strong or harsh, as this can be off-putting for first-time smokers. Instead, go for something smooth and flavorful. With a little research, you’re sure to find the perfect cigar for your needs.
The thing with buying cigars is that it is an entirely personal experience. You can read reviews or comparisons online, but at the end of the day, buying cigars is about personal taste and budget. Also, many cigar enthusiasts know how important it is to store their cigars correctly, so that’s why they have a home humidor to keep the cigars at the correct humidity so that they can be enjoyed to their fullest when the time comes to smoke one.
Luckily, you’ll have endless options when shopping for cigars online. Whether you want Nicaraguan or Cuban cigars, shops like Havana House in the UK have a large selection. You’re presented with many choices when you open an online cigar store, don’t be overwhelmed.
It is easy to get lost among all the choices presented. This guide will make your purchasing experience more about educated decisions and less about getting lucky. To start, let’s learn about the colour of the cigar you’re purchasing. The colour of the cigar can tell many things, and you should know what they mean.
Cigar colours
Everyone should only buy fresh cigars. The thing with cigars is that they can become dry in less than 24 hours after being removed from the humidor. To avoid purchasing dry cigars, you should take note of their colours. Open the cigar box and see the colours of all the cigars and not just one cigar. High-quality cigars should have a uniform colour in the box. Any discolouration is a sign of a bad stogie.
The cigar industry has its own way of describing colours. Remember terms like double claro or maduro and obscuro. It is also the same with cigar tastes, for example, maduro and oscuro (rich), claro (gentle), and colorado (average).
Beginners should always try a gentler flavour first or perhaps push it a bit further with colorado. Maduro and oscuro are often too much for a beginner. So don’t rush into buying a box of cigars with these tastes no matter how much you like how the cigars look or smell. It is common for beginners to buy a box of cigars simply because they like how the packaging looks.
Also, don’t forget that the origin of the cigars also matters. The region or place where a cigar is made can affect its taste. So, if a cigar is made in Cuba, it will taste different from cigars made in Nicaragua.
Another way to tell if a cigar is fresh or not is by pinching it with two fingers. Try to get a feel of the binder and the wrapper. These two parts of the cigar should feel tender while you’re pinching them. If the binder and the wrapper crack, you will know that the cigar is in poor condition.
How to cut and trim a cigar
You can start by cutting the cap of your cigar. This will allow you to have a good draw. But it would be best if you always tried to cut it properly – too little will make the cigar hard to smoke, and too much will unwind the wrapper. There are various techniques to do this. The most popular one is by using a single or double-blade guillotine.
Remember that you should never light a cigar with paper matches or a zippo. These tools can give the cigar a nasty chemical taste. Instead, use wooden matches or a butane lighter.
Regarding the paper band, things get complicated here. The thing is that people are still debating whether to leave it or not. However, you should only remove the band while the cigar is lit. The warmth of the smoke could make it easier to remove the band.
Now it’s time to enjoy your cigar. An important thing to remember is that you should never draw cigar smoke into your lungs. Do not inhale the smoke of a cigar. Instead, taste and savour it slowly. And don’t chew or bite the cigar with your teeth. Many cigar newbies do this, and you should not do that. Chewing or biting the cigar could ruin the experience. Keep the tip of the cigar dry.
The content of a cigar?
I am sure many beginners are curious about the content of a cigar. If you’re interested in learning more about this, don’t worry, it’s not complicated. At the core of a cigar, you can find the filler. The filler is the part that determines the taste of a cigar.
Next is the binder. It is the part that holds the coarse tobacco together. The wrapper is on the outer side, composed of silky leaves. Moving on to the head of the cigar is the cap. You can determine the quality of a cigar by looking at the cap. You cut off the cap before you smoke the cigar.
Now let’s move on to the size of a cigar, usually called the ring size. The rule of thumb is the bigger the ring size, the cooler the cigar smoke will be. For beginners, I would recommend smoking smaller cigars until they are experienced enough to smoke bigger ones.
