Each cigar's journey from an idea to a relaxing, calming, and ready-to-smoke stogie is long and arduous. First, a cigar's style—including its size, binder, wrapper, tobacco type, and taste profile—must be determined by the maker; striking just the right balance between these elements is of the utmost importance. Then, this tobacco will need to be carefully grown and seasoned over a period of multiple years, as will the binder and wrapper. Finally, these components have to be put together in a way that produces an even burn, appealing flavors, and an enjoyable overall smoking experience. And of course, in a final testament to the care and effort put into cigars, rollers must combine all the components of stogies together by hand.
As you have probably gathered from this brief description of the cigar-making process, cigars truly are works of art; the delight they bring smokers is indicative of the considerable thought put into their conception and creation. The magnificence of cigars and their provided benefits haven't been lost on some of history's greatest individuals. The likes of Ulysses S. Grant, Mark Twain, 
Calvin Coolidge, Winston Churchill, and John F. Kennedy all derived pleasure and relaxation from cigars; it's been said that President Grant smoked 20 or more stogies per day![1]
The larger point to take away is that cigars are fantastic for taking it easy, conducting business, and marking special occasions. A wide variety of the world's most influential and respected figures have used cigars in all three of the listed ways, and by deciding to take up the hobby, you're placing yourself in good company. However, such a detailed and multifaceted practice as cigar smoking does, as you'd expect, require an abundance of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding to fully enjoy.
That's where this convenient and accessible guide comes in. Here, every single consideration of cigars—from their sizes, types, smoking styles, lighting styles, cutting methods, storing procedures, purchasing process, and more—will be detailed in an easily readable fashion. The guide's broader aim is therefore to bring the joy of cigar smoking for beginners to any and all individuals who are or might be interested in it.
Every cigar smoker has to begin somewhere, and conceivably, the future's brilliant men and women could be introduced to and acquainted with stogies through this guide. Only time will tell whether or not this'll happen, and until then, you can learn quite a bit about one of the world's most long-running, sophisticated, appreciated, and respected practices by reading on.
It was previously mentioned that cigars are forms of art, as they require a great deal of thought, attentiveness, and effort to create, and are also crafted with the maker's image and ideas in mind. Individuality and creativity are therefore encouraged by cigar customers and the industry as a whole, and what this means for you—the new or prospective smoker—is that there are a lot of different cigars to choose from, each with a completely unique taste and feel.
With that said, you can certainly find a cigar that's personally appealing, but at the same time, you can easily come across a cigar that's designed to appeal to an entirely different smoker. The only way to understand what cigars are perfect for you is to develop an understanding of cigars generally, and the following size, type, and style information will help you to do so. Additionally, this information will aid you in determining the best cigars for beginners, and also, in choosing one of these cigars based upon your preferences.
Let's take a look.
The listed cigar sizes are some of the most commonly found today, but it must be mentioned that they aren't all the cigar sizes found today. On the contrary, quite a few precise variations and sizes other than these do exist, and are sometimes used by adventurous and/or experimenting cigar professionals. Generally speaking, though, the vast majority of cigars can be classified as one of the following sizes, and fall into one of the specified broad categories:
ParejoThere's very close to a 100% chance that whatever you picture when thinking of a cigar is a Parejo variation. This term is simply used to describe "normally shaped" cigars, or those that're cylindrical, require a cut on one end, and are straight. As the cigar industry has evolved alongside technology as of late, more and more oddly shaped stogies have debuted. As such, while the vast, vast majority of cigars you'll encounter are Parejos, some "oddballs" do exist, and will also be described.
But first, let's take a look at all the Parejos cigar sizes and styles.
Cigarillos are more or less miniature cigars that are small in size but generally reliable in terms of taste and flavor. These quick-burning smokes typically come in sizable bundles, given that their cigarette-like ring gauges (as a quick side note, ring gauge is cigar-talk for the thickness of a smoke. Ring gauge is measured in 64ths of an inch, and thus, a cigar with a 32 ring gauge is half an inch in diameter and thickness) and two to five inch (give or take) lengths mean they'll last somewhere around 15 minutes each.
Cigarillos are great if you're smoking on the go, if you're seeking a short-and-easy cigar experience, and/or if you've been tasked with providing smokes to potentially wasteful friends. The convenient sticks often draw the ire of "old-school" smokers because most of them are made by machinery (as opposed to being hand-rolled), but if you try a respected brand's miniature offering with an open mind, there's a good chance you'll be impressed.
As its name suggests, the Petit Corona is more or less a small version of the Corona (which is detailed next). The little cigars often pack a large taste punch, however, and what's more is that they normally burn for a respectable amount of time (this obviously depends upon the smoker and the cigar at-hand, but Petit Coronas can be expected to burn for the better part of an hour). Accordingly, they are ideal for individuals new to cigars, those who don't want to spend a tremendous amount of time smoking in a single sitting (but desire a full-sized stogie), and most importantly of all, persons who are likely to be intimidated by a physically massive cigar (seriously, this does happen).
Technically speaking, Petit Coronas are usually four to five inches in length with a ring gauge of around 40.
The Corona is essentially the "default" cigar size; it isn't too big nor is it too small, for nearly every smoker, and as such when most individuals offer or request a cigar, this is probably the size they're speaking of or expecting. Technically, Corona cigars are five to six inches long with ring gauges of 40 to 42 (most smokes fall into the "40" category).
Coronas are fantastic because they allow smokers to experience all the complexities and flavors of a cigar's tobacco, build, and style. Moreover, because they're so common, Coronas are generally rolled to an outstanding degree of quality, both in terms of the resulting draw and evenness of burning.
Robusto cigars typically provide robust flavor profiles and experiences to smokers, hence their self-identifying title. The short, stubby, wide-gauged cigars have become more popular than ever before in recent years (perhaps at least in part because of their longer burn times), and if you're seeking a thick cigar that isn't particularly long, you've found your ideal size.
Robustos are generally four to five and a half inches long, and they usually feature ring gauges of 48 to 52. However, it must once again be emphasized that this cigar's size (and to a slightly lesser extent all other cigars' sizes) is far from set in stone or universally acknowledged; cigar makers can and do adjust their smokes' sizes based upon their own preferences, specifications, and findings, and as this variation is once again ultra-popular, it's expectedly subjected to frequent tailoring.
Toro (also referred to as Corona Gorda, in rarer instances) cigars are long, thick, and sure to leave a lasting impression not only on you, the smoker, but on most individuals you encounter while smoking. The eye-catching sticks normally boast ring gauges of 46 to 50 as well as a length of six or so inches. The result is once again an attention-drawing and satisfying cigar size that, when properly built and crafted, tastes even better than it looks.
Named after the aforementioned stogie lover Winston Churchill, this cigar size is very similar to the Toro; both sticks feature ring gauges right around 50, and both boast considerable lengths. The biggest differences between the two types of cigars, however, result from the Churchill's more specific measurements. While Toros are less clear cut in terms of size, Churchills hover right around seven inches in length and feature a 47 ring gauge. Deviating from this standard typically results in a cigar receiving the Toro classification.
Churchills are ideal for smokers who love long, multilayered cigars that're filled with a variety of different flavors. The cigar size's generally long burn time is also a big selling point for many customers.
Presidente cigars are fit for, well, presidents. These massive—both in length and ring gauge—smokes feature a tremendous amount of tobacco, burn for a very long time, and manage to pack an astonishing number of flavors into individual sticks. Although the Presidente is used rarely by cigar makers, serious smokers must make a point of experiencing at least one of the sticks at some point. Plus, the seven to nine inch cigars, despite their 50 to 60 ring gauges, are normally crafted with mild tobacco to ensure that smokers aren't overwhelmed during the multi-hour burn.
Figurado is the umbrella term used to describe a cigar that isn't traditional and cylindrical in shape. And while this newfound cigar style might seem quirky and unnecessary, you'll find through experience that uniquely shaped Figurado smokes provide unique taste profiles as well.
And of course, it must be reemphasized that these aren't quite all the Figurado cigar sizes and variations, but they are the most common. Additionally, each size and style's technical specifications, including length, ring gauge, and even name, are far from set in stone, and are rather decided upon at the discretion of the maker.
Unlike Pyramid cigars (which are discussed next), Belicoso smokes feature only rounded smoking ends, as opposed to full-scale "pyramid" ends. The differences between the smoke types are much easier to understand (and relay) through pictures than with words, but the style at hand—Belicoso—is simply a straight, traditional cigar with a curved head.
These smokes typically measure five to six inches and feature ring gauges in the ballpark of 50. Fans claim they light, burn, and draw exceptionally well, and the only way to find out if Belicosos are for you is to give them a try.
The Pyramid cigar style is very similar to the Belicoso, except that its smoking end—that which needs to be cut—does in fact look like an actual pyramid. Additionally, traditional Pyramid cigars fall somewhere into the range of six to seven inches in length, with a corresponding ring gauge of around 50 at the thick end (that which is lit).
It should be noted that Pyramid cigars, as a result of their "odd" shapes, cannot be cut with some cigar cutters, including the punch and certain guillotines. Moreover, the difficulty associated with perfectly cutting these smokes is considerable, and as too low a cut can result in a cigar coming unraveled, it's probably best if Pyramid cigars are enjoyed by experienced smokers.
Torpedo cigars lay claim to essentially the same physical dimensions as Pyramid cigars, and to be sure, the most significant difference between the two styles of smokes is that Torpedo cigars are shaped like classical, cartoon-style torpedoes that join together at a lower point than Pyramid cigars. Expectedly, the general size of this cigar type is all over the place depending on the maker's preference; a given Torpedo cigar is probably around the same size as a given Pyramid cigar, on average.
Far and away the most unique of the Figurado cigar styles, the Perfecto is thin on either end but grows progressively thicker near the middle; this middle area is the thickest portion of the cigar. Perfecto cigars don't feature ends like the Pyramid or the Torpedo, but are rather rounded on both sides; the Perfecto's lighting end is always ready to ignite out of the box, but depending on the maker, the smoking end may be pre-cut or require a cut.
More so than any of the other described smokes, Perfectos' general measurements are all over the map. Very, very broadly speaking, these cigars are four to 10 inches long and feature ring gauges in the ballpark of (no, the neighborhood of!) 40 to 50.
If you've ever wondered what the differences are between cigars that're darker and lighter, you've already but some thought into wrappers, or the outer binding of cigars that determine not only color, but also, taste, burn style, nicotine content, and more. Every cigar's wrapper is in many ways its nucleus; everything else, including the binder and the tobacco, revolves around and is affected by it.
To help you decide upon a personally appealing cigar, let's take a look at four of the most prominent wrappers. Again, these aren't all the cigar wrappers you'll come across by any means, but they are far and away the most common variations.
Connecticut cigar wrappers are light in color, mild in strength, low in nicotine, and ideal for anyone seeking a casual and laid-back smoking experience. More specifically, most any Connecticut smoke is likely among the best cigars for beginners. The wrapper's shade and taste profile are achieved through special growing and treating procedures—namely limiting exposure to the sun. As the wrapper's title suggests, Connecticuts are often grown in the United States—an interesting and important distinction, given that most other wrappers and tobacco are grown in different parts of the globe besides America.
If you're worried about cigars being too strong or are interested in experiencing unique and subtle flavors that other wrappers cannot match, consider purchasing some Connecticut smokes.
Primarily grown in Honduras, the Corojo wrapper isn't quite as powerful and dark as the next two types, but it does pack a sizable taste punch. Moreover, the medium-strength wrapper also veers more towards spice than sweetness, in terms of its taste, which is ideal for certain cigar blends but not particularly well suited for others.
Importantly, the fan-favorite Corojo wrapper serves as a solid medium ground between the Connecticut and the Maduro, and it's incidentally very good at conveying spicier and more noticeable flavors, as well as some particular tastes that're subtle in nature.
The Habano wrapper is admittedly very similar to the Corojo, as you can determine from its produced taste, typical shade, and more. Unlike the Corojo, however, the Habano is usually grown somewhere in Nicaragua, features a considerable amount of nicotine, and is even more partial to spice and wood-filled taste profiles.
If you're seeking a darker, stronger, and exciting cigar, you can probably find the ideal stogie by checking out your local cigar store's (or favorite online website's) Habano selection.
Dark brown (and sometimes closer to black) in color and very versatile in flavor, Maduro cigars are the go-to smokes of many well-versed tobacco aficionados. The wrapper can be made most anywhere, but interestingly, its darker color is the result of extensive sun exposure and/or amplified aging processes. And unlike the Habano and Corojo smokes, Maduro cigars are just as likely and able to feature spicy flavors as they are sweetness and a variety of other sensations; there're few limits to the smoking experiences that Maduro cigars can produce. It should additionally be noted that Maduro cigars are, on average, stronger than Connecticut and even Corojo stogies.
Purchasing cigars is a riveting experience that's anticipated by most every smoker in the world. Who wouldn't get excited by the prospect of trading a small amount of money for a carefully made and incredibly detailed tobacco creation that required multiple years and substantial effort to craft? Exactly—no one.
One of the most pressing questions asked by new cigar smokers is this: What's the better place to buy cigars—the local cigar store or the internet? These individuals are often partial to the latter because of today's fast-moving digital landscape, but sympathetic to the former because it's a local business that's, well, local. Accessibility isn't an issue for either cigar-purchasing method. As such, the answer to the presented question is both, as there are inherent and unique benefits to buying stogies online and purchasing through a local store.
Buying smokes online is convenient to say the least. You simply visit one of the many excellent cigar websites available today, find what you want, check out, and wait for the delivery to arrive. Online cigar shopping is more affordable than buying from a physical store, and you're in all likelihood best off buying bundles, boxes, and packages of cigars over the web. Be sure to look for sales and specials, too!
But that doesn't mean there's no reason to visit your local cigar store. On the contrary, the small and inviting businesses are worth checking out for several key reasons. First, they allow you to—no, encourage you to—buy single cigars. Consider yourself lucky if you've never had to experience the pain and annoyance of buying an entire box of lackluster stogies! The point is that cigar stores are perfect for trying appealing individual cigars before you make a largescale purchase (or decide not to do so).
Next, cigar stores are great places to get awesome stogie advice, tips, and recommendations. Artificial intelligence technology is developing at a rapid pace today, but nevertheless, cigar websites simply don't offer personalized and tailored smoke recommendations based upon your preferred cigar size, taste, strength, brand, wrapper, and more. Cigar store professionals do offer these recommendations (and a whole lot of other knowledge that can come in handy).
Finally, cigar stores are outstanding spots to relax and socialize with other smokers. Meeting fellow enthusiasts is always a blast, as is being able to light up in a welcoming, interesting, and warm setting; this latter point is especially significant in the winter, for those unlucky individuals who are forced outside to smoke!
As was said, there are benefits to shopping at cigar stores and through online cigar websites, and wise cigar lovers will therefore maintain a careful balance between the two purchasing styles.
Now that you've been introduced to the cigar world's most popular stogie shapes, sizes, variations, styles, and purchasing tips, it's time to focus on the actual smoking experience. Just like the creation process and the steps responsible for making cigars, the steps responsible for producing an enjoyable individual experience—from the time a smoke is removed from the humidor until its final puff has been drawn—are diverse and complex.
However, diverse and complex aren't synonyms for limitless and mentally demanding, respectively, and as such you can learn the ins and outs of cigar enjoyment simply by reading on.
Many cigar "experts" will lead you to believe that humidors are difficult, problematic, and troubling byproducts of the smoking experience that'll likely be your undoing. These very same "experts" are in all likelihood attempting to foster a dependence upon their advice when they paint such a picture, as humidors are easy-to-use and straightforward storage products.
To expand upon this point and provide a working definition of humidors, cigars are partial to moist and warm environments (like those they were grown in). By this standard, the general atmosphere is too dry for cigars, and they will become tasteless and brittle if left out in the air for more than two or so weeks.
Furthermore, you'll need to store them in a humidified atmosphere to assure that they not only stay fresh (and free from invasive bugs), but also, to help their flavors develop and season through aging.
This atmosphere is most easily maintained in a humidor, or a cedar-lined (often, that is; other wood types can be and are used) container designed to retain moisture and effectively keep cigars tasting and burning as best they can. Humidors are available for purchase online, in cigar stores, and from cigar experts (check your local newspaper's classified advertisements for proof!). While you won't have a problem buying a humidor, it's worth noting that finding a type of humidor that's aesthetically pleasing, able to house all your cigars, and within your budget could require some time. Be sure to take the process slowly, and if you're looking for a good place to get started, check out the leading cigar websites' introductory deals, which often include a humidor and a bundle of cigars for a very affordable price.
After you've purchased a humidor, you'll need to season it, or introduce it to moisture so that it effectively becomes humidified. This straightforward and important process is detailed next.
As was said, seasoning a humidor isn't challenging, but like many things in life, administering some initial attentiveness and effort will ensure the process's success and save you a lot of time and hassle later on.
Start by using a clean (and preferably brand new), uncolored hand towel to gently wipe distilled water—the only water that should ever, under any circumstances, be used in a humidor—around the interior wood. Be sure not to saturate the wood, but also, try to cover most of its surface area with water.
After this, place a small bowl of distilled water inside the humidor and shut the lit or door. As you've activated the wood by exposing it to moisture, it'll slowly absorb the water in the bowl. Nevertheless, the process will take roughly two to four days, and it's imperative that it not be rushed. To assure that seasoning proceeds at a steady rate, continue gently wiping the distilled water on the wood twice per day, once in the morning and once at night, or until the hygrometer—the internal measurer of humidity—displays a moisture level of 67% to 72%, and more importantly, maintains this moisture level without change for at least a day after the bowl of water has been removed
You should also be sure to use 50/50 solution, or a specially designed formula that helps humidors to hold a humidity level that's ideal for cigars, on your humidor's moisture pad, or the small sponge that's included with most units. A few drops (along with some distilled water) will more than suffice for this pad when you're seasoning your humidor, and after the seasoning process is complete, you can simply add another drop or two weekly, as you see fit and as your hygrometer permits.
Don't be surprised if your humidor's humidity level drops after you place cigars inside it. As was mentioned, cigars thrive in damp environments, and even after a few days in the mail (or outside of a proper storage area), they'll immediately begin absorbing moisture when placed inside a humidor. You might need to refill your humidor's sponge right after you store your first cigars, but the practice won't be common in the long term, as cigars themselves will hold moisture and contribute to the stability of your humidor's relative humidity.
And as a final note on the seasoning process, the relative humidity (or moisture level) of humidors is an important consideration, and also, is a major point of contention amongst cigar smokers. Some individuals claim that a humidity level of 65% is the best, while others tout a much higher humidity of around 75% as the ideal cigar-storage condition. You'd be wise to ignore the arguments of these extremists and simply work to maintain a middle-ground humidity level of 67% to 72% in your humidor. This moisture level will accentuate cigars' flavors while working to assure that they burn evenly and smoothly.
Those are the brass tacks of humidor seasoning, and to help you avoid headaches in the future, here're a few humidor tips that might come in handy:
Hot and wet humidors—particularly those that feature temperatures above 72 degrees and humidity levels above 72%--are the perfect breeding grounds for beetles and other cigar-destroying bugs. To avoid having your stogie collection ruined, try to make sure that your humidor doesn't surpass these levels for more than a few days at a time, if at all.
Most humidors come equipped with analog hygrometers that measure humidity non-electronically, and while these tools are generally accurate, they do sometimes produce a relatively sizable margin of error. Moreover, they are obviously unable to measure a humidor's internal temperature (which as you now know is fairly important).
Digital hygrometers measure exact humidity and temperature, and as they can be purchased for around $10, it's recommended that you equip your humidor with one right off the bat.
Whether an air vent or return is blowing hot air or cold air, regularly or rarely, you shouldn't place your humidor near it—even on a table above it or in its vicinity generally. This constant airflow will evaporate your humidor's water and dry it out in no time at all. This phenomenon may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many smokers frustratingly troubleshoot their humidor for not holding moisture, only to find that the real culprit in drying the storage unit out is a nearby vent.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link="https://youtu.be/E6W5Q9FxbOY" align="center"][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_column_text]
To cut your cigar properly and in a way that maximizes the quality of the smoking experience, assure that you're using an actual, specially made cigar cutter. Scissors, knives, and especially your teeth just won't get the job done correctly! Moreover, proper cigar cutters can be bought for next to nothing online and in cigar stores, so there's no reason or excuse to inhibit your enjoyment by not making the purchase.
Assuming you're using the traditional guillotine cutter (comprised of one or two blades and featuring a center hole for the cigar tip to be placed inside), insert the bottom portion of the smoke's cap between the blades. For reference, the cap is the top of a cigar on the mouth end that's defined by a clearly visible line spanning the circumference of the smoke. Importantly, you should only cut one or two millimeters down any cigar. As you'll find, it's much easier to cut a cigar again if necessary than it is to try and smoke a cigar that's become unraveled as a result of a sloppy incision—a point which further demonstrates the value of conservative cutting.
Hold the cigar steady with one hand and use the other to gently bring the blades together. Be sure not to apply an overwhelming amount of pressure to the cut or rush it; doing so commonly leads to a low-quality and potentially cigar-damaging chop.
If you're seeking the simplest possible cut, purchase a punch cigar cutter. To operate this cutter, all you have to do is place it on the back of a cigar, gently turn it, apply pressure, and watch as it creates an ideal, pre-measured hole. Notably, you might need to punch twice on larger cigars, and this cutter obviously won't work on non-Parejo smokes.
That's really all there is to cutting cigars, and the described methods are the two most popular and generally accepted cutting styles in the tobacco community. It's worth mentioning that quite a variety of other stogie-slicing methods do exist, and can be explored as you become more experienced and interested in smoking.
In order to get the most out of your cigar taste-wise and assure that it burns as evenly as possible, it's important that you properly light it. Like the process of seasoning your humidor, lighting a stogie up obviously isn't difficult. With that said, the benefits of doing so correctly cannot be understated.
Start by using either a cigar lighter (characterized by a powerful flame or flames capable of providing an even and timely light) or wooden cigar matches (which're unique from traditional matches in that their wood build allows for plenty of time to light up) around an inch or so from your smoke. Hold the flame source steadily with one hand and either rotate it or the cigar itself around to maximize flame exposure, puffing semi-frequently as you do so. Be sure to light not only the center of your cigar, but also, its edges (which actually play a considerable role in the burning process).
Plenty of smokers have found through experience that traditional lighters, small matches, and other flames simply aren't well-suited for lighting cigars, and because of their brave adventuring and this excellent guide, you won't ever struggle to light a cigar or come across a stogie that tastes like lighter fluid!
And to save you even more time, hassle, and frustration, here're some additional useful tips:
Wooden matches are all but sure to prematurely extinguish outdoors, as even a mild breeze can immediately put them out. You should accordingly only use the (somewhat expensive) matches while you're indoors. Furthermore, wooden matches take a bit longer to catch than normal matches, and to assure that each match does catch, you must tilt it downwards directly after striking it, and also, wait until the flame visibly progresses down the wood. Otherwise, the light will go out in a matter of seconds.
You'll find through experience that cigar smoking is about the only hobby in the world wherein unexpected fire isn't a bad thing! The lighting end of a stogie commonly adopts a small (but immediately worrying) flame during the burn-initiating process, and this typically surprises new smokers. Don't panic if your cigar catches fire, but instead, gently blow the unwanted flame out. Your smoke will be saved and you'll look pretty darn cool!
You've done it—you've reached the end of this (nearly perfect) guide to cigar smoking for beginners. Congratulations, and welcome to the wonderful world of cigars! Whether you plan to be a casual smoker or a regular, there's a fantastic chance that your favorite cigar will become more than a hobby, but rather, will become a thought-provoking and engaging experience that perfectly complements life's happiest and most magnificent moments, from witnessing magical events to relaxing in gorgeous environments and everything in between.
[1] http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/Our-Presidents-and-Cigars_6103
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