Helping You Become A Cigar Enthusiast

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Monday, June 8th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

Becoming a cigar aficionado doesn’t involve any smoke and mirrors. All you need is research and a nose for a great cigar. In this article, we’ll burn through the basics of choosing and preserving a delicious stogie.

Cigars can be purchased almost anywhere but fine cigars can only be bought at a tobacconist or specialty smoke shop. When evaluating a cigar, check for smoothness by rolling it between your fingers. The wrapper should have a slight shine and the cigar should not be too dry or too firm. With tobacco cigars, the leaves give the cigar its flavor and aroma, so make sure that you’re getting high quality filler. In this case, the nose definitely knows best. Take a deep whiff of the cigar to sample its fragrance. If it doesn’t have a rich aroma, it’s not a well crafted cigar.

If you’re inexperienced with cigars and don’t know what to try first, longer cigars are a good choice because they often have a milder taste. More experienced smokers may prefer the richer flavor of thicker cigars. Thicker cigars are more robust and give off more smoke because it contains more tobacco or a blend of various leaves. Color also plays an important part in choosing your cigars. The darker the wrapper, the more full-bodied and sweeter a cigar is likely to be.

You can’t call yourself a cigar aficionado without first getting all the bells and whistles associated with cigar smoking. Cigar boxes, a personalized cigar lighter, a humidor and Cigar cutters are just some of the accessories that you can purchase. Besides being attractive, these products also have very important practical uses. Many cigars need to be aged to maximize the flavor potential. They can be stored in a cigar box, but a humidor prevents your cigars from drying out or becoming infested by insects. Cigar cutters are used to remove or penetrate the cap of a cigar before smoking it. The type of cut to make is based on personal preference and the size and/or shape of the cigar. The straight cut is the most common and the cutter will have a guillotine blade.

If you just want to put your feet up and have a cigar, almost any cigar will do. However, if you want to make cigar smoking a luxurious experience, you’ll need a quality product. As any cigar aficionado will tell you, every cigar is different, so sample a wide variety of brands. Flavor may be a matter of personal taste but craftsmanship is universal, so ask other cigar lovers what their preferences are. You may ending up finding a new favorite cigar!

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