Get the Gist of Cigars (For Beginners)

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ENTRY:

People have enjoyed smoking cigars for centuries, and the wealth of knowledge on the subject could fill volumes. It is best to think of the information below as a complete overview of cigar basics. It is everything you need to know in order to open the door to the world of cigars. But once you have stepped inside, you will realize that the realm of cigar enjoyment is far vaster than you ever could have imagined.

Part 1: History

The history of cigars is essentially the history of tobacco. Native Americans were smoking tobacco either through a pipe or rolled up in a large leaf for centuries before Christopher Columbus "discovered" tobacco in 1492.

Columbus can be credited with introducing tobacco and cigars in Europe, but Native Americans were the first to wrap scraps of tobacco in a larger leaf and smoke it. This essence of a cigar remains today, and we will discuss it even further as we break cigars down into distinct components.

Part 2: Parts of a Cigar

To completely appreciate a fine cigar, it's important to have the ability to identify where the flavors are coming from. Most cigars are comprised of three parts: wrapper, filler and binder. Very small cigars will forego the binder altogether, but they are the exception to the rule.

Wrappers

The outermost part of the cigar, the wrapper is one of the first things noticed. Wrapper leaves are chosen from the widest part of the tobacco plant, and the type of wrapper selected to make a cigar can determine a lot of that particular smoke's distinguishing flavor and characteristics. Generally speaking, the darker the wrapper, the sweeter the flavor, and the lighter the wrapper, the less flavor it contributes (and the dryer the taste). A fair estimate is that the wrapper imparts up to 60 percent of the flavor of cigars; the rest comes from the filler and binder.

Cigar manufacturers have classified more than 100 different wrapper shades. However, there are seven general classifications which are most common. Here they are, from the lightest color to the darkest:

• Double Claro – Very light and slightly green in color, this wrapper is also commonly known as American Market Selection, Candela, or Jade. The leaf's color is a result of being picked prior to reaching full maturity and quickly dried using artificial heat in barns. During the heating process some of the chlorophyll is sealed in, causing a light green hue. The least flavorful, Double Claro was once an extremely popular cigar in America, but is increasingly rare nowadays.
• Claro – Light tan, beige, or nearly yellow, Claro wrappers are fully matured tobacco leaves that have been allowed to dry naturally and slowly. Grown under cheesecloth to protect the color and appearance, ideally Claro wrappers take on an oily sheen and delicate, silky appearance. The Java Claro Robusto is an example of a cigar with a Claro wrapper.
• Colorado Claro – Medium brown, Colorado Claros are slightly darker than Claro. This category can include Natural and English Market Selection cigars.
• Colorado – Also known as Rosado or Corojo, Colorado wrapper is more common and has an easily identifiable reddish-brown color. Exceptionally flavorful and aromatic, a good example is Royal Nicaraguan Colorado Robusto Natural.
• Colorado Maduro – A darker brown, Colorado Maduro wrapper is often grown from a Cuban seed in Cameroon, Honduras, or Nicaragua.
• Maduro – Dark brown or black, maduro wrapper leaf is smooth, rich-tasting, full flavored, and contributes a sweet taste to the flavor of the cigar. Grown in Connecticut, Mexico, Brazil, and Nicaragua. Final Blend is an example of a maduro cigar.
• Oscuro – Marked by an oily and extremely dark black appearance, Oscuros dropped in popularity for quite some time, but have experienced a resurgence lately. Oscuro wrappers are primarily grown in Connecticut, Cuba, Nicaragua, Brazil and Mexico. The La Flor Dominicana Cabinet Oscuro L-500 is a rare example from the Dominican Republic.

Generally speaking, the darker the wrapper, the sweeter the flavor. Conversely, the lighter you go, the dryer the taste. A fair estimate is that the wrapper imparts up to 60 percent of the flavor of cigars, and the rest comes from the filler and binder.

Binders

The binder holds the filler together. Most of the time, binders are made from wrappers that were rejected because they had holes, discoloration or other blemishes.

Fillers

The filler makes up the majority of the tobacco in a cigar. Typically, it is made from a blend of tobaccos of varying strengths to create the flavor.

The part of the tobacco plant from which leaves are chosen can have a big impact on the overall flavor of the cigar. Volado has a weak flavor and comes from the bottom of the plant which sees less sunlight. Seco leaves are dryer and come from the middle. Ligero leaves are from the top of the plant and have a strong flavor because they get the most access to sunlight. The bigger a cigar is, the more room there is for a variety of leaves, resulting in a more complex flavor.

Some filler is comprised of long leaves; while others are made from short, chopped up bits. Long leaves burn slower, and if they are premiumquality, they will burn slowly and consistently. There are also "medium filler" cigars which use a combination of long and short filler.

Part 3: Terminology

Before we delve into different cigar categories, it is worth going through some common descriptive terms which could be misunderstood by beginners.

• Strength – This is simply a measure of how much nicotine is in a cigar. Strong cigars have more nicotine and mild cigars have less. This is also known as the "kick." Over time, cigars will mellow out and lose nicotine content.
• Flavor – Pure flavor comes from the soil and climate from which the tobacco plant is cultivated. Though there are various artificially flavored cigars (vanilla, strawberry, etc.) the general term refers to the unique and distinct natural flavor of the tobaccos chosen to be blended for a particular cigar. Aging, blending, and storage are additional factors that contribute to the natural flavor of cigars.
• Scent – This is how a cigar smells before you light it. Soil, climate and aging all combine to create the scent.
• Aroma – This is how a cigar smells after you light it. Aroma is the smell of the smoke itself.

Part 4: Shapes and Sizes

Wrapper color is one way of categorizing cigars. Size and shape is another. Below are some common shapes and sizes:

Parejo

Parejos are the most familiar shape of cigar. Sometimes called coronas, parejos have a long, straight body with an open end and a cap on the opposite end which must be cut prior to smoking. A hole can also be punched into the cap. Below is a list of common parejo categories, their typical sizes (length x width) and common examples of popular styles.

It's important to note that the specific cigars shown below are meant to serve as examples of each particular style, and might not be exact. Shown are averages for each particular style to serve as a good estimate, but variances can and will occur.

• Rothschild – 4 1/2" x 50 – Tabamex Rothschilds have a rustic look but with a smooth draw and a light taste.
• Robusto – 5" x 50 – Famous Dominican 4000 Robustos contain a mild blend of Cuban-seed Dominican longfillers.
• Small Panatela – 5" x 33 – Mosaico Small Panatelas are available in a variety or wrapper shades and flavors.
• Petit Corona – 5" x 42 – Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Petite Corona is a short and stocky cigar with a dark and rich flavor.
• Corona – 5 1/2" x 42 – La Floridita Corona Gigante is a long-lasting smoke made of Dominican and Nicaraguan longfillers.
• Corona Gorda – 5 1/2" x 46 – CAO Gold Corona Gordas are handmade. They produce smoke with a creamy texture and a hint of sweet spice.
• Panatela – 6" x 38 – Garcia Y Vega Panatela Deluxe is a smooth and mild cigar that makes a great everyday smoke.
• Toro – 6" x 50 – Romeo Y Julieta Reserva Real Toro is a rather pricy luxury cigar that's extremely flavorful and perfect for special occasions.
• Corona Grande – 6 1/2" x 42 – Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Corona Grandes are full-flavored Honduran cigars that have an easy draw and a clean burn.
• Lonsdale – 6 1/2" x 42 – The Maroma Lonsdale is a handmade cigar with a woodsy flavor and a sweet smell.
• Churchill – 7" x 50 – Oliva Serie V Churchill Extras are premium, full-bodied cigars. Their smoke produces a rich mix of chocolate and coffee accents.
• Double Corona – 7 1/2" x 50 – Avo Signature Double Coronas have a blend of four Dominican leaves wrapped in a San Vicente ligero binder that has been aged for four years.
• Presidente – 8" or more x 50 – Famous Nicaraguan 3000 Presidentes are made with dark and oily Ecuadorian wrappers that produce a complex and flavorful smoke.
• Gran Corona – 6 1/2" x 46 – Montesino Gran Coronas are medium-bodied, high quality and surprisingly affordable.
• Double Toro/Gordo – 6" x 60 – Oliva Serie O Double Toro is a cigar for seasoned cigar smokers. The tobaccos are carefully fermented and then aged for five years, creating an incredibly complex and smooth blend.

Figurado

Figurados are irregularly shaped cigars, and due to their irregularity, they’re more difficult to make than the standard parejo. At one point they were the most popular shapes, fell out of favor in the early 20th century, and have recently begun to make a slight comeback. Below are a few examples of figurados:

• Torpedo – A parejo with a pointed cap, Flor De Oliva Torpedo is a great example of this style. They are handmade in Nicaragua.
• Pyramid – Pyramids start with a broad foot and narrow down to a pointed cap. Gran Habano Connecticut #1 Pyramids are rich but mellow and very high quality.
• Perfecto – Narrow at either-end, witha bulge in the center, CAO Gold Perfectos are a fine specimen featuring the traditional rounded shape.
• Presidente – Also shown above as an example of a parejo, Presidentes can also be considered figurados when they are extra large. Flor De Oliva Super Giant is a medium-bodied Nicaraguan cigar. At a whopping ten inches long, it certainly qualifies for figurado status.
• Culebras – Made from twisting three smaller cigars twisted together, Culebras must be unwound prior to smoking. Davidoff Special C Culebras are made of Dominican filler and Connecticut wrappers.
• Tuscano – Also known as the cheroot, this cigar is long, slim, and slightly thicker in the middle. Kentucky Cheroots are entirely American-made and grown and produce a hearty flavor.

Part 5: Etiquette

Thus far, we have discussed the technicalities of cigars. Now it’s time to discuss common customs and rituals of smoking a cigar. Just as important as knowing the "ins" and "outs" of the types and sizes, it may be even more important. Just a few things learned about cigar etiquette can help a beginner fit in with long-time cigar connoisseurs.

Get a Humidor

This cannot be understated. It is a sad day when a perfectly good cigar goes to waste because of improper storage. The Capri Elegant Humidor is small, affordable, and fully functional. There is no excuse to let fine cigars go bad when there are options like the Capri Elegant Humidor.

Buy a Cigar Cutter

As previously noted, many cigars have a tobacco cap that needs to be cut prior to lighting. Biting off the end of a cigar may look cool in a movie, but rest assured you'll end up with stray tobacco leaves in your mouth instead of reaching the mark of sophistication and refinement you’re going for. The Montecristo Signature Cutter is a double guillotine Japanese Samurai steel cutter that is sturdy and practical.

Carry a Lighter

Asking for a light is a dead giveaway that someone is a cigar novice. The Xikar EX Windproof Flame Cigar Lighter is a quality choice that emits a strong torch flame to ensure proper toasting of your cigar.

Don't Grind out Your Cigar

As a rough guide, when you've smoked 3/4 of the cigar, it should be set to the side of an ashtray and allowed to go out on its own. This prevents excess tobacco from taking up all the room in the ashtray. The Flor De Gonzalez Ashtray has four large stirrups to fit most cigars.

Take Your Time

Cigar smoking is supposed to be fun and leisurely. It isn't a race to the end. Break any other rule but this one, because someone who is calmly and coolly enjoying a fine cigar is at least doing the most important thing right.

Next Steps

Taking up the hobby of cigar smoking is the same as learning the "ins" and "outs" of any other time-honored tradition. Once you have read up on the basics, the only way to learn more is to experience it for yourself.

This handy guide is a good start, but now you're ready to start exploring on your own. Talking to other cigar smokers, reading cigar internet forums, and sampling different varieties of cigars are the next steps to developing your ability to completely appreciate a fine cigar.