Cigars for beginners – is there such thing?
Dear fellow passionados, or more specifically soon-to-be-passionados! Let’s talk about a widely discussed topic: Cigars for beginners… do they exist? This is a little guide for everyone who is at the beginning of their new and exciting, yet never ending cigar journey.
If you’re new to the pleasure that is cigar smoking and are struggling with where to start, here’s some advice to help you on your way to find the best cigars for beginners:
Picking your cigar by size - it’s very important to decide how much time you have to enjoy a cigar. There is no point to start smoking a 1 hour cigar if you have only 30 min. NEVER, NEVER, EVER put your cigar down and then relight it the next day or leave it even longer. Once your cigar stops burning completely, relighting it will lead to a taste like an ashtray and nothing more. There are so many different sizes from long, short, thin, fat and many other weird looking shaped cigars in between. But what are those sizes and what is the difference. Here are some of the most popular sizes for beginners:
1. Lancero – 7-inch-long, thin (38-40) ring gauge cigar. Many new smokers might think that this is more of a “feminine” size – WRONG! We are not playing the stereotype. Lanceros allow you to enjoy all the aromas and tastes to perfection, just because it’s thin and the flavor concentrates. They can last for at least 1hr 30min–quite a long time for a beginner, but you can still go for it! It’s also easy to cut and light without much effort.
2. Corona or Petit Corona – 5+ inch long and (40-44) ring gauge, short, but thicker than a lancero. This will give you the same type of enjoyment, but slightly shorter smoke time – approx. 1hr.
3. Panatela – 5+ inch but same ring gauge as a lancero (38-40) and sometimes thinner (36). It is a lancero but shorter and thinner and will be smoked for around 30-40min. Because of that, one can argue, that Panatelas are the best cigars for beginners. Than again, the duration of a smoke may might not be the most important differentiator.
4. Robusto – 5 inches by 50 ring gauge. The most popular size in the world now and perfect not only for beginners, but also for the experienced aficionado. Variety is way bigger with this size and there are plenty of options on the market. Most people prefer the feel of a bigger cigar in their hands. Smoke time can be 1.15-1.45 hrs
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend other sizes for beginners.
Picking a cigar by colour. Exceptions confirm the rule, but I would suggest to go for more lighter coloured cigars (Colorado, Connecticut). They usually have more flavour, but less strength. Most darker looking cigars (Maduro, Oscuro) are usually strong, very tasty, but they tend to have more pepper, nicotine and that can lead to a bad experience when you’ve just started smoking. The more you smoke, and your experience grows, you can start adding darker coloured cigars to your rotation.
Picking a cigar by origin. I would not exclude any regions when you’re starting as all countries produce cigars for beginners which can be enjoyed if you follow the above advice.
Picking a cigar based on your budget. This is little controversial as there are some very expensive cigars, but that doesn’t mean they are way better than cheaper alternatives. Price is sometimes a factor because of the age of a cigar, specific tobacco leaf used, production numbers, availability and popularity. My only advice is to not start with ultra-premium and expensive cigars, even if you can afford it as you might be left disappointed. There is usually always a reason why specific cigars are more expensive than others, but it’s not always that the quality is better. There are many budget cigars made with short filler tobacco or not whole leaves, they are an option, but I would say only if you don’t have anything else around. The taste is almost never like long filler tobacco cigars, and you will sometimes be left with a feeling that something is missing.
These are my main pieces of advice, but of course cigar smoking is not a science and you don’t need to follow my advice if you don’t agree. This is purely based on many, many years of experience and countless cigars from across the world that I’ve smoked.
So, is there a cigar for beginners? Not a specific one at least. But you can increase your chances of liking it by making some basic choices. More importantly, make sure that the setting is right! Lighting, music, cigar pairings and of course friends and fellow passionados are really the reason for a great cigar experience.
Smoke your cigars and don’t keep them in the boxes for ages 😊
Light ‘em up and enjoy!
Ray
Cigar sommelier, cigar broker, and ambassador of Light ‘em Up GO
