The Perfect Beginner’s Guide to Cigars
Becoming a true aficionado cannot be improvised. Like any passion, cigars require enthusiasts to acquire a great deal of knowledge and master various techniques before revealing all their secrets. As a beginner in the world of cigars, you will therefore need to show patience, curiosity, and perseverance in order to gain the experience needed to learn this art of living. In this guide, we invite you to discover the essential steps for a successful introduction to cigars.
Understanding what a cigar is
Before you embark on a proper tasting, it is important to take the time to discover what makes up a cigar and how it is made. This prior knowledge will allow you to smoke your first cigar mindfully and appreciate each puff at its true value.
Unlike a cigarette, a premium cigar is made 100% from long filler tobacco leaves, meaning leaves that have not been chopped up. It consists of an outer wrapper, called the “wrapper,” a middle leaf, called the “binder,” and a blend of leaves that form the core of the cigar, called the “filler.” From growing the tobacco plants to rolling the cigars, including drying and fermenting the leaves, making a cigar takes between 2 and 5 years on average.
Another thing to know before enjoying your first vitola is that the tobacco leaves used are entirely natural. Indeed, many beginner smokers think that the aromatic richness of cigars comes from flavorings added by manufacturers. But that is not the case. The aromas present in tobacco are the result of various factors such as soil quality, sun exposure, or the drying and fermentation methods used by manufacturers. If you would like to deepen your knowledge of the role of terroir in cigar making, we invite you to discover our article on Vuelta Abajo, one of the best tobacco-growing regions in the world.
Mastering cigar-related vocabulary
During your theoretical introduction, you will quickly come across unfamiliar terms such as “puro,” “vitola,” “ring gauge,” or even “blend.” These concepts refer to specific elements of cigars, and mastering them is essential to understanding this world in its entirety. We therefore advise you not to overlook this step and to take the time to discover the meaning of the words that are unfamiliar to you. Rest assured, there are not hundreds of them either.
Learning How to Choose Your Cigar
Choosing your first vitolas is an important step, as it will confirm—or not—your interest in cigars. Isn’t it said that you never get a second chance to make a good first impression? As a new smoker, we therefore recommend that you not rush into large-format, full-strength vitolas. The smoking time of this type of cigar, as well as the intensity of its aromas, can indeed cause a sense of discomfort for unseasoned palates.
Instead, we suggest you turn to medium-sized vitolas with light to medium strength, such as the Romeo Y Julieta Short Churchill and the Jose L. Piedra Conservas. Also remember not to smoke your cigar on an empty stomach and to keep to a pace of about one puff per minute. Smoking slowly helps prevent your cigar from heating up too quickly and limits the buildup of chemical residues in your mouth.
Preparing Your Cigar Before Tasting
It is not enough to know how to choose your cigar; you also need to light it without damaging it. Most cigars are rolled with a closed head. This cap prevents the wrapper from unraveling. Before lighting your cigar, you will therefore need to cut off this cap, taking care not to crack the wrapper. As a beginner, we recommend using a double-blade cigar cutter. This type of cutter is easy to handle and allows for a clean cut that preserves the integrity of the cap.
Once you’ve cut the head of your cigar, you can light it, or do a dry draw to discover the flavors ahead and check its draw. To light your cigar, several options are available to you. You can choose a lighter with a soft flame or matches. Most experienced smokers begin by warming the foot of the cigar without bringing it to their mouth. The goal is to dry out the tobacco leaves to make lighting easier.
Once the wrapper has turned gray and the filler has darkened, you can draw on your cigar while holding it about 2 cm from the flame. This process will draw the flame toward the cigar and make ignition easier. It is also important to slowly rotate your cigar during this step to achieve an even burn.
Enjoying your cigar like an expert
Unlike a cigarette, a cigar is puffed on. It’s about enjoying its aromas, not giving you a nicotine rush. To do this, it is recommended to take no more than one puff per minute. Then keep the smoke in your mouth for a few seconds before exhaling it. Some aficionados also use retrohaling. Drawing the smoke held in your mouth through your nose enhances the sensory analysis of a cigar by amplifying its aromatic characteristics. Pairing a beverage with your cigar can also bring out its aromas when done correctly. So don’t hesitate to try different pairings to find the one that suits you best.
As a beginner, it is important to take the time to note your impressions during the tasting. For example, you can keep a tasting notebook in which you record the cigar’s technical characteristics as well as your sensory impressions. In addition to allowing you to keep a record of your tastings, this methodical approach will help you put your impressions into words and carry out an in-depth analysis of each vitola.