What to know about cigars

A cigar in your hand can make you feel complete. The luxurious feeling & taste of a cigar is irreplaceable. That feeling will make the stogie forever remarkable. As a hobby, it has that je ne sais quois about it. Like great wine and champagne, there is something elite about a cigar. It brings opulence. The process of cutting, lighting, and smoking a cigar requires a little knowledge of the product. The aficionados know the stories of the tiny tobacco seeds that grow to become the product. They know the process that goes into putting that fine stogie in your hand. Avid cigar smokers can tell you how the process moves from stemming to fermentation and then aging. However, beginners and occasional smokers don’t need all this information. They just want to enjoy their cigar so, here are the important things they need to know.

A cigar has three parts; A wrapper, filler, and binder. The wrapper consists of delicately preserved tobacco leaves. It absorbs flavor and distills it in a puff. So much care goes into preparing the tobacco leaves as a slight problem makes them unsuitable for use. It is no surprise that they can be very expensive, but premium wrappers are enticing.  The filler is the tobacco to be smoked, while the binder, as the name suggests, helps to hold the filler in place. For your filler, there is a wide range of options to choose from. There are tobaccos from different countries, possessing different strengths while giving off different flavors.

Smoking tips for beginners & occasional smokers

Cigar smoking for beginners is different. For beginners who aren’t keen on diving into the rich history of tobacco and tobacco leaves, their priorities differ. They just want to light up, smoke, and have a good time. Their knowledge of the subject does not go beyond cutting and lighting their cigar. However, even beginners and occasional smokers need to know a few things before smoking. So here are three essential tips for occasional smokers;

  • Choose the right cigar

  • Get a clipper

  • Get the right lighter

Choose the right cigar; The first step for any beginner is to choose the cigar to smoke. As mentioned above, the filling and wrapping of the tobacco determine the taste and the flavor of the stogie. However, factors like the size and shape of the cigar also influence individual preferences. The shape and sizes range from Corona to Toro to Churchill to Lonsdale to Panetela, etc. Find your taste.

Get a proper clipper for cutting; There cannot be more emphasis on this. Get a clipper to do your cutting. Clippers make things pretty straightforward. You can aim for the shoulder of the cigar and cut easily. If you have a clipper, try to cut in one motion and make it sharp/swift. Keep your blade clean to maintain it and avoid blunting its edges. A sharp cut makes the cigar better.

Light it right; If you are new to cigar smoking, get a torch lighter. It is the best lighter for lighting a cigar. Don’t bring it too close to your cigar, at least not enough to get a direct burn. Let the heat from the lighter light the cigar and not the fire itself. If you burn directly, you can damage the taste and flavor and get a charred cigar.

Enjoy your cigar

With the tips above, you can enjoy your cigar as a beginner and occasional smoker. These tips will give you enough knowledge to get by. Now go forth and enjoy your cigar!