The Top 4 Cigars for the Beginning Cigar Smoker

People have been smoking cigars for hundreds of years.  Many years before Christopher Columbus stepped foot on the New World, Native Americans were rolling up scraps of tobacco, putting it in a large leaf and smoking what they rolled.  Columbus brought tobacco with him on his voyage back to Spain and introduced cigars to the Europeans.  As they say, “the rest is history”.

Learning the proper way to smoke a cigar is similar to learning how to enjoy doing pretty much any other hobby well.  After reading about the basics the best way to learn is to experience it yourself.  Following is what the beginning cigar smoker needs to know in order to start off on the right track.

First, let’s talk a bit about cigar etiquette.  Once you learn several things you should feel like you can comfortably fit in with any group of cigar connoisseurs.

Cigar smoking should be a leisurely and fun experience.  Although you may think that it looks cool to bite off the end of a cigar before lighting it, the cap should be cut with a cigar cutter.  Cigar cutters are very inexpensive items and every cigar smoker should own at least one.

Make sure to carry either matches or a lighter with you.  Asking another cigar smoker for a light will give you away as a cigar novice.  Once your cigar is lit it is time to enjoy the smoke.  But rather than trying to race to the end of the cigar, the smoke should be savored slowly.

When the cigar has been smoked approximately ¾ of the way down, instead of grinding it out you should set it on the side of an ashtray and allow it to go out by itself.   If you grind it out the tobacco will take up all the room in the ashtray.

Finally, there is no reason to let a good cigar go bad.  If, after smoking a cigar or two you decide that you want to take up the hobby you should invest in a humidor.  The humidor will keep the cigar fresh and help it to age properly.  It isn’t necessary to spend a lot of money on your first humidor.  Many small fully functional humidors are very affordable.

A new cigar smoker should begin by smoking the best mild or mild-to-medium cigars that he or she can afford.  Here are the top four cigars that the beginning cigar smoker should try:
 

Macanudo Hyde Park

Macanudos are one of the best-selling premium cigars in the North America.  They’re made in the Dominican Republic by the General Cigar Company.  The Macanudo Hyde Park Café has a light taste.  It has hints of cashews, almonds and fresh herbs.  This cigar is one of the best choices for a beginner and could be the benchmark against which other cigars are measured.
 

Helix Blue Tubular

Made in Honduras by the General Cigar Company, the Helix Blue Tubular is also a mild cigar that would be a terrific choice for the beginning cigar smoker.  In some ways it is similar to the more expensive Macanudos.  However, you may want to avoid trying their artificially flavored Helix Remix cigars if you want to experience what a “real” cigar tastes like.
 

Gispert

Gispert cigars, which are made in Honduras, have a mild-to-medium body.  Very easy to smoke, these cigars have a woodsy and earthy flavor and a hint of leather.  When lit these very reasonably priced cigars also smell like leather and wood.
 

Gran Habano Connecticut #1

Gran Habano cigars are made in Honduras by Guillermo Rico.  The Connecticut #1 is a mild-to-medium bodied cigar that is made of a blend of filler tobacco from Nicaragua.  The filler tobacco is wrapped in an Ecuadorian wrapper.  It’s a flavorful cigar, closer to medium bodied than mild, without being overwhelmingly powerful.

You now know the most important things about cigar etiquette and the best choices of cigars for the beginning cigar smoker.  The rest is up to you.  For a very modest investment you can embark on a new venture that could bring you years of smoking pleasure.  Enjoy!

Author Bio – Jason Daniels has been smoking cigars and writing about them for more than a decade.  When not smoking one of his favorite cigars, you’ll often find him sitting behind his notebook computer at his local coffee shop with a cappuccino by his side and an e cigarette dangling from his mouth.