Standing in front of a well-stocked humidor for the first time can feel like being handed a wine list in a language you don't yet read. The good news is that a handful of ideas (size, strength, origin and a little technique) will get you most of the way. This guide is for adults who already enjoy the idea of a good cigar and want to choose their first few wisely, without spending a fortune on the wrong thing.
Start with size: length, ring gauge and time
Every cigar is described by two numbers: its length and its ring gauge. The ring gauge is the diameter, measured in 64ths of an inch, so a 40 ring gauge cigar is 40/64ths of an inch across and a 64 ring gauge cigar is a full inch thick. Cuban cigars are usually listed in millimetres for length, which makes it easy to compare shapes:
- Cohiba Siglo I: a small, slim cigar of 102mm with a 40 ring gauge.
- Hoyo de Monterrey Petit Robusto: the same 102mm length but a much fuller 50 ring gauge.
- Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill: a classic robusto at 124mm by 50.
- Montecristo No. 2: a tapered pyramid of 156mm by 52, and a much longer commitment.
Size largely decides how long a cigar lasts, although your own pace matters just as much. Cigar Aficionado notes that a double corona of around seven and a half inches can give well over an hour, while thinner cigars smoke in less time. The practical rule is simple: choose a cigar that fits the time you actually have. Habanos S.A. says it created the Hoyo de Monterrey Petit Robusto for smokers who want a high-quality cigar but "do not have much time to enjoy it", which is exactly the situation most newcomers are in. A cigar you have to abandon halfway through is rarely a good introduction.
Strength and flavour
Cigars range from light and delicate to rich and full, and it pays to start at the gentler end and work up. Habanos S.A. grades its own brands this way. It describes Hoyo de Monterrey as a "lower-strength, delicate and aromatic" Habano, Romeo y Julieta as "the classic medium-flavored Habano", H. Upmann as light to medium, Montecristo as medium to full and Partagás as full, with an "intense flavour". New World makers publish similar descriptions for their blends. If you know you enjoy lighter flavours in coffee, whisky or wine, that's a reasonable hint to begin with a lighter cigar, then move towards fuller blends once you know what you like.
Cuban or New World?
Cuban cigars, known as Habanos, are made entirely by hand from Cuban tobacco, most famously from the Vuelta Abajo region of Pinar del Río. In the UK they're imported by Hunters & Frankau, appointed by Habanos S.A. as the exclusive UK distributor, and boxes for the UK market carry an EMS stamp. "New World" covers everything else, chiefly premium cigars from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Mexico, which reach us through Tor Imports. Neither is simply "better": Cuban cigars have a recognisable house character, while the New World offers a very wide spread of wrappers, strengths and styles. We look at the differences properly in our guide to Cuban and New World cigars.
Why start with singles and small packs
The cheapest way to find what you like is to try several different cigars before you commit to a box. Buying singles, 3-packs or 5-cigar samplers lets you compare a light Cuban with a medium New World blend, or a slim corona with a robusto, for the cost of a single box. There's a storage reason too. Cigar Aficionado warns that cigars kept outside a humidor start to dry out within a day, so if you don't yet own a humidor it makes sense to buy only what you'll smoke soon. Tubed cigars are especially handy for newcomers because the tube protects the cigar in a pocket or bag. Keep in mind that a sealed tube also stops humidity reaching the cigar, so it's for carrying rather than long-term storage.
Cutting: take off just enough
A premium cigar is closed at the head with a small cap of wrapper leaf, and you need to open it before smoking. Cigar Aficionado's advice is to find the "shoulder", where the rounded end starts to straighten out, and cut just above it, so enough of the cap remains to hold the wrapper together. For beginners, it recommends a double-bladed guillotine cutter as the simplest tool with the least risk of tearing. Line the cigar up, then cut in one swift, confident movement rather than squeezing slowly. A punch (which bores a small hole in the cap) and a V-cutter (which takes out a wedge) are popular alternatives. Whatever you use, keep it sharp, because a dull blade can crack or tear the wrapper.
Lighting: toast first, then draw
Lighting a cigar well is more like toasting a marshmallow than lighting a candle. Cigar Aficionado suggests holding the foot of the cigar just above the flame, without letting them touch, and turning it until there's a glowing ring all the way around. Only then raise the cigar to your lips and draw gently, touching up any unlit patches as you go. Boveda points out that puffing hard while you light can ignite the easier-burning filler inside first, which leads to "tunnelling" down the middle.
What you light with matters, too. Use a butane lighter, long wooden matches without sulphur, or a cedar spill. Cigar Aficionado advises against candles, Zippo-style lighters, oil-fuelled lighters and sulphur matches, all of which can add odd flavours to the smoke.
A few good starting points from our humidor
These are cigars we regularly suggest to customers who are just starting out. All are available in small quantities, but stock does change, so ask us if something is missing.
- Hoyo de Monterrey Petit Robusto (pack of 3): a short, wide size from a brand Habanos calls light and delicate, which makes for a gentle introduction to Cuban tobacco.
- Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill (tubed single or pack of 3): the "classic medium" Habano in a robusto size, and the tube makes it easy to carry.
- Romeo y Julieta No. 2 or No. 3 (tubed singles): slimmer tubed cigars from the same medium-flavoured brand, if you prefer a narrower smoke.
- Cohiba Siglo I (tubed single): a small cigar from Cohiba's Línea 1492, which Habanos rates as medium strength. It's an affordable way to try the most famous name in Cuban cigars.
- Drew Estate Undercrown Shade Coronet (tin of 10): a small New World cigar with an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, generally described as mellow to medium-bodied.
- My Father Original Sampler or Oliva Robusto International Variety sampler (5 cigars each): an easy way to taste across a respected Nicaraguan maker's range before choosing a favourite.
Shop the guide
Browse our single cigars to build your own tasting selection, or explore Romeo y Julieta, Cohiba, Drew Estate, My Father and Oliva. You'll find cutters, lighters and humidity packs in accessories, and our full range on the cigars page. If you'd rather talk it through, visit us at 57 Market Place, Long Eaton, and we'll gladly help you pick your first few.