Picking Out a Good Cigar, Like a REAL Man

Of all the manly pleasures in this world, nothing quite matches the enjoyment of a premium, handrolled cigar. Cigar smoking is perhaps the most relaxing and satisfying thing that a guy can experience (okay, hoist the mind out of the gutter bro, and allow me to continue.)

A lot of you out there only smoke a cigar once in a while, whether it’s on the golf course, camping, or hanging on a buddies deck.  Many are intimidated by the ritual and couldn’t tell a good cigar from a bad one. They really don’t know what they like, and wouldn’t know how to pick out the proper stick if the situation called for it. Well, don’t worry, my brother, the Zman is your personal stogie guru and I’ll walk you through this leafy conundrum.

Cigar 101

First off, yes, there are good and bad cigars. But the first rule of thumb is not to buy into the myth that an expensive cigar is necessarily better. There are premium sticks out there priced at $5 that are every bit as good as some priced $15 and up. It’s a matter of preference and taste and the more you smoke, the more you’ll begin to learn what you like. A good cigar is properly aged and constructed well. It burns even and the taste is smooth and flavorful. A bad cigar, often referred to as a dog rocket, is poorly constructed, the tobacco under aged, it burns hot, and the flavor is harsh and bitter. It basically tastes like a mangy pooch dropped a squat on your tongue, and that kind of experience will scare anybody off from the hobby for good…. so, you definitely need to know how to pick out a smoke you’ll enjoy.

Choosing a Cigar

When choosing a cigar for yourself, you need to consider the variations of cigar types: mild, medium, and heavy (or full-bodied.) Novice smokers gravitate towards milder, lighter flavored cigars, and rightfully so. Generally, the ones with lighter colored wrapper leafs fit this bill. (Yes, the outside wrapper is a leaf that is rolled around different kinds of filler tobaccos. 60% of a cigar’s strength and flavor comes from its type of wrapper leaf.) Many of the milder, creamier smokes have a Connecticut Shade wrapper, which is a yellow/tan in color.  They are grown under cheesecloth tents, protecting them from the suns powerful rays, yielding a lighter, mellower tasting leaf.

Some flavorful brands that will suit any beginner or casual smoker, includes: Ashton, Baccarat, Don Diego, Helix, Macanudo, Montecristo, Cusano, Plasencia, and Leon Jimenes.

Starting out with this type of cigar will ease your palate into this wonderful pastime, and as you continue to smoke, you’ll find that your tastes will change and mature, graduating to the next phase of medium bodied sticks.

My advice: Visit a cigar store with a real tobacconist, who will guide you to the proper smoke you’ll enjoy (unless the thought of that mangy mutt thing really floats your boat.)

About the Author –

Tommy Z is a humorist who grew up in the bowels of New Jersey – parented by an eccentric Polish father and a neurotic Italian mother. With this kind of upbringing, what else could this man possibly be other than a humorist? Tommy is a feature writer for Cigar Magazine, creator of JR Cigars Blog With the Zman, and the publisher of PLANETZMAN, the website known as The Last Great Bastion for REAL Men. Visit his testosterone-laden kingdom at www.planetZman.com.