One of the biggest challenges faced by a new cigar smoker, or someone buying cigars as a gift or for groups is picking out a good cigar appropriate to the occasion. A walk-in humidor full of 60 brands can be an overwhelming experience. Buying cigars online when there are ten times as many to choose from can make anyone want to run for the hills.
In this article, I’ll offer some helpful tips on how to pick which cigars to buy, first for someone buying cigars for a group occasion (bachelor party/wedding), second for someone gifting cigars to a friend or family member, and third for someone new to cigars purchasing for himself/herself.
Picking Cigars for Groups
There are a few important things to keep in mind if you buying cigars for a group of people for a special occasion. The first is, don’t buy cigars that are above medium in terms of strength and body. Since you likely won’t know if the others are regular cigar smokers, it is best to go with a milder, more approachable cigar. A few appropriate cigars here would be: Camacho Connecticut, Oliva Connecticut Reserve, Nat Sherman Epoca (a more complex smoke), or the Arturo Fuente Double Chateau Sun Grown.
The second factor to keep in mind if you are buying for a group is to get the necessary accessories. If the occasion is more than two days away, you will need Boveda humidifier packs in the plastic bags carrying your cigars to keep them from being ruined by dehydration. Second, be sure to bring a large number of match boxes, and a torch lighter or two. And of course, and most importantly, don’t forget to bring along at least one set of cutters.
Picking Cigars as a Gift
If you are picking out cigars as a gift to an individual, the same rules for group purchases apply here, unless the person you are buying for is a seasoned cigar smoker. In that case, you should be purchasing stronger, more medium bodied cigars, but still not full bodied cigars. Medium bodied cigars will offer more flavor and strength without being overpowering. For example, I don’t ever recommend gifting full strength cigars like those blended by Don Pepin Garcia or Padron unless you already know those are brands that your friend enjoys.
Some medium bodied cigars that would be appropriate here are the Montecristo Espada, Arturo Fuente Magnum R, Rocky Patel Super Ligero, or the Aging Room Quattro F54 Concerto. If you are purchasing for a holiday like Christmas, take a look at my holiday cigar gift guide.
Picking Cigars for Yourself
If you are picking a cigar just for yourself, your task hopefully becomes a bit less stressful. The first thing you need to determine is the price range you are comfortable with. If you are new to cigar smoking, I don’t recommend leaving the $10 – $15 range, since anything above that may be beyond your palate (Fuente Opus X, for example). Some of the best cigars on the market today can be found in the $8 – $15 range. If you are buying online, you can even get some cigars for $2 – $3 a piece if you are willing to purchase a box.
Either way, once you have determined your price point, you’ll need to decide what kind of smoking experience you want. Much of this is determined by the setting. If you are smoking a cigar in the morning or early afternoon, say between the hours of 8am and 1pm, I recommend smoking something mild to medium bodied, but not more than that. A mild bodied smoke early in the day will feel much stronger than if you smoked the same cigar at night after dinner. Arturo Fuente, Ashton, San Cristobal, Nat Sherman, and Avo are good brands to consider here.
If you are picking a cigar to smoke during the evening, I recommend moving into the medium to medium full range. A Padron Anniversario 1964 No 2 after dinner, for example, can be an absolutely wonderful experience in part because after a heavy dinner, the palate is more prepared for such a full bodied smoke. If you are smoking the cigar alongside or after a steak dinner, I recommend a maduro cigar. The Partagas Black Label or Rock-A-Feller Cigars Maduro would work well here. If none of these options sound good to you, any shop owner will be more than happy to offer advice based on what you are looking for.
Besides that, have fun with it! Don’t feel obligated to stick to brands you’ve heard of. If you see a cigar that seems cool, or that you’ve heard good things about on social media, go ahead and give it a try. The important thing is to expand your palate.
If you are more focused on pairing with whisky, there are a few guidelines which you can find in my interview for Taste the Dram about cigar/spirits pairings here.
Lastly, where to purchase cigars. I’ve previously written a handy guide on the best online cigar retailers. But if you are deciding between two quality shops, the most important thing to look for is selection and prices. Nat Sherman, for example, is by far the superior place to buy cigars in New York City because of its excellent selection and commitment to reasonable prices.
And that’s it! Use these tips and your experience selecting cigars for any occasion will be a breeze.
