Whether stepping foot in a cigar lounge or browsing online retailers for the first time, you will be amazed at the endless array of flavor profiles, shapes, sizes, and strengths.
Some may even describe it as overwhelming, but we’re here to help you explore this time-honored pastime so you can find the perfect cigar.
Where do you start with smoking cigars?
You want your first time smoking a cigar to be enjoyable, so you need to know how to kickstart your stogie journey correctly.
Like many other disciplines, you want to start simple and work your way up. Beginning with a mellow smoke enables you to build up your appreciation of aroma and flavor, rather than risking a stronger, full-bodied smoke that could overpower your senses.
Most importantly, you’ve got to be curious, patient, and open-minded. Over time, you’ll identify your favorite brands and strike your ideal balance of strength and flavor.
How to pick a cigar for beginners
Cigar smoking is a multi-faceted experience, made up of many different nuances. A cigar’s vitola, ring size, construction, wrapper shade, smell, taste, burn, and price are some of the factors that come into play. Thankfully, plenty of affordable, good quality stogies on the market are well suited for newcomers.
You can’t go full steam ahead by smoking the biggest and baddest cigar right off the bat, so consider these factors when choosing a cigar for the first time.
Strength
Mellow-strength cigars don’t mean bland. They are often full of flavor, which is arguably the most important aspect of a cigar. It’s best to err on the side of caution as mellow smokes to give you a smoother, more pleasant smoking experience.
Length
Inexperienced cigars must be careful with the size of their cigar, as it directly correlates to the burn time. However, it’s important to note a cigar’s size doesn’t reflect its strength.
Long and thick cigars like Churchills (7 inches) or Double Coronas (7.5 inches) will take longer to smoke — at least 90 minutes. Tackle something smaller for your first attempt, but not too small you won’t get to indulge in the experience.
Thinner, shorter stogies burn hotter and faster, quickly becoming intense because of the proximity of the cigar’s heat to your palate. This means you won’t experience the same aroma, flavor transition, taste, or pleasure that a traditional format offers.
Go for a classic shape like a Toro (6 inches long) that will stay toasted for around 45 minutes. It will intensify at a more gradual pace and take long enough to smoke without being overwhelming.
Ring gauge
Look for a cigar with a thick ring gauge (50 or greater), as they burn at a cooler rate, allowing you to experience all its flavors and complexity. It’s also good to stick with a traditional parejos cigar shape. They burn evenly, making them perfect for beginners.
Wrapper shade
Many handmade beginner cigars use a Connecticut Shade wrapper. They are light-tan or golden-blonde in color, with a smooth, creamy flavor.
With their woodsy character, Cameroon wrappers are another popular choice for smokers who enjoy mellow cigars.
Generally, the darker the wrapper, the more full-bodied the cigar.
Price
Many hobbies can become expensive, and cigar smoking is no different. When starting, burning your way through cigars is all about trial and error. There’s no point blowing loads of dollars on a limited-edition smoke or top-tier cigar, as you won’t be able to appreciate it. In fact, you might not even enjoy it, so why risk wasting your money?
Your palate matures over time, so choose a few affordable, approachable cigars from different brands. Cigar samplers are a fantastic option for sampling different stick. Either way, you’ll still get a quality, premium stogie blended by cigarmakers with many years of experience, only without the cost. Through elimination, you’ll eventually discover the cigars and brands that tick your boxes.
What cigar brand should I try first?
New world cigars (cigars that haven’t originated from Cuba) come in a wide range of strengths to suit every palate.
Entering the world of cigars is exciting, with a wealth of aromas, flavors, and smokes to enjoy, but deciding what brand to try first is all down to personal preference. We’ve suggested a couple of our favorite beginner cigars below, in the hope they provide you with a pleasant and relaxing first-time smoking experience. Below are some cigar brands you should consider looking into if you're starting your cigar journey.
Arturo Fuente has a variety of cigars under this luxurious line that caters to novice cigar smokers due to the tobaccos utilized in Arturo Fuente's blending process.
Oliva provides an array of cigars that range from mellow to medium-bodied in strength, choosing a cigar from Oliva's portfolio is great for a beginner cigar smoker.
Perdomo cigars are for the everyday smoker and their product ranges from affordable pricing to delicious flavor profiles.
Drew Estate is known for its everlasting significance to the cigar industry. Their portfolio speaks to novices and aficionados alike. I'd say more than half of their cigar lines are for the cigar smoker just starting or the cigar lover who gravitates to more mellow to medium-bodied cigars.
Recommended cigars for first time smokers
Alec Bradley Medalist Toro
Country of Origin: Honduras
Wrapper: Honduras
Binder: Connecticut
Filler: Honduras / Nicaragua
Length: 6
Ring: 54
Strength: Mellow - Medium
Smoke Time: 45-60 minutes
Bearing all the hallmarks of a lighter cigar, the Alec Bradley Medalist Toro is draped in a smooth, shade-grown Honduran wrapper. Its combination of Honduran and Nicaraguan premium tobacco filler delivers an impressive creamy profile for less than $7 a stick.
With light notes of cedar, cream, popcorn, and freshly baked bread, the wrapper also gives a hint of sweetness on the palate with occasional pops of vanilla. Dreamy with a morning coffee, this light but complex blend is a winner for any beginner.
CAO Gold Robusto
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 5
Ring: 50
Strength: Mellow - Medium
Smoke Time: 60 minutes
A great choice for your first smoke, the CAO Gold Robusto is handmade in Nicaragua, but doesn’t possess the trademark power of a Nicaraguan cigar. However, don’t be fooled by the stunning, blonde Ecuadorian Connecticut seed wrapper, this 5 x 50 Robusto still oozes with subtle sweet spices and creamy, nutty textures.
Its quality and consistency have struck gold in Cigar Aficionado ratings, making it a go-to Connecticut cigar for many beginners. Enjoy a delightfully captivating hour-long experience with notes of cocoa, nutmeg, vanilla, and a sweet herbal earthiness.
Foundation Charter Oak Petite Corona
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf/Connecticut Shade
Binder: Various
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 5.25
Ring: 42
Strength: Mellow - Medium
Smoke Time: 50-55 Minutes
The Foundation Charter Oak in the Petite Corona size is another great cigar for beginner cigar smokers. The Charter Oak is one of Foundation Cigars flagship brands which owner Nick Melillo created to pay homage to his home state of Connecticut.
Being a smooth and refined smoke, the Charter Oak is one of Foundation's most popular cigars in their catalog due to the delicious flavor notes it provides throughout your smoking session.
With a Mellow to Medium strength profile, this 5.25 x 42 gem is the ideal size and cigar for you to explore the world of Foundation Cigars. Although Nick Melillo has a vast portfolio for all different types of cigar smokers, the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that intertwines with the various tobaccos in the filler and binder won't overpower your palate.
Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Length: 4
Ring: 49
Strength: Mellow - Medium
Smoke Time: 40-45 Minutes
Another great cigar for beginner cigar smokers is the classic Arturo Fuente Hemingway in the 4 x 49 "Short Story" size. Hailing from the Dominican Republic, the Arturo Fuente Hemingway is comprised of tobacco from Cameroon and the Dominican Republic. The combination of these tobaccos offers a smooth and delicious smoking experience.
Crafted in a shorter size, the Hemingway Short Story from Arturo Fuente won't dominate your palate in terms of strength and is the perfect size so you're not spending too much time smoking a cigar if you're a beginner cigar smoker. The Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story is the perfect gateway cigar into the illustrious portfolio of Arturo Fuente.
So while you're on the hunt for perfect cigars for beginner cigar smokers, the Arturo Fuente Hemingway line should be at the top of your search!
Oliva Connecticut Reserve Robusto
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 5
Ring: 50
Strength: Mellow - Medium
Smoke Time: 45-50 Minutes
The last cigar featured on our list for beginner cigar smokers is the Oliva Connecticut Reserve in the 5 x 50 Robusto size. Oliva has such a wide variety of cigars under their portfolio, but cigars such as the Serie V, Serie O, or Cain are more on the medium to full-bodied side in terms of strength.
The Oliva Connecticut Reserve Robusto is the perfect size and strength profile for people who are beginning their cigar journey. With an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper combined with Nicaraguan tobacco, the Connecticut Reserve by Oliva delivers delicious flavor notes that are such a delight to your palate.
We do recommend having the Oliva Connecticut Reserve in any size, but specifically the Robusto, before you dive deeper into their catalog. When you're ready to advance within Oliva's other lines, you won't be upset with their other offerings.
Recommended Sweet & Flavored Cigars for Beginners
Sweet and flavored cigars are, for the most part, vastly different than premium cigars. When smoking a premium cigar, they're typically unflavored and produce natural flavor notes depending on what tobaccos are used within the blend.
Sweet or Flavored cigars can also produce natural flavors, but flavored cigars typically have an additive in the component when rollers are producing these sticks.
If your palate prefers a cigar with an abundance of flavor and sweetness to its flavor profile, then there is nothing wrong with going in that direction. Most cigars can come off harsh at first because your palate isn't used to more medium to full bodied cigars as a beginner.
As a beginner cigar smoker, you might lean towards or see fellow novice cigar smokers try cigars with some flavor to them at the beginning of their cigar-smoking journey.
We've comprised a handful of cigars for you below that are more of a flavorful and sweeter cigar experience as a beginner smoker.
ACID Blue Blondie Belicoso
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 5
Ring: 54
Cigar Strength: Mellow-Medium
Smoke Time: 60-65 Minutes
If you have a sweet tooth, then the ACID Blue Blondie Belicoso is the perfect cigar for beginner cigar smokers. This mellow to medium-bodied cigar provides a premium cigar-smoking experience, with a sweet component twist.
Some captivating nuances you may detect when smoking the ACID Blue Blondie Belicoso are earth, raisins, leather, dried fruit, and some floral tones on the finish.
Pleasurable on the palate, the ACID Blue Blondie Belicoso from Drew Estate is a great starting point for novice cigars to try sweet and flavor cigars for the first time.
Black & Mild Wood Tip Original
Country of Origin: United States
Wrapper: Homogenized Tobacco Leaf
Binder: Homogenized Tobacco Leaf
Filler: Pipe Tobacco
Length: 5
Ring: 29
Cigar Strength: Mellow
Smoke Time: 20-30 Minutes
If you're looking for a cigar that is affordable, flavorful, and won't eat up a lot of your time, then the Black & Mild Wood Tip Original may be the ideal cigar for you. With a cedar wood tip on the cigar, this Black and Mild will provide the old-fashioned appeal of classical pipe smoking minus the hassle and hardware!
Being a machine-made cigar, the Black & Mild is the perfect on-the-go treat for the classic connoisseur or novice cigar smoker who's looking to try more flavorful or sweeter cigars the industry has to offer.
Rocky Patel Java Mint Robusto
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Brazil
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 5.5
Ring: 50
Cigar Strength: Medium
Smoke Time: 70 Minutes
Rocky Patel Java Cigar Series has led the charge and showed the cigar world that you can have both a full-flavored premium cigar while being infused as well! Rocky Patel Java cigars have done an exceptional job at enhancing natural flavors found in other cigar blends such as cocoa and coffee.
The Rocky Patel Java Mint flavors are intense, however, provide a nice minty finish that lingers on the tongue for just the right amount of time.
I don’t think there is a better post-dinner cigar than the Java Mint. So after enjoying your dessert and coffee, light up the Java Mint and enjoy your night.
StillWell Star Aromatic No. 1
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano Maduro
Binder: Mexican San Andres
Filler: Various
Length: 6
Ring: 52
Cigar Strength: Medium
Smoke Time: 75-85 Minutes
One of many things we love about Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust is how Steve Saka and the company are always reinventing the wheel with something new for cigar lovers to enjoy and appreciate. With cigar lines like the Sobremesa Brulee, or the "STFU" sampler Saka released where you had to guess which cigars were sweet-tipped, Saka's blending skills are top-notch and such a treat to the palate.
When it comes to the StillWell Star, Saka created this line to pay homage to his love for pipe tobacco. These distinct treats, rolled by Joya de Nicaragua are coated with a dark top-shelf Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over a Mexican San Andres binder, but along with aged Nicaraguan long-fillers are Black Cavendish, Golden Virginia, and Burley pipe tobaccos.
Along with a sweetened cap, these treats provide a smooth, aromatic, sweet mellow to medium-bodied smoke. An incredible union of the best pipe tobaccos available, the StillWell Star Aromatic No. 1 cigars belong in your humidor today.
Deadwood Tobacco Co. Fat Bottom Betty
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Maduro
Binder: Manufacturer’s Secret
Filler: Manufacturer’s Secret
Length: 5
Ring: 54
Cigar Strength: Medium - Full
Smoke Time: 60-65 Minutes
Another flavorful premium cigar from Drew Estate is the Deadwood Fat Bottom Betty! Full of sweet flavors with each puff, the Fat Bottom Betty takes a different approach from marketing, all the way to the infused flavors they've created for this 5 x 54 gem.
Brimming with flavorful notes of coffee bean, dark spice, chocolate, and some signature fruity component, I always find myself coming back to Betty, my go-to companion for a nice after-dinner drink.
CAO Flavours Cherrybomb Cigarillos
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler: Dominican Republic
Length: 4
Ring: 30
Cigar Strength: Mellow
Smoke Time: 15-25 Minutes
The CAO Flavours Cherrybomb Cigarillos are great little cigars that will not take up more than 30 minutes of your time and are packed with full-flavored and sweetness of delicious cherries. They provide a sweet and unique smoking experience for people who want some infused flavor in their lives.
They are all incredibly well-made and well-balanced so that no one flavor becomes too powerful. They comprise a very wide variety from the sweet Bella Vanilla to the creamy Eileen’s Dream, which also has a shot of Irish whisky in there for you.
Add some flavor to your life and pick up a pack of CAO Flavours to get the ultimate sweet and flavored cigars experience.
