The fall and winter months are the best time of year to enjoy an occasional cigar. Let the sweet smell of your cigar mix with the smoke from your fire, or spark up a stogie as a way to keep warm while outside this winter.
In this article, I've picked out some of my personal favorite boutique smokes for occasional cigar smoking. I'll also take a look at some storage tips, so if you decide to buy a box or bundle of 20-25 from Cigars.com, you can keep your cigars in peak condition until you smoke the last of them.
Top boutique smokes for occasional cigar smokers
Master blender Pete Johnson created Tatuaje Black Label cigars as a private blend for himself and a promotional gift for events, so it's no surprise that the medium-full Nicaraguan blend is just right for occasional enjoyment. Singles start from less than $10 and a box of 20 will be around $150-180, or a little more for the top-of-line Tatuaje Black Label Gran Toro, which regularly sells out.
I also love Caldwell Eastern Standard Dos Firmas at this time of year. It's a premium Dominican Republic product from Robert Caldwell and William Ventura, with a secret blend of aged tobaccos hiding beneath a Connecticut Shade wrapper. Sweet tobacco scents, cinnamon spice and leather combine to create a perfectly seasonal smoke.
Can I buy single boutique cigars?
If you only smoke very occasionally, single cigars are an option. They're also a great way to try a new strength or label before you decide to buy a box of 20-25 cigars.
A single cigar will usually cost $10-15 but you can get them for less. Kristoff Connecticut cigars are an excellent mid-price single at just under $10 each and there are several varieties in the range, all offering light body suitable for occasional smokers. Hints of cocoa, cream and vanilla make this a mellow stogie that I absolutely love in the fall and winter months.
What size cigar pack should I buy if I only smoke occasionally?
Tatuaje Series P come in boxes of 20 and bundles of 25, so you have a good choice of how many you get and how much you save on price. The bigger the box or bundle, the more you'll save on the cost of each cigar.
For example, Tatuaje Series P Toro is a budget-friendly option from Pete Johnson, who I've already mentioned above. A single Toro will set you back a wallet-friendly $8 but a box of 20 is just $72 — that's the price of only nine singles! With over half the pack for free (saving $88 overall) you can afford to smoke a little more often.
Finally, if you want to try a selection of single cigars to smoke occasionally and save some money in the process, check out our Cigar Samplers. These are created by our customers and offer an introduction to brands, regions, wrappers and strengths, including some smaller cigar packs of 5-6 singles for you to smoke at your own pace.
How long can I store a smoke for as an occasional cigar smoker?
Storing cigars long-term is all about humidity. Cigars are natural products and they prefer moist air, with constant humidity at 68-72%. This is higher than the air in most people's homes, so you're going to need somewhere to keep your cigars.
Medium-term storage is a good choice for ultra-premium offerings like 1502 XO cigars, which are only released once a year. I try to get my hands on a box of 10 as soon as they are launched. It's a rich dessert cigar, so perfect for occasional enjoyment, with mellow body and medium strength.
Cigar humidors are the answer to how to prevent cigars from drying out during storage. You can get all kinds of humidification accessories, including humidistats and hygrometers, travel humidors, and specialist cigar humidification solution to add the right amount of moisture to the air.
With careful storage, many cigars will stay in good condition for up to five years. Some premium cigars are designed to be aged and may last much longer in the correct storage conditions. Some will improve in flavor over that time.
Make sure your cigars don't get wet - it's way easier to rehydrate a cigar that's gotten slightly too dry. But if you can keep them at the sweet spot of 68-72% humidity, do it.
