Once upon a time, cigars were fundamentally associated with masculinity. Thankfully, cigar smoking is no longer a male-dominated ritual.
For every influential man who’s lit up a fat stogie (Winston Churchill, Al Pacino, etc.), plenty of famous women are known for their cigar infatuation. Rihanna, Whoopi Goldberg, anyone?
Women have always played a pivotal part in the premium cigar industry. From cultivating and harvesting tobacco in the fields to carefully constructing the wrapper, binder, and filler into a single form, it seems silly for men to hog all the torchlight.
Many women make essential contributions to the industry, and more enjoy the taste of a fine cigar. To encourage even more women to indulge in this popular pastime, we wanted to reveal the first-time smokes that have struck a chord with women.
What type of cigars should beginner women cigar smokers try first?
As they are for men, mellow cigars are a great starting point for women starting out with cigar smoking, as they allow you to work up to stronger ones as you become more experienced. Just because a cigar isn’t strong doesn’t mean it’s bland.
The flavor will still be there, so consider the foods and drinks you enjoy and how they float your palate’s boat. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’ll be pleased to know familiar flavors found in cigars are chocolate (especially those with Maduro wrappers) and vanilla.
Try to tackle something humble on your first attempt. Cigar sizes like Churchills or Double Coronas will be too overwhelming for a beginner and need at least 90 minutes of puffing time. Half Coronas, Robustos, or Toros are your best bet as they still allow you to experience a proper, premium smoke and its flavor development.
Most popular beginner cigars for women
It goes without saying that no cigars are gender specific. The aroma, flavor profiles, and quality of the smokes that appear in this list can be enjoyed by all newcomers, regardless of gender.
Here are five popular beginner cigars for women to give you a great starting point ahead of your first cut, light, and draw.
Montecristo White Vintage Series Connecticut No. 3
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Dominican Republic /Nicaragua / Peru
Length: 5.50
Ring: 44
Strength: Mellow - Medium
Smoke Time: 40-60 minutes
This mellow smoke is popular thanks to its creamy profile and subtle black pepper on the nose. It is enriched by a vintage 2008 Connecticut Shade wrapper leaf, grown specifically at Altadis at the “Montecristo Exclusive Farms.” Shining a glorious golden hue and a rich, sweet hay aroma, it houses a hearty three-nation blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian fillers.
An extension of the much-heralded Montecristo White Series, the Vintage Series Connecticut No. 3 is a beautiful breakfast cigar with bountiful notes of caramel, cedar, chestnut, cream, and fermented raisins.
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
Smoking Time: 30-40 minutes
There’s nothing like getting lost in a book you can’t put down, and the same can be said for this “Short Story.” Despite its diminutive 4 x 49 Perfecto size, this is a short smoke (perfect for outdoor pursuits like fishing and golf) that lasts long in the memory for all the right reasons.
It’s draped in a mild coffee bean-hued Cameroon wrapper that gives the cigar a divine peanut butter aroma and sweet and spicy contrast. Giving way to well-aged Dominican binder and filler tobaccos that deliver balanced and refined hits of cedar, caramel, leather, and toast, it’s a small package packed with luscious taste.
Macanudo Hyde Park
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Connecticut
Binder: Mexico
Filler: Dominican Republic / Mexico
Length: 5.5
Ring: 49
Strength: Mellow
Smoking Time: 45-60 minutes
A reliably consistent smoke with a very mellow and smooth character, it’s little surprise the Macanudo Hyde Park has won copious admirers over the years, including women. Parading humidors worldwide in its soft, light tan Connecticut wrapper, it looks nothing out of the ordinary. But you can’t fault this Robusto’s smooth, creamy, almost buttery-tasting profile.
Put fire to foot and enjoy the creative mix of Mexican long fillers and Dominican Piloto Cubano burns brilliance of bread, coffee, sweet spice, and vanilla. Not only is this classic from Macanudo a great beginner cigar, but it’s also a top-notch everyday stogie.
Oliva Connecticut Reserve Robusto
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 5
Ring: 50
Strength: Mellow - Medium
Smoking Time: 45-60 minutes
Our fourth pick is another classic, conventional, and smooth Connecticut wrapper cigar, but this time uses a caramel-blond shade from Ecuador with a sweet and nutty aroma.
The Nicaraguan filler gives the Oliva Connecticut Reserve Robusto a zing that’s absent in other shade smokes, but you wouldn’t expect it going off the milk chocolate and vanilla (milkshake-esque) pre-light puffs.
Beginning with a fascinating combination of toasted cedar and grilled almonds, it evolves into a mouthwatering concoction of cocoa, cream, a little anise, cracked pepper, and a subtle salty char. Bound by a nutty creaminess throughout that can be identified by less experienced palates, it’s a dreamy stick for women starting a cigar collection.
Rocky Patel Vintage 1999 Toro
Country of Origin: Honduras
Wrapper: Connecticut
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Dominican Republic /Nicaragua
Length: 6.5
Ring: 52
Strength: Mellow
Smoking Time: 50 minutes
A match made in cigar heaven with your morning coffee, the Rocky Patel Vintage 1999 Toro is a prime selection in the humidors of many women smokers. It’s handmade in Honduras with a silky Connecticut Shade wrapper and a special, nutty blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan long-filler tobacco, all aged for seven years.
The burn, construction, and draw are all on-point, with core notes of baking spices, butter, cocoa, sweet cream, and toast harmoniously coating the entire palate. A great size for beginners with joyful complexity down to the nub, don’t forget to add it to your shopping list.
Are you a cigar aficionado who remembers the smokes that inspired their journey? Let us know some of your favorite sticks that make great additions to the collections of beginner women cigar smokers. You can find the five fantastic cigars on our list and many other beginner cigars for women at cigars.com.
