Boutique cigars are like the craft beers of the cigar world, and the insane variety can understandably be daunting, especially for smokers just starting out.  With so many different top-rated blends and brands to choose from, deciding which cigar to try will be difficult.

To ease your premium boutique cigar journey, we here at Cigars.com have built a list of some great suggestions for you to try!  This list will tell you, the beginner smoker, everything you will need to know about handmade boutique cigars and which ones are a must try!

What Do I Need to Know About Boutique Cigars

What makes a cigar ‘boutique’ is not exactly easy to define, but in general, a boutique cigar is one that is handmade, crafted in small batches, from a brand or manufacturer that produces less than 1 million sticks per year, family-owned, or made with rare tobaccos. 

However, several boutique cigars will not meet at least one of the above criteria, so when you come across a cigar that is ‘boutique’ it will typically be a stick that is made with a more personalized touch and meticulous care than mainstream offerings. 

For more information on what exactly makes a cigar boutique, check out this comprehensive article for anything you need to know!

Have all the accessories

Before you enjoy your boutique cigar, you are going to need all of the necessary accessories to get the best smoking experience.  Firstly, if you are looking to start a collection of cigars, a cigar humidor is a vital to keeping your stogies ready to smoke.  

You'll also need a top-quality cigar cutter which is essential for getting a precise and clean-cut, and a jet-torch cigar lighter will allow you to spark your smoke with ease in any manner of weather conditions.

Learn to light a cigar properly

The proper method for lighting a cigar is a two-fold process.  First, you will want to toast the foot of the cigar, where the filler tobacco is exposed, until it has a good char.  While toasting the foot, make sure to not burn the cigar by keeping out of the direct flame; you want a slight char on the wrapper that goes no more than a quarter-inch or so up the cigar.

After the foot is nice and toasty and you have made your cut to the cap, place the head of the cigar in your mouth and draw as you bring the flame to the foot of the cigar.  You should also rotate the cigar as the cigar is lit to ensure that the burn is even from the get-go. 

Start slow and steady

It is important to note that you should not be constantly puffing on your top-shelf cigar; it is not a race to see who can finish their smoke fastest.  If you smoke too fast, the smoke coming from your cigar can become hot and harsh, tainting the flavor of your cigar.

Smoking too quickly can also cause burn issues for the cigar.  Without some time to rest between puffs, the burn line on the cigar could become drastically uneven, or the inside burns faster than the outside or vice versa. 

You are going to want to take a puff about once every minute or two; smoking slow and steady will maximize both the flavor of your smoke and the amount of time you get to enjoy it.

What are the Best Boutique Cigars for Beginners?

Now that we have gone over the basics of what you need to know about boutique cigars, I can finally tell you about some of our top cigars for beginners.  While we host a plethora of different boutique brands and blends, the suggestions on this list are specifically geared toward beginner smokers who are looking to experiment and expand their palates with some of the best boutique cigars. 

Tatuaje Skinny Monsters

One of the most diverse lines on the market, each of the offerings in the Tatuaje Skinny Monsters lineup features a different blend of premium tobaccos. With each blend being named after a classic horror film monster, there is sure to be a Skinny Monster that fits your preferences.

Among the most popular are Frank, Hyde, and Jason, and the demand for these smokes far outstrips the supply. If you don’t want to decide on one, grab a sampler that contains one long and thin cigar from each highly top-rated blend.  But make sure you keep an eye out for them because these sticks sell out quick!

Check out our full review of the Skinny Monster right here.

La Barba Purple

La Barba Purple handmade premium cigars are a joint endeavor between Robert Caldwell and Tony Bellatto, a renowned wine sommelier, and are made with Dominican Habano and Corojo long fillers and binder with a top-quality Ecuadorian Habano wrapper.  

These medium-bodied gems provide decadent flavors of dried fruit, earth, chocolate, cinnamon, graham cracker, and a sweet tobacco finish that you will undoubtedly enjoy having housed in your humidor.

If you like the sounds of the La Barba Purple, check out our full review.

Diesel Whiskey Row

Blended by the famous cigar master AJ Fernandez, Diesel Whiskey Row cigars take an interesting twist on premium cigars.  The San Andres binder leaf for these treats have been stored in Rabbit Hole Bourbon barrels, imparting some of the rich whiskey flavors into the leaf.

The binder is accompanied by exquisitely aged long fillers from the best growing regions of Nicaragua, coated by an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper.  They will provide you with a rich medium-bodied smoke that delivers a heavenly bourbon aroma with notes of oak, brown sugar, earth, and chocolate.

If you're interested in knowing more, check out our full review.

Cavalier Cigars Black Series

If you have been a smoker for a little while now but are just starting to stray off of the beaten path into the boutique realm, check out Cavalier Cigars Black Series II.  These top-rated gems feature a unique gold leaf above the band, signifying the luxury experience you are about to undertake.

A top-quality San Andres wrapper that has a deep dark-brown color sits atop a core of exceptionally aged Nicaraguan long fillers and binder tobacco, finished with a masterful box press.  Your palate will be enveloped by rich flavors of chocolate, spice, nuts, pepper, and a sweet woody aroma.

If you want to know more about this beautiful boutique cigar, check out our full review.

Room 101 Farce Connecticut

Last on the list but certainly not least is Room 101 Farce Connecticut cigars.  These premium gems come from the mind of cigar guru Matt Booth, who also has some popular collaborations with Caldwell Cigars.  If you like Connecticut-style cigars, these are a worthy addition to your collection of top-quality smokes.

These gems are made with Dominican and Nicaraguan long fillers, an Indonesian binder, and completed by a premium Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper leaf.