CIGARS-What makes a cigar great?

Looking for a Fine Cigar? Here's What Makes a Great Cigar Great

By Kelli B. Grant February 23, 2007

FROM ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER to Fidel Castro, if you know a true cigar aficionado, chances are it's one of his most defining characteristics. (Think Ernest Hemingway, Rush Limbaugh, and yep, we're going to go there: Bill Clinton.)

Cigars are often viewed as one of life's simple luxuries, but a fine cigar doesn't have to come with an equally fine price tag. "For $5, you can get some of the best cigars in the world," says Jack Bettridge, a senior features editor at Cigar Aficionado magazine. Expect to spend anywhere from $3 to $35 for most premium varieties.

First things first: If you're looking for quality, limit your search to those cigars crafted and rolled by hand. These bear the label of either "totalmente a mano" or "totally by hand," depending on the cigar's origin, on both the cigar band and box. (Most quality cigars come from Spanish-speaking countries.) Watch out for "hecho a mano" (made by hand) and "envuelto a mano" (packed by hand), which are quite literally close, but no cigar. Both terms indicate partial machine construction.

Beyond that, which cigar is best will depend entirely on your personal tastes, or those of your recipient. Consider these eight factors when making a selection:

Origin

Cuban tobacco, particularly that from the Vuelta Abajo region, is widely considered the best in the world, says Victoria McKee, a cigar expert with Club Macanudo, an upscale cigar lounge in New York. If you can't get your hands on a Cuban cigar (see our sidebar for details), one from the Dominican Republic — which uses plants grown from Cuban seeds — is the next best thing. Nicaragua and Honduras also produce excellent cigar tobacco. These countries are each known for producing strong, flavorful tobacco that lends itself well to blending. Other quality smokes come from Ecuador, Mexico, Cameroon, Indonesia, the Philippines and the United States.

Brand

Each cigar manufacturer has its own style and flavor, says Bettridge. Big names like Padrón, Partagas, Macanudo, Davidoff of Geneva and Cohiba, among others, are known for their consistently well-crafted cigars with complex flavors. Each brand also produces various lines. Cohiba, for example, offers three tiers, from basic varieties to rare limited editions.

Size

Freud would have had a field day analyzing one's preference in cigar size, which is measured by both length (in inches) and ring gauge (diameter in either 64ths of an inch or in millimeters). Sizes vary by brand, but generally, the smallest are four inches by 40 millimeters Petit Coronas; the largest are 7.5 inches by 49 millimeters Double Coronas. "Base your choice on how much time you have to smoke," says Robert Seise, manager at premium cigar manufacturer Davidoff's New York store. (It's considered poor taste to let the cigar go out and relight it the next day.) The longer and thicker the cigar, the more time it takes to smoke.

Cigar-Buying Tips
Get hands on.

A quality cigar will have a lustrous sheen and slightly oily texture, says McKee. It'll feel firm between your fingers, and give off a strong aroma of tobacco. A cigar that's been stored improperly, on the other hand, will be dull, with a dry, cracked wrapper. "It'll crumble in your hand, just like a cracker," she says. A bad cigar won't have much of a scent.
Stick to specialists.

You'll find an excellent selection of individually priced cigars at tobacconists and cigar shops, says Bettridge. Look for a store with a walk-in humidor, which replicates the temperature and humidity of the cigars' native country. Bonus: Because these stores sell only smokes, you're more likely to find knowledgeable staff to make recommendations.

Avoid buying online.

There's no way to know in advance if cigars have been stored properly, says Bettridge, or if you're getting the real deal (counterfeit cigars — cheap, poor-quality tobacco dressed up with a ring band similar to a legit brand — abound). And even the most reputable online retailers sell cigars primarily in boxes — a costly proposition if you're trying new brands.
Go late.

Unless you have a humidor, any cigar you buy as a gift (or to smoke yourself) should be smoked within a day or two of purchase. The exception: Cigars packaged in tubes. "They put them in the tubes when they're freshly rolled," Seise says, "so the moisture is locked in." So long as you don't open the tube, these cigars can be kept for a week or so.

Shape

Cigars come in two basic shapes. So-called straight cigars, with a classic, tubular shape, are the most widely available. Because they are harder to make, it's less common to encounter cigars of other shapes10, lumped together in one category as figurados, or irregulars. These cigars may be tapered at one end, braided, or have a thick bulge in the middle, to name a few common shapes. Whether your cigar is straight or figurado, some will be rounded; others have a squarish shape from being pressed together in a box. The ends may be rounded, flat or pointed.
A cigar's shape affects the heat of its smoke. A straight cigar smokes progressively hotter; while one with say, a bulge in the middle, will stay cooler longer because its girth increases as the length decreases.

Vintage

Here, vintage refers to the year of the tobacco harvest, rather than the year the cigar was crafted. Manufacturers only make vintages in select years, says Seise; the rest are nonvintage blends containing two to five tobaccos of different varieties and harvest years. The idea is to create a cigar that is consistent from year to year. Because vintage cigars are limited in quantity, they are also pricier. A vintage 2000 Macanudo Prince Phillip (7.5 inches by 49 millimeters), for example, will run you $22. The nonvintage variety is $13.
AgeStored properly, a cigar can keep for decades. The older the cigar, the richer its taste — and the heftier its price tag.

Color

A cigar's outermost leaf, or wrapper, accounts for most of the finished product's flavor, says Seise. The six color grades range from Claro claro, a light green, to Oscuro, nearly black. The darker the wrapper, the more full-bodied the cigar. "Any color is fine so long as it's uniform," McKee says. A cigar with swirls or shading color won't impart good flavor.
Flavor

Unlike wines, there are no chocolate or red fruit notes here — cigars are usually described in basic tastes like sweet, smooth, heavy and rich. Figuring out what you like takes some trial and error. "You'll easily know if you like mild or full," says Bettridge. "If it's too mild for you, you won't be getting any flavor. Too full, and it'll feel like you're blasting your mouth out."