For any man new to cigar smoking, it may seem more like a difficult and complex task than a genuine pursuit of enjoyment. There are thousands of cigar brands all over the world and quality can vary wildly between them. To find the perfect cigars, there are many rituals to be followed and various pitfalls to be avoided. Knowing what to look for is a great advantage when purchasing a decent cigar.
Texture – Lightly squeeze and feel a cigar before purchasing it to test its texture. A decent cigar should give very slightly upon being gently squeezed in addition to having a consistent texture. A cigar with lumps or soft spots is a sign of poor quality and any cigar with such a texture should not be considered for purchase. But, keep in mind that cigars are fragile and should only be held very lightly to avoid making cracks in the cigar.
Moisture - Feeling the cigar is a good way of checking its moisture which is an effective indicator of its overall quality. The level of humidity in which cigars are stored significantly alters their taste and the rate at which they burn. If a cigar is too dry, it burns too quickly, while a cigar that is too moist burns unevenly and produces an obnoxious acidic flavour.
Origin - Naturally, quality may vary greatly between cigars produced in a certain country, but as a general rule, if a cigar comes from the likes of Cuba or Honduras the chances are it will be of better quality than something as extreme as a German cigar, for example.
Size- The length and width of cigars can vary dramatically depending on the brand and it is important to know what size cigar you want to smoke before purchasing. This is complicated further by the fact that cigar sizes are often described not by number but instead by given nicknames. Bigger isn’t necessarily better when it comes to cigars, but it is important to be aware that certain cigars sizes have different tastes and qualities as well as different amounts of tobacco.
Look - Visually inspect the cigar as well as feel it in order to spot cracks or discoloration on the cigar; two things which are a revealing sign of poor quality. An additional aspect of the cigar to look out for is its wrapper leaf: a good quality cigar should be wrapped smoothly and be free of lumps and stems in the wrapper leaf. Another good visual indicator of excellent craftsmanship is if the cigar wrapper has a slightly oily sheen to it. A good sheen to a cigar wrapper suggests that it has been properly made and sensitively cared for as well as indicating suppleness and an ideal level of moisture.
Age - It is generally accepted that if a cigar is allowed to age for a few months, its taste will drastically improve. Some cigar producers age the tobacco after it has been harvested and then again after it has been rolled into a cigar. As a general rule, the more expensive cigars are more likely to have been aged for a long time than their cheaper counterparts, yet even then, some of the more expensive and popular cigar brands age their cigars either very little or not at all.
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