People have been enjoying cigars for centuries, and the wealth of knowledge on the subject could fill volumes. It is best to think of the information below as an overview of cigar basics. It is everything you need to know, in order to open the door to the world of cigars. But once you have stepped inside, you will realize that the realm of cigar enjoyment is far vaster than you ever could have imagined.

 

Parts of a Cigar

In order to properly appreciate a cigar, the smoker needs to be able to identify where the flavours are coming from. Most cigars have three separate parts: wrappers, fillers and binders. Very small cigars will forego the binder altogether, but they are the exception to the rule.

1. Wrappers

The wrapper is the outermost part of the cigar and it is one of the first things you will notice. They are made from leaves on the widest part of the tobacco plant. The type of wrapper used to make a cigar can determine a lot of that cigar’s distinguishing flavour and characteristics. Cigar manufacturers have come up with more than 100 different wrapper shades. However, there are seven general classifications that are the most common. Here they are, from the lightest colour to the darkest: The four major wrapper leaves, from light to dark, are Connecticut, Corojo, Habano and Maduro.

• Connecticut: As the name implies, this leaf comes from the Northeastern U.S. state and is essentially the only significant tobacco export from America. However, the seed is grown in Ecuador as well. This plant is nurtured under special conditions, garnering it the nickname “Connecticut Shade” because it is mostly grown under some form of protection – like giant sheets of cheesecloth. This keeps its colour light and the unpredictable weather, such as excessive sun radiation, from beating up the plant. The lack of sunlight also contributes to the leaf’s mild flavour and low nicotine content, but it usually has a woody, spicy and/or cedar taste.

• Corojo: A little darker in colour than the Connecticut wrapper, the Corojo was originally grown in Cuba but, because of the embargo, it is now mostly grown in Honduras. Due to the new location, the seed needed to be genetically modified in order to survive in its new environment. This wrapper tends to have a very spicy, peppery, robust flavour, favoured by many cigar smokers; however, one drawback to the wrapper is its toughness. It sometimes doesn’t smoke easily.

• Habano: is similar in colour to Corojo and is also from Cuba, but today it grows mostly in Nicaragua. The leaf produces a heavy, spicy flavour and is often dense with nicotine, so it may overwhelm a beginner smoker.

• Maduro: is the darkest in colour of the four and enjoys the lengthiest lifespan, from seedling to wrapper leaf. It goes through such a long process to properly darken and flavour the leaf properly. Because of these distinct parameters, to be classified as Maduro the wrapper requires a hearty, thick leaf that can withstand years of aging and still maintain its un-blemished cover quality. Not every leaf can be turned into a Maduro wrapper and, interestingly enough, they tend to defy their ominous looks. These cigars often produce a somewhat sweeter undercurrent, which has earned this style the nickname “dessert smoke.”

Other Notable Wrappers

Some other wrappers worth mentioning are the Candela, Sumatra, Oscuro and Cameroon.

Candela is distinctly green in colour, which has much to do with its quick aging process. Though this doesn’t detract from its value, flavour or strength profiles. It is usually milder and sometimes used in short, promotional runs of cigars.
The Sumatra leaf comes from the Indonesian region that bears the same name. Known for its cinnamon zest, it is usually mild and sweet.
Oscuro is a very dark cigar wrapper. These remarkable cigars are sometimes called double Maduro. Why? Because they are fermented for longer than the traditional Maduro wrap in order to achieve their intense colour and flavour.
The Cameroon comes from the Central African country. The leaves of this plant have a unique “toothy” quality, which fortunately does not translate to the actual wrapper or its taste. The Cameroon is rich and savoury.

Binders
The binder holds together the filler. Most of the time, binders are made from wrappers that were rejected because they had holes, discolouration or other blemishes.

Fillers
The filler makes up the majority of the tobacco in a cigar. Typically, they are made from a blend of tobaccos of varying strengths to make up the flavour. The part of the tobacco plant itself can have a big impact on the overall flavour of the cigar.

Volado has a weak flavour and comes from the bottom of the plant.
Seco leaves are dryer and come from the middle.
Lingero leaves are from the top of the plant and have a strong flavour because they get the most access to sunlight.
The bigger a cigar is, the more room there is for a variety of leaves, resulting in a more complex flavour. Some fillers are made of long leaves while others are made from short chopped up bits. Long leaves burn slower, and if they are of high quality, they should burn slowly and consistently. There are also “medium filler” cigars that are, aptly, in the middle.

Terminology

Before we delve into different cigar categories, it is worth going through some common terms used to describe the various aspects of cigars that may be commonly misunderstood by beginners.

Strength: This is simply a measure of how much nicotine is in a cigar. Strong cigars have more nicotine and mild cigars have less. This is also known as the cigar’s “kick.” Cigars will mellow out and lose nicotine over the years.

Flavour: This doesn’t refer to an artificially flavoured cigar like vanilla or strawberry. Pure flavour comes from the soil and the climate where the tobacco plant is cultivated. Aging, blending, and storage are other factors that contribute to a cigar’s natural flavour.

Scent: This is how a cigar smells before you light it. Again, soil, climate and aging all combine to create the scent.

Aroma: This is how a cigar smells after you light it. Aroma is the smell of the smoke itself.

Shapes and Sizes

Wrapper colour is one way of categorizing cigars. Size and shape is another. Below are some of the most common shapes and sizes:

• Parejo – Parejos are the most familiar shape of cigar. They are sometimes called coronas. Parejos have a long, straight body with an open end and a cap on the other end that the smoker must cut off. You can also just punch a hole in the tobacco-leaf cap.
• Torpedo – This is basically a parejo with a pointed cap.
• Pyramid – Pyramids start with a broad foot and narrow down to a pointed cap.
• Perfecto – These are narrow at either-end and bulge out in the center.
• Presidente – These can sometimes be considered figurados when they are extra large.
• Culebras – These cigars are actually made up of three smaller cigars twisted together.
• Tuoscaniano – Also known as the cheroot, this cigar is long, slim, and slightly thicker in the middle.

Etiquette

So far, we have gone over the technicalities of cigars. Now we have come to discussing the customs and rituals of smoking cigars. This is just as important as knowing the ins and outs of the types and sizes. In fact, it may be even more important. If you know just a few things about cigar etiquette you can fit in with long-time connoisseurs.

Get a Humidor – This cannot be understated. It is a sad day when a perfectly good cigar goes to waste because of improper storage.

Buy a Cigar Cutter – As previously noted, many cigars have a tobacco cap that needs to be cut off before lighting. As mentioned above, there are a lot of cigars that come with a tobacco-covered cap that needs to be cut. Biting off the end of a cigar may look cool in a movie, but rest assured that you’ll just end up with stray tobacco leaves in your mouth – not quite the mark of sophistication and refinement you may be going for.

Carry a Lighter – Asking for a light is a dead giveaway that someone is a cigar novice.

Don’t Grind out Your Cigar – As a rough guide, when a cigar is ¼ of the way done you’ve smoked ¾ of the cigar, it should be set to the side of an ashtray and allowed to go out on its own. This prevents excess tobacco from taking up all the room in the ashtray.

Take Your Time – Cigar smoking is supposed to be fun and leisurely. It isn’t a race to the end. Break any other rule but this one, because someone who is calmly and coolly enjoying a fine cigar is at least doing the most important thing right.

Taking up the hobby of cigar smoking is the same as learning the ins and outs of any other time-honoured tradition. Once you have read up on the basics, the only way to learn more is to experience it for yourself. This handy guide is a good start, but now you’re ready to start exploring on your own. Talking to other cigar smokers, reading cigar internet forums, and sampling different varieties of cigars are the next steps to developing your ability to properly appreciate a good cigar