Education Cigars 101 Page 2
CAO Thunder Smoke marks the third entry in the brand’s Arcana Series — a line dedicated to unique tobacco stories. Unlike previous Arcana cigars (Mortal Coil and Firewalker), which highlighted rare production methods, Thunder Smoke is defined by its remarkable, All-African filler tobaccos. Join us as we explore this limited-edition Toro from CAO.
A great cigar “experience” often involves factors beyond the cigar itself. What you have to drink, who you’re smoking with, and where you light up can all affect how much you enjoy (or don’t enjoy) any given smoke session. Today, we’ll highlight a few locations across the country that supply excellent atmospheres for cigar lovers of all kinds.
It’s tailgate time! Whether you’re gearing up for postseason baseball, the start of hockey season, or a good old-fashioned football game, cigars are a fantastic addition to any tailgate. Here, we’ll share a few tips for picking the best cigars for the occasion and teach you how to set up the perfect cigar bar for a tailgate party.
Premium products invite comparisons to each other. After all, similar levels of quality, care, and craftsmanship are required to produce things like sports cars, bespoke watches, or fine wines. Perhaps, then, it’s no surprise that high-quality wines and premium cigars pair so well together. Both are artisanal, natural products that age beautifully and offer connoisseurs rich and rewarding experiences. If you love cigars or wine, or you want to learn more about either, then check out our guide for pairing cigars and wine here.
Cigar World Deep Dive: Gran Legado
Posted in Cigars 101
With its latest release, La Gloria Cubana is spotlighting the workers who craft their cigars. Gran Legado (Spanish for “Great Legacy”) is a limited-edition release rolled only by 20 artisans with at least 15 years of experience.
Cigar World’s Top Aged Cigars
Posted in Cigars 101
If you need proof that things get better with age, just look at cigars. Aging can help elevate the flavor profile and overall quality of the cigar-smoking experience. While every cigar features tobacco aged for a minimum standard of time, cigar brands will often reserve some of their best tobacco for extra aging. Today, we’ll focus on a few of our favorite cigars with special aged or “vintage” tobacco.
Selecting five cigars everyone should try at least once is like picking the five best movies or albums of all time — impossible. However, because we like to have fun and talk about outstanding cigars, we’re going to try anyway. Whether you’re a new smoker or you’re looking for some classic smokes to (re)discover, each of these five cigars is a certified winner and has been on the market for at least nine years.
Given the many high-quality cigars available today, it’s always a challenge to identify a few “special occasion cigars” that stand out from the crowd. Indeed, this list could easily include 50 cigars and still not cover every smoke that would make an excellent addition to a wedding, birthday, or anniversary celebration. Still, for the sake of brevity, here are our top five special occasion cigars you can count on to deliver at your next big event.
Storing your cigars at an ideal humidity level can be a tricky task. Leave your cigars in an over-humidified humidor, and they can experience problems like mold, tobacco beetles, and construction issues like poor burns and draws. On the other hand, under-humidifying cigars can cause them to dry out, become brittle, and lose their delicious, natural flavors.
When it comes to cigars, size matters.
The shape, length, and width of a cigar all affect the composition of the blend and, ultimately, how it tastes. Today, we’ll focus on the width of the cigar — known in the industry as its “ring gauge” — and explain everything you need to know about cigar sizes.
A fantasy football draft night offers up a litany of tough choices: running back or quarterback? Pepperoni or sausage pizza? Light or craft beer?
However, one question that shouldn’t keep you up at night is what cigars you should bring. To make this decision even easier, we’re listing out our favorite smokes for football season, tailgates, and fantasy draft night. Check them out here!
Cigar World Deep Dive: Estelí
Posted in Cigars 101
Learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know about one of the most important cigar places in the world: Estelí
You’re not afraid of a little heat, are you?
Good, because today we’re counting down our favorite cigars with spicy tasting notes! If you love premium cigars with robust and expansive flavor profiles, you’ve come to the right place.
For newcomers to the hobby, smoking a cigar for the first time can feel intimidating. Knowing how to cut the cigar, how to light it, how to store any cigars left over — and what tools you need to do those things — may not always be obvious! Luckily, you only need a few essential accessories to enjoy a cigar to the fullest. Here’s a quick list of five accessories every cigar lover should have in their lounge.
When was the last time you really, truly relaxed? If you can’t recall, you may need a premium cigar, an extended vacation, or both! For today’s blog, we’ll list a few of our favorite smokes to enjoy while chilling on vacation. These are the five best vacation cigars.
Much is made about cigar reviews. Check out any cigar brand’s website, and you’ll be sure to see displays indicating the plaudits the company has earned over the years. While we appreciate professional reviews, we also value how you, the actual consumer, rate cigars! That’s why we encourage our members to rate their favorite cigars, and that’s also why we’re sharing seven of the best-reviewed cigars on Cigar World.
The Best Ballgame Cigars
Posted in Cigars 101
With baseball season in full swing, there’s certainly no shortage of cigar-worthy occasions on the calendar. Check out these top cigar brands honoring America’s favorite pastime, and discover smokes that are sure to hit a home run at your next tailgate or watch party.
“Tradition” is one of the most important terms in the cigar industry. A few cigar brands can trace their roots back to the 19th century, and many cigar manufacturers try to carry on — if not replicate — the traditions laid down by their predecessors. Punch Golden Era is an exciting case study in tradition because it heavily features a type of tobacco that was once incredibly popular but is now a rarity: authentic Corojo.
Within the cigar industry, America is often viewed as a consumer of premium cigars instead of a producer. But that simply doesn’t tell the whole story. Cigar makers regularly utilize tobacco grown in the United States, and some of the biggest manufacturers still operate factories in America. Here, we’ll explore every aspect of American cigar tobacco and share a few of our favorite “USA cigars” to add to your collection.
Do we hear wedding bells? Like any celebration, a wedding is a fantastic occasion to light up a premium cigar. However, finding the right cigar for the groom, the wedding party, or 150+ guests isn’t always straightforward. With wedding season in full swing, today we’ll showcase a few of the very best cigars for weddings — updated for 2024.
For some consumers, the quality of Brazilian tobacco comes as a surprise — even in 2024. While South America’s largest country is famous for its soccer team, beautiful beaches, and exports like coffee, it is not generally the first place people associate with incredible cigar tobacco. However, Brazilian tobacco, specifically Brazilian Mata Fina, has a rich history in the cigar industry. And the exotic and flavorful nature of Brazilian tobacco can captivate any smoker.
While tobacco originated in the Americas, the growth of the cigar industry has seen new forms of tobacco developed in places like Africa, Southeast Asia, and Europe. And as cigar companies have sought to innovate, more brands are looking to these “exotic” tobacco varietals for new releases. This is the case with the new Macanudo Emissary España. Take a deep dive with us as we explore the backstory of this intriguing new smoke.
Long summer evenings cry out for big, delicious cigars. Whether you’re out camping, hanging with friends, or just chilling on your back porch, these plus-sized cigars will supply you with at least 90 minutes of solid enjoyment.
Best Value Cigars for 2024
Posted in Cigars 101
While there’s a time and a place to ignore price points and opt for a big, luxurious cigar, value smokes offer cigar lovers everyday quality at reasonable prices. Indeed, consumers are spoiled for choice when it comes to cigars under $10 per stick. Given the stubborn effects of inflation and the current state of the economy, there’s never been a better time to try out a new wallet-friendly cigar.
