Education Tag CAO
Europe has long been an important market for cigar manufacturers, and many famous Europeans have harbored a profound love of cigars over the years (none more so than Winston Churchill). However, recently, cigar brands have begun to feature European tobacco in premium cigars. Let’s explore European tobacco and explain what makes it an exciting new player in the cigar industry.
The Top 5 Everyday Cigars
Posted in Cigars 101
A great cigar is a great cigar all the time, right? Well, not necessarily. Some cigars are simply too expensive, too big, or too rare to enjoy on a regular basis. Such cigars will make quality special occasion smokes, but they’re unlikely to be a wise choice for enjoying Monday through Friday. Instead, today, we’ll focus on a few sticks that are excellent everyday carry candidates. Here are our favorite everyday cigars.
Vanilla is a core tasting note in many cigar flavor profiles. Indeed, the best Connecticut Shade cigars often produce creamy, smooth, and vanilla-heavy smoking experiences. However, cigars with vanilla tasting notes come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. So whether you’re new to the cigar game or looking for a recommendation, you’re in the right place. Check out the best cigars with vanilla tasting notes — updated for 2025.
In all seriousness, a vanilla cigar is any cigar with flavor notes reminiscent of vanilla. Think creamy, smooth and mellow. We’re going to drop some of our favorite cigars with vanilla notes at the bottom, but first, let’s break down what exactly constitutes a vanilla cigar.
Top Rated Mellow Cigars For 2025
Posted in Cigars 101
While mellow cigars are occasionally classed as “beginner cigars,” the truth is that cigars with lighter wrappers and mellower bodies can still impart tons of flavor and produce extraordinary smoking experiences. So whether you’re a newbie or a long-time cigar lover, you’ll find some excellent recommendations on our list of the top-rated mellow cigars for 2025.
Smoking cigars in cold weather often isn’t the most fun. No one wants to shiver alone on a porch for hours while they struggle in vain to enjoy their favorite smoke. Unfortunately, if you don’t have access to an indoor lounge, smoking outdoors may be your only option — even if it is cold outside. The good news is that you can find excellent cigars you can enjoy quickly during the winter months.
Here are a few cigars on the smaller side that are perfect for smoking in winter, on lunch breaks, or any occasion when time is at a premium.
‘Tis the season for enjoying cigars and premium spirits. Or, at least, it’s what we’re most excited about! Whether you’re looking for a special cigar-and-drink combo for your yuletide gatherings or you just want some quality cigar and cocktail combos, we’ve got you covered. Check out Cigar World’s guide to pairing holiday spirits with premium cigars.
2024 Cigar World Rundown
Posted in Best Of
2024 is nearly at an end, and you know what that means — it’s time for the annual release of “cigar of the year” lists from the cigar media. While we love a good list as much as anyone else, here at Cigar World, we wanted to do something different with our end-of-the-year recap. Rather than having a panel of experts or blind judges determine the best cigar of the year, we’re spotlighting five cigars that you — our fans — couldn’t stop raving about in 2024.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
New Cigars to Try in 2024
Posted in Cigars 101
With PCA 2024 in the books and summer quickly approaching, it’s a great time to highlight some new cigars to try this year (2024). While we all have old favorites, some major new releases have garnered well-deserved attention from the industry. So let’s get straight to brass tacks — here are five(ish) great new cigars to add to your rotation.
PCA 2024: Highlights & Recap
Posted in Cigars 101
The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) 2024 trade show is officially in the books! While PCA kicked off a little earlier this year than years prior, some of the biggest brands in the cigar industry used it as an opportunity to showcase new and exclusive products! Thankfully, Cigar World was there to provide a quick recap on all the highlights you may have missed at PCA 2024!
Top 5 Best Bonfire Cigars
Posted in Cigars 101
A crisp in the air and the changing leaves can only mean one thing. It’s bonfire season! Nothing makes a night by the fire better than lighting up a cigar. Whether it’s a new variety or an old faithful you can’t go wrong. If you’re looking for a little guidance on which cigars to sample this bonfire season, we’re here to help. So light up the bonfire then light up a cigar. Here are our top 5 recommendations for the best cigars this fall season!
Cigar Shapes and Sizes 101
Posted in Cigars 101
What does a “regular” cigar look like? Is it thin or thick? Is it short or long? Is its head rounded or tapered off?
Of course, there is no answer to this question because cigars can and do come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. And even seasoned smokers may need help keeping track of every cigar frontmark. So today, we’re going to go back to basics and review a few critical terms regarding cigar dimensions
Our Favorite Oscuro Cigars
Posted in Cigars 101
First, a disclaimer: we love mellow, Connecticut-shade cigars here at Cigar World. However, we won’t be talking about any cigars like that today because this blog is all about the darkest of the dark: Oscuro wrappers.
We’re celebrating National Tequila Day today –– salud! Naturally, we’re pairing our favorite tequila drinks with some of the finest cigars you’ll find on the market today. As you might have guessed, partnering cigars with tequila's unique agave spice can be tricky. Not to worry, though. No matter what kind of tequila and what kind of cigars you prefer, we’ll fix you up with a recommendation that’s sure to hit the spot.
If you’ve had more than a passing interest in cigars over the past five years, odds are you’ve noticed an uptick in the number of smokes featuring “San Andrés” tobacco. And no, you’re not imagining things –– San Andrés cigars have become increasingly popular. While farmers have produced tobacco in Mexico’s San Andrés Valley for over a century, recent releases from brands like E.P. Carillo, My Father Cigars, CAO, and Cohiba have elevated San Andrés tobacco’s profile. With that in mind, it’s overdue for a breakdown of this exciting tobacco taking the industry by storm.
The Best Cigars for Camping
Posted in Best Of
What summer is complete without a good camping trip? After all, camping is relaxing, it’s fun, it’s easy (relatively), and –– best of all –– you can enjoy cigars basically the entire time you’re exploring the “great outdoors.” On that note, let’s dive into some of the best stogies you can take along your next camping adventure.
Deep Dive: CAO Flavours
Posted in Cigars 101
If CAO is known for anything, it’s for passionately creating premium cigars with the world’s best tobaccos.
CAO is back to #MixUpAGoodTime the best way they know how—with another badass pairing. This one will have you busting out the bourbon and a Flathead, just in time for National Bourbon Day.
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