Cigar Guides

Why would I need a cigar guide?
You need one for the same reason you need any other kind of guide. It gives you information and guidance. Everything from smoking ban information to cigar lounge etiquette can be found in cigar guides. Advice for beginners as to what the best brands are can almost always be found in these sources as well.

What would a cigar guide tell me?
If you are new to cigar smoking, It will also teach you many things about cigar products like humidors, cigar cutters, the humidification process, accessories, and helpful tips about health and legal issues that relate to cigars.

Do cigar guides give a lot of information on the types of cigars and how they are made?
Oh yes. Most cigar aficionados prefer to smoke hand-rolled cigars. This is very important; because machine-rolled, mass produced cigars are common at the low end of the price scale. The cigar connoisseur needs to be aware of how the cigar he or she is considering purchasing was made.

Country of origin also matters to cigar smokers. Places like Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic are world renowned for cigar quality. The cigar guide can and should give as much information on the origin of cigar fillers and wrappers so smokers can make a quality decision about what they are buying.

Cigar guides can also provide information on what is happening in the world’s top cigar companies. Some even give detailed information on how the filler and wrappers used by these companies are grown and prepared, and how these cigars are rolled.

Do cigar guides give tips on cigar smoking?
Yes. Beginning cigar smokers are often surprised when they learn that everything about a cigar is different from a cigarette. For example, you have to focus very intently on lighting a cigar correctly. If lit unevenly, the cigar will not burn evenly. Most importantly, do not inhale cigar smoke like you do cigarette smoke. It is far stronger and will do you no good to smoke in this way. The point of smoking a cigar is to draw the smoke into the mouth and taste its flavor and enjoy its aroma, nothing more.

Cigar guides also can give you a wealth of information on choosing a cigar and cutting the cigar correctly. Many guides also give advice on how to choose a humidor and properly humidify cigars.

Do cigar guides give advice on cigar etiquette?
Yes. Cigar smoking is a lifestyle unto itself. Like all lifestyles in this big beautiful world of ours, it is has its own protocols and formalities. The lifestyle of the aficionado is never that of a cold-blooded elitist, but at the same time, the aficianado does walk upon the earth with an aura of sophistication and class that speaks of refinement.

It’s more a matter of being suave than being stiff as a board—but you still need to know how to act when you go smoke at a cigar lounge.

How do I recognize a good cigar shop when I see one?

Customer service is the number one thing. When you go to the time and trouble of traveling to a brick and mortar establishment, you have the right to expect the very best in aficionado atmosphere and willingness on the part of the staff to provide you with information on cigars and cigar products.

If you are dealing with a cigar shop online, such as Serious Cigars, you can expect an equivalent form of customer service in the form of community management. We are always willing to answer questions that our customers email to us. Or, you can call the store with your questions if you prefer to have a conversation.

Talking to a staff member is the best way to find out about the contents of sampler packs, cigar discounts, cigars on sale, and new brands that you might want to try or share with your friends.

Aside from customer service, what else makes Serious Cigars such a good in store?
We have one of the largest inventories online. You can find just about any cigar brand or label in our shop. We have inexpensive cigars, fine cigars, and premium cigars at premium prices.

Over the years, we have worked very hard to develop close relationships with manufacturers and suppliers. This allows us to keep brands in stock that many of our competitors have difficulty obtaining and maintaining in inventory.
We also have a very unique Internet portal that manages our inventory automatically in live real-time. That means that when you buy an item from our site, the inventory is automatically update without us having to make any changes to it manually.

Finally, we pride ourselves in the level of attention that we devote to taking care of our cigars. To guarantee premium quality, we store our cigars in a 1400-square foot walk-in humidor.

Is there a benefit to buying a sampler pack of cigars?
Not only is there a benefit to buying sampler packs from our cigar shop, but we actually encourage you to do so. This is for several reasons.

First, if you are new to smoking, a sampler pack lets you try many different brands and styles of cigars at once. The pack will usually include mild, medium-bodied, and full-bodied cigars so you can get a full range of flavors.

Secondly, you can buy sampler packs as gifts and almost always count on the person you give the gift to finding something to like in the pack. True, they may like some flavors and brands more than others, but it is highly unlikely that they would dislike them all.

Finally, sampler packs are often the least expensive way to buy from a cigar shops.

Can I buy single cigars online?
You can, but the shipping costs are not really worth it. You will get more out of your money if you drive to a cigar shop in person. Besides, nothing beats the experience of walking through a room-sized humidor, and nothing is quite so special as talking to other cigar aficionados about the lifestyle and experiences of cigar smoking.

Cigar Types

How are different cigar types classified?
Cigars are categorized in several ways, such as by method of manufacture, size and shape, flavor or strength, and country of origin.

One of the most common ways to categorize cigars is by their shape and size. Although this sounds simple, it can be very confusing. For many years, the cigar industry has been using terms such as Corona and Panatela, which correspond to the approximate length and width of the cigar, not the manufacturer or brand.

How do different types of cigars taste?
The taste of different cigar types refers to both the nature of the taste and the depth of its perception on the palate, lips, nose, and throat. Many different adjectives are used to describe flavor, and of course, different types of tobacco and methods of maturing it have a very big impact on just what a cigar ultimately tastes like.

Such terms as coffee, cherry, sweet, salty, apricot, mature, and green are used to describe the actual flavor.

The depth of flavor that a particular cigar type produces is normally described by adjectives of intensity. Terms such as bland, hints, overtones, decidedly, massive, or rich can signify not so much the actual taste you will encounter, but the intensity of the taste you will experience once you have encountered it.

So if you here a person say something along the lines of “that cigar has a rich, sweet flavor”, such an expression signifies that the cigar both smells and tastes sweet, and that other senses beyond the taste buds themselves (such as the palate and the nostrils) participate in sensory enjoyment of the cigar.

If you are new to cigar smoking, awareness of this simple descriptive process can go a long way toward building your cigar etiquette and having intelligent conversation with other cigar aficionados.

Where is the tobacco for the best cigar types grown?
While some cigar tobacco is grown in the Eastern United States, the majority of it is grown in warmer, more humid climates. The world’s largest producer of cigars is the Dominican Republic. This is not by accident either, because the Dominican Republic lies on the island of Hispaniola, which was the first islands discovered by Christopher Columbus, who also brought tobacco back to Europe.

This part of the world has ever since been a major player in the production of all sorts of premium and coveted cigar types.

Cuba has a more widespread claim to fame in popular culture, mostly due to its turbulent history. However, the majority of cigar aficionados prefer Dominican cigar types both in terms of aroma, colors, and prices.

Other countries where cigar tobacco is grown include Honduras, Brazil, and Nicaragua.