The very first cigar you smoke as a beginner aficionado will have sentimental value. The best recommendation will have any client looking for a better one as long as the starting cigar itself is a quality and top-notch, always fine and reliable product. Generally, cheap cigars are a no-go. The quality is usually lower or the cigars preservation process is substandard which separates them from premium cigars.

Popular cigars are defined by their composition and shape

The composition of a cigar defines what the cigar is made up of. Premium hand-rolled Habanos cigars are made from tobacco and a wrapper. These cigars can be made from different products that are sourced from different areas such as the Connecticut wrapper and the Cameroon wrapper common with Bongani Cigars.

Binder leaf is used to improve the design, shape and structure of the Cigar. The leaf is generally thicker and more hardy than the wrapper leaf surrounding the cigar

The filler consists of the bulk of the cigar. These are a bound bunch of tobacco leaves that are folded to allow air passageways down the length of the cigar through which the smoke is drawn as the cigar is lit. The filler of the cigar defines the type of smoke that the cigar has with loose bundles having a fast burn while tight bundles making it hard to pull from constricted airflow.

The composition depending on the origin of the items can be used to add characteristics of the cigar with flavour profiles from earthy, spicy, sweet and savoury, vanilla and chocolate flavoured cigars.

See below the cigar size chart for a beginner’s guide:

By understanding the basic structure of the cigar some of the common designs and shapes of the cigars widely available are:

The Cigarillo & The Purito

These are mostly machine cut cigars tightly bundled tobacco leaf cap. Their lengths fall between 8 cm and a width of 8mm. they are slightly narrower and shorter than a traditional cigar but larger than filtered cigarettes. Popular cigar brands with this type include Montecristo, Cohiba, Davidoff, Guantanamera. The burn lasts 10-15 per cigar.

The Coronas

Length of 14 cm and width of 17 mm. With smoother finis and flavoured aroma profile, corona cigars are the dominant platform for most Cuban/ Habanos cigars. They last between 25 and 30 minutes of smoke per cigar. Popular brands with this cigar format Romeo y Julieta, J.Cortes, Guantanamera, Balmoral, Partagas and Bolivar.

The Robustos

Are about 12 cm long and 20 mm wide Available products like the Bongani Robusto is the same size as the Partagas Series 4 and Epicure 2 Hoyo de Monterrey. It has an average smoking time of 30 minutes to 45 minutes.

The Churchills

Named after Sir Winston Churchill, these cigars are 18 cm long and 19-20 mm wide. With a strong flavour profile, Churchill cigars have an average smoking time between 50 minutes to 90 minutes.

Taking care of your cigars

Above all, cigars are required to be stored in significant controlled humidity and environment. They need an approximate humidity of 65-70% and a constant temperature of 18C. Dry cigars become fragile and burn faster while damp cigars burn unevenly and take on a heavy acidic flavour. Humidors (see below) are used to maintain an even humidity level. Without one, cigars will lose moisture and acquire the ambient humidity within 2 to 3 days. A humidor’s interior lining is typically constructed with three types of Spanish Cedar Wood.