Cigars seem pretentious. The brown sticks of leaves have elaborate names and sizing that must be explained. Their leaves are cured as an art and a science. The famous, and infamous, have enhanced their reputations with their cigar habits, like Babe Ruth, Jack Nicholson, and Al Capone. But, you don’t have to be Winston Churchill or JFK to get past the cloud of confusing lexicon. Under all the words and numbers, cigars are simple—an avenue to an hour of being still. They are relaxing.
Long summer nights are a nice window of time for smoking. So, voilà, here is the need-to-know guide on the unsubstantiated yet seeming mystery of cigars. The truth behind the confusing cigar vocabulary stems from its history. Cigars have evolved over centuries and across continents, creating a great product, yet little standardization in its terms. To simplify it, you can categorize cigars into colors, shapes and sizes. Simple is good.
Cigar Color
The color of cigars is the best place to start. The color of the wrapper can tell you a lot about the cigar flavor. Cigar wrapper colors are categorized differently by aficionados. So, let’s break them into three very general ones, starting from the light to dark in color: Connecticut, Natural/Habana, and Maduro.
Connecticut: These are light tan in color. The tobacco leaf is often grown in Connecticut under shade tents, called shade tobacco. They generally have a milder, sweeter flavor. A Connecticut wrapper is a go to for a new smoker.
Habana, also called Natural: Light brown to brown in color, these wrappers have a medium-bodied flavor. They have some spice and a fuller aroma.
Maduro: This color is deep brown, almost black. The color comes from tobacco being fermented longer and at higher heat. “Maduro” means “mature” in Spanish. The taste is usually more full-bodied, with chocolate and pepper flavors.
Side note: Along with the wrapper, a cigar has filler and a binder. The filler is what is inside. How filler is made varies, but the bottom line is that premium cigars have better filler. The binder, obviously, holds the filler together and is then topped with the wrapper.
As a freshman smoker, steer towards Connecticut/Claro wrappers at the beginning. We could compare it to drinking beer. If you have never tasted beer, you don’t want to start with the darkest, bitterest IPA. Stay lighter and milder until you know what you like.
Cigar Size
Beyond the color of the cigar, size and shape vary among stogies. Size is measured in length and diameter. Length is measured in inches. If it says 7”, you know the cigar is seven inches long.
The diameter is not as straightforward. It is measured by ring gauge, a somewhat antiquated system. In any case, 64 units in ring gauge equals one inch in diameter. Let’s say a cigar has a ring gauge of 48. Forty-eight is three-quarters of 64, so it’s about 3/4 inch in diameter. So, if you see a cigar that measures 7 x 48, you know it’s seven inches long and 3/4 of an inch around.
Size matters. If you get a cigar that is close to 64 ring gauge, and say, at least six inches in length, it could take an hour and a half to smoke it. Smaller diameter means less smoke time, and more flavor from the wrapper since there is less filler.
Cigar Shape
Cigar shape is a different animal — so many shapes, so little time! Again, in general, there are three popular shapes to get started with cigar knowledge: robusto, toro, and torpedo.
Robusto: These are five inches long with a 50 ring gauge — a short, thick cigar. The sides are straight.
Toro: These have straight sides, and are longer and thinner than robustos, at 5 5/8 inch by 46 ring gauge. They go up to six inches by 50 ring gauge, approximately.
Torpedo:
A torpedo is not straight-sided like a toro or robusto. It’s shaped like — you guessed it — a torpedo. They will burn a little more slowly because of their tapered head, as the smoke draw is tighter.
Tools for Cigars
There are three basic tools for cigars. One to cut it. One to light it. One to store it. A cigar is closed on the smoking end (head) and must be cut to be smoked. Cutters made for cigars can be purchased. A kitchen knife works, too, if you want to wait until you are a committed smoker to spend money on a cutter. To light a cigar, use a match or a butane lighter. These are clean burning and will not add flavor or scent to the cigar.
Storing cigars well is important. A cigar can dry out if not protected. A humidor is the best way to store them. Essentially, it’s a humidity-controlled box that keeps a cigar moist. Another option is an acrylic humidor “jar” that can be found on Amazon.com. The jar is a low-cost item and holds up to 25 cigars. If you commit to smoking cigars, browse Ebay or Craigslist for high-quality used humidors at great prices.
Choosing and Smoking a First Cigar
For purchasing, options are varied. Physical stores are the first places that come to mind. Aim to spend in the $8-$10 range at a smoke shop. Again, a cigar with a Connecticut wrapper is a recommended first cigar. Purchasing cigars online is a popular possibility, too. Prices on good cigars can come down to $4-$6 with online sales, free shipping, and bundles.
Cigar lounges are growing in popularity and are fantastic places for the inexperienced. Any questions can be answered, the selection of cigars is broad, and all the tools needed (cutter, the right lighter) are at your disposal. If you have an extroverted bend, the social aspect will be worth the trip. Lounges are also a place to pair a drink with a cigar.
Cigar and alcohol pairings are a subject well-discussed. The possibilities seem intimidating. Common pairings are beer, merlot, port, bourbon and scotch. Aged rum is trendy right now. The simple rule is: drink what you like to drink, then add a cigar. The experience is about relaxing, not impressing. Finally, an unsophisticated rule for being relaxed as a beginning smoker: don’t smoke on an empty stomach or you might feel ill.
Cigars in Virginia
Jamestown was full of empty stomachs when John Rolfe arrived in 1610 with tobacco seeds. He was part of the “Third Supply” sent to Jamestown from England, that was shipwrecked near Bermuda and almost a year late. A shroud of mystery lies around where Rolfe got his seeds — some say Bermuda, some say Trinidad. Rolfe helped save the failing colony’s economy when he exported his first tobacco in 1614. Rolfe made tons of moolah, but Virginia-grown tobacco never made it to the cigar game. The Virginia species was smoked in pipes and use for snuff.
However, the Spanish began rolling cigars in Cuba in the late 1500s with their expertly cured tobacco. Cigars became popular in the colonies and England around the 1730s, when the term “cigar” became recognized. For the etymologists out there, “cigar” is the English word derived from Spanish “cigarro”. But the Mayans in modern-day Guatemala may have a claim on the true origin. The Mayans used the word “sikar,” which literally means to smoke rolled tobacco. Some sources credit the Mayans with the “invention” of the cigar around the tenth century.
In the twenty-first century, finding a way to relax is arguably more important than it was in the tenth. Cigar tobacco growing, and rolling, has also expanded worldwide in the past centuries. The amalgamation of history and culture wrapped into a brown stogie is fascinating. And, the commitment to be still to enjoy it is worthwhile.