What’s A Good Cigar?
Posted By Lucas Woith on February 8, 2011
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Lucas Woith
I’m often asked this question by cigar enthusiasts ranging from novice to experienced. The answer isn’t nearly as straight forward as it might seem. What’s a good cigar to me may repulse someone else, and vice versa.
Picking the right cigar is one of the hardest things for a new smoker to do. This is where the guidance of a friend, or a retailer at your local brick and mortar store, is invaluable. The great thing about the cigar industry is that there’s literally something for everyone, from mild to full, and even flavored, although we won’t get into those here!
I learned a great tip for a shop owner out here on Long Island…when it comes to suggesting a cigar for someone who’s inexperienced, ask about what they like to eat. If they are a white wine and chicken kind of person, they’re probably not going to like a La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero, but they may very well enjoy a Rocky Patel Connecticut. To the contrary, if they eat red meat, red wine, spicy foods, etc…they may very well enjoy the Double Ligero.
Further complicating matters, there are so many great cigars out there nowadays, from small, boutique makers, that most people have never heard of, but they’re every bit as good as the La Flor Dominicanas, Montecristos, and Romeo y Julietas of the world. If you like the Punch Rare Corojo, try an Arganese CL3, it will blow you away. If you smoke a Macanudo Hampton Court, try the El Primer Mundo Connecticut Shade. That’s one of the best things about the cigar industry…the options are endless.
So to sum things up…there’s a BIG difference between a bad cigar, and a cigar that doesn’t appeal to you. If I try a cigar and it just doesn’t do it for me, I discern between it being a bad cigar, one that uses low quality tobacco, is poorly constructed, etc or being a cigar that is a good cigar, just not for my tastes.
Davidoff Cigars are a prime example of this. They don’t appeal to me, but does that mean they’re a “bad” cigar. Absolutely not…they use some of the best tobacco in the world, and each cigar is expertly rolled…quality wise they are second to none…they’re just too mild for my palate.
Hopefully after reading this blog post, you’re better prepared to answer the next time someone asks you, “What’s a good cigar?” And trust me…they’ll ask!
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