Drugstore Cigars: A Good Buy?

The sheer diversity of cigars can be confusing for new smokers.  Many new smokers want to know:  is it OK to buy cigars from their local drugstore or chain store?  What is the quality of these cigars?  Can you expect to get good flavor from these cigars?

While of course, it's perfectly OK to purchase these cigars, be aware that these packaged cigars are usually of poorer quality.  Most 'drugstore' cigars contain preservative or other non-tobacco ingredients.  Common ingredients found in packaged cigars may include paper, Glycerin, and saltpeter.  High quality cigars will contain only tobacco.  Packaged drugstore cigars will generally contain these extra ingredients designed to keep them stored on the shelves for extended periods of time. 

Cigar Smoking 101

What are the basics of cigar smoking?  How do you light a cigar?  How do you draw on the cigar properly?  Do you inhale?  What are the dos and don'ts of cigar smoking?  If you have ever pondered any of these questions, read on.  Here is a simple and accessible primer designed to help you gain familiarity with the sometimes confusing, always enigmatic world of cigar smoking. 

Choosing the Best Ashtray for Cigar Smoking

Is an ashtray just an ashtray?  Unlike regular cigarettes, cigars need their own special space to support their girth and ashes.  Many cigar aficionados swear by the pleasures of finding the proper place to hold their cigars and ashes.

So what are the characteristics of a good ashtray?  First of course, make sure the ashtray you buy is big enough to hold your cigars.  Cigars come in varying sizes, so you will want an ashtray that can accommodate the single of your choice.  Next, consider your personal style of smoking.  Do you produce a lot of ash?  Do you let your cigar rest for extended periods of time?  These are all important considerations when choosing your ashtray.

Check the Ashtray: Using Ashes to Determine the Quality of Your Cigar

How to tell if your cigar is of the highest quality?  Check the ashtray—the ashes left behind can speak volumes about the quality of your cigar.  Here a few simple tips to determining the quality of your cigar. 

First, note how fast your cigar burns.  A cigar that seems to burn too quickly or disposes ashes that break apart easily is probably a lower quality cigar.  If the ashes seem too messy, and don't break apart together, this may also indicate a lower quality cigar.  Also, check the color of the ashes.  If the ash color seems to change, the tobacco leaf mix may be of poorer quality. 

All Styles and Sizes: The Basic Types of Cigars

For the new smoker, the different styles and sizes of cigars can seem mind-boggling.  It helps to know that all cigars can be divided into two broad categories:  parejos and figurados.

Parejos refers to cigars that are basically straight.  They are subdivided into three categories:  coronas, panatelas, and lonsdales.  Coronas come in a variety of styles and famous brands.  They are known as cigars with an 'open foot' (or tip) and a rounded head.  Panatelas are generally longer than coronas, are thinner.  Lonsdales are also longer than coronas, but are thinner than panatelas. 

A Short History of Cigars and Tobacco

Have you ever wondered where cigars were first produced?  It is widely believed that cigars were first produced in Spain.  But before cigars became all the rage in Europe, tobacco was needed to make them.  Tobacco is indigenous to the Americas, where native peoples have produced it for hundreds of years.  It is believed that the Maya of Yucatan peninsula in Mexico and parts of Central America cultivated tobacco, and even smoked it!  Tobacco use spread to other tribes, both north and south.  It is believed that its first use in the United States was probably among the tribe along the Mississippi.  It wasn't until Christopher Columbus sailed his famous voyage to the Americas in 1492 that the rest of the world came to know tobacco.

4 Tips for Lighting a Cigar

For new smokers, lighting a cigar can seem as daunting as learning to choose a good single.  Here are four tips to guide you in lighting a cigar for the first time.

1.  Use cedar matches, if possible.  If you prefer to use a lighter, make sure it's butane lighter to avoid strong odors.