Whether you’re a cigar aficionado yourself or looking to buy a gift for the cigar lover in your life, it’s important to know you’re getting quality cigars. There are many varieties of cigars out there, and not all of them good, but if you know where and how to look, you can find great cigars wherever you are. Here are three expert ways to find the best cigars.
1. Use Your Hands
You can tell a lot by the feel of a cigar, even if you’re not an expert–it’s just a matter of keeping an eye out for a few qualities of good cigars. Once you identify a cigar of the desired size and shape, run your hands over the surface of the cigar. The paper shouldn’t feel dry or flaky, as this can indicate that the cigar was kept in a location with insufficient humidity. The paper or wrapper should also be inspected to make sure that the cigar was rolled properly. Any gaps or tears in the wrapping, however small, is a clear red flag when buying cigars.
Another thing to check is whether or not the cigar is well-filled. It should feel consistently firm and uniform throughout, without any gaps or small divots. High-quality cigars should always be evenly rolled and filled, and any flaws likely indicate a lower-quality cigar. If, however, a cigar that you pick out doesn’t show any of these flaws, you can move on to a closer inspection.
2. Taste Cigars Before Buying Them
‘Tasting cigars,’ is of course not referring to lighting the cigar in the shop, or even using your mouth in any way. It’s crucial that you like the taste of the cigar you’re buying, and to get an idea of what it may taste like, you should see if its smell is appealing to you.
If you’re in a cigar shop, make sure you ask for permission, but if the employee grants it, remove the cigar from the outer wrapping and hold it beneath your nose, inhaling deeply to test its smell. Smell and taste are closely linked, so if you like the smell of the cigar, chances are you’ll enjoy the taste as well. (How to Identify a Quality Cigar) Besides, a key feature of all the best cigars is that they have a pleasant taste!
3. For Convenience, Buy Online
If your schedule makes it difficult to spend time perusing a cigar shop, there are a variety of good websites that allow you to purchase cigars online. Some of the best sites include Cigarbid.com and Famous Smoke Shop, both of which are easy to navigate and feature large and varied inventory. (Best Sites for Buying Cigars Online) In general, buying cigars online is more convenient, and it often allows you to view larger selections of cigars and makes comparing prices and qualities of different brands easy.
However, the major downside of buying cigars online is that you aren’t able to inspect the cigars before you buy them. Because of this, online stores are best used to purchase favorite brands that you know you enjoy, or for buying gifts for a friend whose taste in cigars you’re sure of. In addition, many cigar buying sites are unreliable or frequently run out of stock, while others are complete scams. Be sure that you buy from a reputable website that you’re sure is safe, otherwise you may end up scammed by a fraudulent site.
By following these three pieces of expert advice, you can find the best cigars whether you’re buying online or in stores. Remember to always inspect the cigars in-store and see if you find the smell and feel appealing, and if you opt for online cigar shops for convenience’s sake, do some background research on the site you’re using and the cigars you’re considering since you won’t have the benefit of inspecting them personally. Even if you’re a complete beginner to the world of cigars, so long as you follow these pieces of advice, you can make smart and savvy purchases.
